This Date In Red Sox History: August 5 - Red Sox Smash, Rich Gedman Signs

Games of Note: The 1979 Red Sox had a doubleheader with the Milwaukee Brewers, who were still in the American League at this point, in which Boston won both games. The first game went to the Sox, 9-2, but it's the second game that we care about, as the Sox won 19-5. It's how they won that's notable, as the Red Sox became the first team in 30 years to score in eight of the nine innings. The only frame in which they didn't score was the fourth, despite the first two batters of the inning reaching.

Manager Don Zimmer used three relievers for the second game of this doubleheader, each tossing three innings a piece, and the historic offensive showing makes this plan work. Reliever Win Remmerswaal, a Dutch hurler, picks up the W. This was one of only eight appearances he would make with the Red Sox in 1979, and his lone decision of the season. It was also his first career victory, as he pitched for Boston (and in the majors) just for the '79 and '80 campaigns.

Jim Rice and Dwight Evans were the only two Red Sox starters who failed to drive in a run against Milwaukee, while Carlton Fisk picked up four RBI as the DH. Rice and Evans did combine for six hits and four runs, though. The only participant to do nothing with their day was Jack Brohamer,* who replaced Butch Hobson (2-for-4 on the day with three RBI and a run) and went 0-for-2 with a strikeout.

*With a name like "Brohamer" you would think he would be something more bro dude-esque than a baseball player like, say, an Olympic swimmer.

Transactions: Boston signed amateur free agent Rich Gedman on this day in 1977. Gedman was a Worcester, MA native who attended high school there, and the Red Sox signed him out of high school. He would join with the Red Sox in the majors in 1980, appearing in nine games as a 20-year-old, and except for a 25-game stint in the minors in 1981, was already a major-league catcher.

Gedman would play for 13 years, 11 of them with the Red Sox. He hit .259/.310/.412 with Boston, amassing over 3,100 plate appearances 741 career hits, 83 homers, and 206 walks. His postseason numbers were also very good, with Gedman the backstop on the 1986 World Series team as well as the 1990 division winning Sox: he hit a combined .292/.320/.444 in those 18 contests and 75 plate appearances.

For his career, he threw out about the league-average rate of runners, but was considered a highly-capable defensive backstop overall. Baseball Reference lists him as compiling well over six wins with his defense behind the plate, while his bat produced just under eight. At his peak, he was one of the better catchers around, but like many catchers who start early, he burned out young.

Birthdays: It's Carl Crawford's 31st birthday today. It's also the birthday of a plethora of former Sox, as Tim Federowicz (25), Eric Hinske (35), Bobby Kielty (36), John Wasdin (40), John Olerud (44), and Bernie Carbo (65) all celebrate today.