In a game overshadowed by Jose Canseco's debut with the Texas Rangers, the Boston Red Sox took a big dump on his debut. Roger Clemens (18-8, 2.18 ERA) avenged his previous loss to Nolan Ryan 3 years ago by tossing 8 innings of shut out ball. The anemic Red Sox offense only scratched out 3 runs but it was enough with Clemens on the mound. In a season that very little has gone right, Clemens march to the Cy Young award continues with a 3-0 victory over the Rangers at Arlington Park.
Ryan got the ball in the top of the first and Billy Hatcher led off by taking strike three on a nasty curve to start. Somehow Jose Canseco made a great jumping catch at the wall to rob Scott Cooper of extra bases and Wade Boggs grounded out weakly to second to end the inning.
Clemens got the ball in the bottom of the first and Brian Downing hit a 333 foot out to Hatcher to start. Clemens blew away Rafael Palmeiro and Jose Canseco made his Rangers debut by drawing a walk. Juan Gonzalez drew a walk and it was revealed that Sox manager Butch Hobson and pitcher Greg Harris had the runs and wasn't there tonight. Rick Burleson was the acting manager and he was pleased when Roger got Kevin Reimer to fly out to right to end the inning.
Mo Vaughn led off the top of the second inning by grounding out to second to start. Bob Zupcic ate up Dean Palmer on a little roller for a credited base hit. Jody Reed flied out to left and Zupcic was thrown out at second trying to steal to end the inning. Dean Palmer grounded out to short to start the bottom of the second before Geno Petralli lined out to center. Jeff Frye singled up the middle but he too was thrown out at second trying to steal to end the inning.
Herm Winningham led off the top of the third with a fly out to right to start. Tony Pena grounded out to short but John Valentin hit a pop up to shallow right. Frye was called off by Canseco and the ball dropped in between them for a "double". Hatcher popped up to right to end the inning.
Al Newman grounded out to second to open the bottom of the third but Downing doubled over the head of Hatcher. Palmeiro was frozen for strike three and Canseco grounded out to second to end the inning.
Cooper led off the top of the fourth by grounding out to first to start. Boggs drew a walk but Vaughn whiffed on a pitch that got away from the catcher, moving Boggs to second on a "wild pitch". Zupcic popped up to short to end the inning. The Rangers threatened in the bottom of the fourth as Gonzalez was plunked to start. Reimer blooped a single down the left field line but Palmer popped up to Boggs in foul territory. Petralli banged into a double play to end the inning.
Monty Fariss took over for Gonzalez (who left due to being hit but thankfully it was just a bruise) to start the top of the fifth and Reed watched strike three go by to start. Winningham flied out to left and Pena popped up to right to end the inning. A news bulletin that Fay Vincent resigned as MLB Commissioner scrolled as Frye began the bottom of the fifth by popping up to Boggs in foul territory. Newman hit one up the elevator shaft and Downing was rung up on a check swing strike three to end the inning.
Ryan stayed tough in the top of the sixth as Valentin flied out to left to start. Hatcher swung and missed for strike three but Cooper doubled down the right field line. Boggs grounded out to short to end the inning. Clemens matched Ryan in the bottom of the sixth as Palmeiro struck out swinging for his third of the night. Canseco whiffed on a nasty curve and Fariss took strike three go by.
Ryan cruised in the top of the seventh as Vaughn flied out to right to begin. Zupcic flied out to center and Reed was frozen for strike three to end the inning. Clemens turned up the heat in the bottom of the seventh as Reimer whiffed on a curveball to start. Clemens blew away Palmer and Petralli to end the inning. That was Roger's seventh consecutive strikeout.
The Sox broke through in the top of the eighth as Winningham lashed a base hit to right to start. Pena dropped down a bunt to move Herm to second and Winningham moved to third on a wild pitch. Valentin missed a 2 run home run by 5 feet but had to settle for a wall ball double to put the Sox on top. Hatcher popped up to first but Cooper hit a line drive off the first base bag for a base hit to score Valentin with the insurance run. Boggs whiffed to end the inning but it was 2-0 Sox.
Valentin doubles and scores
The Rangers tried to fight back in the bottom of the eighth as Jack Daugherty pinch hit for Frye and walked to start. Ivan Rodriguez pinch hit for Newman and banged into a double play. Downing flied out to the left field warning track to end the inning. That was it for Clemens who was outstanding, pitching 8 shutout innings while striking out nine men.
The Sox added an insurance run in the top of the ninth with Mario Diaz now at short and Donald Harris in center. Vaughn popped up to right and that was it for Ryan. Rangers pitching coach and old pal Tom House came out to get him and Matt Whiteside took his place. Zupcic grounded out to third but Reed lined a base hit up the middle. Winningham blooped a pitch to right that Reimer pulled up on, allowing the ball to drop for a single that advanced Reed to third. The fans booed Reimer for not hustling and Pena made the Ranger pay with a ground ball up the middle to score Reed with the base hit. Valentin walked to load the bases but Hatcher flied out to center to end the inning Boston ahead 3-0.
Tony Fossas was brought in by acting manager Rick Burleson to pitch to Palmeiro only to walk him. Burleson pulled Fossas for Paul Quantrill and a passed ball moved Rafael to second. Canseco singled Palmeiro to third but Quantrill got a big out when he got Fariss to strike out swinging. Burleson pulled Quantrill for lefty Joe Hesketh to pitch to Reimer. Reimer banged into a double play to end the game. The Sox had won the game 3-0.
Hero of the Night is Roger Clemens. He tossed 8 innings of shutout ball allowing just 3 hits and 3 walks while striking out 9.
The Good:
Scott Cooper was 2 for 4 with an rbi.
Herm Winningham was 2 for 4 with a run scored.
Tony Pena was 1 for 3 with an rbi.
John Valentin was 2 for 3 with a walk, rbi and a run scored.
Joe Hesketh got the final 2 outs to earn the save.
The Bad:
Billy Hatcher was 0 for 5 with 2 strikeouts.
Mo Vaughn was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Tony Fossas walked the only guy he faced.
The Ugly:
Wade Boggs was 0 for 3 but walked.
Bob Zupcic was just 1 for 4.
Jody Reed was just 1 for 4 but scored a run.
Paul Quantrill retired one of the two men he faced.
Final Thoughts:
As this miserable season comes to an end, at least there have been bright spots. Valentin looks like he's going to be a star someday and Clemens is now two wins away from 20 again. Its a feather in Roger's cap to beat Ryan in Texas and he did it tonight. The Sox terrible offense was only able to scratch out 3 runs but tonight it was enough. Somehow, some way the Sox need to desperately improve the bats for next season. Mike Greenwell and Mo Vaughn disappointed this year and Jack Clark fell off a cliff offensively. There's only 25 games left to sit through and hopefully the Sox can win a few of these games to show some hope for next season. The win improved the Sox to 64-73 on the season, good for last place in the AL East. The Sox are back in action tomorrow night when they face the Rangers with Matt Young (0-3) getting the start up against Kevin Brown of Texas. The game begins at 10 PM Eastern time at Arlington Stadium.