White Sox starter Jack McDowell cruised in the top of the first as Wade Boggs grounded out to second to start. Marty Barrett grounded out to first and Ellis Burks struck out swinging to end the inning. Clemens got the ball in the bottom of the first and Lance Johnson flied out to left to start. Scott Fletcher flied out to right and Ivan Calderon struck out swinging to end the inning.
Mike Greenwell singled to center to open the top of the second but Dwight Evans flied out to right. Billy Jo Robidoux banged into a double play to end the inning. The White Sox struck first in the bottom of the second as Dan Pasqua doubled down the right field line and Carlton Fisk singled him home. Greg Walker singled in the hole at short and Robin Ventura moved both runners over with a sacrifice bunt. Clemens got a big out when he struck out Sammy Sosa swinging and got Ozzie Guillen to ground back to the mound to end the inning with the White Sox ahead 1-0.
The floodgates opened in the top of the third when Tony Pena singled down the left field line to start. Jody Reed got a base hit to right and Randy Kutcher walked to load the bases with nobody out. Boggs put the BoSox on top with a base hit up the middle to score Pena and Reed. Boggs got picked off and Barrett hit a routine fly ball to center...but Sosa and Johnson collided and the ball was dropped. Kutcher scored on the error and Burks walked. Greenwell walked to load the bases and chase McDowell from the game. Bill Long came in and walked Evans to score Barrett with another run. Robidoux lined out to first but Pena lined a broken bat base hit to center to score two more runs. Both Pena and Evans moved up on the throw but Reed flied out to center to end the inning with Boston ahead 6-1.
Clemens cruised in the bottom of the third as Johnson flied out to right to start. Fletcher struck out swinging and Calderon flied out to center to end the inning.
Long cruised in the top of the fourth as Kutcher flied out to right to start. Boggs grounded out to short and Barrett grounded back to the mound to end the inning. Clemens blew away Pasqua to start the bottom of the fourth but Pena muffed a strike three swing by Fisk and Carlton took first on the passed ball. Walker struck out swinging and Ventura flied out to right to end the inning.
"I don't got it" - Pena
Wayne Edwards took over on the mound in the top of the fifth inning and Burks lined out to left to start. Greenwell grounded out to first and Evans took strike three to end the inning. Sosa began the bottom of the fifth by striking out swinging but Guillen lined a base hit to center. Guillen moved to second on the Johnson grounder and Fletcher flied out to right to end the inning.
Carlos Quintana pinch hit for Robidoux to start the top of the sixth and he walked to start. Pena banged into a double play and Reed grounded out to third to end the inning. Clemens blew away Calderon and Pasqua to start the bottom of the sixth but Burks dropped a routine fly ball by Fisk for an error. Walker lined out to left to end the inning.
Ron Karkovice took over behind the plate for the top of the seventh with Ken Patterson now on the mound. Kutcher cracked his first home run of the year to left to increase the lead but Boggs grounded out to short. Barrett grounded out to second but Burks got a base hit to left. Greenwell grounded out to second to end the inning with the BoSox ahead 7-1.
Kutcher's first of the season
The White Sox stormed back in the bottom of the seventh with Luis Rivera taking over for Boggs at third. Ventura hit a home run all the way to Wrigley Field to cut the lead and Darryl Boston pinch hit for Sosa. Boston grounded out to second but Guillen got a base hit to center. Johnson beat out an infield single to the mound and Fletcher walked to load the bases. That was it for Clemens as he would eventually be charged with 4 runs in 6 1/3 innings. Jeff Reardon came in and Calderon singled to center to score both Guillen and Johnson. Calderon was thrown out at second trying to steal but Pasqua walked. Karkovice popped up to left in foul territory to end the inning with the BoSox still ahead 7-4.
Don Pall came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Evans grounded back to the mound to start. Quintana flied out to center and Pena grounded out to third to end the inning. Rob Murphy made a mad dash to the mound to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Dave Gallagher pinch hit for Walker to start. Gallagher struck out swinging and Ventura took strike out inning. Carlos Martinez pinch hit for Boston and got a hit to right. Guillen singled to center and Murphy sprinted into the dugout, being replaced by Sox closer Lee Smith. Ron Kittle pinch hit for Johnson and dumped a base hit to left to score Martinez and put the tying run at first. Craig Grebeck pinch ran for Kittle and old friend "Psycho" Steve Lyons pinch hit for Fletcher. Lyons struck out swinging to end the inning with the BoSox barely hanging on to the lead 7-5.
Bobby Thigpen came in to pitch the top of the ninth and Reed flied out to left to start. Kutcher singled to right but Rivera banged into a double play to end the inning. Smith came back for the bottom of the ninth and Calderon grounded out to second to start. Pasqua walked to bring the tying run to the plate but Karkovice struck out swinging. Gallagher lined out to center to end the game. The BoSox had won it 7-5.
Hero Kutcher
Roger Clemens got the win but allowed 4 runs in 6 1/3 innings. He did strike out 9.
Hero of the Night is Randy Kutcher. His clutch home run ended up being the difference in the game.
The Good:
Ellis Burks was 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.
Mike Greenwell was 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.
Carlos Quintana walked in his second plate appearance.
Tony Pena was 2 for 4 with 2 rbis and a run scored.
The Bad:
Luis Rivera was 0 for 1 at the plate.
Billy Jo Robidoux was 0 for 2.
Rob Murphy was charged with a run in 2/3 of an inning.
The Ugly:
Wade Boggs was just 1 for 4 but drove in 2 runs.
Marty Barrett was 0 for 3 but drove in a run and scored a run.
Dwight Evans was 0 for 3 but walked and drove in a run.
Jody Reed was just 1 for 4 but scored a run.
Roger Clemens got the win but allowed 4 runs in 6 1/3 innings. He did strike out 9.
Jeff Reardon allowed an inherited runner to score in 2/3 of an inning.
Lee Smith got the save but alllowed an inherited runner to score in 1 1/3 innings.
Final Thoughts:
That was one of the ugliest wins ever. The BoSox took advantage of shoddy defense to score all those runs in the third inning and every pitcher brought in after Clemens allowed a run or let an inherited run to score. Clemens was mortal in this game but still gave the Sox 6 1/3 solid innings. I don't know what's with Murphy this season but thank goodness for Reardon and Smith. The offense wasn't much outside of the third inning but sometimes that's all you need to win a game. It was an ugly win but its better to win ugly than not win at all, especially against a team like the White Sox. Hopefully the bullpen has better days ahead this season. After an off-day tomorrow the Sox return to action Friday night in Milwaukee for a set with the Brewers. Mike Boddicker (1-1) goes for the Sox against Tom Filer of the Brewers. The game begins at 7:05 PM Eastern time at County Stadium.
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