Red Sox Stung By Buzzing Nats

BOSTON-Frank "the Hulk" Howard parked one in the net just below the Gilbey's Gin sign, and the Washington Senators were just getting started. More Nats buzzed the bases. Boston Red Sox starter Bill Lee had let in five runs before Eddie "the Fox" Kasko could find the number to his bullpen. Maybe it would rain.

In the third inning, the Bosox retaliated on Senators' starter Casey Cox, a former relief pitcher. Carl Yazstremski, former kingpin of the Bog Yaz Bread Company, nailed one of Cox's infamous balloon balls into the bleachers in right center field for a two-run homer. The Nats lead was neatly sliced to two, 5-3.

Rico Petrocelli and George "send a later to momma" Scott soon found themselves on base, and then marveled along with Cox at the straight-as-a-clothesline shot that Billy Conigliaro pranged into the ever popular left field net.

This most likely saddened former Key West bonefisherman Ted Williams, but it couldn't have surprised him as the Senators were shambling along on an eight-game losing streak.

It was vintage '67 form. The Sox led 6-5, in dead stroke.

But then Scott dropped a pop-up, Reggie "ping pong paddle hands" Smith magically turned a Senators' single into a double, Carl "bazooka arm" Yazstremski threw behind a crafty baserunner,and Sparky "what's a catcher for?" Lyle uncorked the longest pitch yet of the yet-young American League season halfway up the backstop not while one Joe Foy rejoiced at the opportunity to get out of a light sprinkle sooner than he had thought possible.

Foy scored the Senators' eighth run; the Red Sox guns had managed but one hit since the third inning-befuddled by a pair of herky-jerky southpaws named Grzenda and Lindblad.