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Yaz provides a clutch walk-off hit August 31, 1971 ... Carl Yastrzemski singled off the wall against Jim Palmer, in the ninth inning, to give the Red Sox a 4 to 3 victory over the Orioles. The win went to Luis Tiant, just when he thought it might be in the off-season, in the Puerto Rico league, when he might win another game. He hadn't won a game in over a year when he beat the Athletics while pitching for the Twins. When Yaz came to bat in the ninth-inning, the booing, which has accompanied him whenever he came to the plate, died down completely. Palmer, who would pitch very well after the first inning, when he gave up three runs, started things off by getting Bob Montgomery easily on a pop up. Manager Eddie Kasko pinch hit Mike Fiore for Tiant. Luis had pitched very well since his seventh-inning, when he took over for Gary Peters and struck out two Orioles to end the inning. Fiore drew a walk from Palmer, who was looking for his 17th win of the year. The next hitter was Doug Griffin, who pulled a fastball into the hole to left field. Fiore stopped to second base and after Aparacio popped out to Mark Belanger, Yastrzemski came to the plate. The count went to 2 and 2, and then Yaz hit one of his familiar drives to the left of the flagpole. Both Paul Blair and Merv Rettenmund broke after the ball, but neither came close, as Fiore crossed the plate with the winning run. Gary Peters was given a three run lead in the first inning when the Orioles looked as though they were just going to be going through the motions. Griffin tapped a bunt down the third base line and beat it out. Aparacio doubled off the wall in the center and moved Griffin up third. After Yaz popped out, Reggie Smith grounded a single to right, on the first pitch, for two runs. On a hit-and-run with Rico Petrocelli at the plate, Reggie broke towards second and Rico singled to right. Next was George Scott, who struck out, but as he did Rico broke for second. Catcher Andy Etchebarren threw down to second, and as he did, Rico stopped running about 15 feet short of the bag. On came Reggie toward the plate, and secondbaseman Dave Johnson threw a ball that nicked off Etchebarren's glove, allowing Smith to score. But in fourth, the Orioles started to come back. Etchebarren drilled his 17th home run over everything in left, and then, in the fifth inning, the Orioles tied the game. Paul Blair single to left with one out. After Rettenmund flew out to right, Frank Robinson singled to left and Blair moved over to third. Boog Powell took a Peters fastball and hit it in the gap in left-center, scoring Robinson and Blair, making the score 3 to 3. |
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