Baseball Roundup : Yankees Blow 4-Run Lead as Red Sox Rally to Win Series Opener, 10-9

New York Yankees reliever Dave Righetti said his team had to sweep the critical 3-game series against the Boston Red Sox that began Friday night in New York.

The hard-throwing left-hander had a chance to get the Yankees over the first hurdle, taking over in the seventh inning to protect a 9-5 lead.

He couldn’t do it. The Red Sox rallied with three runs in the ninth inning to beat the Yankees, 10-9.

A Yankee Stadium crowd of 51,511 cheered on every pitch as the Yankees built what appeared to be comfortable lead.

But the Red Sox scored single runs in the seventh and eighth and chased Righetti when Mike Greenwell doubled to open the ninth. Dale Mohorcic, Righetti’s successor, was no help, either.

Spike Owen became the hero when, with the bases loaded, one out and the score 9-8, he bounced the ball up the middle through a drawn-in infield to drive in 2 runs.

With Milwaukee and Detroit both losing, the first-place Red Sox moved 5 games ahead of the Brewers and 5 1/2 ahead of both the Yankees and the Tigers in the AL East.

It was a wild game, one that dealt a severe blow to the Yankee pennant hopes. The Red Sox had 1-0 and 5-3 leads, only to have the Yankees, with Don Mattingly and Rickey Henderson each getting 3 hits, fight back to seemingly pull it out.

Greenwell, who singled in the first run for the Red Sox, almost wasn’t on hand for the big series. His father had a heart attack, and as Greenwell was making plans to be with him, his father sent word for him to rejoin the team.

The hit by Owen just did get between second baseman Willie Randolph and shortstop Wayne Tolleson.

“I thought they might make a play on it,” Owen said. “But I was sure they couldn’t get a double play, so we would have tied it anyhow.”

Baltimore 5, Detroit 4--After hitting a home run to help the Tigers come from behind and take the lead in the top of the ninth, catcher Matt Nokes made a throwing error to allow the Orioles to win in the bottom of the inning.

The Orioles had tied the score and had the bases loaded with one out. Pete Stanicek grounded to third. Tom Brookens threw home to get one out, but Nokes, trying for the double play that would have sent the game into the 10th inning, threw the ball into right field.

Tom Niedenfuer, despite giving up 2 runs in the top of the ninth, including Darrell Evans’ 20th home run, wound up winning the game.

Cincinnati 5, Atlanta 4--The Reds are determined to to keep the pressure on the Dodgers.

With the help of Eric Davis’ 26th home run and a 2-run throwing error by third baseman Ron Gant, they built a 5-1 lead in 2 innings, then almost blew it.

John Franco, their sixth pitcher, walked a batter with the bases loaded, which cut the lead to one run. But Franco survived when Lonnie Smith hit into a force-out at home and Gerald Perry grounded to short. It was Franco’s 36th save and the Reds’ fifth win in a row.

Dale Murphy hit his 24th home run for the Braves, but they became the first major league team to lose 100 games.

St. Louis 2, New York 1--Dwight Gooden seemed about to win his 19th game and get a shot at 20 when he went into the ninth at St. Louis with a 1-0 lead and a 3-hitter.

The Cardinals stole his chance for 20. Vince Coleman worked Gooden for his first walk, stole his 80th base and scored on Ozzie Smith’s single. Smith went to second on the throw home, stole third and scored on Pedro Guerrero’s long fly to center.

Chicago White Sox 2, Kansas City 0--Jerry Reuss held the Royals to 4 hits in 7 innings at Chicago to win for the sixth time in his last eight decisions and improve his record to 12-9.