Sox Win But Lose As Yanks Sweep

The Boston Red Sox destroyed the Detroit Tigers yesterday, but still managed to slip back in the A.L. East standing, the helpless victims of the Yankees' doubleheader sweep at Toronto.

Sox starter Luis Tiant picked up his twelfth victory as the Bostonians blew out the Tigers early and never gave them a chance to get back in the game.

The victory moved the Red Sox (93-62) a half-game up on the Baltimore Orioles (93-63), who dropped their game with Cleveland, 9-4. But it was the Yankees (96-59) who emerged as the big winners yesterday, sweeping the Blue Jays, 15-0 and 2-0, behind the shutout pitching of Ron Guidry, Ed. "Senor Stopper" Figueroa and Sparky Lyle.

The Sox did provide some excitement when Butch Hobson's eighth-inning home run moved them into sixth place on the single-season team homer list. The only numbers that mean much at this point, though, are these: the Sox trail by three, and the Yanks' magic number is five.