Boston Red Sox at Cincinnati Reds
October 14, 1972
Game One at Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio
Marty Pattin vs. Ross Grimsley
Six run fourth inning boost the BoSox to a game one win
Danny Cater hits 2 homeruns and drives in four runs to lead Boston to a win
Cincinnati, OH, Oct. 14 (AP) - Through the first three innings Red's starting pitcher Ross Grimsely looked strong as he kept the Red Sox batters in check. In the fourth inning the Red Sox chased the lefthander from the game. Reggie Smith opened the top of the fourth with a solo shot over the centerfield fence putting Boston up 1-0. Thirdbaseman Rico Petrocelli and catcher Carlton Fisk followed with singles, putting runners on first and second and none out. Grimsley faced off against Boston firstbaseman Danny Cater. Cater drove the Red's lefthander offering over the leftfield fence putting the visting Red Sox up 4-0. Grimsley now rattled gave up a double to Luis Aparcio, a single to Marty Pattin and a bloop single to Tommy Harper. That was enough for Red's skipper Sparky Anderson as Wayne Simpson came in from the bullpen with the score 5-0. Simpson walked his first hitter Doug Griffin, then induced Carl Yastrezemski into a groundball to Reds shortstop Davey Concepcion who got Griffin for a force, scoring Pattin from thrid to make it 6-0. Reggie Smith bounced into a doubleplay to end the inning.
In the bottom of the fourth Cincinnati chipped away with a run of their own as Cesar Geronimo, Davey Concepcion and Wayne Simpon hit three straight singles. However, Red Sox starting pitcher Marty Pattin got Pete Rose to hit into a doubleplay. The score remained 6-1 until Tommy Haper hit a solo homer in the sixth inning. Down 7-1 in the sixth the Reds began their rally. With two outs Davey Concepcion singled to left, pinchhitter Ted Uhleander scratched out an infield single. With runners on first and second Pete Rose lashed a single to right scoring Concepcion, moving Uhleander to third. With runners on the corner Pattin bore down against Joe Morgan. The Reds secondbaseman hit a sharp linedrive to Doug Griffin ending the rally.
The seventh once again saw the Red Sox homer as Danny Cater hooked a ball around he leftfield foul pole to put the visting Red Sox up 8-2. Cincinnati answered in the bottom of the seventh. Bobby Tolan and Tony Perez hit back-to-back singles to leadoff the inning. After a Johnny Bench popup, thridbaseman Denis Menke ripped a Marty Pattin pitch to right cutting the Red Sox lead to five runs. Ceasar Geronimo sac fly scored Tony Perez making the score 8-4. Pattin once again dodged a bullet and got out of the inning without further damage and a three run lead. In the eighth Pattin got the first two Reds then walked Morgan. Bobby Tolan singled to right to move Morgan to thirdbase. Pattin now laboring faced Tony Perez who doubled to center scoring Morgan and the speedy Tolan. With Red fans cheering Boston brought on lefty Bill Lee to quell the rally. Lee got Bench to lineout to secondbaseman Doug Griffin and preserving the 8-6 lead. In the ninth with none out the Red faithful once again rose to their feet as Denis Menke ledoff the inning with a doubled to deep center. Red Sox reliever Bill Lee stalled Cincinnati's comeback as he got the next two Red batters. The Reds sent up Hal McRae to pinchhit with 2 outs and Menke hugging second base. McRae hit a rope into left and Menke raced for home. Boston's leftfielder Carl Yastrzemski fired the ball to catcher Carton Fisk who tagged the Reds thirdbaseman ending the game.
Boston Red Sox at Cincinnati Reds
October 15, 1972
Game Two at Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio
Sonny Siebert vs. Jack Billingham
Reds five run first downs the Red Sox
Johnny Bench three run homer caps a five run first inning.
