GAME 1 (Oakland Coliseum): BOS 8, OAK 4
The A's were riding the momentum of spot starter John "Blue Moon" Odom's dominance to a 4-1 lead. Odom, who didn't pitch much that year wound up running out of gas after 5 brilliant innings and the A's pen went into self destruct mode. First Sonny Siebert threw 3 nondescript innings by giving up 2 runs and narrowing the A's lead to 1. Then the unthinkable happened...the normally reliable Rollie Fingers melted down. Fingers started the 9th needing 3 outs to get the save. On a 3-2 fastball Fingers got lead off hitter Johnny Pesky to pop out to Bando at third. Hitchcock followed with a flare to right that Reggie could not get to. Dom DiMaggio lined one to the opposite field to put runners at the corners with only 1 out. This put Fingers in a terrible spot with Teddy "F'in" Ballgame coming to the plate. Fingers fell behind in the count and eventually put a fastball over the plate that Williams launched to Pleasanton. Just like that a 4-3 lead became a 6-4 deficit. But it didn't end here...Vern Stephens and Al Zarilla each followed Ted Williams cue by clouting solo shots to put the game out of reach. Chuck Stobbs, who perceived Boston's weak defense held tight until 1 out in the 9th when he was lifted in favor of Tex Hughson who closed out the game to move Boston back to .500 for the first time all season.
GAME 2 (Oakland Coliseum): BOS 13, OAK 4
Similar scenario to game 1...Boston took a quick 2-0 lead in the first off of A's starer Glenn
Abbott as Williams hit a 2 run shot with 2 outs after Dom DiMaggio doubled. Oakland struck back to score 3 runs over the next 2 innings to nurse a 3-2 lead into the top of the 7th when Boston tied it up when Billy Goodman singled home Birdie Tebbetts. Then Boston posted an 8 run 8th to blow the game wide open as they batted around. No big blows were hit that inning, just a lot of timely hits to chase Abbott and eventually seal the deal. DiMaggio was 5 for 6 and Williams was 3 for 5 plus he hit his 8th homer of the year. Mel Parnell overcame two errors to allow 2 earned runs in 8 innings of work to increase his record to 3-2. Everyone in Boston's lineup, including Parnell had a hit.
GAME 3 (Fenway Park): BOS 6, OAK 0
All the hype surrounding this game swirled around why both aces (Vida Blue for OAK and Ellis Kinder for Boston) were so terrible this season. Both had sub .500 records. Kinder had an ERA well over 8 as he entered the contest. Blue continued his woes with a pitiful 7 inning 5 run performance. Kinder, on the other hand rose from the abyss to toss a 5 hitter and fan 12 Athletic hitters. Kinder fanned 6 of the first 8 batters he faced, which included Campy Campaneris and Billy North 3 times. Oddly, slugger, Reggie Jackson did not fan once. Boston broke the ice when shortstop Vern Stephens his a 2 runs shot in the 2nd after Blue pitched around Williams and issued a free pass. Mel Parnell, who pitched the night before made an appearance as Boston's DH in this contest and went 2 for 4, which included 2 RBI's in the 4th. Boston tacked on 2 insurance runs in the 8th when Matt Batts doubled home Bobby Doerr who walked and Pesky singled him home two batters later. The sweep virtually ended Oakland's season and catapulted Boston back into contention.
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