Fenway Flashback: 1975 - Reggie Cleveland Out Pitches Dobson to Tie Series

July 26, 1975

July 26, 1975: Reggie Cleveland Out Pitches Dobson to Tie Series

With the sting of the previous night’s loss to the Yankees still fresh in their minds, the Red Sox returned to Shea Stadium for the second game of their four-game series. With a Sunday doubleheader looming, and Yankee ace Catfish Hunter set to pitch, manager Darrell Johnson knew Saturday’s contest was pivotal. There was also an eye on the out-of-town scoreboard, where Twins ace Jim Kaat was slated to face the A’s in Oakland, offering a potential opportunity for Boston to gain ground in the race for home field advantage.

Pitching Matchup and Lineups

The Saturday afternoon tilt featured a pair of veteran right-handers. The Red Sox handed the ball to the steady Reggie Cleveland, while the Yankees countered with Pat Dobson, hoping to carry the momentum of Friday’s win.

The Red Sox lineup for July 26 had a more familiar look:

• Bernie Carbo (DH)
• Denny Doyle (2B)
• Carl Yastrzemski (1B)
• Fred Lynn (CF)
• Jim Rice (LF)
• Carlton Fisk (C)
• Rick Miller (RF)
• Rico Petrocelli (3B)
• Rick Burleson (SS)

Game Recap

The late July battle between rivals turned into a nail-biter right down to the final pitch. Dobson and Cleveland were both in excellent form from the start. Neither team scored in the first inning, but in the second, Fred Lynn flashed the speed and power that helped make him the AL MVP favorite, leading off with a triple. Rice grounded out to bring him home, giving Boston an early 1–0 lead.

Cleveland made that lead stand until the bottom of the fifth. Thurman Munson and Chris Chambliss delivered back-to-back singles to put runners on the corners. After Graig Nettles struck out, Lou Piniella walked to load the bases. Ed Herrmann, who had already hurt Boston earlier in the series, grounded to short, but the Sox couldn’t turn the double play and Munson scored to tie the game at 1–1.

Both starters continued to match zeros over the next three innings, keeping the game deadlocked into the ninth. That’s when Boston finally broke through. Denny Doyle led off the inning with a double and advanced to third on a single by Yaz. Dobson then walked Lynn to load the bases for fellow “Gold Dust Twin” Jim Rice. Rice hit a deep sacrifice fly to Bobby Bonds in right, scoring Doyle and advancing both runners. Carlton Fisk followed with a sharp single, driving in Yaz and Lynn to make it 4–1.

Billy Martin then lifted Dobson in favor of Dick Tidrow, who promptly allowed back-to-back singles to Rick Miller and Rico Petrocelli, loading the bases once again. But when Rick Burleson tried to bunt a run home, he popped up to first for a rally-ending double play.

In the bottom of the ninth, Cleveland recorded the first two outs before walking Chambliss. A wild pitch moved him into scoring position, and Nettles delivered a clutch RBI single to make it 4–2. Johnson turned to Jim Willoughby, who allowed a single to Rick Bladt, putting the tying run aboard. Rick Dempsey was called on to pinch-hit, but Willoughby got him to ground out to second, preserving the hard-fought win.

Pitching Notes

• Reggie Cleveland (8–6) was dominant over 8.2 innings, allowing two earned runs on five hits, with two walks and four strikeouts.
• Jim Willoughby earned his fifth save of the season, recording the final out in relief.
• Pat Dobson (9–10) was strong into the ninth, but couldn’t escape the jam, charged with four earned runs over 8.1 innings.

Player Notes and Season Stats

Though quiet most of the game, Boston’s offense delivered in the clutch:
• Carlton Fisk went 2-for-4 with three RBIs .
• Denny Doyle and Carl Yastrzemski each had two hits and a run scored.
• Fred Lynn went 1-for-3 with a triple and two runs scored.
• Jim Rice finished 1-for-3 with an RBI (68).

Standings Update

With the series now tied at a game apiece, the Red Sox pushed the Yankees back to 8 games out. Baltimore blanked Milwaukee 4–0 behind a complete-game one-hitter from Mike Cuellar, dropping the Brewers to 9 games back. More importantly, Jim Kaat and the White Sox defeated Oakland 5–2, moving Boston one game closer in the race for home field advantage in the ALCS.

The Sox were eager to carry Saturday’s momentum into Sunday’s twin bill, knowing every game was crucial in the tight American League race.

Stay tuned as we continue our day-by-day journey through the unforgettable 1975 Red Sox season.

Image courtesy of https://baseballhalloffame.ca/hall-of-famer/reggie-cleveland/?fbclid=IwY2xjawLwsZdleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFFZFF0UlZhM0FnQzVxeXFpAR4kKO8sSB9T8clpIiDSbU8CA4p4qD80HSjyjADx1nOucES6HhN61iH5tr3kIA_aem_Znmbv9xAV06PTfppCxmLTg