Sox 67

On a 14-game western road trip in late June and early July, the Sox held their own against Minnesota, Kansas City, and California, though no one was ordering World Series tickets-yet.

Boston ran into the Twins’ Jim Kaat in the opener of a three-game set, and the southpaw bested Jim Lonborg in a 2-1 win. Lonny went 7 innings, surrendering 6 hits and fanning 10, but Kaat was even better, also allowing 6 safeties, walking none and striking out 8. A misplayed fly ball by Tony Conigliaro led to both Minnesota runs in the fourth, with Zoilo Versalles and Ted Uhlaender driving them in. The Twins, who had recently replaced former Soxer Sam Mele as manager with Cal Ermer, thus tied Boston for third place.

Again tinkering with his starting rotation, Dick Williams went with rookie Gary Waslewski the next night, and the righthander responded with his first major league win, a 3-2 decision. Waslewski went 6 innings of 3-hit ball before handing it over to John Wyatt. Conig quickly atoned for his error by slamming a two-run homer in the first off loser Dean Chance. Ahead 2-1, the Townies plated the winner in the seventh on singles by Jerry Adair, Bob Tillman and Reggie Smith. After surrendering a run, Wyatt fanned Versalles in the ninth to end it with the tying tally on base.

The Sox and Twins engaged in their third straight one-run game the following evening, but this one went to the home squad, another 3-2 decision. The usually sure-handed George Scott committed 2 errors-the second led to the winning run, which scored on a single by Cesar Tovar to break a 2-2 tie. Minnesota’s number 3 starter Dave Boswell had an excellent night, a complete game 4-hitter with one walk and 12 K’s.

The Bosox traveled to Kansas City and did exactly what they should have done- sweep the undermanned A’s by scores of 5-3, 10-2, and 2-1. Tony C, who was picked to the AL all-star team for the first and (sadly) only time in his career, was a big factor. Conig smashed a long three-run homer to back up Gary Bell in game one and a solo job to help Lonborg capture his tenth victory against 3 losses in game 2. The score was tied at the end of five, but Boston exploded with 8 runs in the next three innings. The Sox had 12 hits off four KC hurlers, including 3 by Conigliaro and 2 each by Scott and Adair. Joe Foy, another resurgent hitter, homered in the eighth off Catfish Hunter for the winning tally in game 3, as Waslewski picked up his second win in a fine effort. Other Boston all-star selections were Lonborg, Rico Petrocelli, and Carl Yastrzemski.

The Sox then traveled to Anaheim and beat the pesky Angels in the opener before suffering a pair of one-run losses. Round-trippers by Conigliaro, Smith and Mike Andrews marked the victory, which went to the improving Lee Stange. The Angels’ starter was Jack Hamilton, who two months later threw the tragic pitch to Tony C.

Things did not go as well the next two nights, however. First Boston fell 4-3, as Bell was hit hard, allowing 4 runs and walking 5 in 4 1/3 innings. Trailing 4-1, the Sox made it close with 2 in the ninth, but reliever Minnie Rojas fanned Foy with the tying run on. The next defeat, also 4-3, was one of the season’s most heartbreaking losses. Down 2-1 entering the ninth, the Townies went ahead on a two-run blast form reserve outfielder George Thomas, only to see Don Mincher win it with a walkoff homer off Jose Santiago. The Angels’ George Brunet got the complete-game victory.

Also around this time, the second-place Tigers were dealt a blow when future Hall of Famer Al Kaline banged a bat rack in disgust after striking out, breaking his hand. Though Kaline would return in a few weeks, his absence was a big factor, as Detroit finished the year a game behind the Sox.

Yaz was now third in hitting (.318), fourth in homers (18), and third in rbi’s (54). His assault on the Triple Crown had begun.