Ryan took the mound in the top of the first inning and the Sox proceeded to beat the ball in the dirt. Scott Fletcher was retired on a squibber in front of the mound before Scott Cooper and Mike Greenwell both grounded out to second to end the inning. Dopson came out firing in the bottom of the first inning, striking out both David Hulse and Rafael Palmeiro. Jose Canseco flied out to center to end the inning.
The Sox had one of their only chances in the game in the top of the second inning. Andre Dawson doubled to lead off but Mo Vaughn flied out to left. Ivan Calderon walked and Bob Zupcic singled in the hole at short to load the bases. The rally ended abruptly as Tony Pena banged into a double play to end the inning. Dopson ran into trouble in the bottom of the second although Juan Gonzalez grounded out to short to start. Julio Franco singled to left but Dean Palmer struck out. Ivan Rodriguez walked but Benji Gil struck out to end the inning. That's 4 k's for Dopson in two innings.
The Sox struck first by accident in the top of the third inning. Luis Rivera struck out and Fletcher popped up to second but Cooper singled. Cooper took off for second and Pudge Rodriguez managed to throw the ball into the centerfield bleachers to score Cooper. Greenwell walked but Dawson flied out to left to end the inning with the Sox up 1-0.
The Rangers answered right back in the bottom of the third inning. Billy Ripken hit a ground ball to Cooper at third and the ball deflected away, allowing Ripken to scoot into second base. Hulse dropped down a sacrifice bunt to advance Ripken to third and Palmero singled Billy home to tie the game. Palmero took off for second and Pena decided to turn around and throw the ball at the Texas Rangers batboy for no apparent reason, advancing Palmero to third. Canseco popped up to center and Gonzalez struck out to end the inning but it was now 1-1.
Ryan took control in the top of the fourth inning by striking out both Vaughn and Calderon to start. Zupcic hit one up the elevator shaft to end the inning. Dopson matched Ryan in the bottom of the fourth as Franco flied out to right to start. Palmer struck out and Rodriguez lined out to second to end the inning.
The Sox did nothing in the top of the fifth inning as Pena grounded out to second, Rivera watched strike three go by and Fletcher popped up to first to end the inning. Dopson kept pace in the bottom of the fifth inning by striking out Gil to start. Ripken and Hulse both grounded out back to the mound to end the inning.
The Sox had a chance to take the lead but wasted it in the top of the sixth inning. Cooper watched strike three go by and Greenwell flied out to center before the Rangers made a boo-boo. Dawson hit a routine pop up to Ripken but he dove for it and missed, allowing Dawson to reach second with a credited double. A wild pitch moved Andre to third but Vaughn grounded out to short to end the inning. The end came quickly for Dopson in the bottom of the sixth when Palmeiro smashed a 37,000 foot home run to Sommerville and Canseco hit a 450,000 foot home run to Providence. Sox manager Butch Hobson stumbled out onto the field and tried to take the ball from second baseman Scott Fletcher when Scott had to point at Dopson standing on the mound totally confused. Dopson was game but was given the quick hook after 5 innings and 3 runs allowed.
Harris put out the fire as Gonzalez lined out to center and Franco struck out. Palmer flied out to center to end the inning with the Rangers leading 3-1.
That was it for the old man as Matt Whiteside took over in the top of the seventh inning. Calderon and Zupcic struck out before Pena grounded out to first to end the inning. Harris walked Rodriguez to begin the bottom of the seventh and Gil sacrifice bunted Ivan to second. Ripken grounded out back to the mound and Hulse grounded out to second to end the inning.
Kenny Rogers took over for the top of the eighth and Ernie Riles saw his name on the batting order pinch hitting for Rivera and went to the plate but all of a sudden Hobson realized he penciled in the wrong guy so he bolted out of the dugout and tackled Riles to the ground, sending in a confused Jeff Richardson to pinch hit instead. Richardson flied out to center, Fletcher popped up to second and Cooper struck out to end the inning. Harris returned for the bottom of the eighth and got Palmeiro to ground out to second to start. Canseco walked and stole second but Gonzalez struck out. Franco was intentionally walked and Palmer popped up to second to end the inning.
Rogers came back to pitch to Greenwell in the top of the ninth and got him to fly out to right. Tom Henke came in to finish the job and Dawson singled to bring the dying run to the plate. That was it as Vaughn and Calderon grounded out to end the game. The Rangers had won it 3-1.
Jackass of the Night is Mo Vaughn. He was 0 for 4 and came up to bat 3 times with men on base and failed each time.
The Good:
Andre Dawson was 3 for 4.
Bob Zupcic was 1 for 3.
Greg Harris tossed 4 shutout innings.
The Bad:
Scott Fletcher was 0 for 4.
Tony Pena was 0 for 3 with an error.
Luis Rivera was 0 for 2 with 2 strikeouts.
Jeff Richardson was 0 for 1 as a pinch hitter.
The Ugly:
Scott Cooper was just 1 for 4 but scored a run.
Mike Greenwell was 0 for 3 with a walk.
Ivan Calderon was 0 for 3 with a walk.
John Dopson took the loss by pitching 5 innings of 3 run ball. With better run support, he may have won the game.
Honorable Mention:
Ernie Riles was scheduled to pinch hit in the top of the eighth.
Final Thoughts:
This game is a reminder of the incompetence of last year's team. Dopson and Harris pitched well but the Sox couldn't generate any offense, and really can anyone expect any different? Andre Dawson was an upgrade over Jack Clark but that's like getting rid of a 1978 Ford Fairmont with a 1979 model. Average hitters such as Scott Fletcher and Ivan Calderon aren't going to help in the long run so the Sox better have the season of their lives on the mound. Luckily the ace goes tomorrow night as "Rocket" Roger Clemens (1-0) takes on Craig Lefferts at 7:30 PM at Arlington Park.
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