On October 2, 1978, a game was played that saw one team make the playoffs in dramatic fashion while the other suffered tremendous heartbreak. It was on this day that the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox squared off at Fenway Park in a one-game playoff to decide the American League East Division.
The Yankees, who trailed by as many as 14 games behind the Red Sox at one point in the season, had finished the month of September off strong to force the one-game playoff. The Yankees sent 24-game winner Ron Guidry to the hill against 16-game winner Mike Torrez.
The Red Sox took a 2-0 lead going into the top of the 7th inning, but it was that inning that put the dagger into the hearts of Boston fans. Bucky Dent, who only hit 40 career home runs, hit a 3-run homer over the Green Monster off Torrez as they took the lead in the game 4-2. The Yankees got another run in the top of the 8th inning as Reggie Jackson connected for a solo homer off Red Sox reliever Bob Stanley.
The Red Sox would rally for two runs in the bottom of the 8th inning as Carl Yastrzemski and Fred Lynn each had RBI singles to cut the deficit to 5-4. All the runs were charged to reliever Goose Gossage who came on in the 7th inning for Guidry.
The Yankees held the lead going into the bottom of the 9th inning as Gossage was set to close it out. The Red Sox got a walk and single, and had Yastrzemski coming to the plate. Yaz had already hit a homer with two RBIs on the afternoon, but popped out to third baseman Graig Nettles to end the game as the Yankees clinched the division with a 5-4 win.
Guidry won his 25th game, and his .893 winning percentage is the highest ever for a 20-game winner in a single season. Torrez took the loss for Boston, and Gossage recorded his 27th save on the season.
The Yankees went on to beat the Kansas City Royals in American League Championship Series three games to one. Then after trailing 2-0 in the World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Yankees win the last four games as they won for the second straight year against the same opponent. Red Sox slugger Jim Rice would win AL MVP that year.
The Red Sox would later suffer some more heartache in the playoffs before finally breaking through with World Series titles in 2004 and 2007. They're currently going for their third championship in five seasons this year.
The highlight of Dent's home run has been seen as one of the most dramatic, and yet heart-breaking moments, in baseball history. Dent would go on to win World Series MVP that year for his play against the Dodgers.
The rivalry between the Yankees and Red Sox has intensified with both being competitive teams these days. It's widely considered as one of the greatest rivalries in sports today as well as all-time.
Thanks for viewing, and I hope you enjoyed today's FSD History Flashback!
Photo courtesy of allposters.com and shows Dent's homer off Torrez.
5 comments:
NICE one david. even i (baseball illiterate that i am) know of this rivalry ;0
NOW i know that much more, thanks to your write up!!
Thanks Cindy. This is by far baseball's most intense rivalry, and this is coming from a Cubs fan that knows the rivalry of the Cubs/Cardinals.
I used to real diehard baseball fan, but not so much now. I still follow the game, but not like I do football though.
sports, where would we be without them? brings everyone together like nothing else i know :)
painful.
Cindy- Very true girl.
Lester- Yes, I know it's painful for Red Sox fans, but at least wounds have healed the last four years. It would be nice if that happened for my Cubs this year, so it could be worse.
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