Clemens ran into trouble in the top of the first inning although Darryl Hamilton grounded out to short to start. Kevin Seitzer lashed a single to center on the first pitch before Clemens bounced a pitch in the dirt that caught catcher Tony Pena's hand, advancing Seitzer to second. Paul Molitor grounded out to third before BJ Surhoff drew a walk. Robin Yount swung at air to end the inning. Bruce Ruffin got the start for the Brewers and Jody Reed led off the bottom of the first with a fly out to left. Bob Zupcic grounded out to third and Wade Boggs grounded out to second to end the inning.
Dante Bichette led off the top of the second by hitting a bullet to Boggs who threw him out at first because Dante thought the ball was caught. Dave Nilsson grounded out weakly to short and Scott Fletcher lined out to a running Tom Brunansky to end the inning. The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the second as Brunansky grounded out to short to start. Jack Clark hit a seeing eye single to left but Mo Vaughn banged into a double play to end the inning.
Clemens cruised in the top of the third inning as Pat Listach grounded out to short to start. Hamilton flied out to right and Seitzer grounded out to third to end the inning. Luis Rivera walked to start the bottom of the third but was thrown out at second trying to steal. Herm Winningham went down swinging but Tony Pena beat out an infield single. Reed flied out to center to end the inning.
Molitor beat out an infield single to short to open the top of the fourth but Clemens got Surhoff to hit into a double play and Yount watched strike three go by to end the inning. The Sox exploded in the bottom of the fourth as Zupcic popped up to first in foul territory to start. Boggs almost got hit in the head before he drew a walk and Brunansky doubled just out of reach of Yount off the centerfield wall to score Wade to give the Sox the lead. Clark drew a walk and Vaughn clobbered his 3rd home run of the season into the left field scren to put the Sox up big. Rivera flied out to deep center and Winningham lined out to a running Yount to end the inning but it was 4-0 Sox.
Bichette tried to start a rally in the top of the fifth with a base hit but was picked off first. Nilsson watched strike three go by and Fletcher flied out to left to end the inning. Ruffin stayed in for the bottom of the fifth and Pena grounded back to the mound to start. Reed lined out to center but Zupcic struck a seeing eye single. Boggs grounded into a force to end the inning.
Clemens had to hustle in the top of the sixth as Listach grounded out to first with Vaughn running the wrong way to start. Hamilton almost beat out a grounder to first and Clemens nearly cleaned out first base umpire Greg Kosc making the play. Seitzer also grounded out to first with Clemens running over to cover to end the inning. When was the last time the pitcher had to make 3 straight putouts?
The Sox struck again in the bottom of the sixth although Brunansky popped up to Surhoff on the mound to start. Sox analyst Jerry Remy quipped "If you're gonna lose, look good doing it" as Clark drew another walk. Vaughn followed his home run earlier with an opposite field base hit that chased Ruffin and sent Clark to third. Mike Fetters came in and Rivera hit a chopper to him for the out but Clark scored on the play. Winningham lined one off the glove of Fletcher and Vaughn made a mad dash for home. Vaughn was safe and Nilsson airmailed Surhoff trying to get Winningham at first and Herm ran all the way to third. Pena hit one up the middle to score Winningham with what looked to be the killshot. Reed grounded out to first to end the inning with the Sox ahead 7-0.
The game looked to be over when Clemens returned for the top of the seventh inning and got Molitor to fly out to center to start. Surhoff and Yount stroked back to back singles but Bichette lined out to left. Nilsson took strike three to end the inning. Surhoff moved to right with Franklin Stubbs coming in for Hamilton while playing first in the bottom of the seventh. Zupcic flied out to right and Boggs grounded out to short but Brunansky doubled off the Monster. Clark took strike three to end the inning.
Bad defense led to a Brewers rally in the top of the eighth inning. Fletcher hit a routine grounder to Boggs who booted the ball over to Rivera who threw the ball into the bleachers for two errors on the same play. Listach singled Fletcher to third and Stubbs doubled Scott home to put the Brewers on the board. Seitzer grounded out to short to score Listach and Molitor moved Stubbs to third with a ground out. Surhoff doubled off the Monster to score Stubbs but Yount grounded out to second to end the inning. Clemens was game for 8 innings as he left with a 7-3 lead with only 1 earned run allowed.
Jesse Orosco came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Vaughn popped up to center to start. Rivera flied out to right and Winningham watched strike three go by to end the inning.
