August 23, 2009

Tater Time

The Red Sox have hit at least two homers in each of the last eight games, a new franchise record.

The 1998 and 2001 teams each had streaks of seven games. This year's team also recently had a six-game stretch (July 31 to August 6). In the 21 games since July 31, they have hit 42 home runs -- and hit at least two in 17 of those 21 games. Here is the list.

Longest streaks of 3+ HR games: 4, July 2-5, 2003

Longest streaks of 4+ HR games: 3, June 17-19, 1977

Longest streaks of 5+ HR games: 3, June 17-19, 1977

(redsock childhood note: The longest two-HR streak by the 1977 club was five (June 14-19, which included hitting 16 (!) in a three-game sweep of the Yankees at Fenway Park). June 18, the middle game of that MFY series, was when Billy Martin pulled Reggie Jackson from RF in the sixth inning after he (Reggie) loafed towards a Jim Rice hit that Rice stretched into a double. Martin and Jackson nearly had a fist fight in the dugout on national television.)

9 comments:

eco-entrepreneur said...

I remember those games very well as I was ever so lucky to attend all three as well as two games with Baltimore just after that series (all wins if my memory serves me well)!! I was amazed at the number of homers lofted out of Fenway! I was completely prepared for the inevitable post-season. No such luck!

Rick (f/k/a westcoastsox) said...

Thanks - this was very interesting. One more big win, and dare I say it, might schadenfreude be back? I love the smell of schadenfreude in the morning.

allan said...

Daily News had "Can't Win Them All" on the back. Post had Omar. Yawn. Maybe tomorrow!

Jeff Polman said...

Believe it or else, I was also at those amazing 1977 games, living just a 15-minute walk away from the Fens. Yaz hit two homers in the Martin/Reggie clash game, and the next day Rice and Yaz went back-to-back, Jim Ed's drive clearing the CF wall BEHIND the bleachers and Yaz clearing the right field roof. It was pure nirvana. Strat-O-Matic is releasing the '77 season next year and I can't wait!

Jere said...

Okay, I was going to mention that the Sunday game was also the "Yaz hits roof facade" game. I did a long research-y post on it once, and I guess he really did skim the roof, though I still don't know why it wasn't widely covered in the papers back then. But as for Jeff Polman's account: "Yaz clearing the right field roof," I absolutely disagree with that.

I wasn't there, but other supposed first-hand accounts say it hit the roof, not cleared it. Even the Red Sox Web site says that no ball has ever cleared the roof.

allan said...

Believe it or else

You better believe, Jere!!!

:>)

**

I can say I watched that game on TV.

allan said...

Dongs That Weekend:

Fri June 17; Sox 9-4
Fisk (2), Lynn, Burleson, Scott, Yaz
Sox hit 4 solo shots in the 1st off Catfish!

Sat June 18; Sox 10-4
Carbo (2), Yaz (2), Scott

Sun, June 19; Sox 11-1
Scott, Rice, Yaz, Carbo, Doyle

Jeff Polman said...

Jere,

Thanks for clearing up the "Big Skim". From my vantage point low in the box seats on the 3rd base side, though, it sure as hell looked like it cleared the thing. When you're delirious with joy, these things can happen.

laura k said...

I'm psyched to win this game. Pitching duel be damned, I want to hammer them for another 15, 20 runs.