Cincinnati OH, Oct. 15 (AP) - Game two faced off Red Sox hurler Sonny Siebert and Reds starter Jack Billingham. The Red Sox looked to Siebert, a 14 game winner on the season, to send the boys from Boston back to Fenway up 2-0. The Reds had different ideas. In the bottom of the first inning Pete Rose greeted Siebert with a hard single to center. Joe Morgan then banged a double nto the rightfield corner putting runners on second and third and none out. Speedy Reds centerfielder Bobby Tolan then hit a chopper to slickfielding shortstop Luis Aparcio, who knocked the ball down but could not throw Tolan out at first, putting Cincinnati up 1-0. With runners on first and third, firstsacker Tony Perez smacked the ball to right for a single, scoring Morgan. The Reds fans now loudly cheering as slugging catcher Johnny Bench came up to the plate. Bench did not disappoint the Red fans as he hit a close line over the leftfield fence for a three run homer giving Cincinnati a 5-0 lead.
After the big outburst the teams settled in. Reds starter Jack Billingham blanked the Red Sox over the first four frames. In the fifth inning Boston firstbaseman Danny Cater hit his third homer of the series over the leftcenterfield fence giving the Boston faithful some hope. The homer did not seem to disurb the Reds righthander as Billingham kept the Boston bats in check before being lifted in the eighth inning. The Red Sox pitchers clamped down on the Reds until the bottom of teh eighth inning. Red Sox reliever Don Newhauser walked Tony Perez and Johnny Bench to leadoff the bottom of the eighth. The Red Sox, down 5-1, summoned righty Bob Bolin from the bullpen. Reds rightfielder Joe Hague Bolin's first offering into the rightfield corner for a triple scoring Perez and Bench. Bolin walked Hal Mcrae intentionally and then plunked shortstop Davey Concepcion leading to the ejection of Bolin. The hitbatter sidelined the Cincinnati's shortstop for the rest of the series. With the bases full, lefty Bob Veale got out of the inning surrendering only a sacrifice fly to Pete Rose. Leading 8-1 Clay Carroll came on for the Reds to pitch the ninth. Carroll lead the NL with 30 saves was not sharp. Reggie Smith hit a long homer to right center to open up the inning. Carl Yaztremski singled, Rico Perocelli doubled to left center putting runners on second and third. Carlton Fisk hit into a fielders choice making the score 8-3. Luis Aparcio followed with a single to center halving the Reds lead. Carroll then found his rythym and got out of the inning and ending the Red sox chances of a miracle comeback. The series tied at one-game apiece heads to Fenway Park for games three four and five.
Cincinnati Reds at Boston Red Sox
October 17, 1972
Game Three at Fenway Park, Boston Massachusetts
Gary Nolan vs. John Curtis
Cater's three run homer gives the Red Sox the win
Danny Cater three run homer in the thirteenth inning capped a come from behind 7-4 win
Boston MA, October 17 (AP) - WIth the series tied at one game a piece the Reds sent ace Gary Nolan to the mound against Red sox rookie hurler John Curtis. The Reds jumped on the Curtis early on. Rose lead the game off with a sharp single to center. Joe Morgan then rolled a sure fire doubleplay to the Red Sox veteran shortstop Luis Aparcio who booted the ball. Bobby Tolan dumped a single behind second to load the bases. Curtis a lefthanded rookie did not bend under the strain as he got Tony Perez to bounce into a double play, scoring Rose and moving Morgan to third. With Johnny Bench up Curtis fired the ball to thirdbaseman Rico Petrocelli catching Morgan off the bag for the third out. In the second the Reds Denis Menke single to right. Shortstop Darrell Chaney then pulled the ball to rightfield and into the bullpen to put the visiting Reds up 3-0. Cincinnati pitcher Gary Nolan then hit a single to left. The rookie lefthander shaken by Chaney's homer then gave up another single to Pete Rose which was misplayed by rightfielder Reggie Smith allowing Nolan to score from first. Curtis bore down and got out of the inning without further damage.
While John Curtis looked shaky in his first two innings Gary Nolan kept the Red sox in check through the first four frames. In the fifth the Red Sox got to the Reds righthander. With one out Luis Aparcio doubled into the centerfield corner. Nolan got pinchitter John Kennedy to harmlessly popup. Nolan still needing one out gave up a single to Tommy Harper, scoring Aparacio for Boston's first run on the day. Secondbaseman Doug Griffin then hit a shot into rightfield moving the speedy Harper to third. With runners hugging the corners, Carl Yastrzemski banged a single just past Joe Morgan's glove scoring Harper and cutting the Reds lead to 4-2. Nolan got Reggie Smith to strikeout, stranding Griffin and Yastrzemski.
