Smithson got the ball in the top of the first inning and Joe Orsulak took strike three to start. Old friend Fred Lynn hit a home run all the way to Maine to put Baltimore on top. Cal Ripken Jr took strike three but Eddie Murray walked. Jim Traver flied out to center to end the inning with the O's up 1-0.
The Sox answered against Peraza in the bottom of the first as Wade Boggs doubled to left to start. Marty Barrett dropped down a bunt to move Wade to third but Boggs was thrown out at home on a grounder to third by Dwight Evans. Mike Greenwell then pounded his 14th home run of the year to put Boston ahead. Ellis Burks doubled to left and Jim Rice smashed his 4th home run of the year to increase the lead. Todd Benzinger struck out swinging to end the inning with the Sox ahead 4-1.
Larry Sheets grounded out to first to start the top of the second and Terry Kennedy struck out swinging. Rick Schu walked then was thrown out at second trying to steal to end the inning. The Sox exploded in the bottom of the second as Rick Cerone reached on an error by Ripken Jr to start. Spike Owen dropped down a bunt to move Cerone to second and Rick took third on a grounder to Peraza by Boggs. Evans doubled to right to score Wade and Greenwell walked to chase Peraza. Mark Williamson came into pitch and both runners advanced on a passed ball. Burks got a base hit to left to score Evans and move Greenwell to third. Burks took second on a passed ball but Rice lined out to center to end the inning with the Sox up 7-1.
Billy Ripken struck out swinging to start the top of the third and Orsulak grounded out to short. Lynn also grounded out to short to end the inning. Benzinger walked to start the bottom of the third but Cerone struck out swinging. Owen popped up to second and Boggs flied out to center to end the inning.
Ripken Jr grounded out to third to start the top of the fourth but Murray walked. Traber got a base hit to right but Sheets lined out to right. Kennedy struck out swinging to end the inning. Barrett took strike three to start the bottom of the fourth and Evans grounded back to the mound. Greenwell flied out to left to end the inning.
Schu lined out to third to start the top of the fifth and Billy Ripken did the same. Orsulak got a base hit to left and Lynn walked, but Ripken Jr forced Orsulak at third to end the inning. The Sox rallied again in the bottom of the fifth as Burks popped up to third to start. Rice walked and Benzinger hit a ground rule double into the right field stands. Cerone doubled off the Monster to score Rice and Owen doubled to right to score Benzinger. Boggs was intentionally walked to load the bases and Barrett grounded out to third to score Cerone. Evans walked to reload the bases but Greenwell flied out to center to end the inning with the Sox ahead 10-1.
Murray doubled to left to start the top of the sixth and moved to third after Traber flied out to right. Sheets struck out swinging and Kennedy flied out to center to end the inning. The Sox blew a rally against Doug Sisk in the bottom of the sixth as Burks flied out to center to start. Rice singled to left and Benzinger doubled to center, but both stayed put when Cerone grounded out to third. Owen was hit with a pitch to load the bases and had to leave the game. Jody Reed ran for him but Boggs forced Reed at second to end the inning.
Schu popped up to second to start the top of the seventh and Billy Ripken grounded out to third. Orsulak flied out to left to end the inning. Barrett grounded out to third to start the bottom of the seventh but Evans singled to left. Greenwell grounded out to first to move Dwight to second and Burks grounded out to short to end the inning.
Kevin Romine came in for Evans to start the top of the eighth and Lynn flied out to center to start. Ripken Jr popped up to short and Murray popped up to second to end the inning. Old friend Don Aase came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Rice walked to start. Benzinger struck out swinging and Cerone lined out to left. Reed flied out to center to end the inning.
Smithson returned to finish the job in the top of the ninth and Traber grounded out to second to start. Sheets grounded out to second as well and Kennedy walked. Schu forced Kennedy at second to end the game. Smithson went the distance and the Sox had won the game 10-1.
Hero of The Night is Mike Smithson. He tossed a complete game 4 hitter allowing just 1 run.
The Good:
Dwight Evans was 2 for 4 with a walk, 2 rbis and 2 runs scored.
Ellis Burks was 2 for 5 with an rbi and a run scored.
Jim Rice was 2 for 3 with 2 walks, a 2 run home run and 2 runs scored.
Todd Benzinger was 2 for 4 with a walk and a run scored.
Spike Owen was 1 for 2 with a hit by pitch and an rbi.
The Bad:
Jody Reed was 0 for 1 at the plate.
The Ugly:
Marty Barrett was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but walked, drove in a run and scored a run.
Mike Greenwell was just 1 for 4 but walked and the one hit was a 2 run home run.
Rick Cerone was just 1 for 5 with a strikeout but drove in a run and scored twice.
Honorable Mention:
Kevin Romine played right field in the final two innings.
Final Thoughts:
Who saw that coming? Usually when the Sox score 10 runs one game they can't buy a run the next one. Not only that, Mike Smithson pitched the game of his life which saved the bullpen for tomorrow. The Sox might be perfectly mediocre this season but they've scored 20 runs in 2 games. The Sox bats are as good as anyone but pitching has been their Achilles heel this year. Smithson can pitch better than his ERA shows and this game might be the start. Hopefully he can keep up this momentum moving forward and hopefully the rest of the Sox can too. The win improved the Sox to 36-34, 7 games behind the Detroit Tigers for first place in the AL East. The Sox now welcome in the Cleveland Indians for a three game set beginning tomorrow night. Oil Can Boyd goes for the Sox against John Farrell of the Indians. The game begins at 7:35 PM at Fenway Park.
