Fenway Flashback: 1975 - Rico Returns as Wise Outduels Palmer in Baltimore
September 3, 1975
September 3, 1975: Wise Outduels Palmer in Baltimore
With a little momentum following their series finale win over the Yankees, and with Oakland idle on Wednesday, the Red Sox turned their full attention to Baltimore. Entering the two-game set with a six-game lead and only 25 left to play, Boston knew a sweep would go a long way toward wrapping up its first postseason berth in seven years.
Pitching Matchup and Lineups
Manager Darryl Johnson, however, faced a tall task. The Orioles sent Jim Palmer to the mound, well on his way to his second Cy Young Award and already 2–1 against the Sox in 1975. Boston countered with veteran right-hander Rick Wise.
Rico Petrocelli returned from an inner ear issue that had landed him on the disabled list, giving Boston its “full” lineup for the first time in weeks:
Cecil Cooper (DH)
Denny Doyle (2B)
Carl Yastrzemski (1B)
Fred Lynn (CF)
Jim Rice (LF)
Carlton Fisk (C)
Dwight Evans (RF)
Rick Burleson (SS)
Rico Petrocelli (3B)
Game Recap
Boston broke through first, taking advantage of a rare bout of wildness from Palmer. In the second inning, with two outs, he walked Evans, Burleson, and Petrocelli to load the bases, then issued a fourth straight walk to Cooper, forcing in a run and giving Boston a 1–0 lead.
The pitchers took control from there, holding the offenses quiet through the fifth. In the bottom of the sixth, the Orioles finally broke through against Wise. With one out, Designated Hitter, Tommy Davis singled, and first baseman Lee May followed by crushing his 18th home run of the year into the Memorial Stadium seats, giving Baltimore a 2–1 lead.
Boston quickly answered in the seventh. Evans singled and moved to third on a hit by Burleson, who was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double. Petrocelli, making his presence felt in his return, singled to center to score Evans and tie the game 2–2.
Both hurlers returned to their dominate selves, keeping the game tied through the ninth inning. Earl Weaver sent his ace back to the hill to start the ninth, only to be greeted by a leadoff homer by Cecil Cooper to give Boston a 3-2 lead. In the bottom of the frame, Wise rewarded his manager’s confidence by setting the Orioles down in order to secure the victory.
Pitching Notes
Rick Wise (18–8) was outstanding, firing a 10-inning complete game. He allowed just two runs on eight hits and struck out one.
Jim Palmer (20–9) took the tough-luck loss, going the distance and allowing only three runs on seven hits while walking five and striking out ten.
Player Notes and Season Stats
Cecil Cooper: 1-for-4, HR (12), 2 RBI, run scored, walk
Dwight Evans: 1-for-3, 2 runs scored
Rico Petrocelli: 1-for-3, RBI, walk
Denny Doyle: 2-for-5, double
Rick Burleson: 1-for-3, run scored
The gritty win pushed Boston’s AL East lead back to seven games with one more to play in Baltimore. The Red Sox also trimmed a half-game off their deficit to Oakland, moving within a half-game of the A’s for homefield advantage in the ALCS.
Stay tuned as we continue our day-by-day journey through the unforgettable 1975 Red Sox season.
Image courtesy of https://ballnine.com/2020/11/20/the-impossible-dream-rico-petrocelli/