Yaz, Sox, Slug Their Way Back to First

American League:
Boston 11 at Cleveland 8
-Not surprisingly this was a slugfest as Gorman Thomas hit his 42^nd for the Indians and drove in five but he was outdone by five Red Sox home runs – Jim Rice (44), Carl Yastrzemski (15), Steve Dillard 2(6) and Rick Miller (7). Amid the offensive display Jim Willoughby (9-1, 3.06) pitched four shutout innings for the win in relief. Boston leapfrogs back into 1^st.

Milwaukee 6 at Baltimore 5
-The Orioles have owned the bottom of the division, but not tonight as the Brewers win the opener in Baltimore. Robin Yount had four hits, his 19^th stolen base and scored a pair of runs. The Orioles nearly rallied back with two unearned runs in the bottom of the 9^th but Bill Castro (24Sv, 2.00) got Lee May to ground out with a man on first to end it.
New York 4 at Detroit 5
-John Wockenfuss had three hits and the game winning RBI as the Tigers survive two George Scott home runs (25) to down the Yankees
Texas 3 at Chicago 1
-Roger Moret (6-4, 3.78) and Jim Kern (28Sv, 1.88) shine on the mound as the Rangers halt a five game slide
Kansas City 3 at California 8
-Reggie Jackson’s 27^th home run of the season was a grand slam in a six run 2^nd that chased Steve Busby (16-7, 3.20) from the game. Tommy John (13-11, 3.76) went the distance for the win
Minnesota 2 at Oakland 3
-Don Sutton (19-8, 2.97) is one win away from 20 as the A’s nip the Twins

AL East: The lead changes hands a fourth straight day as the Red Sox move a half game up on the Orioles
AL West:  The Royals have clinched the division crown

National League
Montreal 9 at New York 2
-Craig Swan (5-21, 4.26) watches his misery continue as Larry Parrish ripped his 20^th home run and Al Oliver (.332) scored three runs.
Philadelphia 1 at Pittsburgh 2
-Willie Stargell hit his 30^th home run and Rick Reuschel (17-10, 2.67) and Kent Tekulve (32Sv, 2.27) held the Phillies to six hits
Chicago 2 at St. Louis 4
-A pair of Cardinals acquired from the Giants continue to perform well as John Curtis (8-6, 3.77) pitches seven innings for the win and Reggie Smith launches home run #36
Houston 4 at Atlanta 2
-The second NL hurler to reach 20 wins is also the second Astro hurler to do so as Mark Lemongello (20-10, 2.54) and Ken Forsch (36Sv, 2.86) lead the Astros to yet another win, this time in Atlanta
San Francisco 4 at Cincinnati 7
-Rawly Eastwick racks up his 41^st save and Dave Concepcion and Cesar Geronimo each drive in a pair as the Reds keep their dwindling hopes of repeating as NL champs alive
San Diego 1 at Los Angeles 6
-Home runs by Lee Lacy (10) and Dusty Baker (18) help Burt Hooton (12-15, 3.41) to a complete game victory

NL East: The Pirates have won the division for the second straight season
NL West: The Astros lead the Reds by 6 games and have a magic number of 3

 Boston 11, Cleveland 8

9/24/1976, BOS76-CLE76, Cleveland Municipal Stadium
 
                       1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9     R  H  E   LOB DP
1976 Boston            3  1  0  1  3  0  3  0  0    11 15  2     9  1
1976 Cleveland         4  0  1  0  0  0  0  0  3     8  7  1     7  0
 
Boston               AB  R  H BI   AVG    Cleveland            AB  R  H BI   AVG
Remy              2b  5  1  2  0  .309    Harrah            3b  4  1  0  0  .250
Burleson          ss  5  0  1  0  .265    Bochte            1b  3  2  1  0  .315
Fisk              c   5  1  0  0  .276    Hendrick          rf  4  2  1  0  .265
Rice              rf  5  2  2  3  .327    Gamble            lf  3  1  0  1  .295
Watson            1b  5  1  2  0  .291    Thomas.G          cf  5  1  2  5  .234
Yastrzemski       lf  5  2  2  3  .286    Lowenstein        2b  5  0  0  1  .283
Dillard           3b  5  3  3  3  .273    Crosby            ss  3  1  0  0  .254
 Pole             p   0  0  0  0  .000    Pruitt            c   4  0  2  0  .276
 Cleveland        p   0  0  0  0  .115    Reuschel,P        p   0  0  0  0  .263
 Lockwood         p   0  0  0  0  .500     Perry,J          p   1  0  1  0  .235
Miller,R          cf  5  1  3  1  .260     Fosse            ph  1  0  0  1  .262
Segui             p   1  0  0  1  .077     LaRoche          p   0  0  0  0  .000
 Burgmeier        p   0  0  0  0  .000     Parker           p   0  0  0  0  .000
 Rader            ph  1  0  0  0  .277     Kelly            ph  0  0  0  0  .229
 Willoughby       p   1  0  0  0  .250     Laxton           p   0  0  0  0  .167
 Brohamer         3b  1  0  0  0  .254     Kuiper           ph  1  0  0  0  .277
                     44 11 15 11           Spillner         p   0  0  0  0  .000
                                                               34  8  7  8
 
Boston                           INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA
Segui                            1.1  2  4  1  4  2  54  27  4.33
Burgmeier                        1.2  1  1  1  1  1  31  18  4.58
Willoughby       W 9-1           4.0  0  0  0  2  1  49  30  3.06
Pole                             1.1  3  2  2  0  1  26  17  6.04
Cleveland                        0.1  1  1  1  0  0   7   4  2.60
Lockwood                         0.1  0  0  0  0  0   2   2  2.54
                                 9.0  7  8  5  7  5 169  98 
 
Cleveland                        INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA
Reuschel,P                       1.0  3  4  4  1  1  33  20  5.63
Perry,J                          2.0  1  0  0  0  0  30  18  4.34
LaRoche          BS 3, L 0-4     1.1  4  3  3  0  3  29  20 11.12
Parker                           1.2  2  1  1  0  0  23  15  5.28
Laxton                           2.0  4  3  2  1  2  40  22  3.19
Spillner                         1.0  1  0  0  0  0  12   9  4.89
                                 9.0 15 11 10  2  6 167 104 
 
BOS: Rader batted for Burgmeier in the 4th
     Brohamer inserted at 3b in the 8th
CLE: Fosse batted for Perry,J in the 3rd
     Kelly batted for Parker in the 6th
     Kuiper batted for Laxton in the 8th
 
E-Dillard, Segui, Laxton. 2B-Remy, Rice, Miller,R, Thomas.G, Pruitt. 
HR-Rice(44), Yastrzemski(15), Dillard 2(6), Miller,R(7), Thomas.G(42). 
SB-Burleson(15). CS-Kelly. K-Burleson, Fisk 2, Watson, Yastrzemski, Rader, 
Harrah, Bochte, Lowenstein, Crosby 2. BB-Remy, Willoughby, Harrah, Bochte 2, 
Hendrick, Gamble 2, Kelly. SH-Burleson. HBP-Crosby. HB-Burgmeier. 
WP-Reuschel,P. 
GWRBI: Yastrzemski