"Rocket" Roger Clemens got the start for the Sox and he got Thomas Howard to fly out to left to begin the top of the first inning. Jeff Treadway flied out to center and Carlos Baerga flied out to center as well to end the inning. Jose Mesa got the start for the Indians and Scott Fletcher began the bottom of the first by popping up to first. Billy Hatcher also popped up to first and Mike Greenwell grounded out to second to end the inning.
The Indians struck first in the top of the second although Albert Belle popped up to first to start. Paul Sorrento flied out to center but Reggie Jefferson doubled to left. Glenallen Hill singled home Jefferson to give the Indians the lead. Felix Fermin grounded out to third to end the inning with the Indians up 1-0.
The Sox answered quickly in the bottom of the second when Andre Dawson launched his first home run of the season and 400th of his career into the screen in left to tie the game. Mo Vaughn grounded out to short but Carlos Quintana singled to right. Scott Cooper banged into a double play to end the inning but the game was tied 1-1.
Clemens got Junior Ortiz to ground out to third to open the top of the third before Howard grounded out to second. Treadway beat out an infield single to third but Baerga grounded out to third to end the inning. Mesa cruised in the bottom of the third as Tony Pena looked at strike three to start. Luis Rivera whiffed before Fletcher lined out to center to end the inning.
The Indians threatened in the top of the fourth inning although Belle flied out to center to start. Sorrento looked at strike three but Jefferson singled. Hill and Fermin both singled to load the bases. Ortiz grounded out to second to end the inning. Mesa dominated the bottom of the fourth as Hatcher grounded out to second to start. Greenwell flied out to center and Dawson grounded out to short to end the inning.
The Indians struck again in the top of the fifth although Howard grounded out to second to start. Treadway doubled to left but Baerga grounded out to third. Belle singled in Treadway to give the Indians the lead. Sorrento walked but Jefferson whiffed to end the inning with the Indians leading 2-1.
Once again the Sox took just seconds to tie the game when Vaughn smashed his second home run of the season to start the bottom of the fifth. Quintana watched strike three go by, Cooper whiffed and Pena grounded back to the mound to end the inning with the game tied 2-2.
Clemens cruised in the top of the sixth as he froze Hill for strike three to start. Fermin grounded out to first before Ortiz grounded out to second to end the inning. Mesa matched Clemens in the bottom of the sixth as Rivera hit one up the elevator shaft to start. Fletcher whiffed and Hatcher popped up in foul territory to end the inning.
Clemens dominated the top of the seventh as Howard grounded out to first to begin. Treadway flied out to center before Baerga grounded out to first to end the inning. Mesa kept pace in the bottom of the seventh as Greenwell popped up to short to begin. Dawson was retired on a squibber in front of the plate and Vaughn grounded out to third to end the inning.
Clemens got Belle to line out to right to open the top of the eighth before Sorrento whiffed. Jefferson singled before Hill whiffed to end the inning. Mesa cruised in the bottom of the eighth as Quintana flied out to left to begin. Cooper whiffed and Pena grounded out to third to end the inning.
Kenny Lofton pinch hit for Fermin to start the top of the ninth and grounded out to short. Ortiz grounded out to second and Howard whiffed to end the inning. That was it for Clemens who would have had a complete game but had to leave after allowing 9 hits and 2 runs while striking out 6.
Alvaro Espinoza took over at short as Ernie Riles pinch hit for Rivera to begin the bottom of the ninth. Riles doubled to center to put the winning run at second and moved to third on the sacrifice bunt by Fletcher. All off a sudden Riles got picked off coming home and there went that rally. The kick in the ass was Hatcher singled which would have been the winning hit but Greenwell grounded out to second to end the inning. On to extra innings we go.
Greg Harris got the call for the top of the tenth and Treadway singled to to center. Baerga forced Treadway at second but a wild pitch moved Carlos to second. Belle whiffed and Sox manager Butch Hobson stumbled out of the dugout to bring in Tony Fossas to face Sorrento. Fossas did the job as Sorrento popped up to left to end the inning. Mesa came out for one more batter in the bottom of the tenth and got Dawson to ground out to short to begin. Derek Lilliquist came in and Vaughn greeted him with a single. Quintana flied out to center but Cooper singled to put the winning run at second. Eric Plunk came in with Ivan Calderon pinch hitting for Pena. Calderon grounded out to second to end the inning.
The Indians almost took the lead against Ken Ryan in the top of the eleventh with Bob Melvin now behind the plate. Jefferson grounded out to second but Hill singled to short. Hill swiped second and third but Ryan got a big strikeout of Espinoza. Carlos Martinez pinch hit for Ortiz only to line out to second to end the inning. Sandy Alomar took over behind the plate for the bottom of the eleventh and Richardson grounded out to second to start. Fletcher looked at strike three and Hatcher grounded out to second to end the inning.
The Indians almost took the lead again in the top of the 12th when Howard doubled to start. Paul Quantrill came in for Ryan and got Treadway to pop up to third to begin. Baerga was intentionally walked but Belle banged into a double play to end the inning. The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the 12th as Greenwell flied out to left to start. Dawson and Vaughn both whiffed to end the inning.
The Indians took command in the top of the 13th inning as Sorrento doubled to start. Jefferson was intentionally walked and Hill dropped down a bunt to advance both runners. Hatcher made a great catch to rob Espinoza of extra bases, but Sorrento scored and Jefferson moved to third to give the Indians the lead. Alomar flied out to right to end the inning with the Indians ahead 3-2.
The Sox refused to go quietly in the bottom of the 13th inning as Quintana singled to start. Bob Zupcic ran for Quintana and Cooper singled him to third. Melvin lined out to right but Zupcic scored to tie the game. Richardson then doubled into the right field corner to score Cooper with the winning run. The Sox had won the game in 13 innings 4-3.
Hero of the Night is Jeff Richardson. His rbi double was the game winning hit.
The Good:
Mo Vaughn was 2 for 5 with a solo home run.
Carlos Quintana was 2 for 5.
Bob Zupcic scored the tying run in the 13th inning.
Scott Cooper was 2 for 5 and scored the winning run.
Bob Melvin drove in the tying run.
Roger Clemens pitched 9 innings of 2 run ball while allowing 9 hits and struck out 6.
Greg Harris got the first two outs of the 10th inning.
Tony Fossas retired the only man he faced.
Ken Ryan tossed a scoreless inning.
The Bad:
Scott Fletcher was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Mike Greenwell was 0 for 5.
Tony Pena was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.
Luis Rivera was 0 for 2 with a strikeout.
Ivan Calderon was 0 for 1 as a pinch hitter.
The Ugly:
Billy Hatcher was just 1 for 5.
Andre Dawson was just 1 for 5 but the one hit was a solo home run.
Ernie Riles doubled as a pinch hitter but got himself thrown out at home.
Paul Quantrill got the win but gave up the go-ahead run in the 13th.
Final Thoughts:
What a game. For the most part the Sox offense was limited to the two solo home runs until the game winning rally off Plunk in the 13th. Its unfortunate the Sox wasted a 9 inning gem by Clemens but give credit to Jose Mesa for keeping pace. The Sox got some clutch pitching to get out of the jams they were in and a win is a win, doesn't matter who its against or how much. The Sox are off to a good start this year and hopefully Dawson's bat can replace what Jack Clark was 2 years ago. Tomorrow evening the Chicago White Sox are in town with Jack McDowell on the mound taking on Danny Darwin (0-1) of the Red Sox. The game begins at 6:05 PM at Fenway Park.
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