Oil Can Boyd continued to make news off the field, and, as had happened in the past, it was not good. Only days after a suspension for going AWOL, Boyd was admitted voluntarily to UMass Medical Center in Worcester for “a comprehensive evaluation, including testing for drugs.”
After the first incident, Boyd had apologized and his suspension had been lifted. The very next night, however, he was involved in an altercation outside his Chelsea condo with police conducting a drug search. No drugs were found, but the officers filed a criminal complaint. The team then announced that Oil Can was again under suspension. Columnists speculated that Boyd’s career with the Red Sox might be over. GM Lou Gorman was quoted as saying: “If things get straightened out, certainly he can still pitch-he’s 11-6. But we have to get to where that’s all we’re concerned about.”
On the brighter side, Roger Clemens continued to dazzle in the All-Star Game. He hurled 3 perfect innings to spark a 3-2 AL victory in Roger’s own territory, the Astrodome. It was only the second American League victory in the last 15 games. The loser was the Mets’ Dwight Gooden.
Meanwhile, the team traveled to Seattle and did not begin the second half well. First Tom Seaver suffered his first Boston loss by a 5-1 score to Mariner star Mark Langston. The next night Al Nipper continued to slump, surrendering 10 hits and 8 runs in 6 innings as Seattle triumphed, 10-4, with Danny Tartabull connecting for a three-run homer. One more time, however, Clemens would prove the stopper the following night in a 9-4 win. The Rocket allowed 6 hits and fanned 8 in 8 innings to bring his mark to 16-2. Bill Buckner and Marty Barrett each contributed 3 hits.
As of July 20, the Bosox lead over New York had been trimmed to 6 games. Wade Boggs still led the majors at .365, and was also first in the AL in on-base percentage, eighth in runs scored, and sixth in hits. Though his power numbers were down, Jim Rice was sixth in the league in batting, ninth in rbi’s, tenth in runs, and fourth in hits. Marty Barrett was third on the team in a number of cartegories.
The Mets were 60-27 and led Montreal by 12 games. Lenny Dykstra and Wally Backman were 1-2 in the NL in batting, and Gary Carter was seventh in homers and second in rbi’s. The entire rotation was among the pitching leaders, topped by Sid Fernandez’ 12-2. New York was 22-9 at home, by far the best in baseball.
According to Dan Shaughnessy (who else?), the NY tabloids were screaming “BoSox to Bomb” and “78 Again?”
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