Fenway Flashback: 1975 - Gossage Slams Door as White Sox Even Series

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…