Editor’s note: Fenway Park opened on April 20, 1912. NESN.com will be celebrating Fenway’s 100-year anniversary with unique content from now until April 20, 2012.
For the second time in three years the Red Sox won the AL East division title but once again were swept by the Oakland Athletics in 1990.
Boston ace Roger Clemens nearly won his third Cy Young Award, posting a career-low 1.93 ERA while going 21-6 with seven complete games. Offensively the club was led by Wade Boggs, who hit .302 and was named to his sixth All-Star Game.
The club's postseason aspirations came down to the final day of the season, when right fielder Tom Brunansky made a diving catch in the ninth inning off White Sox shortstop Ozzie Guillen to win the American League East division with a final record of 88-74, two games ahead of the Toronto Blue Jays.
As in 1988, the Red Sox faced the A's in the ALCS, and as in 1988, Boston was swept. The Sox offense struggled against A's pitching, scoring only one run per contest in the four-game sweep, while the defense stumbled and committed five errors. Going back to the 1986 World Series, the sweep by Oakland extended the Red Sox' postseason losing streak to 10 games.
Also in the summer of 1990, Fenway park hosted the first Beanpot of baseball, which like the ice hockey tournament featured the local schools of Boston College, Boston University, Harvard University and Northeastern University. The Eagles defeated the Crimson 6-3 to claim the tournament's first title.
For more information on Fenway Park, visit Fenway Park 100.
