Fenway Flashback: 1975 - Gossage Slams Door as White Sox Even Series
August 23, 1975
August 23, 1975: Gossage Slams Door as White Sox Even Series
After winning the opener behind Roger Moret’s gem, the Sox entered Saturday’s afternoon contest a half-game up in the race for home field and 6.5 games ahead of Baltimore in the East. With the long road trip finally behind them, Boston hoped to use the weekend as a springboard toward October.
Pitching Matchup and Lineups
The matchup featured a contrast of right-handers: Boston’s veteran Rick Wise against Chicago’s young Jesse Jefferson.
Boston’s lineup for Game 2 of the series:
Cecil Cooper (DH)
Denny Doyle (2B)
Carl Yastrzemski (1B)
Fred Lynn (CF)
Jim Rice (LF)
Carlton Fisk (C)
Dwight Evans (RF)
Rick Burleson (SS)
Bob Heise (3B)
Game Recap
Chicago struck first in the opening inning. Pat Kelly singled to lead off, and Jorge Orta followed with another single. Wise steadied himself to retire the next two hitters, but then lost the zone. He walked Ken Henderson to load the bases and forced in a run by walking Bill Melton, giving the White Sox a 1–0 lead.
Boston responded in the bottom of the second. Jim Rice doubled with one out, and Jefferson followed by walking Tim Blackwell and Dwight Evans to load the bases. With two outs, Bob Heise delivered a clutch single, scoring Rice and Blackwell to put Boston on top 2–1. From there, both pitchers settled down, working scoreless frames through the fifth.
In the top of the fifth, Wise’s control slipped again. After walking Henderson for the second time, he surrendered Melton’s 11th home run of the season, a two-run shot that gave Chicago a 3–2 lead. Boston nearly tied it in the sixth when Tim Blackwell tripled with two outs, but Jefferson worked out of trouble.
The White Sox struck again in the seventh. Catcher Peter Varney led off with a single, and Pat Kelly followed with another to put men on the corners with no outs. Jim Burton came on in relief, but Jorge Orta greeted him with an RBI single, and Carlos May added another run-scoring single to make it 5–2. Jim Willoughby replaced Burton and finally shut the door, but the damage was done. In the eighth, Nyls Nyman added more insurance with his first homer of the year, extending Chicago’s lead to 6–2.
Chicago miscues provided Boston the opportunity to rally in the eighth. Denny Doyle was hit by a pitch to lead off, and with one out, Fred Lynn reached on an error by the right fielder. With two outs, Blackwell walked to load the bases, ending Jefferson’s afternoon. Chuck Tanner turned to his ace reliever Goose Gossage, but Dwight Evans ripped a double to center, scoring Doyle and Lynn. However, Ken Henderson’s strong throw from center cut down Blackwell at the plate, ending the rally and Boston’s hopes. Gossage retired the Sox in order in the ninth to close out Chicago’s 6–4 win.
Pitching Notes
Rick Wise (16–8): 6 IP, 7 hits, 5 runs, 4 walks, 3 strikeouts. It was his second loss in a row.
Jim Burton: 0.1 IP, 2 hits, 2 runs.
Jim Willoughby: 1.2 IP, 1 hit, 1 run, 1 walk.
Diego Seguí: 1 IP, 2 strikeouts.
Player Notes and Season Stats
Boston’s offense scratched out only five hits against Jefferson but still had chances late.
Dwight Evans: 1-for-3, double, 2 RBI
Jim Rice: 2-for-4, double, run scored
Bob Heise: 1-for-2, 2 RBI, 2 runs scored
The loss stung more given the scoreboard. Oakland swept a doubleheader against Milwaukee to open a 1.5-game lead for home field, though Texas gave Boston a small assist as Fergie Jenkins blanked Baltimore on two hits in a 1–0 win. With Jenkins’ dominance against Boston’s closest rivals down the stretch, one has to wonder if it planted the seed for the Red Sox to trade for him after the season.
Stay tuned as we continue our day-by-day journey through the unforgettable 1975 Red Sox season.
Image courtesy of https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/40-years-ago-today-the-white-sox-wore-shorts-for-a-game