Clemens got the ball in the top of the first inning and Tim Raines led off with a grounder to second. Joey Cora flied out to center but Frank Thomas walked. Julio Franco forced Frank at second to end the inning. Fernandez got the ball in the bottom of the first as Otis Nixon lined out to center to begin. Hatcher beat out a roller to short but Mike Greenwell forced Billy at second. Mo Vaughn drew a walk but Andre Dawson forced Mo at second to end the inning.
Robin Ventura took strike three to start the top of the second but some idiot grabbed a ball hit by Dan Pasqua for a ground rule double. Lance Johnson lined out to left and Mike Lavalliere grounded back to the mound to end the inning. Boston struck first in the bottom of the second as Scott Cooper grounded out to second to start. Naehring then clubbed his second home run of the season to put the BoSox on top. Damon Berryhill doubled to right, John Valentin walked and Nixon got a base hit to left to score Damon for another run. Hatcher grounded into a double play to end the inning but Boston now led 2-0.
Ozzie Guillen grounded out to third to start the top of the third and Raines took strike three. Cora grounded out to short to end the inning. Greenwell struck out swinging to open the bottom of the third but Vaughn ripped a base hit to left. Dawson hit into a double play to end the inning.
Thomas popped up to second to start the top of the fourth before Franco grounded out to short. Ventura grounded out to second to end the inning. Cooper flied out to right to start the bottom of the fourth before Naehring flied out to right. Berryhill took strike three to end the inning.
Clemens blew away Pasqua and Johnson to start the top of the fifth and LaValliere flied out to center to end the inning. Valentin flied out to center to start the bottom of the fifth and Nixon lined out to short. Hatcher singled to center but Greenwell struck out swinging to end the inning.
Guillen grounded out to short to start the top of the sixth before Raines struck out swinging. Cora struck out swinging to end the inning. Vaughn hit a seeing eye single up the middle to start the bottom of the sixth but Dawson popped up to third in foul territory. Cooper lined out to center and Vaughn was thrown out at second trying to steal to end the inning.
The White Sox got one back in the top of the seventh as Thomas hit a home run all the way to El Savador to cut the lead. Franco grounded out to first, Ventura grounded back to the mound and Pasqua flied out to center to end the inning with the White Sox down 2-1.
The Sox iced the game in the bottom of the seventh as Naehring singled to right to start. Berryhill popped up the bunt to the catcher but Valentin ripped a base hit to center to put runners at the corners. Nixon walked to load the bases and Hatcher scored Naehring and Valentin with a double to left. That was it for Fernandez as Paul Assenmacher came in to face Greenwell. Mike scored Nixon with a sac fly but Vaughn popped up to third to end the inning with the Sox up 5-1.
Hatcher with a big double
Johnson grounded out to short to start the top of the eighth and LaValliere singled to left. Guillen popped up to short and Raines grounded out to second to end the inning. Jose DeLeon came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Dawson grounded out to short to start. Cooper singled to right but Naehring flied out to center. Berryhill doubled to left and Valentin was hit with a pitch to load the bases, but Nixon struck out swinging to end the inning.
For some reason Red Sox manager Butch Hobson brought in Greg Harris to close out the top of the ninth and Cora grounded back to the mound to start. Thomas walked and Franco belted a home run to the moon to cut the lead. Hobson brought in Tony Fossas to face Ventura and Tony struck him out swinging. White Sox manager Gene Lamont sent Joe Hall to pinch hit for Pasqua but Hobson countered by bringing in closer Jeff Russell to face him. Lamont countered with Warren Newson to pinch hit for Hall but Russell got him to line out to left to end the game. The Red Sox had won it 5-3.
Hero of The Night is Roger Clemens. He powered past the White Sox allowing just 1 run in 8 innings of work. He allowed 3 hits and a walk while striking out six batters.
The Good:
John Valentin was 1 for 2 with a walk, hit by pitch and a run scored.
Billy Hatcher was 3 for 4 with 2 rbis.
Mo Vaughn was 2 for 3 with a walk.
Tim Naehring was 2 for 4 with a home run and 2 total runs scored.
Damon Berryhill was 2 for 4 with a run scored.
Tony Fossas struck out the only man he faced.
Jeff Russell retired the only man he faced to earn the save.
The Bad:
Andre Dawson was 0 for 4.
Greg Harris allowed 2 runs in 1/3 of an inning.
The Ugly:
Otis Nixon was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but walked, drove in a run and scored a run.
Mike Greenwell was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts but drove in a run.
Scott Cooper was just 1 for 4.
Final Thoughts:
I don't know why Sox manager Butch Hobson keeps playing with fire in the ninth inning. Jeff Russell is supposed to be the closer so why did he have Harris in there? Having Tony Fossas come in for one batter is fine but Russell is your guy. Things worked out this time but, have mercy. The offense was a balanced attack for this one and the combination of speed, contact and power is working to perfection so far this season. Hatcher, Vaughn and Naehring are hot right now and it comes at a good time as the Sox look to have a damn good April. Clemens finally looked like himself and the Sox needed it big time. Not much to complain about in this one apart from Hobson using Harris to start the ninth instead of Russell. The Sox really let Joe Morgan go after the 91 season for him? The Sox look to make it two in a row against the White Sox tomorrow afternoon when Frank Viola takes on Scott Sanderson of Chicago. The game begins at 1:05 PM at Fenway Park.
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