Big Red Machine Strikes in the Tenth

The Cincinnati Reds claimed victory in the third game of the World Series by coming up with one run in the bottom of the tenth inning after a controversial call made by home plate umpire Larry Barnett.

Cesar Geronimo led off the tenth inning with a single. He was followed by bunting specialist Ed Armbrister who was pinch hitting for Cincy pitcher Rawly Eastwick. Armbrister laid down a bunt in front of home plate, but when Red Sox catcher Carlton Fisk tried to make a throw to second to get Geronimo, he ran into Armbrister. As a result, Fisk's throw went over shortstop Rick Burleson's head and into centerfield. A heated argument between Sox manager Darrell Johnson and home plate umpire Barnett ensued, but the appeal did not succeed.

Rogelio Moret came in for Jim Willoughby and intentionally walked Pete Rose, the first batter he faced. Mery Rettenmund pinch hit for Ken Griffey and Moret struck him out. Joe Morgan followed Rettenmund and hit the one and two pitch over centerfielder Fred Lynn's head to produce the winning run.

The Red Sox had been trailing for most of the game--5-1 at one point--before tying the score in the top of the ninth with a two-run homer by Dwight Evans.

The Reds scored five of their runs in the fourth and fifth innings. In the fourth, Sox starter Rick Wise walked Tony Perez. Perez then stole second and came home on a homer by Johnny Bench.

In the fifth Wise gave up back to back home runs by Concepcion and Geronimo and, after striking out Cincinnati reliever Pat Darcy, gave up a triple to Pete Rose. At this point, Wise was replaced by Jim Burton, who gave up a sacrifice fly to Joe Morgan that scored Rose. Starter Wise had only given up four hits, but three of them were home runs and one was a triple.

The Red Sox bullpen held the Reds from the fifth to the tenth with four relievers seeing action.

The Red Sox started off the scoring with a lead-off homer by Carlton Fisk.' In the sixth, Carl Yastrzemski scored on a sacrifice fly by Fred Lynn. The next score came in the seventh when pinch hitter Bernie Carbo slammed the first pitch for a home run. In the ninth, Evans hit a two-run blast to tie up the game.

The Red Sox almost went ahead in the tenth when Yastrzemski hit a ball deep to centerfield with Denny Doyle on first. Reds centerfielder Geronimo caught up to it, though, and the Red Sox were blanked in the rest of the inning.

This game tied a World Series record for most home runs in one game--six.