Sanderson began his dominance in the top of the first inning as Billy Hatcher struck out swinging on a big slow curve to start. Ernie Riles stuck out swinging on a high fastball before Mike Greenwell popped up to third in foul territory to end the inning. Clemens got the ball in the bottom of the first and Luis Polonia grounded out to second to start. Chad Curtis singled up the middle but was picked off by the alert Clemens. Clemens blew away JT Snow to end the inning.
Andre Dawson led off the top of the second by grounding out to first to begin. Mo Vaughn hit a home run last night for a young boy in Boston fighting cancer and lined a base hit off the glove of Torey Lovullo here. Ivan Calderon just missed bunting for a hit before he popped up to center. Scott Cooper took a curveball for strike three to end the inning. Chili Davis led off the bottom of the second by grounding out to second to begin before Tim Salmon was rung up for strike three on a check swing. Rene Gonzalez' mother is fighting cancer and Rene doubled down the right field line in a nice tribute. Torey Lovullo popped up to left to end the inning.
John Valentin led off the top of the third inning by grounding out to short to start. Tony Pena as rung up for strike three and Billy Hatcher went down swinging to end the inning. Malden's own Gary DiSarcina changed his number to 33 in the off-season after Larry Bird retired and he started the bottom of the third by grounding out to second. ESPN showed the last time Roger Clemens lost to the Angels was four years earlier as John Orton took strike three. Polonia hit a bullet but right to Cooper to en the inning.
Riles led off the top of the fourth by popping up to Salmon in foul territory to begin. ESPN said Greenwell has lost 17 pounds since last year now that his ankle has healed for the first time since 1989 and he popped up to Polonia in foul territory. Greenwell had a few expletives to say to Scott in the dugout as Dawson foul tipped into the glove for strike three to end the inning.
Clemens stayed tough in the bottom of the fourth as he blew away Curtis on a high fastball to start. Snow blooped a liner to Valentin and Hatcher ran down a Davis liner to center to end the inning.
Vaughn lined out to left to start the top of the fifth before Calderon grounded out to short. Cooper was rung up for strike three to end the inning and he couldn't believe it.
The Angels struck first in the bottom of the fifth although Salmon led off by hitting one up the elevator shaft. Calderon ran down a Gonzalez liner but Lovullo pounded a home run just out of reach of Hatcher in center to give the Angels the lead. That was Lovullo's first home run since 1989 and DiSarcina watched strike three go by to end the inning but the Angels were up 1-0.
The Sox did nothing in the top of the sixth as Valentin flied out to right to start before Pena was rung up for strike three. Hatcher stretched a base hit to left into a double to put the tying run at second but Riles popped up to first to end the inning. Orton led off the bottom of the sixth by grounding out to short to start. Polonia lined a foul ball off his face but heroically stayed in the game. Polonia whiffed and Curtis flied out to left to end the inning.
The Sox rallied in the top of the seventh as Greenwell got his revenge on Sanderson by ripping a base hit to center to start. Dawson poked a curveball down and away into left for a single and Vaughn lashed a double past Snow to score Greenwell to tie the game. The Sox blew the rally and the game really as Calderon grounded right back to the mound and Cooper was intentionally walked to load the bases but bring up the 1 for 16 Valentin. Naturally Valentin popped up to right. Carlos Quintana pinch hit for Pena begging the question why he didn't pinch hit for Valentin? Salmon made a great diving catch to rob Quintana of a hit to end the inning but the Sox had tied it 1-1.
Bob Melvin took over behind the plate as the Angels took command in the bottom of the seventh. Snow flied out to left and Clemens got Davis on a split fingered fastball. Salmon then decided the game when he blasted a home run just over the left field wall to give the Angels the lead. Clemens recovered to punch out Gonzalez to end the inning but the Angels were up 2-1.
Joe Grahe came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Hatcher grounded out to third to start. Riles whiffed and Greenwell grounded back to the mound to end the inning. Clemens came back to finish his game in the bottom of the eighth as Lovullo whiffed to start. DiSarcina popped up to right and Orton lined out to short to end the inning. Clemens ended up pitching a complete game allowing just the 2 runs while striking out 9.
The Sox tried to rally in the top of the ninth although Dawson waived at a pitch in the dirt to start. Vaughn lined a base hit to right before Calderon inside outed a base hit to right. Cooper then blooped a single to left and Vaughn gunned it for home.....OUT! Can't blame third base coach Rick Burleson for sending Vaughn with Valentin slumping and Orton made a hell of a tag after a heck of a throw by Polonia. The over-zealous Valentin grounded into a force on the first pitch to end the game. The Angels squeaked by the Red Sox with a damn near flawless defensive game to win 2-1.
Jackass of The Night is John Valentin. He failed with the bases loaded in the top of the seventh and with two men on in the top of the ninth.
The Good:
Mo Vaughn was 3 for 4 with an rbi.
Scott Cooper was 1 for 3 with a walk.
Roger Clemens was the hard luck loser but hardly pitched like one. He tossed a complete game allowing just the two home runs while striking out 9.
The Bad:
Ernie Riles was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Tony Pena was 0 for 2 with 2 strikeouts.
Carlos Quintana lined out as a pinch hitter.
The Ugly:
Billy Hatcher was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Mike Greenwell was just 1 for 4 but scored the only run.
Andre Dawson was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Ivan Calderon was just 1 for 4.
Honorable Mention:
Bob Melvin caught the last two innings.
Final Thoughts:
Well that game was a kick in the ass. Clemens made just two mistakes all game and it ended up being the difference in the game. Valentin failing with the bases loaded, Vaughn getting thrown out at home in the ninth and Valentin failing again with two men on. The offensive woes that plagued the Sox last year reared its ugly head this week. This is Boston's 5th loss in a row and they only scored 1 run or less in four of the games. They can't get Scott Fletcher back fast enough the way this team is hitting lately. As if losing Fletcher wasn't bad enough, Andre Dawson had his knee drained directly after the game. Its been bothering him since he hobbled around the bases in Kansas City and he may miss time because of it. Things aren't looking good after they got swept by the Angels and now the Sox travel to Oakland to face the A's Tuesday night. Danny Darwin (0-3) goes for the Sox up against Bobby Witt at 10:05 PM Eastern time at Oakland County Coliseum.
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