Clemens did what he could in the top of the first inning as Brian Downing led off with a base hit to left. Claudell Washington followed with a base hit to center but was doubled off on the liner by Johnny Ray to Clemens. Devon White flied out to right to end the inning. Finley began his dominance in the bottom of the first as Wade Boggs struck out swinging to start. Marty Barrett drew a walk but Ellis Burks banged into a double play to end the inning.
The Angels beat the ball in the dirt in the top of the second inning as Wally Joyner grounded out to second, Chili Davis also grounded out to second and Lance Parrish grounded out to third to end the inning. Mike Greenwell grounded back to the mound to start the bottom of the second before Dwight Evans walked. Jim Rice popped up to first as Evans was thrown out trying to steal to end the inning.
Jack Howell took strike three to open the top of the third before Dick Schofield flied out to right. Downing grounded out to short to end the inning. Nick Esasky grounded out to second to open the bottom of the third before Jody Reed flied out to left. Rick Cerone whiffed to end the inning.
Washington walked to start the top of the fourth but Ray banged into a double play. White popped up to Clemens himself to end the inning. Boggs whiffed to begin the bottom of the fourth before Barrett flied out to center. Burks flied out to left to end the inning.
Joyner lined out to center to start the top of the fifth before Davis flied out to left. Parrish popped up to short to end the inning. Finley remained perfect in the bottom of the fifth as Greenwell grounded out to second to start. Evans and Rice both whiffed to end the inning.
The Angels struck first in the top of the sixth inning as Howell flied out to right to start. Schofield singled to center but Downing lined out to center. Washington doubled home Howell to give the Angels the lead and Ray doubled home Claudell. White popped up to second to end the inning but it was 2-0 Angels.
Esasky grounded out to short to begin the bottom of the sixth before Reed flied out to center. Cerone broke up the perfect game with a walk but was erased on the Boggs force to end the inning.
The Angels poured it on in the top of the seventh although Joyner flied out to left to start. Davis lined out to center but Parrish crushed a 230,000 foot home run to increase the lead. Howell took strike three to end the inning but the Angels were up 3-0.
The Sox failed to get a hit in the bottom of the seventh as Barrett lined out to center to start. Burks grounded out to third and Greenwell lined out to center to end the inning.
Clemens cruised in the top of the eighth as Schofield popped up to third to begin. Downing whiffed and Washington grounded out to first to end the inning. The Sox had their only chance in the bottom of the eighth although Evans popped up to third to begin. Rice walked but Esasky popped up to right. Reed broke up the no-no with a base hit to center to bring the tying run to the plate. Unfortunately it was Cerone and he grounded out to short to end the inning.
The Angels iced it in the top of the ninth as Ray hit a routine grounder to first. Esasky pulled out a bazooka and blew the ball to smithereens for an error. Kent Anderson ran for Ray as White popped up to third. Joyner then lashed a base hit to right to chase Clemens. Roger got no run support but he ended up being charged with 5 runs in 8 1/3 innings.
Rob Murphy sprinted from the bullpen to get Davis to force Joyner at second before making a mad dash to the dugout. Bob Stanley came in and he poured gas on the fire as Parrish singled home Anderson. Howell singled home Davis before Schofield whiffed to end the inning with the Angels up 5-0.
The Sox went quietly in the bottom of the ninth as Boggs lined out to right to start. Barrett grounded out to third before Burks flied out to center to end the game. Finley had tossed a complete game 1 hit shutout to beat the Sox 5-0.
Jackass of the Night is Roger Clemens. Not that the Sox were going to score any runs but he was charged with 5 runs in 8 1/3 innings.
The Good:
Jody Reed was 1 for 3.
Rob Murphy got the only out he faced.
The Bad:
Wade Boggs was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Ellis Burks was 0 for 4.
Mike Greenwell was 0 for 3.
Nick Esasky was 0 for 3.
Bob Stanley allowed 2 inherited runners to score in 1/3 of an inning.
The Ugly:
Marty Barrett was 0 for 3 but walked.
Dwight Evans was 0 for 2 with a strikeout but walked.
Jim Rice was 0 for 2 with a strikeout but walked.
Rick Cerone was 0 for 2 with a strikeout but walked.
Final Thoughts:
The Sox are back to .500 after this one but gotta give credit to Finley for the game he pitched. The Sox mustered just 1 hit and 4 walks in this one against Finley, not even Cy Young could have survived that. Clemens was game but things fell apart in the ninth inning. Esasky's error and Stanley allowing the final 2 runs weren't Roger's fault but once again, the offense was asleep in this one. Not much to crow about and tomorrow is another day. Tomorrow the forecast calls for heavy rain but if the Sox play, John Dopson (5-2) goes up against Kirk McCaskill at 7:05 PM at Feway Park.
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