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ON THIS DATE (April 12, 1998) ... When
the smoke finally cleared after 211 minutes, 10 pitchers, 6 home
runs, 5 lead changes, and yet another bottom-of-the-ninth meltdown by
Seattle, the Red Sox had an 8-7 win and a three-game sweep of the
Mariners before 23,270 Easter revelers in Fenway Park.
Swept toward
the mound in the bottom of the ninth by the cheers of fans along the right-field
railing whose grasp of history was matched only by their lack of mercy, former
Sox closer Heathcliff Slocumb gave up a game-tying home run to Jim Leyritz, his second home
run of the afternoon and third in 24 hours.
With the
scent of blood now clogging their nostrils, the Red Sox moved in for the kill,
with a Kevorkianesque assist from Slocumb, who walked Troy O'Leary, threw a wild
pitch, walked Damon Buford, then gave up a game-winning pinch-hit single by
Reggie Jefferson, whose only previous appearances this weekend had come during
pregame introductions. Down went the Mariners, who can't say they weren't
forewarned, having blown a five-run lead Friday and then being blown away by
Pedro Martinez Saturday.
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