Viola began the top of the first by getting Devon White to line out to left to begin the game. Roberto Alomar struck out but Joe Carter doubled. Dave Winfield popped up to second to end the inning. The miserable Red Sox offense did nothing in the bottom of the first against Stottlemyre. Wade Boggs flied out to center, Jody Reed grounded out to short and Phil Plantier flied out to right to end the inning.
The Jays struck first in the top of the second inning. Kelly Gruber singled and took second on a passed ball. John Olerud walked on a very close call that had Viola up in arms. Candy Maldonado singled to score Gruber to give the Jays the lead. Pat Borders lined out to center but Manuel Lee doubled to score Olerud. White grounded out to second and Alomar flied out to left to end the inning but the Jays were ahead 2-0 much to Viola's chagrin.
The Sox failed to respond in the bottom of the second inning. Ellis Burks singled but Mike Greenwell lined out to left. Jack Clark whiffed but Burks took second on the throw down. Mo Vaughn walked but Tim Naehring flied out to center to end the inning.
Viola settled down in the top of the third inning as Carter flied out to left. Winfield singled and Gruber lofted an easy fly to Plantier....who tried to catch it in his hat for some inane reason and dropped it, resulting in an error. Viola recovered to get Olerud to pop up to second and struck out Maldonado to end the inning. Somehow the Sox scored a run in the bottom of the third inning. Tony Pena hit a comebacker to the mound but Boggs walked. Reed flied out to left but Plantier and Burks hit back to back singles to score Boggs. Greenwell grounded out to second to end the inning but the Sox were back in it, 2-1.
Viola did his part to keep the Jays silent in the top of the fourth inning. Borders grounded out to third, Lee looked at strike three and White grounded out to third to end the inning. Stottlemyre also settled down in the bottom of the fourth. Clark walked but Vaughn banged into a double play. Naehring grounded out to second to end the inning.
The duel continued in the top of the fifth as Viola struck out both Alomar and Carter before getting Winfield to line out to second to end the inning. More of the same in the bottom of the fifth as Pena watched strike three go by, Boggs flied out to left and Reed popped up to left to end the inning.
Viola remained tough in the top of the sixth inning as Gruber flied out to right, Olerud lined out to left and Maldonado grounded out to third to end the inning. Ditto for Stottlemyre in the bottom of the sixth as Plantier grounded out to first, Burks lined out to second and Greenwell flied out to right to end the inning.
Viola kept the Sox in it during the top of the seventh as Borders grounded out to short, Lee grounded out to second and White flied out to left to end the inning. After Plantier's drop, Viola retired 14 in a row. The Sox offense failed to pick up their pitcher in the bottom of the seventh. Clark looked at strike three, Vaughn hit a comebacker to the mound and Naehring watched strike three go by to end the inning.
Alomar lined out to center to begin the top of the eighth before Carter whiffed. Winfield beat out an infield single to break up the 16 in a row set down by Viola but Gruber grounded out to second to end the inning. Viola was pitching his ass off but had nothing to show for it.
Stottlemyre's night was done as Duane Ward came in to pitch and Sox manager Butch Hobson countered by pinch hitting Herm Winningham for Pena. The gamble worked as Winningham got a base hit. Too bad Boggs lined out to left and Winningham was erased on the force by Reed. Plantier whiffed to end the inning.
Viola came back to finish the job in the top of the ninth inning with John Flaherty now behind the plate. Olerud lined one off Viola but the alert Reed nabbed him at first for the out. Maldonado whiffed and Borders flied out to center to end the inning. Apart from the second inning, Frank was as lights out as it got. Jays closer Tom Henke came in to pitch the bottom of the ninth. Burks whiffed but Greenwell walked to put the tying run on. Mike was erased on the force by Clark and Luis Rivera pinch ran for Jack. It didn't matter as Vaughn whiffed to end the game. The Jays held the Sox to just 4 hits and 1 run to win it 2-1.
Jackass of the Night is a tough one but I'll have to go with Mo Vaughn. He came up twice with a man on and a chance to tie or better but he either struck out or hit into a double play.
The Good:
Ellis Burks was 2 for 4 with an rbi.
Herm Winningham pinch hit for Tony Pena and singled.
One of the rare times the losing pitcher ends up on the good list but Viola was outstanding. He tossed a complete game, scattered 6 hits and allowing just 2 runs while at one point retiring 16 in a row.
The Bad:
Jody Reed was 0 for 4.
Tim Naehring was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.
Tony Pena was 0 for 2 with a strikeout.
The Ugly:
Wade Boggs was 0 for 3 but walked and scored.
Phil Plantier was just 1 for 4.
Mike Greenwell was 0 for 3 but walked.
Jack Clark was 0 for 3 but walked.
Honorable Mention:
Luis Rivera pinch ran for Jack Clark in the ninth.
John Flaherty caught the top of the ninth.
Final Thoughts:
Something is terribly wrong with the Red Sox offense. We're 9 games in and these guys can't hit for beans. What happened to Jack Clark's power? I thought Mo Vaughn was going to be the next superstar. Wade Boggs is hitting 200 and Mike Greenwell is hitting .182. Yes, its only April but that's a bad start for sure. You can't expect everyone to pitch like Roger Clemens. including Clemens himself to make up for lousy offense. The Sox look to bounce back tomorrow afternoon with Matt Young taking the hill opposite Juan Guzman. There better be some offense tomorrow at Fenway Park.
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