Defensive Miscue Sinks Sox (4/29/00)

For the second straight game the Sox were stymied by the Cleveland Indians pitching at Jacobs Field. This time it was Chuck Finley (3-0, 2.55 ERA) who did the damge as Ramon Martinez (1-2, 6.75) was effective but not good enough as the Indians won 3-2 aided by a huge defensive miscue.

                                              Master Yoda can't bear to watch
 

Jose Offerman led off the game with a walk but was erased on the Manny Alexander force out. Alexander himself was erased on the Nomar Garciaparra force. Nomar then was gunned down stealing second to end the top half. Ramon took the mound and got Jacob Cruz and Omar Vizquel to ground out. Roberto Alomar singled but Manny Ramirez grounded out to end the inning.

Mike Stanley greeted Finley with his second homer of the year to lead off the top of the second. Troy O'Leary grounded out and Carl Everett struck out. Jason Varitek doubled down the right field line but was stranded when Wilton Veras struck out although the Sox led 1-0. Pitching with the lead, Martinez worked a clean inning getting David Justice to fly out, Jim Thome to whiff and Travis Fryman to ground out.

Darren Lewis led off the top of the third with a ground out and Offerman followed with a ground out of his own. Manny Alexander struck out to end the frame. Martinez continued his effective pitching by striking out Richie Sexson to begin the bottom of the third. Einar Diaz grounded out but Cruz walked. Vizquel then grounded out to end the inning.

Nomar led off the 4th with a ground out and Stanley .did the same. O'Leary worked a 2 out walk but was eliminated on a force by Everett. The Jays broke through in the bottom of the 4th. Martinez got Alomar to fly out but Ramirez singled and Justice singled Manny over to third. Thome brought home Ramirez with a sac fly to tie the game but Fryman grounded out to end the inning. It was 1-1 after 4 innings.

Pitching with the game tied, Finley turned up the heat. Varitek and Veras both went down on strikes to begin the 5th and Lewis grounded out. The Jays then took command in the bottom half. Sexson singled and Diaz doubled before Darren Lewis dropped an easy fly ball that Sexson scored on. Now with Diaz on third, he scored on the sac fly by Vizquel to give the Jays a 3-1 lead. Martinez recovered to strike out Alomar and get Ramirez to ground out but the damage was done. Lewis' rare error cost the Sox 2 runs.

The Sox anemic offense could do nothing against Finley in the 6th. Offerman grounded out, Alexander whiffed and Nomar lined out to center. Ramon was finished after 94 pitches and Rich Garces replaced him for the 6th. Garces got Justice to fly out before striking out both Thome and Fryman to end the frame.

Stanley led off the 7th with a ground out and O'Leary struck out. Everett singled to bring the tying run to the plate but there were no homers by Varitek who grounded out instead. Garces continued his mastery on the mound by getting Sexson to ground out, Diaz to strike out and Cruz to fly out. 3 strike outs in 2 shut out innings by Garces would be unfortunately overlooked in a loss.

The Sox tried to desperately rally in the 8th. Veras doubled and Lewis singled Wilton over to third. Offerman almost hit into a double play but he beat out the throw (Lewis out at second) to score Veras cutting the lead 3-2. Offerman was erased on the force by Alexander and Indians manager Charlie Manuel lifted Finley after 7 2/3 for Paul Shuey. Garciaparra walked to put the tying run at second but Stanley flied out to end the threat. Sox closer Derek Lowe took the mound for the bottom of the 8th. Vizquel lined out and Alomar grounded out before Ramirez worked a 2 out walk. Justice flied out to end the 8th and it should be known the Indians didn't get a single hit after the Lewis muff.

Indians closer Steve Karsay took the mound as David Justice moved to center field and Alex Ramirez replaced Jacob Cruz in left. The Sox went quietly as O'Leary grounded out, Everett struck out and Varitek grounded out to end the game.

