Fenway Flashback: 1975 - Oakland Edges Sox in Extra-Inning Thriller

August 30, 1975: Oakland Edges Sox in Extra-Inning Thriller

Up a game in the series, and a game ahead in the race for homefield advantage, the Red Sox were poised to seize control of the American League lead. But the defending AL champion A’s were no strangers to pressure, and they weren’t about to be overwhelmed by the moment at Fenway Park on the final Saturday night of August.

Pitching Matchup and Lineups

A pair of right-handers squared off in the middle game of the series. Boston sent Luis Tiant to the mound, while Oakland countered with swingman Glenn Abbott, making just his second start in his last eight appearances.

Darryl Johnson’s lineup card looked the same for the third game in a row:

Cecil Cooper (DH)

Denny Doyle (2B)

Carl Yastrzemski (1B)

Fred Lynn (CF)

Jim Rice (LF)

Dwight Evans (RF)

Rick Burleson (SS)

Dick McAuliffe (3B)

Tim Blackwell (C)

Game Recap

Like the opener, the Red Sox bats were hot early, but unlike Friday night, Tiant couldn’t contain the A’s offense. In the first inning, Reggie Jackson launched a two-run homer into the right-field bleachers to give Oakland a quick lead. Boston answered in the bottom half. Cecil Cooper doubled, Doyle reached on an error by second baseman Phil Garner that also scored Cooper. Yaz walked and then Fred Lynn tied the game with an RBI single. Jim Rice then grounded into a double play that plated another run, putting Boston briefly ahead 3–2.

Oakland came right back in the second. With two outs, Ted Martinez singled and Bill North doubled to tie the game. Claudell Washington followed with a clutch two-run single, and the A’s led 5–3.

The Sox tied it again in their half of the second. Yaz drilled his 14th homer of the year after…