Editor’s note: The 1980 Tournament games are being played with Strat-o-Matic cards and dice. The designated hitter will be used for any games involving American League teams. Injuries will only be used during the game when they occur. For this tournament, the rules include a three-man pitching rotation using the best lineups available.
The run may have been unearned, but no one in Fenway Park seemed to care as Wade Boggs ended the is the longest game of the 1980s Diamond Gems Tournament.
With a walk-off single in the 14th inning, Boggs gave the 1986 Boston Red Sox a 6-5 victory over the 1984 Chicago Cubs in the second round.
Boston now waits for its semifinal opponent, which will be the winner of the 1983 Chicago White Sox at 1981 Los Angeles Dodgers contest.
Spike Owen got things started in the 14th as he reached on a two-base error by Cubs shortstop Larry Bowa.
It didn’t take long to determine the outcome as Boggs sharp single to center off Chicago pitcher Lee Smith had Owen racing home with the game-winner.
Bob Stanley picked up the win for the Red Sox as he blanked the Cubs with a walk and two strikeouts over the final three frames.
Smith got tagged with the loss as he was beginning his third inning of work on the mound.
Early Lead, Then Comeback
A solo homer by Don Baylor in the second inning off Chicago starter Steve Trout put the Red Sox in the lead.
Red Sox starter Bruce Hurst would last until the fourth when the Cubs offense produced four runs.
Thad Bosley drilled a three-run homer and later in the inning Bob Dernier capped the rally with a RBI single.
In the fifth, Boston scored a pair of unearned runs when Dernier misplayed a ball hit to center by Bill Buckner and the Red Sox trailed 4-3.
Both teams scored once in the seventh as the Cubs maintained a 5-4 advantage.
Steve Crawford, who had taken over for Hurst, gave up singles to Dernier and Gary Matthews. At that point, Joe Sambito was called from the bullpen to face Chicago’s Leon Durham.
Durham smacked a single to right that allowed Dernier to score, but Boston rightfielder Dwight Evans gunned down Matthews to end the inning as he tried for third.
Trout was still around in the eighth for the Cubs, but he left when Baylor doubled.
Evans greeted new Cubs pitcher Warren Brusstar with a RBI single that tied the contest at 5-5.
Over the next five innings neither squad could muster enough offense to win the game. Brusstar and Smith for the Cubs, while Sambito and teammate Calvin Schiraldi didn’t allow any runs through the 13th.
Second Round Schedule and Results
(16) 1986 Houston Astros 7, (9) 1985 St. Louis Cardinals 4
(4) 1983 Baltimore Orioles 5, (12) 1981 New York Yankees 2
(10) 1986 Boston Red Sox 6, (15) 1984 Chicago Cubs 5 (14)
(14) 1983 Chicago White Sox at (6) 1981 Los Angeles Dodgers
First Round Results
(16) 1986 Houston Astros 5, (1) 1986 New York Mets 3
(9) 1985 St. Louis Cardinals 4, (8) 1987 Minnesota Twins 2
(4) 1983 Baltimore Orioles 2, (13) 1985 Toronto Blue Jays 1
(12) 1981 New York Yankees 5, (5) 1988 Los Angeles Dodgers 3 (11)
(15) 1984 Chicago Cubs 7, (2) 1984 Detroit Tigers 2
(10) 1986 Boston Red Sox 5, (7) 1985 Kansas City Royals 1
(14) 1983 Chicago White Sox 4, (3) 1989 Oakland A’s 2
(6) 1981 Los Angeles Dodgers 12, (11) 1982 Milwaukee Brewers 6