Boston Red Sox Top Oakland A's

The Red Sox won their first exhibition game yesterday, hammering Charlie Finley's itinerant Athletics, 14-4. Boston batters collected 20 hits to hand the A's their first defeat in three outings.

The Red Sox exploded for six runs in the first inning off Oakland pitcher Bob Rodriguez. Rodriguez retired to the mercy of the shower room while his teammates suffered through eight more innings and eight more runs.

Rico Petrocelli hit his first homerun of the spring season, and Tony Conigliaro began his comeback with a single and a double in three trips at bat.

George Scott pushed his weight around at bat, whacking two triples. Catcher Russ Gibson made his bid to take away Ellie Howards catching job with a good overall performance. Boston's only real rookie prospect, Joe Lahoud, continued his powerful hitting.

If yesterday's game is indicative, the Red Sox may well have to rely on their hitting all year if they are to repeat as pennant winners. The victory was their first in three games. And the Impossible Dream, Volume II, goes on.