While the Boston Red Sox were getting swept by the Chicago White Sox over the weekend, 63-year-old former Boston pitcher Bill “Spaceman” Lee got the Sunday start for the Brockton Rox of the independent Can-Am League. The left-hander turned his stunt appearance into a victory over the visiting Worcester Tornados, going 5 1/3 innings and allowing 2 runs on 5 hits .
The previous afternoon, in the majors, 26-year-old Red Sox starter Clay Buchholz lasted 5 innings , allowing 2 runs on 6 hits in a loss to Chicago.
Throwing well-placed junk, Lee kept players 40 years younger than him off balance, according to the game writeup by Jim Fenton of the
Brockton Enterprise
. Against the Tornados, managed by former Boston catcher Rich Gedman, Lee threw 43 of his 61 pitches for strikes and walked no one:
“He does not have his fastball anymore, but he can do everything else,’’ said [Rox manager Chris] Carminucci. “He hit his spots. What does that teach our guys? We’ve got 24-year-old arms. If you hit your spots, you get people out.
“He got people out today with his mind and hitting spots and knowing how to pitch. He threw a changeup that was like eephus and then he threw a fastball that looked like it was 105 (miles an hour) from the dugout. It was amazing. It was cool stuff.’’
