The Perfect Schedule - Games 81-90

The perfect schedule continues apace with the Sox running their record to 90-0.

Game 81 - 2008 - Sox 5 at Diamondbacks 0 - One of the reasons I love baseball is that there are so many ways to play the game.  This is a classic matchup, Tim Wakefield the ultimate soft tosser against Randy Johnson the classic fireballer.  Timmeh got the better of this matchup thanks in part to a three run tater by Kevin Cash.
Game 82 - 1998 - Expos 0 at Sox 15 - The Expos got a dose of what they had been serving for a few years as Pedro Martinez toed the rubber.  Pedro hurled six shutout innings while the Sox touched up Carl Pavano and a cast of relievers.  Cleanup hitter Midre Cummings (read that again) had a couple hits and 8/9 hitters Mike Benjamin and Darren Bragg combined for 7 hits, 5 RBI and 4 runs scored.
Game 83 - 1989 - Yankees 5 at Sox 10 - Here’s a phrase I’m comfortably saying I haven’t used yet and won’t use again…it was the Luis Rivera show! One of only two times in his career he reached base five times (3 hits, 2 walks) Luis also scored 3 runs and drove in 3 runs including a homer in support of The Dopper himself, John Dopson.
Game 84 - 1986 - Angels 7 at Sox 8 - One of the wildest baseball games I’ve ever seen.  I remember staying up late to watch this one and going crazy while trying not to wake up my mother.  Tied at 4 going to the 12th the Angels scored three times off Mike Brown but 1986 was a wild season.  A two out Jim Rice homer made it 7-6 but Don Baylor popped up to end it but Rooster Rick Burleson dropped it.  A walk to Evans brought Gedman to the plate and he singled to right and a Joyner error allowed the run to score to tie it.  As the crowd went nuts Gene March summoned Todd Fischer to the mound.  As Fischer prepared to pitch and NESN (or maybe channel 38) showed the view from the press box catcher Bob Boone leapt up and started screaming at home plate umpire Joe Brinkman. Brinkman coolly pointed to Evans at third and then to home plate.  A balk was the call and the game was over giving Tim Lollar the final win of his career.
Game 85 - 2004 - Rangers 6 at Sox 14 - Damon, Bellhorn, Nomar and Manny combined for 15 hits and the Sox led 11-6 after three innings and coasted home.  Derek Lowe went 7 innings for the win and the six unearned runs he allowed would be the most by a Sox pitcher until Porcello surrendered 7 in 2017.
Game 86 - 1988 - Royals 1 at Sox 3 - The fourth place Sox sent Roger Clemens to face Bret Saberhagen in a Cy Young battle.  Clemens fanned 16 for the win for new interim manager Joe Morgan.  This would start a run of 12 straight wins overall and it would be 30 days until the Sox would send the Fenway crowd home disappointed.
Game 87 - 2019 - Sox 8 at Blue Jays 7 - Hector Velazquez and Colten Brewer put the Sox in a 6-1 hole but Michael Chavis capped a 6 run 6th with a three run homer for a 7-6 lead.  Toronto tied it up but Marco Hernandez slammed a ninth inning homer and Brandon Workman um…worked around a couple of walks for the save.
Game 88 - 1990 - Twins 0 at Sox 1 - The story of this game wasn’t Tom Bolton’s 8 shutout innings or Tim Naehring’s RBI single that scored Mike Greenwell (Billy Joe Robidoux was thrown out at third to end the inning).  No, the story was a couple of 5-4-3s. What’s the big deal? The big deal is that these 5-4-3s (Tom Brunansky in the fourth, Jody Reed in the eighth) were not double plays but TRIPLE plays.
Game 89 - 2005 - Yankees 1 at Sox 17 - This was fun.  The Yankees sent Tim Redding to the mound and he didn’t have it, the Sox chased him in the second thanks to a Trot Nixon inside the park homer, David Ortiz managed five RBI despite only one hit (a grand slam) and David Wells got an easy breezy win.
Game 90 - 1981 - Tigers 1 at Sox 2 - This ten inning affair featured just two Hall of Fame pitchers dueling. Jack Morris and Dennis Eckersley went into the wee hours of the…checks, 5:30 start?...the wee hours of the early evening before Carney Lansford singled home Jerry Remy.