Clemens got the ball in the top of the first inning and Junior Felix took strike three to start. Tony Fernandez grounded out to first and Kelly Gruber whiffed to end the inning. Wade Boggs had a nasty surprise for Stottlemyre when he clubbed his 5th home run of the season to put the Sox on top instantly in the bottom of the first. Jody Reed struck out swinging and Mike Greenwell grounded out to short, but Tom Brunansky singled to center. Evans flied out to left to end the inning with the Sox ahead 1-0.
The Jays wasted no time tying the game in the top of the second although George Bell took strike three to start. Fred McGriff crushed a 50,000 foot home run into the Charles River to tie the game. John Olerud whiffed but Greg Myers singled to left. Nelson Liriano doubled Myers to third but Mookie Wilson took strike three to end the inning with the game tied 1-1.
The Sox failed to respond in the bottom of the second as Ellis Burks grounded out to third to start. Tony Pena went down hacking and Carlos Quintana grounded back to the mound to end the inning.
Felix singled to left to start the top of the third but Fernandez took strike three. Gruber forced Felix at second before Bell also grounded into a force to end the inning. Luis Rivera got a base hit to left to start the bottom of the third but Boggs flied out to right. Reed banged into a double play to end the inning.
McGriff singled to right to begin the top of the fourth but Olerud forced him at second. Myers banged into a double play to end the inning. The Sox beat the ball in the dirt in the bottom of the fourth as Greenwell grounded out to short to start. Brunansky and Evans also grounded out to short to end the inning.
Clemens got Liriano to ground out to second to start the top of the fifth but Rivera booted a grounder by Wilson for an error. Wilson swiped second and moved to third on the Felix grounder. Clemens blew away Fernandez to end the inning. The Sox clawed back to take the lead in the bottom of the fifth as Burks doubled to start. Pena doubled him home to give the Sox the lead back. Quintana grounded out to third but Rivera singled to center. Boggs was intentionally walked but Reed popped up to second. Greenwell got a base hit to center that scored both Pena and Rivera to increase the lead, both runners moving up on the throw. Brunansky flied out to right to end the inning but it was 4-1 Sox.
The Jays struck back in the top of the sixth as Gruber doubled to left to start. Bell flied out to center but the pain in the ass McGriff smashed a 2 run homer into the Atlantic Ocean to cut the lead. Olerud walked but was forced at second by Myers. Liriano got plunked and Wilson got a base hit to left. Myers tried for home but was thrown out at the plate to end the inning with the Jays down 4-3.
Tom Lawless took over for Liriano at second and Manuel Lee took over at short for the bottom of the sixth. Evans singled to center but was forced at second by Burks. Ellis swiped second before Pena drew a walk. Quintana banged into a double play to end the game.
Clemens cruised in the top of the seventh as he blew away Felix to start. Lee went down swinging as well and Gruber grounded out to third to end the inning. Rivera grounded out to short to start the bottom of the seventh before Boggs whiffed. Reed hit a routine pop up to center but Wilson dropped it for an error. Greenwell popped up to third to end the inning.
Clemens returned for the top of the eighth and and Bell flied out to left to start. McGriff grounded out to first and Olerud flied out to left to end the inning. That was it for Roger who went 8 innings and allowed 3 runs to Fred McGriff but stymied everyone else.
Brunansky popped up to third in foul territory to open the bottom of the eighth before Evans was plunked. Evans swiped second but Burks popped up to second. Pena also popped up to short to end the inning. Stottlemyre went the distance but Clemens was just a little bit better.
Jeff Reardon was brought in for the save in the top of the ninth as Myers flied out to right to start. Rance Mulliniks pinch hit for Lawless and drew a walk as Ken Williams pinch ran for him. Williams swiped second but Wilson whiffed. Felix flied out to right to end the game, the Sox had won it 4-3 for their 7th win in a row.
Hero of the Night is Roger Clemens. The ace held the high powered Jays to just 3 runs in 8 innings of work. He allowed 8 hits while striking out nine batters.
The Good:
Wade Boggs was 1 for 3 with a walk and a solo home run.
Dwight Evans was 1 for 3 with a hit by pitch.
Tony Pena was 1 for 3 with a walk, rbi and a run scored.
Luis Rivera was 2 for 3 with a run scored.
Jeff Reardon earned his 13th save with a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Jody Reed was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Carlos Quintana was 0 for 3.
The Ugly:
Mike Greenwell was just 1 for 4 but drove in 2 runs.
Ellis Burks was just 1 for 4 but stole a base and scored a run.
Final Thoughts:
How about those Red Sox. After everything that could go wrong did go wrong in 1989, things seem to have reversed themselves this season. Its only June but it seems like this year's team is focused and seem to hang on when it matters the most. Clemens was great tonight and the offense was timely enough to give Reardon a chance to close out the game. If Toronto is the best team in the East, the Sox handled them pretty good in this series. Once again its only June but its an encouraging sign to beat the defending division champs. The win improved the Sox to 43-29, 3 1/2 games in front of the Jays for first place in the AL East. The Sox look to make it 8 in a row when they welcome in the Texas Rangers for a series beginning tomorrow night. Greg Harris gets the ball for the Sox opposite Charlie Hough at 7:35 PM at Fenway Park.
