Page 118 - 1975 BoSox

’75—THE RED SOX TEAM THAT SAVED BASEBALL 111
completed 15 of 34 starts, had an ERA under 3.00, and was selected as the Royals’ Pitcher of the Year. In 1973, his last year as a Royal, his ERA exceeded 4.00 for the rst time and he was outshone on the sta by Paul Splittor . Later, Drago would say that Royals manager Jack McKeon quit on him that year. McKeon has denied this but it soon became clear that the Royals were ready to deal Drago in the o season.2
On October 24, 1973, the Royals traded Drago to the Red Sox for Marty Pattin, a 30-year-old right-handed starter who was two years older than Drago. Both players wanted and needed a change in scenery. In 1974 rookie Boston skipper Darrell Johnson used Drago in 33 games, 18 as a starter and 15 out of the bullpen. is dual role of starter/reliever was one Drago shared with Roger Moret. He said he favored starting but it was his relief work that made him a success in Boston.3 Although his 1973 season ERA was 3.48, his relief ERA was a dominating 1.37. During the stretch run, in which the Red Sox fell out of contention, he pitched well but lost two games by scores of 3-1 and 2-1.
Over the o season, the return from injury of veteran starter Rick Wise cemented Dick Drago’s role in the bullpen for 1975. Wise led the team in victories and Drago emerged as the premier reliever. His 15 saves ranked fth in the league and his 34 games nished placed him ninth. In the heat of the stretch drive, beginning August 27, he pitched in 13 games, earning one win and eight saves. Darrell Johnson enthused that Drago was as important to Boston as the much more publicized Rollie Fingers was to Oakland.4
In the ALCS against Oakland, Drago proved his worth, pitching 42⁄3 scoreless innings in Games Two and ree, earning saves in both. In Game Two at Fenway Park, Johnson sent for Drago after Moret walked the rst batter in the top of the seventh. After Drago was announced, Oakland manager Al Dark countered with pinch-hitter Billy Williams. Williams, a lifetime .290 hitter and a former NL batting champ, was not Drago’s only concern as he prepared to pitch, because the batter Moret had walked was former Red Sox teammate Tommy Harper, one of the best bas- estealers in the game. Nursing a one-run lead, Drago
showed a lot of interest in the runner leading o rst. Drago began Williams’s at-bat with three throws to rst, making Harper dive back while Williams worked the count to 2-and-2. After one more toss to rst, Drago struck Williams out with a high fastball. Drago threw to rst once more before pitching to the next batter, Billy North. North lined the rst pitch to center elder Fred Lynn, whose throw to Cecil Cooper at rst easily doubled up Harper. In a postgame interview Drago was asked how he was able to deal with the threat of Harper and still focus on the batters. He answered: “ at is what I get paid for.”5 e nal two innings were much less stressful because Drago’s team- mates got him an insurance run in both the seventh and eighth innings.
Moving to Oakland for Game ree, Drago came in to relieve the starter Wise with one out, two runs in, and two men on in the bottom of the eighth with the Red Sox holding a 5-3 lead. e pressure of the situ- ation on the eld was magni ed by the frenzied Oakland fans, whose unbridled exuberance caused a delay in the proceedings more than once. But it didn’t faze Drago, whose one pitch to Joe Rudi was grounded to short for an inning-ending double play. Drago’s ninth was not as easy. Once again he faced Williams who, on a 2-and-2 count, lined the ball o Drago’s shin. e ball caromed to Cooper, who tossed to the bloodied but alert pitcher covering rst for a painful 1-3-1 putout. After the game Boston Globe reporter Peter Gammons commented on Drago’s “bloody stocking” (the rst reporting of a Red Sox pitcher’s bloody sock in postseason play).6 Gene Tenace popped to short for the second out. Drago then walked North on four pitches, bringing Johnson to the mound for a visit. Drago’s wildness continued as pinch-hitter Jim Holt worked the count to 3-and-0. Drago now bore down and after Holt fouled o one 3-and-2 pitch, he grounded slowly to Denny Doyle at second, who threw to Cooper and the celebration began.
Drago also pitched in two of the seven games of the classic 1975 World Series. In the second game he was called upon in a save situation. With the Red Sox leading 2-1, Johnson summoned Drago in the top of