So much for the red hot Boston Red Sox. After winning 14 of 15 to start the month, they have certainly cooled off. After pounding the Detroit Tigers for nine runs yesterday, they got shut out today by Jack Morris. Morris tossed a complete game, 4 hit shutout while Bobby Ojeda (4-2, 3.16 ERA) pitched a gutty game but got no run support. Darrell Evans clobbered a two run home run in the fourth inning and Tom Brookens knocked in a run in the eighth inning. That's all Detroit needed as they beat the Red Sox 3-0 at Fenway Park. How many runs did the Sox score, Dean Wormer?
Ojeda got the ball in the top of the first inning and Lou Whitaker smacked an opposite field double to the Monster to start. Alan Trammell hit a broken bat grounder to short and Kirk Gibson struck out swinging on a full count fastball. Lance Parrish hit a bullet....right to Wade Boggs to end the inning. Morris got the ball in the bottom of the first and Steve Lyons grounded a base hit up the middle. Boggs singled in the hole at third but Jim Rice grounded into a double play. Lyons did advance to third but Bill Buckner grounded out to short to end the inning. The Sox would get just two hits the rest of the game.
The Tigers blew a rally in the top of the second as Larry Herndon walked to start. Chet Lemon ripped a base hit to left and Evans caught the Sox asleep with a bunt down the third base line. Ojeda fielded it but Boggs had ran in too so nobody covered third. Boggs made up for it with a great play on a grounder by Barbaro Garvey to come home for the force. Tom Brookens popped up to Buckner and Whitaker took strike three on the outside corner to end the inning. Mike Easler struck out swinging to start the bottom of the second before Dwight Evans doubled off the Monster. Rich Gedman grounded out to first to move Evans to third but Marty Barrett flied out to right to end the inning.
Trammell lined one off the glove of Boggs for a "hit" to start the top of the third but Gibson struck out swinging. Parrish flied out to right and Herndon took strike three to end the inning. Glenn Hoffman grounded out to short to start. Lyons popped up to third in foul territory and Boggs grounded out to first to end the inning.
The Tigers struck first in the top of the fourth as Lemon ripped a base hit to left before Evans clobbered a home run all the way into the Charles River to give Detroit the lead. Garbey walked but Brookens flied out to a running Lyons. Whitaker dumped a base hit just in front of Lyons but Garbey was picked off second to end the inning with Detroit up 2-0.
The Sox failed to respond in the bottom of the fourth as Rice grounded out to third to start. Buckner grounded out to short and Easler lined out to a running Lemon to end the inning.
Gibson smashed a double to right to start the top of the fifth but Parrish grounded out to short. Herndon flied out to deep right and it was enough to move Gibson to third. Lemon also flied out to right to end the inning. Evans led off the bottom of the fifth by grounding out to third before Gedman flied out into the centerfield triangle. Barrett flied out to right to end the inning.
Ojeda stayed strong in the top of the sixth as Evans took strike three to start. Garbey popped up to second and Brookens grounded out to short to end the inning. The Sox blew their last chance to get back in the game in the bottom of the sixth as Hoffman doubled to the Monster to start. Lyons struck out swinging on a pitch in the dirt and Boggs flied out to left. Hoffman moved to third on a wild pitch but Rice grounded out to third to end the inning.
The Tigers threatened in the top of the seventh as Whitaker lined a base hit up the middle to start. Trammell dropped down a bunt to move Whitaker to second but Gibson struck out swinging. Parrish was intentionally walked but Herndon also struck out swinging to end the inning. The Sox failed to pick up Ojeda in the bottom of the seventh as Buckner flied out to left to start. Easler hit a bullet right to Darrell Evans but Dwight Evans drew a walk. Gedman flied out to left to end the inning.
The Tigers finally knocked out Ojeda in the top of the eighth although Evans made a running catch to rob Lemon of a double to start. Hoffman made a great stab of a Darrell Evans liner but Garbey doubled off the Monster to chase Ojeda. Bobby tossed 7 2/3 innings and would be charged with 3 runs on 10 hits. Sox manager John McNamara waited until the last second then brought in Mark Clear to pitch to Brookens. The gamble failed as Brookens dunped a base hit in front of Rice. Garbey turned and ran for home and Rice had him beat....if the throw didn't bounce 30 feet from home plate for an error to score Barbaro. Whitaker grounded back to Clear to end the inning but the damage was done, 3-0 Tigers.
The Sox went into the tank in the bottom of the eighth inning as Barrett lined out to short to start. Hoffman whiffed badly on a pitch in the dirt and Lyons grounded out to second to end the inning.
Clear returned for the top of the ninth and Trammell popped up to Buckner to start. Gibson lined out to Hoffman and Parrish popped up to Barrett to end the inning. Morris came back to complete the game in the bottom of the ninth but Boggs walked to start. Rice completed his horrible day by banging into a double play. Buckner popped up to third in foul territory to end the game. The Tigers had won it 3-0.
Complete game for Morris
Jackass couldn't hit or throw in this one
Jackass of the Night is Jim Rice. He was 0 for 4, grounded into two double plays, made a critical throwing error and left a man at third.
The Good:
Wade Boggs was 1 for 3 with a walk.
Dwight Evans was 1 for 2 with a walk.
Glenn Hoffman was 1 for 3.
The Bad:
Bill Buckner was 0 for 4.
Mike Easler was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.
Rich Gedman was 0 for 3.
Marty Barrett was 0 for 3.
The Ugly:
Steve Lyons was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.
Bobby Ojeda took the loss but allowed just 3 runs in 7 2/3 innings. He allowed 10 hits and 3 walks while striking out 7.
Mark Clear allowed an inherited runner to score but allowed no runs of his own in 1 1/3 innings.
Final Thoughts:
That game sucked for the Red Sox. Morris totally dominated them after the second inning and Ojeda did the best he could. Jim Rice had his worst game as a professional as he left men on base all game and his throwing error led to the dagger run scoring. Still, doesn't matter if it was 2-0 or 20-0, nobody was touching Morris after the second inning. The problem with the Sox offense is its too inconsistent. Tony Armas not playing didn't help but otherwise, they ran into one of the best in the game tonight. Ojeda did the best he could and Clear held the fort as well, but sometimes there's nothing you can do. The loss dropped the Sox to 37-32, six games behind the Toronto Blue Jays for first place in the AL East. The Sox look to rebound tomorrow night when Al Nipper (4-5) takes on Randy O'Neal of Detroit. The game begins at 7:30 PM at Fenway Park.