The Boston Globe
DRAMATIC COMEBACK
Reed's clutch hit caps thrilling rally
Jody Reed's RBI single in the eighth inning completed one of the most dramatic comebacks this season, as Boston rallied from a 3-1 deficit to defeat the Philadelphia Phillies 4-3 last night at Veterans Stadium.
The game began with Boston striking first in the opening frame when Jim Rice delivered a sacrifice fly to Milt Thompson, scoring Mike Greenwell from third base. But Philadelphia answered immediately as Pete Rose singled to left, driving in Thompson to knot the game at 1-1.
The Phillies seized control in the fifth inning when Chris James launched a home run to right field, giving Philadelphia a 2-1 advantage. The lead grew to 3-1 in the sixth when Von Hayes lined a single to left field, bringing Mike Schmidt home with what appeared to be the decisive run.
"We knew we were running out of time," said manager John McNamara after the victory. "But this team has shown all year that they never give up. Tonight was a perfect example of that fighting spirit."
The comeback began in earnest in the seventh inning when Mike Greenwell launched a towering home run to left field, scoring Reed to tie the game 3-3. The blast energized the traveling Red Sox fans among the capacity crowd and seemed to shift the momentum completely in Boston's favor.
"Mike's home run was huge," said Reed. "It got us back in the game and really fired up the dugout. You could feel the energy change in the ballpark."
The drama reached its peak in the eighth inning. After Rich Gedman reached base with a single, Tony Perez drilled a double to left to put two runners in scoring position. Tony Armas was intentionally walked, and Carl Yastrzemski came on to pinch hit for Jerry Remy. Yastrzemski would pop out, and Reed came to the plate with the game on the line facing Philadelphia's Dick Ruthven.
Reed worked the count before lining a single to right field. The hit scored Gedman, giving Boston the 4-3 lead that would stand as the final score.
"I was just trying to make contact," Reed said. "With runners in scoring position, you don't need to do too much. Just put the ball in play and let things happen. When I saw it get through, it was an incredible feeling."
The Red Sox bullpen held Philadelphia scoreless in the ninth as Calvin Schraldi notched his fourth save of the campaign to preserve the victory, getting Boston back to the .500 mark and keeping them firmly in the thick of the American League East race. The comeback victory showcased the resilience and clutch hitting that has defined this Red Sox team throughout the early season.
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