Jackass of the night is an easy one. Darren Lewis' error cost the Sox 2 runs which ended up the difference in the game.

                                                           Jackass of the night: Darren Lewis

The Good:

Wilton Veras was 1 for 3 with a run scored. Rich Garces struck out 3 of the 6 batters he faced in 2 perfect innings. Derek Lowe pitched a scoreless 8th inning.

The Bad:

Manny Alexander was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.

The Ugly:

Jose Offerman was 0 for 3 but walked and drove in a run. Nomar Garciaparra was 0 for 3 with a walk. Mike Stanley was just 1 for 4 but the one hit was a solo blast. Carl Everett and Jason Varitek were both just 1 for 4. Ramon Martinez took the loss but didn't pitch that bad, giving up 2 runs in 5 innings on 5 hits and a walk while striking out 3.

Final Thoughts: 

The Sox had plenty of chances to tie it up with a bloop or a blast but in the end fell to 11-9 on the season. With Ramon Martinez beaten, Boston looks to younger brother Pedro (4-0) to end the slide against Charles Nagy tomorrow.

Indians Three Run Sixth Sinks Sox (4/28/00)

The Cleveland Indians are not a team you take lightly and their offense can turn a game around in a blink of an eye. The Boston Red Sox found that out as a 3 run sixth inning propelled the Indians to a 4-3 win at Jacobs Field.

                                             Captain Picard can't bear to watch

Dave Burba took the mound in the top of the first inning for Cleveland. Jose Offerman flied out but Trot Nixon singled. Brian Daubach walked but both Nomar Garciaparra and Troy O'Leary struck out to end the inning. Pete Schourek took the mound in the bottom of the first. Omar Vizquel grounded out, Travis Fryman flied out and Roberto Alomar lined out to end the inning.

Carl Everett whiffed to lead off the top of the second inning. Mike Stanley walked but Scott Hatteberg flied out. Wilton Veras grounded out to end the inning. Schourek remained tough in the bottom of the second inning.  Manny Ramirez struck out,  David Justice flied out and Richie Sexson grounded out to end the inning.

The Sox struck first in the top of the third inning. Offerman grounded out but Nixon doubled. Daubach grounded out but moved Nixon to third. Nomar drove Trot in with a single to give the Sox a 1-0 lead. O'Leary flied out to end the inning. The Indians threatened in the bottom of the third. Jim Thome singled and advanced to second on the passed ball by Hatteberg. Einar Diaz grounded out and moved Jim to third. Jose Cruz walked but Vizquel banged into a double play to end the inning.

The Sox tried to rally in the top of the fourth.  Everett flied out but Stanley singled. Hatteberg walked but Veras forced Stanley at third. With the chance to do damage...Offerman grounded out. Right on cue the Indians tied it up in the bottom of the fourth. Fryman led off with a solo shot. Alomar grounded out, Ramirez flied out and Justice grounded out to end the inning.

The Sox struck back in the top of the fifth inning. Nixon and Daubach worked back to back walks and Nomar singled to load the bases. O'Leary scored Nixon with a sac fly and Daubach moved tho third. Everett singled to score Brian and give the Sox a 3-1 lead. The Sox had Burba on the ropes but Stanley banged into a huge double play to end the inning. The Sox needed more runs and this cost them dearly.  Sexson singled to lead off the bottom of the fifth but Thome struck out. Diaz and Cruz both grounded out to end the inning.

Burba settled down in the top of the sixth. Hatteberg flied out, Veras grounded out and Offerman lined out to end the inning. Schourek ran out of gas in the bottom of the sixth.  Vizquel grounded out but Fryman doubled. Alomar singled him to third and Ramirez singled him in to make it 3-2. Sox manager Jimy Williams replaced Schourek with lefty Rheal Cormier. Justice singled and Alomar broke for home, the throw was on line but Hatteberg dropped it and Alomar scored the tying run. Sexson flied out and all Cormier had to do was retire one more batter to escape tied. Instead  Thome singled in Ramirez to give the Indians a 4-3 lead. That was it for Cormier as Tim Wakefield was brought in to stop the bleeding.  Diaz grounded out to end the inning.

