Mark Langston got the start for the Angels and rookie Nomar Garciaparra led off with a fly out to right. John Valentin doubled and Mo Vaughn walked, but Valentin could only advance to third on the fly out to center by Mike Stanley. Tim Naehring grounded out to short to end the inning. The Angels wasted no time getting to Gordon in the bottom of the first although Darin Erstad led off with a swinging strikeout. Old friend Luis Alicea also went down swinging but Jim Edmonds hit a home run all the way to San Diego to put the Angels on top. Tim Salmon took strike three but the Sox were down 1-0.
Wil Cordero struck out swinging to start the top of the second before Rudy Pemberton popped up to third, sending his bat flying. Bill Haselman walked and Shane Mack made his Red Sox debut by hitting a bullet to Alicea to end the inning. Dave Hollins popped up to short to start the bottom of the second but Garret Anderson beat out a chopper to third. 41 year old Eddie Murray hit a grounder to Gordon who threw wide of second for an error. Jim Leyrtiz flied out to the centerfield wall which moved Anderson to third. Gary DiSarcina forced Murray at second to end the inning.
The Sox blew a rally in the top of the third as Garciaparra flied out to Salmon in right to start. Valentin walked and Langston tried to pick him off, but the throw hit him and the ball got away. Valentin scampered to second and moved to third on the grounder by Vaughn. Stanley walked but Naehring struck out swinging to end the inning. The Angels struck again in the bottom of the third although Erstad grounded out to second to start. Alicea walked, Edmonds singled Luis to third with a base hit to left and Salmon walked to load the bases. Red Sox pitching coach Joe Kerrigan came out to tell Tom that he sucks and Hollins hit a grounder to second for the force but Valentin's throw was off, scoring Alicea when Dave was safe. Anderson grounded out to first to end the inning with the Angels ahead 2-0.
The Sox did nothing in the top of the fourth as Cordero struck out swinging to start. Pemberton grounded out to short and Haselman struck out swinging. Murray lined out to short to start the bottom of the fourth and Leyritz went down hacking. DiSarcina singled to center and stole second, but Erstad struck out swinging to end the inning.
Langston cruised in the top of the fifth as Mack struck out swinging to start. Garciaparra flied out to left and Valentin grounded out to short to end the inning. The Angels chased Gordon in the bottom of the fifth as Alicea singled to left to start. Alicea stole second and moved to third on the grounder by Edmonds. Salmon struck out swinging but Hollins walked. Sox manager Jimy Williams pulled Gordon after 4 2/3 innings and 2 runs allowed. Anderson popped up to first to end the inning.
The Sox struck back in the top of the sixth as Vaughn struck out swinging to start. Stanley was retired on a ground ball to third but Naehring hit the first home run for Boston this season to cut the lead. Cordero singled to center but Pemberton popped up to third to end the inning with the Sox down 2-1.
The Angels roared back in the bottom of the sixth as Murray and Leyritz stroked back to back singles to start. DiSarcina lined a base hit to center to load the bases but Erstad forced Murray at home on a grounder back to the mound. Alicea blooped a base hit to right to score Leyritz and DiSarcina to increase the lead. That was it for Eshelman as Butch Henry made his Red Sox debut by getting Edmonds to hit a bullet to Valentin, doubling off Alicea at first to end the inning with Anaheim ahead 4-1.
The Sox fought back in the top of the seventh with Mike James now pitching for Anaheim. Haselman struck out swinging but Darren Bragg pinch hit for Mack. Bragg walked and moved to second on the Garciaparra grounder. Valentin lined a base hit to center to score Bragg and cut the lead. Vaughn beat out a chopper up the middle to chase James. Chuck McElroy came in to pitch and Sox manager Jimy Williams had Reggie Jefferson pinch hit for Stanley. Jefferson struck out swinging to end the inning with the Sox down 4-2.
