OCTOBER 2, 1978 | BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – Boston Red Sox killer Bucky Dent became a wanted man in New England on this date in 1978. The New York Yankees were down by 2 runs in a dramatic one-game playoff when Dent came to the plate against Mike Torrez, but not when he got back to the dugout.
It was a classic baseball rivalry, and the ultimate do-or-die situation in baseball, in a classic venue – Fenway Park. It had been an exciting American League East race. The Yankees made a remarkable comeback from 14 games behind to move 3 1/2 games ahead of the Red Sox with two weeks left in the season. Then the Red Sox won eight straight to end the season and tie the Yankees for first in the division, hence a one-game playoff.
In the top of the seventh, the Red Sox were ahead, 2-0. (Can you say “curse?”) The Yankees’ Chris Chambliss singled off of Mike Torrez. Roy White singled. Two on, two out.
Shortstop Bucky Dent, a .243 hitter, stepped up to the plate.
The count went to 1-1. Dent realized his bat was cracked, so he got a fresh piece of wood and returned to the batter’s box. The Savannah, Georgia native who hit 40 home runs in his 12-year career, hit the next pitch over the Green Monster, a three-run home run. The Yankees took the lead.
Torrez peppered his analysis of Dent’s homer with a few mild expletives: “I was so damn shocked. I thought maybe it was going to be off the wall. Damn, I did not think it was going to go out.” The Yanks extended their lead to 5-2. The Red Sox tried, valiantly as always, to come back. They almost did, but lost the game, 5-4. The Yankees went to the World Series in ‘78, beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 4 games to 2.
Contributing sources;
October 2, 1978 box score
Sports Illustrated Greatest Teams, by Tim Crothers, 1998