Mike Moore got the start for the A's and Wade Boggs led off with a lineout to center before Jody Reed singled to left. Phil Plantier struck out swinging before a wild pitch moved Reed all the way to third. Jack Clark took strike three to end the inning. Clemens got the ball in the bottom of the first and Rickey Henderson grounded out to short to start. Old pal Dave Henderson grounded out to short and Jose Canseco whiffed on a high fastball to end the inning.
Canseco robbed Greenwell of a double with a jumping catch to start the top of the second before Mo Vaughn grounded out to second. Ellis Burks popped up to second to end the inning. Harold Baines took strike three on a backdoor slider to start the bottom of the second before Terry Steinbach grounded out to short. Brook Jacoby popped up to right to end the inning.
The Sox did nothing in the top of the third as John Marzano lined out to second to start. Luis Rivera took strike three but Boggs singled off the glove of Mike Gallego. Reed was frozen for strike three to end the inning. Jamie Quirk grounded out to short to start the bottom of the third before Clemens dove for a pop up by Gallego but he dropped it for a "single". Gallego was thrown out at second on a blown hit and run when Mike Bordick swung and missed. Bordick was plunked but Rickey Henderson popped up to Vaughn in foul territory to end the inning.
The Sox struck first in the top of the fourth although Plantier lined out to a running Dave Henderson to start. Clark smashed his 22nd home r un of the year into the left field bleachers but hurt his calf on the previous swing. Clark hobbled around the bases and collapsed in the dugout, being hauled off on a gurney and headed to the hospital. Greenwell grounded out to second before Vaughn lined out to left to end the inning with the Sox ahead 1-0.
The A's looked to rally in the bottom of the fourth when Dave Henderson crushed a double off the wall in left to start. Clemens recovered to get Canseco looking on a fastball away before Henderson moved to third on the grounder by Baines. Steinbach grounded out to second to end the inning.
Burks beat out an infield single to open the top of the fifth but Marzano whiffed. Burks was thrown out trying to steal and Rivera struck out swinging to end the inning. Jacoby flied out to right to start the bottom of the fifth before Quirk took strike three. Gallego grounded out to short to end the inning.
The Sox did nothing in the top of the sixth as Boggs grounded out to short to start. Reed flied out to left but Plantier walked. Carlos Quintana pinch hit for Clark and grounded out to short to end the inning. Bordick struck out swinging on a high fastball to start the bottom of the sixth before Rickey Henderson grounded out to third. Dave Henderson popped up to right to end the inning.
The Sox got some insurance in the top of the seventh as Greenwell dumped a single to right to start. Vaughn flied out to left before Burks flied out to center before Marzano doubled down the left field line to score Greenwell. Rivera grounded out to third to end the inning but it was 2-0 Sox.
Clemens got in trouble in the bottom of the seventh although Canseco earned a hat trick by striking out swinging. Baines walked an Steinbach singled in the hole at short to put the tying runs on. Reed ran down a pop up by Jacoby and Quirk froze for strike three to end the inning.
The Sox wrapped up the scoring in the top of the eighth although Boggs grounded out to second to begin. Reed hit a bullet but right to third before Plantier hit a 376 foot home run just over the wall in left to increase the lead. Quintana watched strike three go by to end the inning with the Sox ahead 3-0.
Gallego whiffed to start the bottom of the eighth before Ernie Riles pinch hit for Bordick, flying out to the centerfield wall. Rickey Henderson grounded out to short to end the inning.
Rick Honeycutt came in for the top of the ninth after Moore had thrown 135 pitches. Greenwell went down hacking before Vaughn did as well. A's manager Tony La Russa brought in old friend Dennis Eckersley just to get him some work and he got Burks to pop up to right to end the inning. Clemens came back to finish the job in the bottom of the ninth with Tom Brunansky now in right. Reed ran down a pop up by Dave Henderson before Canseco earned a golden sombrero by going down swinging. Sox broadcaster Jerry Remy said if Clemens could get Baines to strike out, it would be the first 10 strikeout game for Roger since May 23rd. Naturally Clemens froze Baines with a big curve for strike three to end the game. Clemens pitched a gem against the A's and the Sox had won it 3-0.
Hero of the Night is Roger Clemens. The A's aren't the same as they have been the last 3 years but tossing a complete game, 3 hit shutout against the 3-peat AL Champs is nothing to sneeze at.
The Good:
Phil Plantier was 1 for 3 with a walk including a solo home run.
Jack Clark was 1 for 2 with a solo home run.
John Marzano was 1 for 3 with an rbi.
The Bad:
Carlos Quintana was 0 for 2 with a strikeout.
Mo Vaughn was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Luis Rivera was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts.
The Ugly:
Wade Boggs was just 1 for 4.
Jody Reed was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.
Mike Greenwell was just 1 for 4 but scored a run.
Ellis Burks was just 1 for 4.
Honorable Mention:
Tom Brunansky played right field in the bottom of the ninth.
Final Thoughts:
As bad as the Sox have played this year, the fact they're only 5.5 games out of first place is an out an out miracle. There's still a month left to topple the Toronto Blue Jays but they'll need all hands on deck. Clemens can't come to the rescue every time so they're going to need someone else to step up. Hopefully Clark is okay because he looked really hurt after the home run he hit. The Sox can't afford to lose him for the season with the Sox playoff hopes hanging by a thread. If he can't come back, they're done for. The win improved the Sox to 63-62, 5.5 games behind the Blue Jays for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow Mike Gardiner (5-6) goes for the Sox up against Bob Welch at 10:05 PM Eastern time at Oakland Coliseum.
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