Sprowl is best known for losing two critical games in the 1978 pennant race between the Red Sox and the New York Yankees. Before he was called up to the majors, Sprowl had compiled a 9-3 record in the AA Eastern League. Boston's minor league organization claimed that he "had ice water in his veins," and manager Don Zimmer gave Sprowl three starts late in the season. Sprowl's first start was in Baltimore on September 5, where he went seven innings, allowing four runs on five hits and three walks, but took the loss when Orioles ace Jim Palmer stifled the Red Sox, who got a second-inning run on a Dwight Evans RBI double, and then nothing more. Sprowl carried the 1-0 lead into the bottom of the seventh, having allowed only two hits to that point, but then surrendered a game-tying home run to Lee May. It was alleged that if Boston left-fielder Jim Rice had not turned the wrong way, he could have caught May's hit, which barely cleared a seven-foot fence in left field. Instead he lunged at the last minute and knocked the ball into the bullpen. Andres Mora then grounded through the legs of Red Sox third basemanButch Hobson, reaching second base. . Sprowl retired Rick Dempsey on a grounder to shortstop, as pinch-runner Mike Dimmel advanced to third, and then with the infield playing in, Carlos Lopez hit a soft liner that didn't even reach the outfield on the fly, but dropped for a hit and allowed Dimmel to score the eventual winning run. The Red Sox players lauded Sprowl's effort and Zimmer decided to give him a second start. His second start was on September 10 against the New York Yankees, in the fourth game of a four-game series at Fenway Park, after the Yankees had already defeated Mike Torrez, Jim Wright, and Dennis Eckersley to draw within one game of Boston. Zimmer passed over veterans Bill "Spaceman" Lee and Luis Tiant, who had dominated the Yankees during their careers. Sprowl walked the first two batters, got Thurman Munson to hit into a double play, but was unable to retire Reggie Jackson and escape the inning, surrendering an RBI single. He then walked Lou Piniella and Chris Chambliss and was pulled. The Yankees won the game, 7-4, tying Boston for the division lead, and subjecting Zimmer to much second-guessing, due to Sprowl's perceived "nerves". Tiant started the next night against Baltimore and took a 4-1 lead into the 8th before tiring and surrendering three straight hits to open the frame; Stanley allowed the tying run, but no more, and the Red Sox scored in the bottom of the 8th to win the game and briefly reclaim first place, as the Yankees were idle. However, the Red Sox then lost their next three games and were 1.5 games behind the Yankees when they arrived in New York on September 15, which would have been Sprowl's next start. Perhaps due to previous criticism, Zimmer this time opted to bypass Sprowl and start Tiant on short rest; Tiant lasted only 3.2 innings and allowed all four runs in the Red Sox' 4-0 defeat. Sprowl was not used at all against the Yankees that weekend, but started the Monday game in Detroit. He allowed three runs in 5 innings, leaving with a 4-3 lead. This would be Sprowl's last start of the season, as Zimmer went with a four-man rotation of Tiant, Torrez, Eckersley, and Stanley for the final two weeks. Overall, Sprowl went 0-2 with a 6.39 earned run average with Boston.
Houston Astros
The following season, Sprowl was traded to the Astros. He pitched in 19 games over the next three years, mostly in middle relief. He was sent back to the minors in 1982, and spent three seasons in the Astros and Baltimore Orioles organizations. The closest he ever got to the majors again was three games for the Astros' top affiliate, the Tucson Toros. He ended his major-league career with an 0-3 record in four years.
