Don Buford's clubbed a three-run shot into the right-field bullpen to cap a six-run barrage launched against Boston starter Jim Lonborg as Baltimore cruised to a 6-2 ALDS Game 3 win. Boston hoped Lonborg could turn back the clock after they gained a split at Camden Yards, but it wasn't in the cards. After three strong starts in 1970, his wonky shoulder landed him on the disabled list, and by August, his season was finished. He compiled a 4-1 record with a 3.18 ERA in 9 starts.
"Gentleman Jim" was a 22 game-winner during the "Impossible Dream" season of 1967. Noted for his fierce competitive nature, Lonborg regularly threw up and in to hitters and led the AL with 19 hit batters during that campaign. Sadly, he would never be the same pitcher again when a now-infamous skiing trip accident saw Lonborg tear ligaments in his left knee. In order to compensate for his injured knee the following season, he altered his pitching mechanics and this resulted in muscle and tendon damage in his right shoulder. This would haunt him for the rest of his career.
Throughout most of the 1960s, most leadoff hitters possessed speed and were generally slap hitters and table setters. Don Buford broke that mold when he came to Baltimore from Chicago in 1968. Not only did he have the prerequisite with regards to speed, but he was a versatile switch hitter who had power and the ability to draw walks. Despite his diminutive stature at 5' 7", he averaged 13 homers in five seasons with the Birds and had an OBP of .385. In the 1970 campaign, he was a huge catalyst in their championship run with an OBP of .406 and 99 runs scored.
Buford scored the first run of the game after leading off with a single. Merv Rettenmund would do the same in the second coming across on an RBI single by Elrod Hendricks. Boog Powell tacked on a two-out RBI double in the third, and when the dust had cleared, Baltimore had a 3-0 lead on 6 hits and 2 walks.
The way the Red Sox had been scoring in the past two games, the Orioles were certainly within striking distance. Boston has scored 7 runs in each of the past two games, but Mike Cuellar finally gave Baltimore the start they needed from one of their twenty game-winners. Mixing his devasting screwball in with a very effective slider to right-handers, Cuellar navigated his way through a 10 hit outing lasting 7.1 innings. Carl Yastrzemski got to Cuellar in the sixth crushing a two-run homer to right-center, but that would be his only faux pas.
Hoping Lonborg could reestablish himself and douce the fiery Baltimore offense, Red Sox manager Eddie Kasko stuck with the former staff ace to face the bottom part of the batting order in the fourth. However, a one-out throwing error by George Scott would get the embers smoldering again. Mark Belanger stroked a single to turn the order over and bring Buford to the plate. Lonborg offered a center-cut fastball that Buford did not miss. Red Sox right fielder Tony Conigliaro got back to the wall, but the ball kept carrying making any attempt on its retrieval futile. This was Buford's second homer of the series as he slammed a leadoff homer in Game 1.
Boston had the makings for a miraculous rally in the eighth. With consecutive singles by Yastzemski, Reggie Smith and Tony Conigliaro, Boston had the bases loaded and Oriole manager Earl Weaver had seen enough. Cuellar gave way to Moe Drabowsky and he rewarded Weaver's confidence striking out Rico Petrocelli and getting George Scott to fly out to right. Drabowsky has appeared in every game in the series and has fired a spotless three innings. Two of his three appearances were critical shutdown outings leading to Orioles victories in Games 1 and 3.
With assurances of playing at least one more game at home, Baltimore will attempt to end the series at Fenway with Tom Phoebus towing the slab in Game 4. Boston will counter with wildcard game-winner Gary Peters.
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