As for the game, talk about everything coming up Butch. After Sox manager Butch Hobson and Jeff Reardon got into it in Milwaukee, I'm sure Hobson was just waiting for Jeff to falter. He didn't have to wait long as Reardon choked away a 2-1 lead in tonight's game over the California Angels. John Dopson pitched 1 run ball into the eighth inning but Malden native Gary DiScarcina hit the decisive blow with 2 outs in the top of the ninth. The Sox failed to respond in the bottom of the frame and they went back to their losing ways with a bitter 3-2 defeat at Fenway Park.
Dopson cruised in the top of the first inning as Luis Polonia grounded out to short to start. Luis Sojo popped up to short and Junior Felix grounded back to the mound to start. The Sox struck first in the bottom of the first against California starter Jim Abbott. Wade Boggs flied out to center to start before Billy Hatcher grounded out to short. Bob Zupcic was hit with a pitch, Tom Brunansky walked and Jack Clark doubled Bob home to put Boston on top. Jody Reed walked to load the bases but the Sox missed a huge chance when Mo Vaughn took strike three to end the inning. Still, the Sox led 1-0.
Dopson cruised in the top of the second inning as Ken Oberkfell grounded out to first to start. Chad Curtis whiffed and Lee Stevens grounded out to second to end the inning. The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the second as Tony Pena flied out to center to start. John Valentin whiffed and Boggs grounded out to short to end the inning.
The Angels tied it in the top of the third as DiSarcina singled and took second on a wild pitch. DiSarcina was thrown out on a fielder's choice by Mike Fitzgerald but Damion Easley singled Fitzgerald to third. Fitzgerald scored on the grounder by Polonia and Sojo walked. Felix grounded out to second to end the inning but it was tied 1-1.
Hatcher and Zupcic both watched strike three go by to start the bottom of the third but both Brunansky and Clark stroked back to back singles. Reed flied out to center to end the inning.
Oberkfell singled to center to start the top of the fourth then took second on a balk. Curtis whiffed, Stevens grounded out to third and Disarcina lined out to center to end the inning. Vaughn walked to open the bottom of the fourth but Pena popped up to first. Valentin got a base hit to right but Vaughn was thrown out at third. Boggs grounded out to third to end the inning.
Dopson cruised in the top of the fifth inning as Fitzgerald grounded out to third to start. Easley struck out swinging and Polonia grounded back to the mound to end the inning. The Sox struck again in the bottom of the fifth as Hatcher beat out a swinging bunt to start. Zupcic singled to center and Bruno walked to load the bases. Clark struck out swinging but Reed got a base hit to right to score Hatcher and re-load the bases. With a chance to break the game open....Vaughn hit a bullet but right to first, who doubled off Reed to end the inning. The Sox blew their best chance but still led 2-1.
Sojo singled to center to start the top of the sixth but was forced at second by Felix. Oberkfell hit a bullet to Valentin who doubled off Felix to end the inning. The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the sixth as Pena grounded out to second to start. Valentin flied out to center and Boggs grounded out to second to end the inning.
Dopson dominated the top of the seventh as Curtis grounded out to short to start. Stevens flied out to right and DiSarcina grounded out to short to end the inning. The Sox mustered nothing against Abbott in the bottom of the seventh as Hatcher flied out to center to begin. Zupcic flied out to right but Bruno got a base hit to right. Clark flied out to right to end the inning.
Rob Ducey pinch hit for Fitzgerald to start the top of the eighth and doubled to left. Ducey moved to third on the fly out by Easley and suddenly Sox manager Butch Hobson woke up from his nap, stumbling out of the dugout to take out Dopson. John was outstanding, coming within 5 outs of a complete game while still tossing 7 1/3 innings of 1 run ball.
Tony Fossas came in and Polonia hit a ground ball to second, Reed coming home to nail Ducey at the plate. Hobson then bolted out of the dugout realizing he brought in the wrong pitcher he wanted and brought in Greg Harris ice cold in from the bullpen with no time to rest. Somehow Harris got Sojo to ground out to first to end the inning. Ron Tingley came in for the bottom of the eighth and Reed grounded out to second to start. Vaughn grounded out to second but Pena singled to center. Valentin grounded out to third to end the inning.
3 outs from victory, Hobson reluctantly brought in Jeff Reardon for the save in the top of the ninth. Much to Butch's dismay, Jeff struck out Felix swinging to start. Much to Butch's delight, Oberkfell singled to center with Von Hayes pinch running for him. Curtis struck out swinging and with one out away....Stevens hit a ground rule double that had Hobson pumping his fists in the dugout. DiSarcina then put the Angels on top with a base hit to center that scored both Hayes and Stevens as Hobson ran out of the dugout cheering and hugging the puzzled DiSarcina. Reardon threw his glove at Hobson as he was escorted out of the building by armed security amidst a chorus of boo's. Reardon blew away Tingley to end the inning but the damage was done, the Angels led 3-2.
Joe Grahe came in for the bottom of the ninth and Boggs grounded out to second again. Hatcher put the tying run on wit a base hit to right but Zupcic banged into a double play to end the inning. The Angels had won it 3-2.
Jackass of the Night is Jeff Reardon. He allowed the go-ahead hit by DiSarcina with 2 outs in the ninth.
The Good:
Billy Hatcher was 2 for 5 with a run scored.
Tom Brunansky was 2 for 2 with 2 walks.
Jack Clark was 2 for 4 with an rbi.
Jody Reed was 1 for 3 with a walk and an rbi.
John Dopson tossed 7 1/3 innings of 1 run ball while striking out 3.
Tony Fossas got the second out of the eighth inning.
Greg Harris got the final out of the eighth inning.
The Bad:
Wade Boggs was 0 for 5.
The Ugly:
Bob Zupcic was just 1 for 4 but was hit with a pitch and scored a run.
Mo Vaughn was 0 for 3 but walked.
Tony Pena was just 1 for 4.
John Valentin was just 1 for 4.
Final Thoughts:
Can this season end already? This was one of the worst offensive seasons in team history and there's still 40 games left to play. Historically the Sox have been all-bat and no pitching and this year is the complete opposite. If the Sox had any kind of offense, they'd actually be in the hunt with how good their pitching has been. Dopson pitched a gem but Reardon gagged and the Sox could muster only 2 runs. Not to mention the players are starting to tire of Hobson and it comes down to just a lost season. The loss drops the Sox to 55-65, 15 games behind the Toronto Blue Jays in last place in the AL East. The Sox next defeat comes tomorrow night against the Angels when Danny Darwin (6-5) gets dominated by Bert Blyleven at 7:05 PM at Fenway Park.
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