Hesketh got the ball rolling in the top of the first as Joey Cora walked to start. Cora moved to second on a grounder by Lance Johnson before Frank Thomas walked. George Bell banged into a double play to end the inning. The Sox struck first in the bottom of the first inning as Scott Fletcher doubled to left to begin. Bob Zupcic walked and Mike Greenwell doubled home Fletcher. Zupcic scored on the Andre Dawson grounder as Mo Vaughn was intentionally walked. Ivan Calderon banged into a double play to end the inning with the Sox ahead 2-0.
Chicago threatened in the top of the second inning as Robin Ventura and Ellis Burks drew back to back walks to start. Bo Jackson banged into a double play and Ron Karkovice whiffed to end the inning. Chicago starter Kirk McCaskill settled down in the bottom of the second as Scott Cooper grounded back to the mound to start. Bob Melvin and Jeff Richardson both whiffed to end the inning.
Ozzie Guillen popped up to first to start the top of the third before Cora flied out to left. Johnson doubled into the right field corner but Thomas took strike three to end the inning. Fletcher grounded back to the mound to begin the top of the third but Zupcic singled in the hole at short. Greenwell grounded into a double play to end the inning.
The walks continued to haunt Hesketh in the top of the fourth although Bell grounded out to short to start. Ventura whiffed but Burks and Jackson drew back to back walks. Karkovice lined out to center to end the inning. That's 6 walks in just 4 innings.
The BoSox muffed a chance to add some insurance in the bottom of the fourth as Dawson struck out swinging to begin. Vaughn and Calderon stroked back to back base hits but Cooper popped up to second. Melvin grounded out to third to end the inning.
Hesketh said "that's the end of this walking stuff" in the top of the fifth inning as Guillen flied out to center to start. Cora singled to right but Johnson flied out to left. Thomas once again took strike three to end the inning. The BoSox iced the game in the bottom of the fifth as they were handed a gift to begin. Cora booted a routine grounder by Richardson and allowed Jeff to reach on an error. Fletcher sacrifice bunted him to second and Zupcic drew a walk. Greenwell singled home Richardson to add to the lead. The White Sox made another error when nobody called "I got it" on a pop up by Dawson, letting the ball drop and Zupcic score. It was credited as an rbi single but there was no mistaking Vaughn's rbi double down the right field line that scored Greenwell and chase McCaskill from the game. Don Pall came in to get Calderon to ground out to third and Cooper to fly out to left to end the inning but the BoSox were ahead 5-0.
Hesketh stayed tough in the top of the sixth as Bell flied out to left to start. Ventura grounded out to second and Burks grounded out to third to end the inning. The Sox threatened again in the bottom of the sixth although Melvin grounded out to second to start. Richardson grounded out to short but Fletcher and Zupcic stroked back to back singles. Greenwell popped up to second to end the inning.
Hesketh got Jackson to strike out swinging to begin the top of the seventh before getting Karkovice to fly out to right. Guillen gronded out to short to end the inning. Bobby Thigpen replaced Pall for the bottom of the seventh and the first thing he did was plunk Dawson. Dawson had to be hauled off on a gurney and Ernie Riles pinch ran for him. Vaughn whiffed but Calderon singled to left. Cooper banged into a double play to end the inning.
Hesketh returned for one more inning in the top of the eighth although Cora greeted him with a single. Cora was erased on the Johnson force before Thomas flied out to right. Bell lined out to center to end the inning. That was it for Joe who shook off the walks to toss 8 shutout innings, he was outstanding.
Roberto Hernandez took over on the mound with Mike Huff now in right to begin the bottom of the eighth. Melvin watched strike three go by before Richardson struck out swinging. Fletcher flied out to center to end the inning.
Tony Fossas had mop up duty in the top of the ninth but fell flat on his face. Ventura walked before a passed ball moved him to second. Huff whiffed but Jackson singled Ventura to chase Fossas. Butch Hobson staggered out of the dugout and fell down before bringing in closer Jeff Russell. Karkovice singled home Ventura but Guillen beat out a double play ball to keep the game going. A passed ball moved Guillen to second but Russell blew away Cora to end the game. The BoSox had defeated the ChiSox 5-1.
Hero of the Night is Joe Hesketh. The lefty earned his second win with an incredible effort of 8 innings of shutout ball. He walked 6 but allowed just 3 hits.
The Good:
Scott Fletcher was 2 for 4 with a run scored.
Bob Zupcic was 2 for 2 with 2 walks and 2 runs scored.
Mike Greenwell was 2 for 4 with 2 rbis and a run scored.
Andre Dawson was 1 for 3 with 2 rbis.
Mo Vaughn was 2 for 3 with a walk and an rbi.
Ivan Calderon was 2 for 4.
Jeff Russell got the final 2 outs of the top of the ninth.
The Bad:
Scott Cooper was 0 for 4.
Bob Melvin was 0 for 4.
Tony Fossas was charged with a run in just 1/3 of an inning.
The Ugly:
Jeff Richardson was 0 for 4 but scored a run.
Honorable Mention:
Ernie Riles pinch ran for Dawson in the bottom of the eighth.
Final Thoughts:
The BoSox are going to need other starters to step up this season and for one day, Hesketh did. I don't know why Sox manager Butch Hobson insists on putting Fossas out against right handed batters because he clearly is a better situational lefty. The offense put some runs on the board but the bottom of the order doesn't look scary at all. Still, a win is a win and so far the Sox have had a good start to the season. If Russell can have a good year, he can finish what a lot of guys start. Tomorrow afternoon the BoSox look to make it two in a row over the ChiSox when they send Frank Viola (2-0) to the mound up against Rod Bolton at 1:05 PM at Fenway Park.
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