Fisk's Heroics Keeps BoSox on Top

American League:
Cleveland 6 at Boston 7
-Carlton Fisk  (13HR) was the hero today as he hits a two-run home run in the bottom of the 9^th to vault the Red Sox to victory. Boston remains in 1^st place with the win. Jim Rice (43HR) also homered and drove in four runs
Detroit 7 at New York 12
-Ken Griffey, George Scott, Graig Nettles and Thurman Munson each drive in a pair as the Yankees overcome a 5-0 deficit to thrash the Tigers
Baltimore 10 at Milwaukee 2
-The Orioles have no problem disposing of the Brewers again. Bobby Grich hit his 24^th home run and AL batting leader Ken Singleton (.364) went 3-for-3 with three RBI’s. Mike Torrez (15-10, 3.51) pitched eight solid innings for the win
Kansas City 4 at Chicago 1
-Joe Lahoud (6HR) hits a pinch-hit three run home run off Stan Bahnsen (3-5, 5.57) in the 8^th to earn Dennis Leonard (18-9, 2.93) and the Royals a victory. K.C. can clinch the west tomorrow  with two weeks to spare.
California 4 at Minnesota 2
-Fred Lynn (.310) had three doubles and drove in three runs to lead Dave Goltz (16-5, 3.24) and the Angels to victory
Oakland 4  at Texas 5 (17)
-The A’s bullpen shuts the Rangers out for ten innings – including four shutout innings by Elias Sosa – but it wasn’t enough as Mark Wagner would drive in the winning run in the 17^th. The A’s were down 4-0 but tied it in the 8^th on a Earl Williams (4HR) grand slam.

AL East: The Red Sox are clinging to a half game lead over the Orioles
AL West:  The Royals lead by 14 games and their magic number to clinch is down to 1

National League
St. Louis 0 at New York 4
-Rookie Pat Zachry (9-4, 3.17) blanks the Redbirds. Phil Mankowski hit his 8^th home run for the Mets
Chicago 2 at Philadelphia 4
-Sixto Lezcano (17HR) belted a two run home run in the 7^th to tie it and won it in his next at-bat with another two run jack. Both were hit off of Goose Gossage (7-6, 3.98)
Montreal 3 at Pittsburgh 10
- Omar Moreno drives in four runs and Dave Parker hits his 24^th home run as the Bucs score ten runs from the 6^th-8^th innings to blow out the Expos.
Cincinnati 4 Houston 6
-Nolan Ruan (19-9, 2.87) strikes out eight in seven innings and Greg Gross, Jose Cruz and Alan Ashby each had two hits as the Astros even their critical series with the Reds. Rich Rhoden (3Sv, 3.75) got Johnny Bench to fly out to end it with a man on base.
Atlanta 6  at Los Angeles 3
-Rod Gilbreath had three hits and Frank LaCorte (7Sv, 3.73) pitched the final three innings for the save  
San Diego 4 at San Francisco 3
-Steve Swisher drives in three and Danny Frisella (11-6, 2.72) and Rollie Fingers (30Sv, 2.77) earn the decisions in relief as the Padres rally from 3-0 down to win.

NL East: The Pirates lead by 11  games. Their magic number is 4
NL West: The Astros extend their lead back to 4 over the Reds. The teams play a pivotal rubber match tomorrow

Boston 7, Cleveland 6

9/18/1976, CLE76-BOS76, Fenway Park
 
                       1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9     R  H  E   LOB DP
1976 Cleveland         0  0  0  0  4  0  0  2  0     6 10  1     8  0
1976 Boston            0  0  0  0  4  0  0  1  2     7 12  1     7  1
 
Cleveland            AB  R  H BI   AVG    Boston               AB  R  H BI   AVG
Harrah            3b  4  1  1  0  .246    Remy              2b  5  1  2  0  .306
Bochte            1b  4  1  3  2  .316    Burleson          ss  5  2  2  0  .267
Hendrick          rf  3  1  1  0  .251    Fisk              c   5  3  3  3  .281
 Kelly            ph  2  0  0  0  .228    Rice              rf  4  1  3  4  .322
Gamble            lf  4  2  2  3  .298    Watson            1b  4  0  0  0  .290
Thomas.G          cf  4  1  1  1  .234    Yastrzemski       lf  4  0  1  0  .283
Lowenstein        2b  4  0  1  0  .270    Dillard           3b  3  0  1  0  .276
Fosse             c   3  0  0  0  .267    Miller,R          cf  3  0  0  0  .257
Crosby            ss  4  0  0  0  .257     Cleveland        p   0  0  0  0  .115
Perry,G           p   2  0  0  0  .188     Rader            ph  1  0  0  0  .279
 Parker           p   0  0  0  0  .000     Pole             p   0  0  0  0  .000
 Velez            ph  1  0  0  0  .296    Jenkins           p   1  0  0  0  .189
 Buskey           p   0  0  0  0  .000     Brohamer         ph  0  0  0  0  .258
 Pruitt           ph  1  0  1  0  .268     Burgmeier        p   0  0  0  0  .000
 Spillner         p   0  0  0  0  .000     Evans            cf  2  0  0  0  .229
                     36  6 10  6                               37  7 12  7
 
Cleveland                        INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA
Perry,G                          4.2  6  4  4  2  6  79  53  4.17
Parker                           1.1  0  0  0  0  2  26  17  5.10
Buskey                           1.0  0  0  0  0  2  16  11  4.63
Spillner         BS 5, L 6-11    1.1  6  3  3  0  0  29  23  5.08
                                 8.1 12  7  7  2 10 150 104 
 
Boston                           INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA
Jenkins                          5.0  5  4  4  4  1  93  55  3.38
Burgmeier                        1.0  0  0  0  0  0  11   6  4.86
Cleveland                        2.0  4  2  2  1  0  41  25  2.43
Pole             W 1-1           1.0  1  0  0  0  2  23  14  5.68
                                 9.0 10  6  6  5  3 168 100 
 
CLE: Velez batted for Parker in the 7th
     Kelly batted for Hendrick in the 7th
     Kelly moved to rf in the 7th
     Pruitt batted for Buskey in the 8th
BOS: Brohamer batted for Jenkins in the 5th
     Evans inserted at cf in the 7th
     Rader batted for Cleveland in the 8th
 
E-Harrah, Fisk. 2B-Remy, Fisk, Rice. HR-Bochte(6), Gamble 2(35), 
Thomas.G(39), Fisk(13), Rice(42). SB-Harrah(30), Bochte(8), Rice(4). CS-Remy. 
K-Thomas.G 2, Kelly, Remy, Burleson, Fisk, Rice, Watson, Yastrzemski, 
Miller,R 2, Jenkins, Evans. BB-Harrah, Bochte, Gamble, Thomas.G, Fosse, 
Dillard, Brohamer. 
GWRBI: Fisk