Fenway Flashback: 1975 - Lee Leads Sox to Series Win

August 24, 1975: Lee Leads Sox to Series Win

With their first homestand series in what felt like forever tied heading into the Sunday finale, the Red Sox sat 1.5 games behind the A’s for home field and 6.5 games ahead of the Orioles in the AL East. As the final week of August began, Boston was intent on staying sharp and avoiding a late-summer collapse.

Pitching Matchup and Lineups

The late afternoon contest featured a matchup of veteran lefties: Bill Lee for Boston and Wilbur Wood for Chicago. Wood was looking to avenge the loss he had taken against his old team just eight days earlier.

Darryl Johnson shuffled the lineup for the rubber game:

Juan Beniquez (DH)

Doug Griffin (2B)

Carl Yastrzemski (1B)

Jim Rice (LF)

Fred Lynn (CF)

Dwight Evans (RF)

Rick Burleson (SS)

Bob Montgomery (C)

Bob Heise (3B)

Game Recap

Boston struck first in the opening frame. After Lee retired the White Sox in order, Carl Yastrzemski put the Sox on the board with a two-out solo homer to right, giving Boston a 1–0 lead.

Both pitchers traded zeroes through the next three innings, but Chicago pulled even in the fifth. Designated hitter, Bill Stein and right fielder, Bob Coluccio opened the inning with singles and were advanced on Jorge Orta’s sacrifice bunt. A throwing error by catcher Bob Montgomery allowed Stein to score, tying the game 1–1. Lee limited the damage, and the Red Sox offense immediately answered.

In the bottom of the fifth, Fred Lynn roped his 34th double of the year and moved to third on a hard single by Dwight Evans. Rick Burleson lifted a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Lynn and advancing Evans. Montgomery followed with a single to push Evans to third, and Bob Heise added another RBI single…