Just when the Sox clawed back in the game, the Angels struck again in the bottom of the seventh although Salmon popped up to second to start. Hollins singled to center and Anderson dropped a base hit to right to move Hollins to third. Murray scored Hollins with a sac fly to increase the lead but Leyritz grounded back to the mound to end the inning with the Sox down 5-2.
Naehring tried to start a rally in the top of the eighth with a base hit to right but Cordero lined out to left. Pemberton Struck out swinging and Haselman struck out swinging to end the inning. Pat Mahomes came in for the bottom of the eighth and DiSarcina popped up to first to start. Erstad flied out to center and Alicea struck out swinging to end the inning. Good work Mahomes!
All of a sudden the Sox exploded in the top of the ninth with Jorge Fabregas behind the plate and Troy Percival now on the mound. Bragg and Garciaparra both struck out swinging and down to their final out, Valentin doubled to left. Down to their last strike....Vaughn drew a walk and Jefferson beat out a chopper to third to load the bases. Jeff Frye pinch ran for Jefferson and Naehring drew a walk to score Valentin. Down to HIS last strike, Cordero walked to score Vaughn and re-load the bases. Pemberton was plunked to tie the game and chase Percival from the game. Pep Harris was brought in to pitch and Troy O'Leary pinch hit for Haselman. O'Leary beat out a chopper to third to score Naehring and give the Sox the lead. Bragg hit one up the elevator shaft to end the inning with the Sox ahead 6-5.
Heathcliff Slocumb came in to close out the bottom of the ninth with Scott Hatteberg now behind the plate. Edmonds grounded out to second to start and Tim Salmon grounded out to short. Hollin walked, Anderson singled in the hole at second and Murray walked to load the bases. Orlando Palmeiro pinch ran for Murray but on a 3-2 count Fabregas popped up to left to end the game. The Sox had pulled a miracle and won it 6-5.
Sox win
Hero of the Night is Troy O'Leary. He came off the bench to drive in the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth.
The Good:
John Valentin was 3 for 4 with a walk, rbi and a run scored.
Mo Vaughn was 1 for 3 with 2 walks and a run scored.
Tim Naehring was 2 for 4 with a walk, home run, 2 total rbis and 2 total runs scored.
Reggie Jefferson was 1 for 2 as a pinch hitter.
Jeff Frye scored a run as a pinch runner.
Pat Mahomes got the win with a scoreless eighth inning.
Heathcliff Slocumb got the save with a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Nomar Garciaparra was 0 for 5 with a strikeout.
Shane Mack was 0 for 2 with a strikeout.
Vaughn Eshelman allowed 2 runs in 2/3 of an inning.
Butch Henry allowed a run in 1 2/3 innings.
The Ugly:
Wil Cordero was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts but walked and drove in a run.
Rudy Pemberton was 0 for 4 with a strikeout but his HBP drove in the tying run.
Bill Haselman was 0 for 3 with 3 strikeouts but walked.
Darren Bragg was 0 for 2 but walked and scored a run
Tom Gordon only lasted 4 2/3 innings but allowed just 2 runs on 5 hits and 3 walks.
Honorable Mention:
Scott Hatteberg caught the bottom of the ninth.
Final Thoughts:
What a game! Prognosticators had the Red Sox dead in the water this season after Roger Clemens left but for one day at least, they can all eat crow. The Sox were down to their final strike four times in the top of the ninth and each batter delivered. It took brass balls from Vaughn, Jefferson, Naehring and Cordero to fight off Percival when down to their last strike. Pemberton taking one for the team was great and O'Leary coming off the bench ice cold to drive in the winning run takes a lot of heart. The Sox may not be good this season but for one night they stuck a big middle finger to the haters. The pitching was nothing special but kudos to Pat Mahomes and Heathcliff Slocumb for keeping the Angels off the board. The offense showed a lot of toughness but that's tough to maintain over 162 games. Its only one game but a win is a win, they all count. Tomorrow night Tim Wakefield makes his season debut against Jason Dickson of the Angels. The game begins at 10:30 PM Eastern time at Anaheim Stadium.
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