Clemens got the ball in the bottom of the first and Harold Reynolds grounded out to second to start. Edgar Martinez doubled off the bottom of the Monster but Ken Griffey Jr struck out swinging. Tino Martinez grounded out to first to end the inning. The Sox struck first against Fleming in the bottom of the first as Reed ate up Harold Reynolds for a base hit to start. Reed took second on a wild pitch and moved to third on a liner to center by Mike Greenwell. Boggs doubled off the Monster to score Reed and Jack Clark blooped a single to right to move Wade to third. Ellis Burks popped up to second and Tom Brunansky grounded back to the mound to end the inning with the Sox ahead 1-0.
The Mariners struck back in the top of the second as Pete O'Brien whacked a home run around the Pesky Pole to cut the lead. Dave Cochrane and Greg Briley both grounded out to second and Omar Vizquel flied out to right to end the inning with Seattle down 2-1.
The Sox went quietly in the bottom of the second as Bob Zupcic grounded out to third to start. Luis Rivera flied out to left and Tony Pena grounded out to first to end the inning.
Bert Heffernan grounded out to third to open the top of the third but Reynolds drew a walk. Reynolds moved to second on a grounder to first by Edgar Martinez but Griffey Jr grounded back to the mound to end the inning. The Sox blew a rally in the bottom of the third as Reed walked to start. Greenwell reached on an error by Reynolds but Boggs lined out to center. Clark beat out a double play ball to put runners at the corners but Burks walked to load the bases. Brunansky flied out to left to end the inning.
Tino Martinez grounded out to second to start the top of the fourth before O'Brien grounded out to first. Cochrane struck out swinging to end the inning. Zupcic grounded out to short to begin the bottom of the fourth but Rivera singled to left. Rivera swiped second but Pena flied out to center. Reed lined out to a running Griffey Jr to end the inning.
Clemens struck out Briley swinging to begin the top of the fifth but Vizquel fisted a base hit to right. Heffernan banged into a double play to end the inning. The Sox blew another rally in the bottom of the fifth as Greenwell singled down the third base line to start. Boggs walked but Clark flied out to left. Burks flied out to center and Brunansky lined out to a running Griffey to end the inning.
Clemens cruised in the top of the sixth as Reynolds grounded out to second to start. Edgar Martinez lined out to first and Griffey Jr lined out to center to end the inning. The Sox blew yet another rally in the bottom of the sixth although Zupcic grounded out to third to start. Rivera struck out swinging but Pena got a base hit to left. Reed lined a base hit to center and both runners moved over on a balk. Greenwell grounded out to first to end the inning.
The Mariners tagged Clemens in the top of the seventh as Tino Martinez was hit in the shoulder to start. Zupcic made a great diving catch in the right field corner to rob O'Brien of a hit but Cochrane dropped a base hit into right. Briley singled to left to score Martinez but Vizquel forced Briley at second with a grounder to Brunansky. Heffernan struck out swinging to end the inning with the Mariners up 2-1.
The Sox answered in the bottom of the seventh as Boggs reached on an error by Tino Martinez to start. Clark hit one up the elevator shaft and Burks struck out swinging, but Boggs swiped second. Brunansky walked but Zupcic doubled into the left field corner to score Boggs. Jeff Nelson came in to pitch and Rivera walked, but Pena lined out to first to end the inning with the game tied 2-2.
Clemens returned for one final inning in the top of the eighth and Reed bobbled a ball by Reynolds for an error that he took forever to find. Edgar Martinez dropped down a sacrifice bunt to move Reynolds to second and Griffey Jr beat out an infield single to short to put runners at the corners. Reynolds and Griffey took off on a squeeze but Martinez swung and missed. Pena tagged Reynolds coming home but Griffey made it to second on the play. Martinez took strike three to end the inning and Clemens had tossed 8 innings of 2 run ball.
Clemens goes 8 strong
The Sox took command in the bottom of the eighth as Reed singled in the hole at short to start. Dennis Powell relieved Nelson and Reed was thrown out at second trying to steal. Greenwell blooped a base hit to left and Boggs hit a routine pop up down the right field line but Briley lost it in the lights for a "double". Clark was intentionally walked to get to Burks and Herm Winningham pinch ran for Clark. Mike Schooler came in to pitch to Burks and Ellis clubbed a grand slam over everything in left to put the Sox on top. Brunansky lined out to center and Zupcic took strike three to end the inning with the Sox ahead 6-2.
Tony Fossas came in to pitch in the top of the ninth and O'Brien grounded out to short to start. Cochrane singled to center and Henry Cotto pinch hit for Briley. Cotto doubled down the left field line to chase Fossas. Old Mets nemesis Kevin Mitchell pinch hit for Vizquel and Jeff Reardon came in to close out the game. Mitchell singled off the left field railing to score both runners to cut the lead. Jay Buhner pinch hit for Heffernan and flied out to left, but Brunansky booted a grounder by Reynolds for an error. Edgar Martinez flied out to right to end the game. The Sox had won it 6-4.
Sox win
Burks The Hero
Hero of the Night is Ellis Burks. His grand slam proved to be the difference in the game.
The Good:
Jody Reed was 3 for 4 with a walk and a run scored.
Mike Greenwell was 2 for 5 with a run scored.
Wade Boggs was 2 for 4 with a walk, rbi and 2 runs scored.
Herm Winningham scored a run as a pinch runner.
Luis Rivera was 1 for 3 with a walk.
Roger Clemens tossed 8 innings of 2 run ball while striking out 5 batters to earn the win.
Jeff Reardon earned his 10th save by getting the last 2 outs of the ninth.
The Bad:
Tony Fossas was charged with 2 runs in the top of the ninth.
The Ugly:
Jack Clark was just 1 for 4 but walked.
Tom Brunansky was 0 for 4 with an error but walked.
Bob Zupcic was just 1 for 5 but drove in a run.
Tony Pena was just 1 for 4.
Final Thoughts:
Don't look now but the Sox have won 3 in a row. Maybe this will be the start of a nice long run to get them back in the AL East race. The offense has been offensive but Burks came through big time tonight. Clemens will be Clemens and he once again gave the Sox 8 much needed innings. Sox manager Butch Hobson guessed wrong when he figured Fossas could close out the ninth but good thing Reardon stepped up. If only they still had Jeff Gray but that's just bad luck. Hopefully the Sox can ride this momentum moving forward. The win improved the Sox to 19-17, 4 games behind the Toronto Blue Jays for first place in the AL East. After an off-day tomorrow the Sox are back in action Friday night against Oakland. Frank Viola (5-2) goes for the Sox against A's ace Dave Stewart. The game begins at 7:30 PM at Fenway Park.
