Monday, September 24, 2012

Game 155: Tigers Blow It in 9th, 2-1

Detroit (Sun., Sept. 21, 1975) - Vern Ruhle had the Boston Red Sox shutout through eight innings on four hits, but his lead was only 1-0. It would prove to not be enough.

Ruhle (8-15) struggled in the ninth, and the Red Sox scored twice to beat the Tigers, 2-1 at Tiger Stadium on Sunday afternoon in the home finale for the Bengals.

The Red Sox came back to win the final two games of the series after dropping Friday's opener.

With one out in the ninth and the bases empty, Fred Lynn singled for Boston. Jim Rice reached on Gary Sutherland's error, and Carlton Fisk followed with a single, scoring Lynn from second with the tying run.

That ended Ruhle's day, but rookie reliever Ed Glynn, a lefty, walked left-handed hitting Bernie Carbo to load the bases with one out. Rico Petrocelli was up next and he lined a single to left to score Rice with the go-ahead run.

Rick Burleson then hit into a 4-6-3 double play, but the damage was done.

Jim Willoughby survived a lead-off single in the ninth by Dan Meyer, thanks largely to Tom Veryzer's errant bunt, which was caught in the air by Fisk, who rifled a throw to Carl Yastrzemski at first base to double off Meyer.

Pinch-hitter Gates Brown, in perhaps his last at-bat at Tiger Stadium in his career, flied out to left for the final out. Brown has hinted strongly at retirement after this season, and the Tigers (60-95) finished their home schedule with a 31-49 record.

Detroit scored its run in the sixth when second baseman Denny Doyle bobbled Aurelio Rodriguez's potential double-play ground ball, scoring Willie Horton from third base.

The Major Said: "We've wasted a lot of good pitching this year, and today was an example. Felt horrible for Vern, but he was obviously losing gas out there. Had to get him out of there. Tommy's (Veryzer) bunt was unfortunate."

Boston 000 000 002  2-7-1
Tigers  000 001 000  1-6-1

WP: Willoughby
LP: Ruhle (8-15)

Tigers record: 60-95 (actual 57-98)
Home: 31-49
Away: 29-46
Last 10: 4-6



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