Fenway Flashback: 1975 - Cooper and Tiant Lift Sox in Comiskey
August 15, 1975
August 15, 1975: Cooper and Tiant Lift Sox in Comiskey
The midway point of August brought the sputtering Red Sox back to the Midwest for a four-game weekend series with the Chicago White Sox. Boston hoped the trip east from California would carry some good vibes, as they looked to regain the form that had propelled them to the top of the American League standings. They entered the opener one game back of Oakland and 6.5 games ahead of the Orioles in the AL East.
Pitching Matchup and Lineups
With the chance to set the tone in the Windy City, Darryl Johnson handed the ball to his veteran righty, Luis Tiant. The White Sox countered with right-hander Jesse Jefferson.
Johnson made his third change at leadoff in as many games:
Juan Beniquez (LF)
Denny Doyle (2B)
Carl Yastrzemski (1B)
Fred Lynn (CF)
Carlton Fisk (C)
Cecil Cooper (DH)
Rick Miller (RF)
Rico Petrocelli (3B)
Rick Burleson (SS)
Game Recap
Boston struck first in the second inning. Cecil Cooper led off with a triple and came home on Rico Petrocelli’s sacrifice fly. In the third, Beniquez matched Cooper with a leadoff triple of his own, but this time the Sox came up empty.
Clinging to a 1–0 lead, Boston entered the bottom of the third with memories of the last two games’ collapses fresh in their minds. Chicago’s Pat Kelly tripled with one out and scored on Jorge Orta’s RBI single. The inning looked ready to unravel further when Carlos May doubled to right, but Carl Yastrzemski kept the game tied. Taking Rick Miller’s throw from right, Yaz fired a strike to Carlton Fisk, cutting down Orta at the plate. Tiant then struck out the next batter to end the threat.
Cooper struck again in the fourth with his 11th home run of the year to put Boston back on top, 2–1. The Sox added a key insurance run in the sixth when Rick Miller singled home Fred Lynn with two outs, making it 3–1.
That extra run proved valuable in the bottom of the inning. Tiant walked Orta to start the frame, and Ken Henderson’s two-out double brought him around to score. But from there, Tiant slammed the door, allowing only one more hit over the final three innings, to White Sox shortstop Bucky Dent.
Pitching Notes
Luis Tiant (15–11): Complete game, 7 hits, 2 earned runs, 3 walks, 3 strikeouts.
Player Notes and Season Stats
Boston managed just seven hits, but Cooper’s big night made them count.
Cecil Cooper: 3-for-4, triple, HR (11), 2 runs, RBI
Fred Lynn: 1 run scored
Rick Miller: RBI single
Rico Petrocelli: Sacrifice fly, RBI
The win was a welcome boost for the road-weary Sox. They held their 6.5-game lead over the streaking Orioles, who crushed Texas 13–1, and moved back into a tie with Oakland after the A’s lost 8–4 to Milwaukee.
With a doubleheader looming Sunday at Comiskey Park, Johnson and the Sox welcomed the momentum provided by Tiant’s gem. Roger Moret would take the mound Saturday with hopes of keeping the roll going.
Stay tuned as we continue our day-by-day journey through the unforgettable 1975 Red Sox season.
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