The bad news was the Boston Bruins dropped Game 2 of their first round NHL playoff series against the Buffalo Sabres. The good news was "Rocket" Roger Clemens (3-0, 1.48 ERA) strong-armed the Boston Red Sox to their 4th win in a row and the first in a set against the Seattle Mariners. Roger was pulled in the 7th inning but allowed just 1 run to earn his third win of the season. John Valentin homered in his first game up from Pawtucket as Mike Greenwell's first home run of the season paced the offense. The Sox added to their winning ways with a 5-2 win at the Kingdome.
The Sox wasted no time scoring in the top of the first inning against Seattle starter John Cummings. Billy Hatcher led off with a lineout to center but Carlos Quintana singled. Mike Greenwell singled Carlos to third and he scored on the Andre Dawson grounder to give the Sox the quick lead. Mo Vaughn grounded out to second to end the inning with the Sox up 1-0.
Clemens was unusually rusty in the bottom of the first and the Mariners answered. Omar Vizquel and Mike Felder drew back to back walks before Ken Griffey Jr singled home Vizquel to tie the game. Tino Martinez hit one up the elevator shaft and Pete O'Brien banged into a double play to end the inning with the game tied 1-1.
John Valentin made his first at bat of the season in the top of the second by flying out to center. Scott Cooper grounded out to first and Tony Pena grounded out to short to end the inning. Clemens blew away Jay Buhner to start the bottom of the second but Fernando Vina walked. Dave Valle flied out to right but Vina stole second. Rich Amaral grounded out to second to end the inning.
Luis Rivera grounded out to third to begin the top of the third before Hatcher flied out to right. Quintana walked but Greenwell grounded out to short to end the inning. Clemens got both Vizquel and Felder to ground out to second to open the bottom of the third, but wisely walked Griffey Jr. The alert Pena gunned down Griffey trying to steal to end the inning.
The Sox pulled off some great incompetence in the top of the fourth as Dawson was plunked to start. Vaughn walked but Dawson was picked off second, Valentin whiffed and Vaughn was thrown out at second trying to steal to end the inning. That's not how you end a rally. Clemens managed to get Martinez to fly out to center to open the bottom of the fourth before O'Brien grounded back to the mound. Buhner walked but Vina flied out to left to end the inning.
The Sox went quietly in the top of the 5th inning as Cooper flied out to left to start. Pena lined out to left and Rivera hit one up the elevator shaft to end the inning. Clemens stayed tough in the bottom of the fifth as Valle flied out to left to start. Amaral popped up to left and Vizquel watched strike three go by to end the inning.
The Sox failed to capitalize on another chance in the top of the sixth inning as Hatcher flied out to center to begin. Quintana stroked a single and Greenwell walked, but Dawson hit into a double play to end the inning. Clemens had a similar inning in the bottom of the sixth as Felder singled to start. Griffey Jr walked but Martinez flied out to right and O'Brien banged into a double play to end the inning.
The Sox jumped ahead in the top of the seventh inning although Vaughn grounded out to second to start. The rookie Valentin pulverized his first home run of the season in his first game to give the Sox the lead. Cooper grounded back to first but Pena singled to right. Rivera flied out to center to end the inning with the Sox ahead 2-1.
Clemens didn't last long in the bottom of the seventh inning as Buhner singled to center to start. Vina flied out to left and all of a sudden Butch Hobson stumbled out out of the dugout and took Clemens out of the game. Greg Harris wasn't even warming up when he was brought in to show how confused Clemens was. Still, The Rocket lasted 6 1/3 innings and allowed just 1 earned run. Harris had Buhner picked off but the ball went through Vaughn's glove for an error that put Jay at third. Harris got Valle to pop up to left and Amaral to ground out to short to end the inning with the Sox still ahead 2-1.
The Sox added some much needed insurance in the top of the eighth inning although Hatcher grounded out to third to start. Quintana singled to right and the much maligned Ivan Calderon pinch ran for him. Greenwell clobbered his first home run of the season to increase the lead. That was it for Cummings as Jeff Nelson came in to pitch. Dawson flied out to right but Vaughn doubled. Valentin walked and Cooper singled to left. Vaughn scored but the rookie Valentin was gunned down at third to end the inning with the Sox ahead 5-1.
Calderon took over in right with Bob Zupcic giving Greenwell the night off in the bottom of the eighth. Vizquel grounded out to first, Felder flied out to left and Griffey Jr also grounded out to first to end the inning.
Pena singled to start the top of the ninth but Rivera banged into a double play. Hatcher singled to center but Calderon grounded out to second to end the inning. Harris came back to finish the job in the bottom of the ninth and Martinez popped up to third. O'Brien singled, Buhner walked and Vina hit a pop up single into no man's land to load the bases. That was it for Harris as closer Jeff Russell got Valle to fly out to center, but O'Brien scored to cut the lead. Lee Tinsley pinch hit for Amaral and took strike three to end the game. The Sox had won their 4th game in a row and defeated the Mariners 5-2.
Hero of the Night is John Valentin. His home run in his season debut put the Sox up for good in the seventh inning.
The Good:
Carlos Quintana was 3 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.
Mike Greenwell was 2 for 3 with a walk and a 2 run home run.
Mo Vaughn was 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.
Tony Pena was 2 for 4.
Roger Clemens got the win with 6 1/3 innings of 1 run ball. He walked 6, gave up 3 hits and struck out 2.
Jeff Russell earned his 3rd save by getting the final 2 outs of the bottom of the ninth.
The Bad:
Luis Rivera was 0 for 4.
The Ugly:
Billy Hatcher was just 1 for 5.
Ivan Calderon was 0 for 1 at the plate but scored a run.
Andre Dawson was 0 for 2 but was hit with a pitch and drove in a run.
Scott Cooper was just 1 for 4 but drove in a run.
Greg Harris allowed a run in 2 innings of work.
Honorable Mention:
Bob Zupcic played left field in the bottom of the ninth.
Final Thoughts:
How about those first place Red Sox? Its only April 20th but 11-3 is better than 3-11. The Sox pitching has been outstanding the first couple weeks of the season and Clemens delivered tonight. John Valentin showed some pop in his bat and it was nice to see Greenwell get his first home run. If Valentin can show that he can hit consistently, either Calderon or Rivera are gone. Neither one of them can show that they hit so far but again, its early in the season. All in all its a good win and the Sox can close out April in a flourish for the first time in years. Tomorrow evening the Sox run into Randy Johnson and the Mariners and counter with Danny Darwin (0-2). The game begins at 10:05 PM Eastern time at the Kingdome.
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