Jose DeLeon got the start for the ChiSox and Ed Romero led off with a ground rule double into the left field corner before moving to third on a wild pitch. Wade Boggs popped up to left but Bill Buckner drove home Ed with a grounder to second to put the BoSox on top. Jim Rice lined out to second to end the inning with the BoSox up 1-0.
Clemens made the White Sox beat the ball in the dirt in the bottom of the first. John Cangelosi grounded back to the mound, Steve Lyons grounded out to first and Harold Baines grounded back to Roger to end the inning.
Don Baylor drew a walk to lead off the top of the second but Dwight Evans went down hacking. Tony Armas popped up to second and Rich Gedman flied out to right to end the inning. Greg Walker blooped a single in front of Rice to start the bottom of the second but new acquisition Ron Hassey banged into a double play. Carlton Fisk popped up to third to end the inning.
DeLeon cruised in the top of the third as Dave Stapleton popped up to third in foul territory to start. Romero lined out to a running Cangelosi before Boggs grounded out to short to end the inning. The ChiSox threatened in the bottom of the third as Tim Hulett got a base hit up the middle to start after a 12 pitch at bat. Hulett was erased on the force by Ozzie Guillen before Ozzie was thrown out trying to steal second by the alert Gedman. Julio Cruz walked and Cangelosi caught the Sox asleep with a bunt single, but Clemens blew away Lyons to end the inning.
The BoSox struck again in the top of the fourth although Buckner whiffed to start. Rice lined out to short but Baylor hit an absolute bomb into the upper deck in left for his 19th home run of the year. Evans hit one up the elevator shaft to end the inning but the BoSox were ahead 2-0.
The ChiSox tried to rally in the bottom of the fourth when Baines and Walker stroked back to back singles to start. Clemens got a key play when Hassey banged into another double play to kill the rally. Fisk lined out to center to end the inning.
Armas grounded out to third to begin the top of the fifth but Gedman poked a single to right. Stapleton whiffed and sent his bat flying before Romero grounded into a force to end the inning.
Things fell apart for the Sox in the bottom of the fifth as Hulett and Guillen stroked back to back singles to start. Cruz dropped down a bunt to Clemens but he booted it to load the bases. Cangelosi forced Cruz at second but Hulett scored to cut the lead. Cangelosi swiped second before Lyons hit a sac fly to center to score Guillen, advancing Cagelosi to third and tying the game. Baines hit a routine grounder to Buckner who flipped to Clemens for the out....BUT WAIT! First base umpire Greg Kosc said Clemens missed the bag and Guillen scored to give the White Sox the lead. A furious Roger got in his face and swore he touched the bag and Greg gave Roger the HEAVE-HO! Clemens tried to plead his case as Sox manager John McNamara stumbled out of the dugout to ask for an explanation. Clemens refused to leave and had to literally be carried out by Don Baylor and Jim Rice. Al Nipper then started barking at the umpires after what happened last night and he got tossed as well. Sammy Stewart had to wait for Nipper to be escorted out to begin his warmup throws and Walker flied out to left to end the inning. When the madness ended the White Sox had taken the lead 3-2 and Clemens was gone.
Boggs tried to start a rally with a walk to begin the top of the sixth but Buckner popped up to left. Rice popped up to Fisk in foul territory before Baylor struck out swinging to end the inning. The White Sox pounded on Stewart in the bottom of the sixth as Hassey walked to start. Fisk flied out to right but Hulett bashed a 70 million foot home run to ice the game. Guillen dumped a single to left and moved to second on the grounder by Cruz. Cangelosi grounded out to second to end the inning but it was 5-2 White Sox.
Dave Schmidt came in to pitch the top of the seventh and Evans lined out to short to start. Armas accidentally check swinged a ball back to the mound for the second out although Gedman was plunked. Stapleton grounded out to third to end the inning. Tim Lollar came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh and Lyons flied out to Armas on the warning track. Baines also flied out to the centerfield wall but Walker blooped a single to center but Hassey grounded out to first to end the inning.
Romero led off the top of the eighth by lining out to a running Baines in right but Boggs singled past the daving Hulett. Buckner banged into a double play to end the inning. Bob Stanley came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth inning and the White Sox tagged him. Fisk led off with a pop up to second but Hulett singled to left. Guillen flied out to right but Cruz drew a walk. Cangelosi singled to center to score Hulett and Cruz tried for third. Armas' throw got away and Cruz scored on the error. Lyons drew a walk but Armas ran down a Baines fly ball at the centerfield wall to end the inning with the White Sox ahead 7-2
Schmidt returned to close out the top of the ninth and Rice grounded out to short to start. Baylor singled off the glove of Guillen but Evans banged into a double play to end the game. The White Sox had won it 7-2.
Jackass of the Night is Roger Clemens in more ways than one. Getting yourself thrown out of a crucial game with your team fighting for first place
The Good:
Wade Boggs was 1 for 3 with a walk.
Don Baylor was 2 for 3 with a walk and a solo home run.
Rich Gedman was 1 for 2 with a hit by pitch.
Tim Lollar pitched a scoreless 7th inning.
The Bad:
Dwight Evans was 0 for 4.
Tony Armas was 0 for 3 with an error.
Jim Rice was 0 for 4.
Dave Stapleton was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.
Sammy Stewart allowed 2 runs in 1 1/3 innings.
Bob Stanley allowed 2 runs in an inning of work.
The Ugly:
Ed Romero was just 1 for 4 but scored a run.
Bill Buckner was 0 for 4 but drove in a run.
Final Thoughts:
The Red Sox wanted to end July with a bang but that wasn't the one they were looking for. Clemens going nuts and getting ejected probably cost him a few starts in what should be a Cy Young season for a team on a run to their first division title in 11 years. Not that the Sox helped themselves by leaving guys on base and giving up 4 runs after Clemens left, but still, a loss like that is going to hurt come September. After Oil Can Boyd has his meltdown 2 weeks ago, this is another instance of a pitcher doing more harm to himself that could have been avoided. Hopefully this is just a minor setback that will be laughed at a few weeks from now but it doesn't look good now. The loss dropped the Sox to 59-41, 4 games in front of the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East. After an off-day tomorrow, the Sox are back in action friday night when they come home to play the world champion Kansas City Royals. Bruce Hurst (5-5) goes for the Sox against Danny Jackson at 7:35 PM at Fenway Park.
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