The Sensational 70s - Rice's Rifle and Rocket Rally Sawx

Jim Rice led an offensive comeback in the late innings and kept the  '77 Royals from regaining the lead by cutting down a possible go ahead run in the eighth as the Red Sox snuck out with a 5-4 win in extra innings.

Sawx starter Luis Tiant was roughed up in the first inning, forcing him to toss 25 pitches and touching him up for 3 hits and 2 runs. After back to back singles by Freddie Patek and Amos Otis, Boston managed to get Otis on a force out off a George Brett grounder. With runners on the corners, Al Cowens, who finished second in the 1977 AL MVP voting behind Rod Carew, doubled to right, scoring Patek, and Brett would count on an RBI ground out from Darrell Porter.

Then Tiant got extremely stingy and retired 16 Royals in a row over his next 6 innings of work. In the seventh, Carl Yastremski led off with a single, and Jim Rice evened things up with a two run bullet to center. Royals' starter Andy Hassler managed to strike out Dwight Evans, but Carlton Fisk put Boston in front with a solo blast to left. This ended the day for Hassler. The Red Sox padded their lead to 4-2 with Fred Lynn delivering an RBI single in the eighth. Boston brought on Jim Willoughby, who has been having a dazzling year as the Sawx primary setup man, to pitch the eighth.

Unfortunately, after getting 2 quick outs, the wheels came off. George Brett doubled to right and scored on a throwing error by Willoughby on a Cowens' comebacker to the mound. Cowens wound up on second and was lifted for pinch runner Willie Wilson. Wilson came home to tie the scored after Dwight Evans misplayed a single by Darrell Porter. Royals' manager Whitey Herzog went to the bench again and called on U.L, Washington to run for Porter. Hal McRae followed with a single to left, but Rice came up throwing and pegged Washington at the plate for the final out of the inning.

The unsuitably named swingman Dick Pole slammed the door shut, blanking the Royals for the next two innings. In the tenth, back to back two out doubles by Cecil Cooper and Fred Lynn  off Larry Gura gave Pole his eighth win. Pole also has pitched well on the winning side of the Sawx bullpen and lowered his ERA to 3.48.

Here are some of the leaders across the Majors with the season winding down. Highlights of this game are also below. Just ignore the Rookie of the Year graphic as the game counts nearly all created players as rookies.