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Red Sox History: Reviving bad memories of Red Sox – Yankees duels

By Rick McNair

BOSTON, MA - JUNE 27: Xander Bogaerts #2 of the Boston Red Sox plays defense during the first inning of a game against the New York Yankees on June 27, 2021 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - JUNE 27: Xander Bogaerts #2 of the Boston Red Sox plays defense during the first inning of a game against the New York Yankees on June 27, 2021 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) /
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CHICAGO – UNDATED 1980: Bucky Dent of the New York Yankees bats during a MLB game at Comiskey Park in Chicago, Illinois. Dent played for the New York Yankees from 1977-81. (Photo by Ron Vesely/Getty Images)
CHICAGO – UNDATED 1980: Bucky Dent of the New York Yankees bats during a MLB game at Comiskey Park in Chicago, Illinois. Dent played for the New York Yankees from 1977-81. (Photo by Ron Vesely/Getty Images) /

Yankees “Dent” Red Sox hopes once again

The 1978 season was a runaway for the Red Sox. By mid-May, they were in first place and eventually built up a ten-game lead only to squander it slowly. This was reminiscent of 1949 only in reverse.

Boston was not dead towards the end of the season and went on nine wins in a ten-game streak to set up a dramatic one-game playoff against the Yankees. To get there, Boston needed Luis Tiant at the end of the season. Louie tossed a shutout against Toronto as the Yankees lost at home against Cleveland.

That playoff game was Boston’s until the seventh when Bucky Dent lofted a soft fly ball to left field. Fenway Park can give and take with the Green Monster, and this “shot” would have been an out in just about every park in baseball.

Boston did keep hopes alive in the eighth with a pair of runs, but the life had been sucked out of the Red Sox with Dent’s home run. For this fan, Boston never should have been in that position as manager Don Zimmer made far too many bonehead moves during the season. If only El Tiant had been available for the playoff game?

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