Eddie Murray's solo blast in the fifth inning was the fourth Oriole big fly of the game, and it proved to be the winning run as Baltimore forced a fifth and deciding game by dumping Boston 8-5 in Game 4 of their all-time ALDS. It was the second consecutive game that Boston blew a two-run lead as the Baltimore offense was once again spearheaded by George Sisler and Cal Ripken Jr.
The Red Sox had O's starter Dave McNally on the ropes early as he was forced to toss 27 pitches after a three-run first-inning deficit. McNally was a four-time 20 game-winner for the Orioles between 1968-1971. He would earn two of his three all-star nominations during this time but was not selected in 1968 which was arguably his finest year with a 22-10 record and a dazzling 1.95 ERA. A two-out rally was sparked by a Ted Williams single, and Boston continued to pile up the paper cuts on McNally with three more singles to push 3 runs across. The scoring was capped by a two-run single by Nomar Garciaparra. McNally would settle in nicely for Baltimore and blank Boston for the next 4.1 innings which was key in another Oriole comeback.
George Sisler spun a little two-out magic in a first-inning reply belting his first of two homers. Sisler is now 5-7 in Baltimore's last 2 wins. He added his second blast in the fourth to lead off the inning, and Cal Ripken Jr. launched a three-run rocket off battered Sawx starter Luis Tiant before he could record an out. Tiant wouldn't get out of the fourth inning after being victimized by a hattrick of homers. Getting back to Ripken, Ripken has driven in five runs in the last two games and is 3-7 along with a double to his credit. Besides being baseball's Iron Man, Ripken was a two time MVP in 1983 and 1991. The 1983 season saw the 22-year-old Ripken earn his first all-star berth and set career highs in hits (211), doubles (47), and runs (121) as he also celebrated a world title. He would remain an all-star participant for the rest of his career joining the league's finest an incredible 19 times in the Midsummer Classic which places him fourth overall in all-time all-star appearances behind Hank Aaron (21), Willie Mays (20), and Stan Musial (20).
The Red Sox came within a run of Baltimore in the seventh. Nomar Garciaparra led off the inning swatting a ball over the wall in center for his third RBI of the game. Nomah has been 3 dingers and 8 RBI to lead the Boston offense in the series. The Sawx picked up an unearned run on a throwing error by Orioles' reliever Jack Powell. Dwight Evans topped a slow roller to Powell, and he airmailed it into left allowing Evans to reach third. He scored on a sacrifice fly by Bobby Doerr. The Boston bullpen couldn't mitigate further damage faltering in the home half highlighted by an implosion by Red Sox all-time saves leader Jonathan Papelbon. Ken Singleton carved an RBI single to left off Boston's all-star closer, and then Papelbon issued back to back walks. The first free pass to Cal Ripken Jr. loaded the bases and the second gave Boog Powell an easy ribbie to quell the Red Sox uprising.
The series now shifts back to Fenway Park and a rematch of Game 1 starters with Pedro Martinez squaring off against Jim Palmer in a winner take all climactic contest.
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