The Sox wasted no time getting to Kamieniecki in the top of the first as Scott Fletcher doubled to left to start. Mike Greenwell tried to sacrifice Fletcher to third with a bunt but ended up on first with a hit. Tim Naehring singled home Fletcher, advanced Greenwell to third and stole second on the Mo Vaughn strikeout. Rob Deer took strike three but Scott Cooper singled home both Greenwell and Naehring to increase the lead. Billy Hatcher flied out to right to end the inning with the Sox ahead 3-0.
Viola cruised in the bottom of the first as Wade Boggs lined out to right to start. Jim Leyritz popped up to second and Don Mattingly flied out to left to end the inning.
The Sox got another run in the top of the second as John Valentin walked to start. Tony Pena sacrificed John to second with a bunt before Fletcher walked. Greenwell singled to load the bases and a wild pitch scored Valentin, moving the other runners into scoring position. Naehring popped up to first and Vaughn was intentionally walked to load the bases. Deer whiffed to end the inning with the Sox up 4-0.
Danny Tartabull grounded out to third to start the bottom of the second but Mike Stanley lined out to left. Bernie Williams waked but Paul O'Neill grounded out to short to end the inning.
Cooper beat out an infield single to open the top of the third before he was sacrificed to second by Hatcher. Valentin singled Cooper to third before Pena was hit with a pitch to load the bases. Fletcher banged into a double play to end the game. The Yankees fought back in the bottom of the third as Mike Gallego crushed a 6,000 foot home run to cut the lead. Randy Velarde flied out to left before Boggs whiffed. Leyritz singled to center but Mattingly grounded out to short to end the inning with the Yankees down 4-1.
Greenwell popped up to short to begin the top of the fourth but Naehring doubled to right. Vaughn was intentionally walked but Deer banged into a double play to end the inning. Viola cruised in the bottom of the fourth as Tartabull lined out to right to begin. Stanley also lined out to right and Williams whiffed to end the inning.
The Sox knocked Kamieniecki out in the top of the fifth although Cooper flied out to center to begin. Hatcher singled and Valentin dropped down a bunt, but Boggs threw the ball away allowing Hatcher to reach third. Pena popped up to second but Fletcher singled home Hatcher to increase the lead and chase Kamieniecki. Steve Howe came in and Greenwell grounded out to third to end the inning with the Sox ahead 5-1.
Viola got the Yankees to beat the ball in the dirt in the bottom of the fifth as O'Neill grounded out to second to begin. Gallego grounded out to short and Velarde grounded back to the mound to end the inning. That was it for Viola who didn't last long but tossed 5 innings of 1 run ball to earn the win.
The Sox got another run in the top of the sixth although Naehring grounded out to second to begin. Vaughn doubled to left and Deer doubled him home to add to the lead. Deer moved to third on the grounder by Cooper before Hatcher whiffed to end the inning with the Sox ahead 6-1.
Scott Bankhead came in for the bottom of the sixth and Boggs lined out to center to start. Dion James pinch hit for Leyritz and hit one up the elevator shaft before Mattingly doubled to center. Tartabull whiffed to end the inning.
James took over in left with O'Neill moving to right for the top of the seventh as Valentin flied out to center to start. Pena lined out to center and Fletcher lined out to right to end the inning. The Yankees struck again in the bottom of the seventh as Stanley walked to start. Williams flied out to left but O'Neill forced Stanley at second. Gallego singled O'Neill to third and Velarde singled home Stanley to cut the lead. Sox manager Butch Hobson did the Bushwhacker march out of the dugout and tried to take the ball from Valentin before the puzzled John showed him where the mound was. Tony Fossas was summoned to face Boggs and he punched him out to end the inning with the Sox still ahead 6-2.
Paul Assenmacher took over for the top of the eighth and Bob Zupcic pinch hit for Greenwell. Zupcic flied out to left before Naehring grounded out to third. Vaughn was hit by a pitch but Deer earned a hat trick with his 3rd strikeout of the game to end the inning. The Yankees came roaring back in the bottom of the eighth as James singled and Mattingly walked to start. Hobson moonwalked out of the dugout and brought in Ken Ryan to pitch. Tartabull walked to load the bases with nobody out before Stanley scored James with a sac fly. Hobson then sprinted out of the dugout because he realized he brought in the wrong reliever, pulling Ryan for Greg Harris. Williams popped up to second but Matt Nokes pinch hit for O'Neill, getting a base hit to score Mattingly. Gerald Williams pinch ran for
Nokes but Gallego grounded into a force to end the inning with the Yankees down 6-4.
Cooper singled to right to open the top of the ninth and chase Assenmacher. Steve Farr came in and Hatcher walked before Valentin dropped down a bunt to move the runners over. Ernie Riles pinch hit for Pena and was intentionally walked to load the bases. Jeff McNeely ran for Riles but Fletcher banged into a double play to end the inning. The Yankees rallied in the bottom of the ninth with Bob Melvin now behind the plate for the Sox. Velarde took strike three and Boggs flied out to left, but James singled to left. Mattingly doubled to put the tying run at second and Andy Stankiewicz pinch ran for Mattingly. Tartabull walked to load the bases but Stanley whiffed to end the game. The Sox survived by the skin of their teeth to win 6-4.
Hero of the Night is Greg Harris. The Yankees were charging and Harris slammed the door in their faces.
The Good:
Scott Fletcher was 2 for 5 with a walk, rbi and a run scored.
Mike Greenwell was 2 for 4 with a run scored.
Tim Naehring was 2 for 5 with an rbi, run scored and stolen base.
Mo Vaughn was 1 for 2 with 2 walks, a hit by pitch and he scored a run.
Scott Cooper was 3 for 5 with 2 rbis.
Billy Hatcher was 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.
John Valentin was 2 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.
Ernie Riles walked as a pinch hitter.
Frank Viola earned his 11th win with 5 innings of 1 run ball.
The Bad:
Bob Zupcic was 0 for 1 as a pinch hitter.
Tony Fossas was charged with 2 runs in 1/3 of an inning.
The Ugly:
Rob Deer was just 1 for 5 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts but drove in a run.
Tony Pena was 0 for 2 but was hit with a pitch.
Scott Bankhead allowed a run in 1 2/3 innings.
Ken Ryan allowed an inherited runner to score but none of his own in 1/3 of an inning.
Honorable Mention:
Jeff McNeely pinch ran for Riles in the top of the ninth.
Bob Melvin caught the bottom of the ninth.
Final Thoughts:
Zippadee doo dah the Sox beat the Yankees. Too bad the Sox didn't fall apart at the end of August or else this game would have been a lot more meaningful. Still, if this win helps keep the Yankees out of the post-season, at least there's something positive about this win. The bullpen was horrible and some of the guys in the lineup were a snooze, but the Sox still found a way to win. The win improved the Sox to 76-70, nowhere near first place in the AL East race. Tomorrow night the Sox look to make it 2 in a row against the Yankees when they send Aaron Sele to the mound up against Sterling Hitchcock at 7:30 PM at Yankee Stadium.