The Sox offense deflated after that crushing inning. Ricardo Rincon came in to pitch the top of the seventh. Nixon and Daubach both struck out and Indians manager Charlie Manuel brought in Scott Kamieniecki to pitch to Nomar. Garciaparra flied out to end the inning. Cruz walked to lead off the bottom of the seventh inning. Vizquel struck out and Fryman popped up. Cruz swiped second but Alomar grounded out to end the inning.

Paul Shuey took over for the top of the eighth inning. O'Leary flied out, Everett popped up and Stanley flied out to end the inning. Wakefield returned for the bottom of the 8th. Ramirez popped up, David Justice flied out and Sexson struck out to end the inning.

Steve Karsay was brought in to close it out in the top of the ninth. Hatteberg flied out and Jason Varitek pinch hit for Veras. Varitek singled to put the tying run on and Manny Alexander pinch ran for him. Manny was erased on the force by Offerman and Nixon grounded out to end the game. The Indians had won 4-3

Jackass of the night is an easy one. Rheal Cormier was brought in to protect a 3-2 lead and he turned it into a 4-3 defeat. None of the runs allowed were charged to him but he definitely blew the game.





The Good:

Trot Nixon was 2 for 4 with a walk and 2 runs scored. Nomar Garciaparra was 2 for 4 with an rbi. Mike Stanley was 1 for 3 with a walk. Jason Varitek pinch hit for Veras and singled. Tim Wakefield tossed 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief.


The Bad:

Jose Offerman was 0 for 5. Wilton Veras was 0 for 3.  Pete Schourek took the loss allowing 4 runs on 6 hits and a walk, lasting only 5 1/3 innings.


The Ugly:

Brian Daubach was 0 for 2 but walked twice and scored a run. Troy O'Leary was 0 for 3 with an rbi. Carl Everett was just 1 for 4 with an rbi. Scott Hatteberg was 0 for 3 with a walk.


Honorable Mention:

Manny Alexander pinch ran for Varitek in the ninth.

21 Hit Attack Pounds Rangers Into Submission (4/26/00)

The Boston Red Sox batted around and around throughout the ballgame, attacking the Texas Rangers with 21 hits and 14 runs. The Sox dominated the Rangers to take a 14-4 victory at Arlington Park.

                                                 Koffing approves the win

The Sox put the game away essentially in the top of the first inning. Rangers starter Mark Clark didn't have it although he managed to get Jose Offerman to ground out and Trot Nixon to fly out. Then the hit parade began. Brian Daubach doubled and Nomar Garciaparra doubled him home. Troy O'Leary walked and Carl Everett smashed his 7th home run of the year to put the Sox up 4-0. Jeff Frye singled and Jason Varitek walked before Wilton Veras singled home Frye. The guy who started the inning, Offerman, struck out but the Sox led 5-0. Jeff Fassero (2-1) got the ball to start the bottom of the first and got Luis Alicea to ground out. Chad Curtis singled but was erased on the Ivan Rodriguez double play.

The Sox knocked Clark out in the top of the second inning. Nixon flied out but Daubach singled. Nomar reached on an error and O'Leary made them pay by singling home Daubach to chase Clark. Rangers manager Johnny Oates brought in Matt Perisho to pitch and Matt got both Everett and Frye to fly out to end the inning with the Sox leading 6-0. Fassero ran into trouble by walking Rafael Palmeiro and giving up a double to David Segui. Ruben Mateo made things easier with a ground out to third and Fassero punched out Gabe Kapler. Royce Clayton flied out to end the inning.