A 4 run lead in the top of the ninth should have been easy for Greg Harris to preserve but instead Bichette singled off the elbow of Boggs to start. Nilsson flied out to Zupcic in deep center and Fletcher forced Bichette at second to put the Sox one out from victory with a 4 run lead. Down to his last strike, Listach hit a routine grounder to Reed at second who threw to first to end the ga....OH WAIT! Vaughn's foot was off the bag and the error was charged to Reed. Sox manager Butch Hobson stumbled out of the dugout to bring in his closer Jeff Reardon to close out the game. Reardon poured gas on the fire as Stubbs was down 0-2 only to come back and walk to load the bases. Down to his last strike, Seitzer singled off the glove of Boggs down the left field line to score two runs. Down to HIS last strike, Molitor dropped a base hit to left to score both runners to tie the game. The boo birds rained down as Jeff Reardon started ripping his clothes off and shouting at the home plate umpire for no apparent reason, causing him to be thrown out of the game. Tony Fossas came in and Molitor swiped second only for Surhoff to ground out to second to end the inning. The Sox were one strike away 3 times and after all that, the Brewers tied the game 7-7...brutal.
After a half hour rain delay, Doug Henry came in for the bottom of the ninth and the Sox continued to shoot themselves in the foot. Pena took strike three on a bad call on the outside corner and shouted at the umpire. If Reardon got that call on Stubbs the game would have been over. Reed singled in the hole at short....only to be thrown out trying to steal when Zupcic's bat flew 15 feet away on a swing and miss. Zupcic walked but Boggs flied out to left to end the inning to send the game to extras.
Danny Darwin came in to pitch the top of the tenth and Yount flied out to center to start. Bichette grounded out to short and Nilsson lined out to second to end the inning. Brunansky whiffed to start the bottom of the tenth and Clark followed suit by swinging at air too. Vaughn grounded out to first to end the inning.
Fletcher singled in the hole at short to start the top of the eleventh but Listach foolishly struck out trying to bunt with two strikes. William Suero pinch ran for Fletcher only to be thrown out trying to steal. Stubbs popped up to left to end the inning to continue the torture. Darren Holmes came in to pitch the bottom of the eleventh and Rivera whiffed to start. Winningham's bunt attempt was snuffed out and Scott Cooper pinch hit for Tony Pena....just to pop up to short to end the inning.
John Flaherty took over behind the plate for the top of the 12th inning and Seitzer grounded out to second to start. Surhoff doubled to left but Yount flied out to left to end the inning. The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the 12th as Reed grounded out to short to start. Zupcic grounded back to the mound and Boggs whiffed to end the inning.
Darwin came in for the top of the 13th inning and Bichette grounded out to short to start. Nillson blooped a single over the head of Reed but Suero popped up to third. Listach flied out to center to end the inning. Darwin stepped up big with 4 scoreless innings of work.
The Sox finally sent the meager crowd home happy in the bottom of the 13th inning. Brunansky popped up to first but Clark dropped a base hit just in front of Yount who trapped the ball. Vaughn lashed a base hit to right to send Clark to third. Phil Plantier pinch hit for Rivera and drew a walk to load the bases. Tim Naehring pinch ran for Plantier and Winningham finally ended this nonsense with a base hit to left to win the game 8-7 in 13 innings at Fenway Park.
Hero of the Night is Herm Winningham. Not only did he drive in the winning run, he drove in another run during the 6th inning rally.
The Good:
Jack Clark was 2 for 3 with 2 walks and 3 total runs scored.
Mo Vaughn was 3 for 6 with 2 total runs scored and a 3 run home run.
Tom Brunansky was 2 for 6 with an rbi and a run scored.
Phil Plantier walked as a pinch hitter.
Tony Pena was 2 for 4 with an rbi.
Roger Clemens pitched well by tossing 8 innings and allowing 3 runs (1 earned) while striking out 4 batters.
Tony Fossas retired the only man he faced.
Danny Darwin tossed 4 scoreless innings to earn the win.
The Bad:
Scott Cooper was 0 for 1 at the plate.
Jeff Reardon melted in the top of the ninth by allowing 2 inherited runners to score and 2 of his own before getting thrown out of the game.
The Ugly:
Jody Reed was just 1 for 6 with an error.
Bob Zupcic was just 1 for 5 with a walk.
Wade Boggs was 0 for 5 with an error but walked and scored a run.
Luis Rivera was 0 for 4 with an error but walked and drove in a run.
Greg Harris was charged for 2 unearned runs but was let down by his defense and Jeff Reardon
Honorable Mention:
Tim Naehring pinch ran for Plantier in the bottom of the 13th.
John Flaherty caught the top of the 13th inning.
Final Thoughts:
Welcome to the Twilight Zone. The Sox have had trouble scoring runs all year and the one time they do it, the normally reliable pitching pukes all over the place. Reardon, the defense and Clemens falling apart was very out of the ordinary but at least the Sox came back to win. Danny Darwin stepped up big in extras so at least there were some positives in what would have been another agonizing loss in a season full of them. Nice to see Herm Winningham get a moment in the sun for once this season. Maybe this is a sign the Sox are ready to bust out with Clark and Vaughn stepping up today. All in all it was a lousy win but they all count anyway. The win improved the Sox to 34-36, 8.5 games behind the Toronto Blue Jays for first place in the AL East. The Sox look to make it two in a row over the Brewers when they send Frank Viola (7-4) to the mound up against Jaime Navarro at 1:05 PM at Fenway Park.
