The Indians struck first in the top of the first against Sox starter John Dopson although Thomas Howard grounded out to short to start. Felix Fermin grounded out to third but Carlos Baerga crushed a 15,000 foot home run to give the Indians the lead. Albert Belle looked at strike three to end the inning with the Indians up 1-0.
The Sox failed to respond in the bottom of the first against starter Mike Bielecki as Scott Fletcher popped up to second to start. Billy Hatcher and Mike Greenwell both struck out swinging to end the inning.
The Indians struck again in the top of the second inning as Paul Sorrento doubled to start. Sorrento moved to third on the Carlos Martinez grounder and scored on the Reggie Jefferson single. Glenallen Hill hit a routine grounder to Scott Cooper who picked the ball up and did the antler dance with it for an error. Hatcher then made a great play to rob Sandy Alomar of extra bases and double off Jefferson at second to end the inning with the Indians up 2-0.
The Sox struck back in the bottom of the second although Andre Dawson grounded back to the mound to start. Vaughn doubled to left and moved to third on the Carlos Quintana grounder and Cooper atoned for his error by scoring Vaughn with a base hit. Bob Melvin grounded back to the mound to end the inning but the Sox were down 2-1.
The Indians got to Dopson again in the top of the third as Howard singled and Fermin singled him to third. Baerga flied out to center but Howard scored to increase the lead. Belle lined out to left and Sorrento grounded to second to end the inning with the Indians ahead 3-1.
The Sox roared back in the bottom of the third as Luis Rivera doubled to start the inning before he swiped third. Fletcher looked at strike three but Hatcher doubled home Rivera. Greenwell beat out an infield single to advance Billy to third and Dawson walked to load the bases. Vaughn delivered with a base hit to score Hatcher and Greenwell to give the Sox the lead. Quintana popped up to second but Cooper walked to re-load the bases. Melvin grounded out to second to end the inning but the Sox led 4-3
Right on cue the Indians fought back in the top of the fourth as Martinez doubled to start. Jefferson whiffed but Hill walked. Alomar looked at strike three but Howard singled home Martinez to tie the game. Fermin flied out to right to end the inning but it was 4-4.
The Sox exploded in the bottom of the fourth as Rivera looked at strike three to start. Fletcher walked but Hatcher flied out to right. Fletcher swiped second and Greenwell was intentionally walked. Dawson made the Indians pay with a base hit to score Fletcher with the go-ahead run. That was it for Bielecki as Dennis Cook was brought in. Vaughn doubled home Greenwell and Dawson to increase the lead. Quintana walked and Cooper doubled home both Vaughn and Quintana and chase Cook. Tom Kramer came in to pitch and Melvin doubled home Cooper. Rivera looked at strike three to end the inning but the Sox now led 10-4.
Sox manager Butch Hobson had enough of Dopson giving up runs and brought in Joe Hesketh (1-0) to pitch the top of the fifth inning. Baerga singled but Belle popped up to first. Sorrento hit a picture perfect double play ball to second but Rivera dropped the transfer throw for an error and everyone was safe. Luckily Hesketh got Martinez to bang into a double play to end the inning. The Sox were silenced in the bottom of the fifth although Fletcher walked to start. Hatcher flied out to center, Greenwell flied out to right and Dawson grounded back to the mound to end the inning.
Scott Bankhead took the mound in the top of the sixth inning and the first thing he did was give up a 14,000 foot home run to Jefferson. Hill whiffed, Alomar lined out to right and Howard whiffed to end the inning with the Indians closer 10-5.
Mike Christopher took over for Cleveland in the bottom of the sixth and Vaughn singled to start. Quintana and Cooper stroked back to back singles to load the bases with nobody out but Melvin lined out to second and Vaughn was doubled off third. Rivera popped up to second to end the inning.
Bankhead came back for the top of the seventh to give up another run. Fermin flied out to center and Baerga popped up to second but Belle crushed a 600,000 foot home run to cut into the lead. Sorrento grounded out to first to end the inning but the Sox were up 10-6.
Derek Lilliquist took the mound for the bottom of the seventh and the Sox struck again. Fletcher hit a ground rule double and Hatcher doubled him home. Greenwell singled home Hatcher and it was time to take some starters out. Ivan Calderon pinch hit for Dawson to spell his knees and Bob Zupcic pinch ran for Greenwell to give him the rest of the game off. Calderon banged into a double play and Vaughn looked at strike three to end the inning with the Sox ahead 12-6.
Greg Harris took the mound in the top of the eighth inning and the Indians struck again. Martinez hit a routine grounder to Cooper who threw himself on the ball and tried to eat it for an error. Jefferson singled Carlos to third and Martinez scored on the Hill sac fly. Alomar banged into a double play to end the inning but it was 12-7 Sox.
Eric Plunk came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Quintana doubled to start. Cooper singled him to third but Melvin and Rivera both whiffed. Ernie Riles pinch hit for Fletcher and struck out swinging to end the inning.
Jeff Richardson took over at second with closer Jeff Russell on the mound to start the top of the ninth. Howard singled to start before Jeff Treadway pinch hit for Fermin only to fly out to right. Baerga banged into a double play to end the game. The Sox had won it 12-7.
Hero of the Night is Mo Vaughn. He was 4 for 5 with 4 total rbis and 2 runs scored.
The Good:
Scott Fletcher was 1 for 3 with 2 walks, a stolen base and 2 runs scored.
Billy Hatcher was 2 for 5 with 2 rbis and 2 runs scored.
Mike Greenwell was 2 for 4 with a walk, rbi and 2 runs scored.
Andre Dawson was 1 for 3 with a walk, rbi and a run scored.
Carlos Quintana was 2 for 4 with a walk and a run scored.
Scott Cooper was 4 for 4 with a walk, 3 rbi's and a run scored.
Joe Hesketh got the win with a scoreless 5th inning.
Jeff Russell pitched a scoreless 9th inning.
The Bad:
Ernie Riles struck out as a pinch hitter.
Ivan Calderon was 0 for 1 as a pinch hitter.
John Dopson was pulled after giving up 4 runs in 4 innings despite the huge lead.
Scott Bankhead allowed 2 runs in 2 innings.
Greg Harris allowed a run in the top of the 8th.
The Ugly:
Bob Melvin was just 1 for 5 but drove in a run.
Luis Rivera was just 1 for 5 but stole a base and scored a run.
Honorable Mention:
Bob Zupcic played left field the final two innings
Jeff Richardson played second in the top of the ninth.
Final Thoughts:
A rare offensive explosion from a team usually begging for offense. Then again when Hatcher and Fletcher are getting on base, its easier for the guys like Greenwell, Vaughn and Dawson to drive them in for the runs they need. The bottom of the order is near useless but there's not much that can be done. Unless they can develop a better hitting shortstop then they're going to go with what they got. Dopson sucked today as did Bankhead and Harris but the Sox had a big enough lead to overcome that. There will be other days where the offense won't be there so they'll need to tighten that up. All in all it was a good win and the Sox will look for the sweep tomorrow night with "Rocket" Roger Clemens going up against Jose Mesa at 6:05 PM at Fenway Park
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