David Cone took the mound in the top of the first inning and Scott Fletcher flied to center to begin. Billy Hatcher grounded out to short and Mike Greenwell flied out to left to end the inning. Viola got the start in the bottom of the first inning and the Royals immediately pounced. Brian McRae singled and Jose Lind doubled him home. George Brett grounded out and Lind broke for home on the Felix Jose grounder to short. Luis Rivera fired home.....YERRRRR OUT! Jose swiped second but Wally Joyner flied out to left to end the inning. Rivera saved a run and it was 1-0 Kansas City.
The Sox missed a huge chance to tie the game in the top of the second inning. Andre Dawson doubled but did not score on the Mo Vaughn double. Cone got two huge outs when Ivan Calderon and Scott Cooper both struck out. Tony Pena flied out to right to end the inning. What a waste. Viola recovered for the bottom of the second inning. Harold McReynolds hit a comebacker right to Viola for the out. Mike McFarlane singled but was thrown out trying to steal. Phil Hiatt struck out to end the inning.
Cone breezed through the top of the third inning as Rivera popped up to start. Fletcher and Hatcher both struck out to end the inning. Viola matched Cone in the bottom of the third inning as both Greg Gagne and McRae struck out to begin. Lind grounded out to end the inning.
The Sox tied the game in the top of the fourth inning. Greenwell doubled and Dawson singled him home to tie the game. Vaughn banged into a double play and Calderon grounded out to end the inning but it was now 1-1.
Viola cruised in the bottom of the fourth inning. Brett lined out to left, Jose grounded out to short and Joyner popped up to end the inning.
Cone dominated the top of the fifth as Cooper grounded right back to the mound to start. Pena singled but Rivera hit into a double play to end the inning. Viola matched Cone in the bottom of the fifth inning as McReynolds popped up to start. MacFarlane grounded out and Hiatt struck out to end the inning.
The Sox took the lead in the top of the sixth inning as Fletcher smacked a triple to lead off the inning. Hatcher walked and Greenwell grounded into a force at first, scoring Fletcher. Andre Dawson popped up but Vaughn walked to load the bases. Calderon flied out to end the inning but the Sox had a 2-1 lead.
Viola started the bottom of the sixth inning by getting Gagne to fly out to center to start. McRae grounded out to second and Lin grounded out to short to end the inning.
Cone returned for the top of the seventh and Cooper grounded to second to start. Pena singled but Rivera popped up. Fletcher singled and Pena tried to motor all the way around from first....but was thrown out at home to end the inning. Viola returned for the bottom of the seventh and Brett greeted him with a single. Jose flied out to right and Joyner banged into a double play to end the inning.
Cone came back for one final inning in the top of the eighth inning. Hatcher grounded out to short and Greenwell flied to right. Dawson flied out to right to end the inning. Viola returned for the bottom of the eighth inning and McReynolds flied out to center to start. MacFarlane lined to third but Hiatt walked. Gagne grounded out to second to end the inning. Viola had thrown 8 innings of 1 run ball, outstanding.
The Sox added some insurance in the top of the ninth inning against Rusty Meachem when Vaughn singled to start. Calderon tried to bunt his way on but popped it up for the out. Vaughn then tried to steal second and MacFarlane threw the ball away, moving Vaughn to third. Cooper doubled home Vaughn but Pena grounded out. Rivera reached on an error and Fletcher was plunked to load the bases. Hatcher hit a comebacker to the mound to end the inning, but it was 3-1 Sox.
Bob Zupcic took over in left as Jeff Russell came in to pitch the bottom of the ninth. McRae doubled and Russell uncorked a wild pitch to move him to third. Lind grounded to short but McRae held. Brett hit a sac fly to score McRae to cut the lead to one. Russell blew away Jose to end the game. The Sox had won it 3-2.
Hero of the Night is Frank Viola. He was outstanding by pitching 8 innings of 1 run ball to out-duel David Cone. He allowed just 4 hits and a walk while striking out 4.
The Good:
Scott Fletcher was 2 for 4 with a run scored and an HBP.
Andre Dawson was 2 for 4 with an rbi.
Mo Vaughn was 2 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.
Tony Pena was 2 for 4.
The Bad:
Ivan Calderon was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Luis Rivera was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
The Ugly:
Billy Hatcher was 0 for 4 but walked.
Mike Greenwell was just 1 for 4 but drove in a run and scored.
Scott Cooper was just 1 for 4 but drove in a run.
Jeff Russell allowed a 9th inning run but earned the save.
Honorable Mention:
Bob Zupzic played left field in the bottom of the ninth.
Final Thoughts:
Its too bad these guys can't pitch like this all year, otherwise the black hole offense wouldn't really matter. As it is that's 2 consecutive wins due to outstanding starting pitching. Still, Kevin Appier and David Cone aren't pushovers so the Sox will glady take the W's against them. It would be nice for the Sox to score some extra runs for a change next time. Tomorrow night Joe Hesketh makes his season debut opposite Mark Gubicza at 7:30 PM in Kansas City.
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