The game remained 4-2 until the bottom of the eighth. Lefty reliever Tom Hall who had been dominant for the Reds during the regular season got into trouble. Carl Yastrzemski double off the green monster with none out. Reggie Smith then drew a walk. Hall control abandoned him as he walked Rico Petrocelli to load the bases. Sparly Anderson brought on rubber armed Pedro Borbon to face Carlton Fisk. Borbon got Fisk to popup for the innings first out. Still not out of the woods Borbon got Danny Cater to hit a slow grounder to Joe Morgan who flipped to Chaney to get Petrocelli. Cater hustled down the line and beat the return throw as Yastrzemski crossed the plate with the Red Sox third run of the game. With Reggie Smith on third, Luis Aparcio doubled over the head of Bobby Tolan to tie the game at four, sending the Boston faithful into a frenzy. Borbon having blown the lead now had to face rookie Ben Oglivie. Oglivie hit a shot to Darrel Chaney who backhanded the ball and got Apracico at second to end the inning.
The two bullpens throew blanks at each other over the next four innings. In the bottom of the thirteenth inning the Reds sent ace reliever Clay Carroll out ot the mound. Carroll got pounded in game two was no better in game three. Carroll struckout Carl Yastrzemski to start the inning off. Reggie Smith then hit an innocent bouncer to second for out number two. Rico Petrocelli the singled to center. Carlton Fisk kept the inning alive with a lazer to left moving the slowfooted Petrocelli to second. Carroll now obviously shaken stood silent behind the mound as Danny Cater came up. The Boston crowd sheering loudly as Carroll delivered his offering to Cater. Cater sent the ball high and deep to left for a three run homer to win the game.
Cincinnati Reds at Boston Red Sox
October 18, 1972
Game Four at Fenway Park, Boston Massachusetts
Ross Grimsely vs. Luis Tiant
Reds ninth inning rally downs Boston
Hal McRae's pinchit single rallies the Reds in the ninth
Boston, MA October 18 (AP) Up 2 games to 1, Boston sent righthander Luis Tiant ot the mound. The Reds countered with game one starter Ross Grimsley. Boston drew first blood in second inning as Reggie Smith drilled a solo homer to lead off the inning. After that the both Grimsely and Tiant matched goose eggs over the next six frames. Tiant, who won 18 games on the season splitting time between the rotation and the bullpen, looked brilliant on the night. The tricky righty kept the powerful Reds lineup in check as he gave one hit over the first seven inning. Grimsely was equally as dazzling limiting the Boston bats to just two hits in seven innings.
In the eighth inning Pedro Borbon came on as Grimsely came out for a pinchitter. With two out in the inning Luis Aparcio tripled into right-center. Luis Tiant then blooped a dying quail between Joe Morgan and Cesar Geronimo making it 2-0 Boston. With a 2-0 lead Tiant needed three outs to put the Red Sox up 3 games to 1. With one out in the ninth Tony Perez hammered a single to left. Tiant trying to be careful with slugging catcher Johnny Bench walked him. Bench was replaced by outfielder George Foster on first. thirdbaseman Denis Menke hit Tiant's pitch to to right scoring Perez and sending Foster to third. The Boston fans suddenly got quite as the win seemed to be slipping away. With the bullpen now working Tiant got Reds rightfielder Cesar Geronimo out swinging. Down to just one out substitute shortstop Darrell Chaney walked to load the bases. Hal McRae came up as the fans began to look to the bullpen for help. Boston's manager Eddie Kasko went to the mound but decided leave Tiant in the game. It proved to be a decision the manager may live to regret. Hal McRae hit Tiant's offering to right, driving in Foster with the tying run and Menke with the eventual game winner. Pete Rose ended the inning with a popup in front of a silent crowd. In the ninth Clay Carroll slammed the door to knot the series up at 2
Cincinnati Reds at Boston Red sox
October 19, 1970
Game Five at Fenway Park, Boston Massachusetts
Jack Billingham vs. Marty Pattin
Red Sox ride Marty Pattin's arm to take lead in series
Red Sox starting pitcher Marty Pattin shutsdown the Big Red Machine, rookie Carlton Fisk two run homer big blow as Boston takes series lead.
