The Tigers struck first against Darwin in the top of the first as Tony Phillips struck out swinging to start. Lou Whitaker singled to right but Eric Davis took strike three. Cecil Fielder hit a home run all the way to Nebraska to give the Tigers the lead. Travis Fryman struck out swinging to end the inning with the Tigers ahead 2-0.
Belcher took the mound in the bottom of the first and Otis Nixon ripped a base hit to left to start. Tim Naehring banged into a double play but Mike Greenwell tripled into the centerfield triangle. Mo Vaughn grounded out to first to end the inning.
The Tigers struck again in the top of the second as Mickey Tettleton hit a line drive to right, dropped by Greg Blosser in right for an error to send Mickey to third. Kirk Gibson hit a sac fly to score Tettleton and increase the lead. Alan Trammell and Scott Livingstone stroked back to back base hits but Phillips popped up to right. Whitaker grounded out to second to end the inning with the Tigers up 3-0.
The Sox struck back in the bottom of the second with Milt Cuyler now playing center. Andre Dawson singled to left but Scott Cooper struck out swinging. John Valentin popped up to second but the ball fell in to force Dawson at second and Damon Berryhill walked. Blosser atoned for his error with a base hit to left to score Valentin and cut the lead. Nixon singled to left to load the bases but Naehring flied out to right to end the inning with the Sox down 3-1.
Cuyler beat out an infield single to the mound to start the top of the third and stole second on the Fielder swinging strikeout. Fryman struck out swinging but Tettleton walked. Gibson flied out to center to end the inning. The Sox got power happy in the bottom of the third as Greenwell launched his second home run of the season to start. Vaughn doubled to left and Dawson crushed his second home run of the season to put the Sox in front. Cooper struck out swinging, Valentin lined out to left and Berryhill grounded back to the mound to end the inning with the Sox ahead 4-3.
Trammell singled to center to start the top of the fourth but Livingstone lined out to right. Phillips singled to left but was erased on the force by Whitaker to put runners at the corners. Cuyler struck out swinging to end the inning. The Sox struck again in the bottom of the fourth as Blosser walked to start. Nixon beat out a bunt down the first base line and Naehring sacrificed the runners over with a bunt of his own. Mike Greenwell was intentionally walked to load the bases and chase Belcher from the game. Bill Krueger was brought in to face Vaughn and he struck Mo out swinging. Old pal Mike Gardiner was brought in to face Dawson but Andre walked home Blosser to increase the lead. Cooper flied out to center to end the inning but it was 5-3 Sox.
Fielder grounded out to third to start the top of the fifth and Fryman flied out to left. Tettleton walked but Gibson flied out to right to end the inning. That was it for Darwin who lasted just 5 innings but left with the Sox in front.
Bill Gullickson took over for the bottom of the fifth and Valentin doubled to center to start. Berryhill scored Valentin with a double to left but was thrown out at third on a grounder to the mound by Blosser. Greg moved to third on the Nixon grounder but Naehring grounded out to short to end the inning with the Sox ahead 6-3.
Scott Bankhead took over for the top of the sixth and Trammell lined out to right to start. Livingstone singled to center but Phillips grounded into a double play to end the inning. Greenwell popped up to left to start the bottom of the sixth but Vaughn singled to right. Vaughn moved to second the on the grounder by Dawson and Cooper popped up to left to end the inning.
The Tigers inched closer in the top of the seventh when Whitaker hit a home run off Bankhead that landed in Lake Eerie to start. Cuyler lined out to right, Fielder grounded out to third and Fryman grounded out to short to end the inning. The Sox poured it on in the bottom of the seventh as Valentin popped up to third in foul territory to start. Berryhill singled to right and Lee Tinsley came in to run for him. Blosser flied out to left but Tinsley stole second base. Nixon walked and Naehring blasted his first home run of the season to ice the game. Greenwell was hit with a pitch and that was it for Gullickson. Greenwell had to be carried out on a stretcher, loaded into an ambulance and rushed to Mass General's ICU. Mike Henneman came in to pitch and Rich Rowland came in to run for Mike. Vaughn singled Rowland to third but Dawson flied out to right to end the inning with the Sox ahead 9-4.
Billy Hatcher replaced Blosser in right, Rowland took over behind the plate, Tinsley moved to left and Tony Fossas came in to pitch the top of the eighth. Tettleton walked and Danny Bautista pinch hit for Gibson. Bautista hit a home run all the way to Pawtucket, Rhode Island to cut the lead and that was it for Fossas. Greg Harris came in to pitch and Trammell grounded out to third before Livingstone popped up to third. Phillips struck out swinging to end the inning with the Tigers down 9-6.
Cooper flied out to left to start the bottom of the eighth but Valentin singled to left. Tinsley walked but Hatcher flied out to left. Nixon forced Tinsley at second to end the inning.
Harris came back to finish off the top of the ninth and Whitaker walked to start. Cuyler lined out to first and Fielder banged into a double play to end the game. The Sox had won it 9-6.
Hero of the Night is Andre Dawson. He put the Sox on top with a 2 run homer and they never looked back.
The Good:
Otis Nixon was 3 for 5 with a walk and a run scored.
Mike Greenwell was 2 for 3 with a walk and a home run.
Mo Vaughn was 3 for 5 with a run scored.
John Valentin was 2 for 5 with 2 runs scored.
Damon Berryhill was 2 for 3 with a walk and an rbi.
Lee Tinsley walked, stole a base and scored a run.
Greg Blosser was 1 for 3 with a walk, rbi and a run scored.
Greg Harris tossed 2 scoreless innings to earn the save.
The Bad:
Scott Cooper was 0 for 5 with 2 strikeouts.
Billy Hatcher was 0 for 1 at the plate.
Tony Fossas allowed a 2 run homer in the eighth inning.
The Ugly:
Tim Naehring was just 1 for 4 but the one hit was a 3 run homer.
Danny Darwin allowed 3 runs in just 5 innings but got credit for the win.
Scott Bankhead allowed a run in 2 innings of work.
Honorable Mention:
Rich Rowland caught the final two innings.
Final Thoughts:
One thing is for sure through the first few games of the season, the Sox are rusty on the pitching side but aren't missing a beat offensively. Roger Clemens, Frank Viola and Danny Darwin haven't looked good but the offense picked them up big time. The Sox bats have scored 23 runs in 3 games and have done it with small ball and the long ball. Otis Nixon has been good at the leadoff spot and even the unsung players have stepped it up. Dave Valle stepped up yesterday and today it was Damon Berryhill and Greg Blosser. The Sox have high hopes for Blosser even after his September disaster. Hopefully the big hit after he made an error will get his confidence going. The rotation's struggles are concerning but its early yet. Clemens will definitely get it going as the season progresses and hopefully the others fall suit. Darwin had his best season with the Sox last year so having another 15 win season this year would help. All in all it was a good win and winning the first three games is never a bad thing. The Sox now travel to Chicago to take on the White Sox. Aaron Sele makes his season debut against Jason Bere of the White Sox. The game begins tomorrow afternoon at 2:05 PM at Commiskey Park,
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