Classic Teams 2.0 - ALCS Game 2

 

The 1978 Boston Red Sox erased an early 2-0 deficit by scoring a handful of runs in the fourth and waltzed to a 8-4 win over the 1998 New York Yankees. The series now heads to Boston knotted up at a game apiece.

Back-to-back singles in the second inning by New York set up the first two scoring opportunities of the game. Scott Brosius cashed in one run with a double to left field, and Tim Raines added a sacrifice fly. Even though Boston managed 4 hits in the first three innings off Yankees starter David Cone, he mixed in some timely strikeouts and was backed by a double play to negate any real scoring threats. 

Nevertheless, the roof fell in during the fourth on Cone. Carlton Fisk opened the inning with a single. George Scott popped out before Carl Yastrzemski continued his torrid playoff streak at the plate, clubbing a two-run homer to right to bring Boston back on even terms. This was Yaz's fourth homer of the playoffs, and he has now driven in 10 runs. Suddenly, the flood gates opened with the next six Red Sox batters reaching base. Dwight Evans worked a free pass, and Butch Hobson kept the line moving with a single. Rick Burleson added a single of his own to score Evans but got caught being greedy and was thrown out at second trying to advance. After yet another single by Jerry Remy and a Fred Lynn plunking, the bases were loaded for the Red Sox's hottest hitter, Jim Rice. Rice smoked a double into center to bring home two more runs and end the day for David Cone. 

Rice is now batting .435 with seven RBI in the postseason. Both he and Dwight Evans also added their first home runs of the playoffs in the seventh inning to push the lead to 8-2.

Boston starter Luis Tiant nailed things down after that wobbly second allowing only 3 singles in the next five frames before running out of gas in the eighth. New York nicked him for another pair of runs when reliever Bob Stanley was unable to prevent two inherited runners from scoring, but halfway back would be the best the Yankee offense could do. 

Tiant earned a complete-game victory against the 1941 Red Sox in the ALDS, and his efforts coupled with staff ace Dennis Eckersley, have given Boston a daunting one-two punch at the top of the rotation during this postseason. Boston also received the welcome news that Mike Torrez will return from the IR list after being struck in the head by a hard ground ball in Game 2 of the ALDS. Torrez had a remarkable regular season which included a perfect game against the 1948 Cleveland Indians, and he is earmarked to start Game 3 at Fenway.