Fenway Flashback: 1975 - Reggie's Big Day Sinks Sox in Series Finale

August 31, 1975: Reggie’s Big Day Sinks Sox in Series Finale

The end of August had finally arrived, with Boston playing their 28th game in 31 days. Entering the finale of the A’s series, the Sox were 16–11 for the month, solid, but not as sharp as the 21–12 run that had vaulted them into first place earlier in the summer. Since visiting Oakland in mid-August, Boston had played .500 baseball, unable to pull away from the A’s while keeping the Orioles at arm’s length but never burying them. With the teams tied atop the American League standings, manager Darryl Johnson hoped this finale would be the day Boston imposed its will on the defending champs.

Pitching Matchup and Lineups

Bill Lee took the ball for Boston, while Oakland countered with veteran righty Sonny Siebert, who pitched for the Red Sox from 1969–73.

Boston’s lineup:

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

Both starters kept the bats quiet through two innings, but the third changed everything. With two outs in the top half, Bill North walked, Claudell Washington singled, and Sal Bando walked to load the bases. Reggie Jackson delivered, smashing a two-run double to give Oakland a 2–0 lead.

Boston answered in the bottom of the frame. With two outs, Fred Lynn doubled and scored on Jim Rice’s RBI single. Dwight Evans walked, and Rick Burleson lined a two-run double, putting Boston up 3–2. That ended Siebert’s day, though Paul Lindblad stopped further damage.

The back-and-forth continued in the fifth. Washington singled, Bando singled, and Jackson drove in his third run with another RBI hit. Tommy Harper later added a two-out single to give Oakland a 4–3…