Boston, MA, October 19 (AP) The Reds still jubilant after there thrilling come from behind win in game four look to take the series lead behind Jack Billingham. Boston sent game one starter Marty Pattin to the hill hoping to revive the Red sox fortunes after the loss the previous day. The first three innings featured a tough pitching duel as both starters blanked the opposition. Billingham sailed through the suddenly quite Boston bats picking up three strikeouts in the first three innings. Pattin meanwhile was equally effective as he surrendered only three hits, two by Joe Morgan. In the bottom the fourth Reggie Smith stepped up and hit a solo shot over the right centerfield fence to break the Red sox ontop. The homer, Smith's fourth of the series seem to wake up the lethargic Sox. The next batter Thirdbaseman Rico Petrocelli drilled a single up the middle. Carlton Fisk then hit a high flyball that carried over the green monster to put Boston up 3-0. Billingham got out of the fourth inning without any more damage. Pattin meanwhile kept the Reds off balance for the first five innings. With one out in the sixth Pete Rose singled to center. Joe Morgan then singled to right, Reggie Smith misplayed the ball and Rose streaked towards home. Smith fired a cannon towards the plate, nailing Rose as he tried to bull over Fisk. Tony Perez stepped up with Morgan at second. Perez got the Reds on the baord with a hard single to center.
Leading 3-1 in the seventh inning Boston struck again. With two outs Doug Griffin singled to right and went to second n George Fosters error. Carl Yastrzesmki drove home Griffin with a shot back through the box and raced into second as the Bobby Tolan threw home. Sparky Anderson summoned Pedro Borbon in from the bullpen to quell the Red Sox. Borbon issued an intentional walk to Reggie Smith. Borbon then hit Rico Petrocelli on the arm loading the bases. With the opportunity to put the game away Carlton Fisk came up. Borbon however got the young catcher to popup to shallow center and end the threat.
Boston Eddie Kasco, perhaps still stinging from the post game critizism of leaving Luis Tiant in went to his bullpen to finishing off the the final two innings. Bill Lee came out to fade the Reds. Darrell Chaney ripped Lee's first offering to center for a single. Cesar Geronimo lashed Lee's next pitch to center. The lefty got Pete Rose swinging for out number one. Joe Morgan, with three hits against Pattin came up. Morgan brought the Reds fans to their feet has he hammered the ball into right, scoring Chaney and sending Geronimo to third. Reggie Smith's throw to the plate was cutoff by Danny Cater who fired it to second nailing the speedy Morgan. Bobby Tolan then popped up to end the inning. Veteran Bobby Bolin clipped the Reds in the ninth nailing down the Red sox win.
Boston Red Sox at Cincinnati Reds
October 21, 1972
Game Six at Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio
Sonny Siebert vs. Gary Nolan
Reds pound Boston's pitching and win in a route
Tony Perez and Pete Rose lead the Reds to an 8-1 win and game seven
Cincinnati, OH, Oct. 21 (AP) - Cincinnati came home down three games to two. Gary Nolan got the call for the Reds to hopefully send the series into a seventh and deciding game. On the otherhand Boston looked to put and end to the series called on veteran Sonny Siebert. Cincinnati got the ball rolling early. Joe Morgan singled with one out in the first. After a Bobby Tolan pop-up, firstbaseman Tony Perez drilled a two-run blast over the rightfield fence to put the Reds up 2-0. Boston responded in the second with one out Carlton Fisk tripled to right and came home on Ben Oglivie's single. With the score 2-1 in the fourth inning Cincinnati streched their lead as Tony Perez singled to center. Johnny Bench hit a popup to thirdbaseman Rico Petrocelli. Seibert who was roughed up in game two now faced Reds thirdbaseman Denis Menke. Menke pounded the veteran righthanders first pitch over the centerfield fence for a two run homer and a 4 -1 Res lead. The Reds now looking to put the game away put two runners on in the fifth but Siebert kept his team in the game getting Tony Perez to foul out and Johnny Bench to strikeout.
