Boston Red Sox
On November 13, 1985, Gardner was traded to the Boston Red Sox along with John Christensen, Calvin Schiraldi and La Schelle Tarver for Bob Ojeda, Tom McCarthy, John Mitchell and Chris Bayer. He emerged as the team's closer in 1987, leading the BoSox with ten saves. On July 28, he made his first start since 1982 with the New York-Penn League Little Falls Mets.
During the off-season, Boston acquired Lee Smith to assume closing duties for 1988. After starting the season in the Red Sox's bullpen, Gardner was moved into the starting rotation on June 28. In his first start, Gardner gave up only one earned run in seven innings innings pitched to earn the win. Gardner won his first four decisions as a starter, and enjoyed career highs in wins (8), strikeouts (106), ERA (3.50) and innings pitched (149) for the season.
Gardner's only post-season appearance came in game three of the 1988 American League Championship Series against the Oakland Athletics. He replaced Mike Boddicker in the third inning with the Sox behind 6-5, and had a no decision in the 10-6 loss to the A's.
Read more about this topic: Wes Gardner
Famous quotes containing the words boston and/or red:
“Let those talk of poverty and hard times who will in the towns and cities; cannot the emigrant who can pay his fare to New York or Boston pay five dollars more to get here ... and be as rich as he pleases, where land virtually costs nothing, and houses only the labor of building, and he may begin life as Adam did? If he will still remember the distinction of poor and rich, let him bespeak him a narrower house forthwith.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“It might become a wheel spoked red and white
In alternate stripes converging at a point
Of flame on the line, with a second wheel below,
Just rising, accompanying, arranged to cross,
Through weltering illuminations, humps
Of billows, downward, toward the drift-fire shore.”
—Wallace Stevens (1879–1955)