Its been that kind of year for the Boston Red Sox and we're not even out of June yet. The Red Sox incompetence this season is mind-boggling and tonight was no different against the Milwaukee Brewers. Not even Roger Clemens (8-6, 3.06 ERA) could save the Sox this time as the Brewers got to him for 5 runs in just 6 1/3 innings. Rob Murphy was able to hold the fort and the Sox tried to pull off a feverish rally in the top of the ninth. Unfortunately the Sox fell short and the Brewers beat them by the skin of their teeth 5-4 at County Stadium.
The Sox wasted no time getting to Brewers starter Don August in the top of the first inning. Jody Reed grounded out to short to start but Danny Heep singled to center. Gary Sheffield booted a grounder by Wade Boggs and Jim Gantner booted a grounder by Greenwell to score Heep to put the Sox on top. Dwight Evans whiffed and Greenwell was thrown out trying to steal second to end the inning with the Sox up 1-0.
Clemens took the ball in the bottom of the first inning and Paul Molitor led off by lining out to center. Robin Yount grounded out to short but Sheffield singled to short. Greg Brock struck out swinging to end the inning.
The Sox tried to rally in the top of the second when Nick Esasky singled to center to start. Rich Gedman walked but Luis Rivera forced Esasky at third. Randy Kutcher watched strike three go by and Reed flied out to left to end the inning. Glenn Braggs struck out looking to begin the bottom of the second before Rob Deer popped up to third. BJ Surhoff lined out to short to end the inning.
The Sox blew another rally in the top of the third when Heep walked to start. Boggs singled to left but Greenwell lined out to center. Evans hit one up the elevator shaft and Esasky flied out to center to end the inning. The Brewers took command in the bottom of the third although Terry Francona grounded back to the mound to start. Gantner singled to short and Molitor walked before Yount hit a double play ball to short. Rivera flipped to Reed who turned and fired the ball all the way to Idaho to score Gantner with the tying run. Sheffield singled to left to score Yount to give the Brewers the lead before he stole second. Brock whiffed to end the inning with the Brewers ahead 2-1.
August cruised in the top of the fourth as Gedman popped up to third to start. Rivera whiffed and Kutcher grounded back to the mound to end the inning. The Brewers struck again in the bottom of the fourth as Braggs singled to right to start. Deer moved Braggs to second with a grounder and a wild pitch moved Braggs to third. Surhoff singled him home to increase the lead then moved to second on the grounder by Francona. Gantner grounded out to second to end the inning with the Brewers ahead 3-1.
The Sox beat the ball in the dirt in the top of the fifth as Reed grounded out to short to start. Heep grounded out to second and Boggs also grounded out to second to end the inning. Molitor took strike three to start the bottom of the fifth before Yount flied out to center. Sheffield doubled to left but Brock grounded out to second to end the inning.
Greenwell got a base hit to center to start the top of the sixth but Evans banged into a double play. Esasky grounded out to third to end the inning. Braggs popped up to first to begin the bottom of the sixth but Deer and Surhoff stroked back to back singles. Both runners moved over on the Francona grounder but Gantner whiffed to end the inning.
The Sox rallied in the top of the seventh as Gedman singled to right to begin. Dana Williams pinch ran for Gedman but Rivera banged into a double play. Kutcher doubled to center and Reed singled him home to cut the lead and chase August. Kevin Romine pinch hit for Heep and Tony Fossas came in to pitch. Romine singled to left but Boggs grounded back to the mound to end the inning with the Sox down 3-2.
The Brewers iced the game in the bottom of the seventh with Rick Cerone now behind the plate. Molitor walked to start but was thrown out by Cerone trying to steal. Yount singled to right and Sheffield walked to chase Clemens. Roger didn't have it tonight as he would be tagged for 5 runs in just 6 1/3 innings. Rob Murphy made a mad dash out of the bullpen to the mound only to allow Brock to single home Shefield and Yount to increase the lead. Braggs popped up to first and Deer took strike three to end the inning with the Sox down 5-2.
Greenwell tried to start a rally with a base hit to start the top of the eighth and Chuck Crim came in to pitch. Evans singled to center but Esasky flied out to center and Cerone banged into a double play to end the inning. Murphy sprinted out of the dugout to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Surhoff doubled to right to begin. Francona popped up to first and Surhoff was thrown out trying to steal third by Cerone. Gantner grounded out to second to end the inning.
Suddenly the Sox rallied in the top of the ninth as Rivera and Kutcher stoked back to back singles to start. Reed flied out to center and Romine grounded back to the mound, but Crim was lifted for Dan Plesac. Boggs beat out a little roller to short to score Rivera and Greenwell singled home Kutcher to put the tying run at third. Unfortunately Evans flied out to center to end the game. The Sox fought hard but the Brewers held on to win 5-4.
Jackass of the Night is Roger Clemens. Yes Murphy allowed the final two runs to score but had Clemens pitched better, the Sox may have won the game. As it was, he took the loss by allowing 5 runs in 6 1/3 innings.
The Good:
Danny Heep was 1 for 2 with a walk and a run scored.
Kevin Romine was 1 for 2.
Wade Boggs was 2 for 5 with an rbi.
Mike Greenwell was 3 for 5 with an rbi.
Rich Gedman was 1 for 2 with a walk.
Luis Rivera was just 1 for 4 but scored a run.
Randy Kutcher was 2 for 4 with 2 runs scored.
The Bad:
None
The Ugly:
Jody Reed was just 1 for 5 with an error but drove in a run.
Dwight Evans was just 1 for 5.
Nick Esasky was just 1 for 4.
Rick Cerone was 0 for 1 at the plate but threw out two runners trying to steal.
Rob Murphy allowed 2 inherited runners to score but none of his own in 1 2/3 innings.
Honorable Mention:
Dana Williams pinch ran for Gedman in the top of the seventh.
Final Thoughts:
That 9th inning was a sucker punch to the gonads. Not that the Sox would have won in extra innings guaranteed but with the way things are going this season, a win like that would bring much needed rapport back. The Sox just don't have the magic this season and its very evident. There's something wrong and the loss of Bruce Hurst couldn't hurt THAT much. Hopefully the Sox can turn it around this season or else they may go from first to worst like in 1987 again. Even Clemens looked mortal in this one and that's never a good thing. The loss dropped the Sox to 34-38, 7.5 games behind the Baltimore Orioles for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow night the Sox look to bounce back when they send Mike Smithson (4-5) to the mound up against Teddy Higuera of the Brewers. The game begins at 8:05 PM Eastern time at Fenway Park.
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