May 28, 1990
After some promising results the previous weekend, the Boston Red Sox endured a trying 2-5 week that included a doubleheader as a result of a rainout that caused the team to re-shuffle its pitching rotation. After splitting a two game series with the Texas Rangers, a Wednesday rainout caused the two game series against the Kansas City Royals to be played as a doubleheader on Thursday. Bob Tewksbury was recalled to start the second game of the doubleheader and took the loss to drop to 0-7 on the season. However, he pitched very well and earned the right to remain in the Majors for at least another turn in the rotation. In a corresponding move, Boston optioned outfielder Mickey Pina to AAA Pawtucket.
The Red Sox designated starting pitcher Kevin Ritz for assignment on Friday, and promoted reliever Joe Johnson to add a bullpen arm for the their weekend series in Minnesota. Ritz cleared waivers and was assigned to Pawtucket.
In the final series of transactions for the week, Boston purchased the contract of 25 year old starter Steven Bast from AAA Pawtucket to start Sunday’s game at the Metrodome. Bast took the roster spot for Jeff Plympton, who despite having thrown the ball well in during his time with the Red Sox, he was the odd man out since he had options remaining. As for Bast, though he pitched very well in his Major League debut, he was optioned back to Pawtucket after the game. Outfielder Kevin Romine was recalled.
In early All-Star voting, Red Sox 3B Wade Boggs was second behind Toronto’s Kelly Gruber. Boggs has heated up recently and has his average up to .286 on the season. LF Mike Greenwell was also a distant second behind Rickey Henderson of the Oakland A’s. Greenwell is hitting .310 with 6 home runs and 27 RBI. Starter Roger Clemens and closer Lee Smith are in the mix for an All-Star selection on the pitching side.
Around the League
Luis Polonia of the New York Yankees took home AL Player of the Week hitting .455 during the week. The National League award went to Kirk Gibson of the St. Louis Cardinals, who hit .429 with 3 home runs.
The injury bug hit the World Series favorite Oakland Athletics hard this week. Early in the week, they lost starting center fielder Stan Javier for approximately 6 weeks with a bruised kneecap that he sustained diving for a ball in the outfield. Felix Jose is replacing Javier in the lineup. Oakland had already lost ace Dave Stewart for the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, and they have now likely lost starter Joe Slusarski for the rest of the season with an ulnar nerve entrapment in his elbow. Oakland sits at 34-14 and maintains a 4 game lead in the AL West.
In other injury news this week, the San Diego Padres lost SP Ed Whitson for the remainder of the season with a torn labrum. The 35 year old Whitson had been off to an outstanding start this season with a 2.49 ERA and 1.06 WHIP.
The Seattle Mariners signed 1B Alvin Davis to a 3 year extension worth over $7 million. Davis, who was due to be a free agent at season’s end, is now signed through the 1993 season. He is hitting .284 with 11 home runs so far this season.
Week in Review
Boston came through with a dominant win in the first game of a brief two game series against the Texas Rangers. Despite walking 8 batters in 5 innings, Boston starter Kevin Ritz managed to allow just 2 runs by inducing 3 double plays. Having played a doubleheader over the weekend, the Rangers planned on a bullpen game tonight by starting regular RP Mark Petkovsek. The Red Sox took advantage by pounding out 19 hits in a 13 run effort. Marty Barrett went 4-4 with 3 doubles, and Wade Boggs continued his assault on American League pitching by adding 4 hits of his own.
The Rangers beat the Red Sox 9-3 today to earn a split of this brief two game series at Fenway Park. Rangers' starter Jamie Moyer threw 123 pitches in a complete game victory. Texas jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the 1st inning off Tom Bolton, aided by a key error by RF Dwight Evans which led to two unearned runs. After Boston cut the lead to 5-3 with 2 runs in the bottom of the 8th, Rafael Palmeiro put the game out of reach with a 9th inning grand slam off Jeff Plympton. Palmeiro drove in 6 runs in the game. For Boston, Evans led the offensive attack going 2-for-3 with 2 RBI.
It was a tough loss for the Red Sox in game one of a doubleheader at Fenway Park this afternoon. Mike Macfarlane hit a game winning home run off Greg Harris in the 11th inning to give Kansas City a 6-5 win. After falling behind 2-0 with Roger Clemens on the mound, Boston exploded for 5 runs in the bottom of the 6th off Bret Saberhagen, highlighted by a 3 run home run from Mike Greenwell. Setup man Jeff Reardon entered the game in the 8th and surrendered a game tying 3 run homer to Danny Tartabull.
The Red Sox promoted pitcher Bob Tewksbury to start the second game of the doubleheader, and though Boston lost 2-0, Tewksbury turned in an outstanding performance. Royals' starter Mark Gubicza was just a little better, as he threw a complete game 5 hit shutout. Tewksbury allowed just a 1st inning run, en route to 7 strong innings. The Royals tacked on an insurance run in the 9th off Wes Gardner for the 2-0 win. Bill Pecota went 3-for-4 and drove in a run for Kansas City, while Jody Reed had two of Boston's 5 total hits off Gubicza.