The Sox struck first in the top of the second although Wil Cordero grounded out to third to begin. Tim Naehring singled to right but John Valentin popped up to short. Shane Mack beat out an infield single and Scott Hatteberg walked to load the bases. Jesus Tavarez got his first start with the Sox and he hit a routine grounder to short, but Deivi Cruz bobbled it allowing Naehring to score and reloading the bases. Nomar singled home Mack and Frye walked home Hatteberg. With a chance to break the game open...Stanley lined out to center to end the inning but the Sox led 3-0.
The Tigers tied it up in the bottom of the second in about 30 seconds. Bob Hamelin singled to left before Phil Nevin doubled him to third. Melvin Nieves then crushed a 5,000,000 foot home run into the Atlantic Ocean to tie the game. Damion Easley popped up to second before Raul Casanova doubled to right. Deivi Cruz doubled off the Monster to give the Tigers the lead. Hunter whiffed and Pride grounded out to second but the Tigers took the lead 4-3.
The Sox took command in the top of the third as Cordero flied out to right to start. Naehring, Valentin and Mack all singled to load the bases. Hatteberg walked to tie the game and with a chance to do some serious damage.... Tavarez flied out to right although Valentin scored the go-ahead run. Nomar grounded out to third to end the inning with the Sox ahead 5-4.
The Tigers knocked Wakefield out in the bottom of the third as Clark walked to start. Hamelin flied out to right but Nevin smashed a 40,000 foot home run to give the Tigers the lead and chase Wakefield. He lasted just 2 1/3 innings and gave up 6 runs. Mark Brandenburg came in and whiffed Nieves before Easley lined out to left to end the inning with the Tigers up 6-5.
Frye grounded out to second to start the top of the fourth but Stanley walked. Cordero lined out to left and Naehring flied out to right to end the inning. The Tigers pounded the Sox in the bottom of the fourth although Casanova grounded back to the mound to start. Cruz singled but was forced on the Hunter grounder. Hunter took off for second and Hatteberg threw the ball completely out of Fenway for an error to advance him to third. Pride singled home hunter and Clark singled Curtis to third. Hamelin singled home Pride to chase Brandenburg. Joe Hudson came in and got Nevin flied out to right to end the inning with the Tigers up 8-5.
Somehow the Sox fought back in the top of the fifth as Valentin grounded out to second to start. Mack grounded out to short but Hatteberg singled to right. Tavarez walked and Nomar doubled home Scott. With the tying run at second....Frye flied out to right to end the inning but it was 8-6 Tigers.
The Tigers were offended the Sox had the unmitigated audacity to try to come back by rallying in the bottom of the fifth. Nieves doubled to center and moved to third on the Easley grounder to chase Hudson. Heathcliff Slocumb came in and struck out Casanova, but Cruz singled home Nieves to increase the lead. Cruz stole second and third but Hunter grounded out to short to end the inning with the Tigers ahead 9-6.
AJ Sager came in to pitch the top of the sixth and Stanley grounded out to short to start. Cordero flied out to right but Naehring singled to left. Valentin flied out to right to end the inning. The Tigers rallied again in the bottom of the sixth although Pride grounded out to second to start. Clark singled, Hamelin walked and Nevin walked to load the bases. Easley popped up to first to end the inning.
Troy O'Leary pinch hit for Mack to open the top of the seventh, flying out to right. Hatteberg singled to right and Darren Bragg pinch hit for Tavarez. Bragg and Nomar both grounded out to short to end the inning. John Wasdin got the call for the bottom of the seventh and he took a beating too. Casanova grounded out to short but Cruz walked. Cruz moved to second on the Hunter grounder and scored on the Pride triple. Clark singled home Pride to increase the lead. Hamelin grounded back to the mound to end the inning with the Tigers ahead 11-6.
The Sox surrendered in the top of the eighth as Frye walked to start but Stanley banged into a double play. Cordero lined out to center to end the inning. The Tigers continued to pummel Wasdin in the bottom of the eighth as Nevin walked to start. Somehow Nieves went down hacking but Easley doubled Nevin to third. Casanova was intentionally walked to load the bases and Cruz scored Nevin with a sac fly to wrap up the scoring. Hunter whiffed to end the inning with the Tigers up 12-6.
The Sox beat the ball in the dirt to end the game in the top of the ninth. Naehring grounded out to short, Valentin grounded out to third and O'Leary grounded out to second to end the game. The normally impotent Tigers knocked the Sox goofy 12-6.
Jackass of the Night could be any of the pitchers but I'll go with Tim Wakefield. He lasted just 2 1/3 innings and allowed 6 runs, putting the Sox in a hole they couldn't get out of.
The Good:
Nomar Garciaparra was 2 for 5 with 2 runs batted in.
Tim Naehring was 3 for 5 with 2 runs scored.
Shane Mack was 2 for 3 with a run scored.
Scott Hatteberg was 2 for 2 with 2 walks, an rbi and 2 runs scored.
Jesus Tavararez walked and drove in a run in 2 at bats.
The Bad:
Wil Cordero was 0 for 5.
Troy O'Leary was 0 for 2.
Darren Bragg was 0 for 1.
Mark Brandenburg allowed 2 runs in just 1 1/3 innings.
Joe Hudson was charged with a run in 2/3 of an inning.
John Wasdin allowed 3 runs in 2 innings.
The Ugly:
Jeff Frye was 0 for 3 but walked twice and drove in a run.
Mike Stanley was 0 for 4 but walked.
John Valentin was just 1 for 5 but scored a run.
Heathcliff Slocumb allowed an inherited runner to score but none of his own in 1 2/3 innings.
Final Thoughts:
It was too good to be true and sure enough the real Red Sox showed up tonight. It was nice to see the Sox string a few victories in a row but the pitching is such trash that it wasn't going to last. Its sad to see the pitching fall apart this hard considering how hard the offense is working to keep them in games. Not only did the Sox get lit up, it was from a team that doesn't really hit well to boot. Wakefield is a long way from his 1995 season and maybe its time to cut the chord with him. Then again, nobody else is pitching well either so its not like he's the problem. The less said of this disaster the better. The loss dropped the Sox to 31-39, 16 games behind the Baltimore Orioles for first place in the AL East. The Sox look for revenge tomorrow night against the Tigers when they send Vaughn Eshelman to the mound against Brian Moehler at 8:05 PM Eastern time at Tigers Stadium.