While Sonny Seibert wiggled in and out of trouble Red's starting pitcher Gary Nolan kept Boston in check as he scattered six hits over his first seven innings. In the eighth inning Boston began to rally. With none out pinchhitter rick Miller drew a walk from Gary Nolan. Tommy Harper then fouled out to the firstbase side and Doug Griffin bounced into a fielders choice. Carl Yastrezmski singled to right draing Sparky Anderson from the dugout. Anderson, known as Captain Hokks called in hard throwing Tom Hall to face Reggie Smith. Hall got Smith swinging to end the the rally. In the bottom of the eighth the Red Sox wne to Bobby bolin to keep the game close. Boliin however was wild and with one out walked Johnny Bench and then hit Denis Menke. With runners on first and secnd, Cesar Geronimo drew a walk to load the bases and finish off Bolin's night. Don Newhauser came out of the Boston bullpen with one out and the bases full of Reds. Newhauser promptly walked the light hitting Darrell Chaney to put the Reds up 5-1. Joe Hague, pinchitting for Tom Hall, struckout and Boston was one out away from surving a potential disaster. Pete Rose ended Boston's hopes of winnoing game six as he took the young Newhauser's pitch into the rightfield corner clearing the abses with a triple and sending Cincinnati's fans into a frenzy. Ed Sprague finished off Boston in the ninth forcing a game seven
Boston Red Sox at Cincinnati Reds
October 22, 1972
Game Seven at Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio
John Curtis vs Ross Grimsely
Red Sox win World Series in a controversial rain shortened game
Boston wins first world championship since 1918 in a rain shortened seven inning game
Cincinnati, OH, Oct. 22 (AP) - In perhaps the most controversial games in world series history the Boston Red Sox beat the Cincinnati Reds 4-1 in seven innings. With threatening skies and a rain delay the umpires decided to play game seven of the 1972 World Series. In a matchup of lefthanders the Red Sox gave rookie John Curtis the ball while Reds countered with Ross Grimsely. The Red Sox jumped out to an early lead scoring four runs in the second inning. With one out Rico Petrocelli led the inning off with a single. Carlton Fisk followed with a double to left putting runners on second and third. Danny Cater hammered a Grimsley offering into center scoring both runners. As a soft rain began to fall, Grimsley walked Aparcio. Pitcher John Curtis laid down a perfect bunt moving the runners up. Lead off hitter Tommy Harper scratched out an infield single, scoring Cater with the innings third run. With runners on the corners Doug Griffin slapped the ball into the hole which shortstop Darrell Chaney got to, but could not get a throw off. Grimsely then walked Yastrzemski to load the bases. Red's manager Sparky Anderson went to the mound and pulled Grimsley and handed the ball to the talented but erratic Wayne Simpson. Simpson go the very dangerous Reggie Smith to bounce out to second. The damage had been done and the Red Sox lead 4-0.
In the fourth the Reds climbed with 3 runs behind a Tony Perez single and a double by Johnny Bench. Denis Menke flied to right to score Perez cutting the Red Sox lead to just three runs. In the fifth the Reds threatened again as a steady rain began to drench Riverfron Stadium. Julian Javier singled to center. Pete Rose ripped the ball to left for a single. With none out Carlton Fisk let the ball go between his legas moving the runners up. Joe Morgan then popped up to second. Bobby Tolan fouled the ball to the thirdbaseman. Tony Perez fought off Curtis and drew a walk to load the bassi for Johnn Bench. In a steady rain Bench hit a long flyball to deep left which brought the Reds fans to their feet, however Carly Yastrzemski caught it at the wall to end the inning.
With the score 4-1 the teams entered the bottom of the seventh inning. The umpires finally called time as the steady rain turned into a deluge. As the teams waited on the weather, calls to the Commissioner Bowie Kuhn's box and the local Cincinnati Metorological Station begin to become frequent. Finally after waiting for well past midnight the umpires with approval of Commissioner Kuhn called the game to a halt and the Boston Red Sox were World Champs.