The Sox scored quickly in the third as Jason Varitek launched his second home run of the season to increase the lead 7-0. Veras, Offerman and Nixon all grounded out to end the inning. Tom Evans and Alicea grounded out to begin the bottom of the third. Curtis doubled but Pudge Rodriguez flied out to end the inning.

The Sox scored again in the top of the fourth.  Daubach struck out but Nomar swatted his 2nd home run of the year to make it 8-0. O'Leary and Everett singled then Frye hit a picture perfect double play ball to second....only for Alicea to chuck the throw to first into the stands, allowing O'Leary to score and Frye to reach second. Varitek flied out to end the inning but it was now 9-0. The Rangers finally got on the board in the bottom of the fourth. Palmeiro flied out but Segui doubled and Mateo singled him to third. Kapler beat out a double-play ball to score Segui. Clayton popped up but the Rangers now trailed 9-1.

The Sox threatened in the fifth but finally did not score against new pitcher Mike Munoz. Veras and Offerman hit back to back singles and Nixon moved the runners over with a ground out. Daubach walked to load the bases and Fransisco Cordero relieved Munoz. Nomar popped up and so did O'Leary to end the inning. The Rangers struck back in the bottom of the fifth.  Evans struck out but Alicea walked. Curtis flied out but Pudge blasted a 2 run shot to cut the lead 9-3. Palmeiro flied out to end the inning.

The Sox got the leadoff man on in the top of the sixth when Everett walked. Frye walked as well but Varitek struck out and Veras banged into a double play to end the inning. Segui singled to lead off the bottom of the sixth and Sox manager Jimy Williams decided to pull Fassero after only 77 pitches. Rich Garces came in and erased Segui at second on a force by Mateo. Kapler struck out but Clayton doubled Mateo to third. Evans flied out to end the inning.

Mike Venafro came on to pitch the top of the seventh inning and he struck out both Offerman and Nixon. Daubach doubled and for some reason Nomar was intentionally walked with a 6 run lead. O'Leary failed to make the Rangers pay by grounding out to end the inning. Brian Rose of all people came on to pitch the bottom of the seventh, mostly because the 3 consecutive rainouts screwed up the rotation. Alicea, Curtis and Rodriguez all grounded out in short order.

The Sox got back on the board in the top of the eighth. Everett grounded out but Frye doubled and Varitek singled him to third to chase Venafro. Tim Crabtree replaced Venafro and Veras said hi with a base hit that scored Frye. Offerman grounded out and Nixon looked at strike three to end the inning with the Sox ahead 10-3. Rheal Cormier was brought in to pitch the bottom of the eighth. Palmeiro flied out, Segui struck out and Mateo popped up to end the inning.

The Sox put together one last rally in the top of the ninth. Daubach doubled and Nomar singled him to third. O'Leary singled home Brian and Everett doubled in Nomar. Darren Lewis pinch ran for Everett as Frye grounded out to score O'Leary and advance Darren to third. Varitek scored Lewis with a sac fly but Veras grounded out to end the inning. 21 total hits and a 14-3 lead. Andy Sheets replaced Nomar in the top of the ninth and John Wasdin came on to pitch. Kapler doubled but Clayton flied out. Evans singled but Wasdin punched out Alicea. Curtis flied out to end the game. The Sox had won 14-4.

Hero of the Night is a tough one with so much offense. I gotta go with Carl Everett. His 3 run home run put the game away early and he went 3 for 5 with a walk, run scored and 4 total rbi's.

                                                                Hero of the Night: Carl Everett


The Good:

Brian Daubach was 4 for 5 with a walk and 3 runs scored. Nomar Garciaparra went 3 for 5 with a walk, 3 runs scored, a home run and 2 rbi's. Darren Lewis pinch ran for Everett and scored a run. Jeff Frye was 2 for 5 with a walk, an rbi and 2 runs scored. Jason Varitek was 2 for 4 with a walk, run scored and 2 rbi's. Wilton Veras was 3 for 6 with 2 rbi's. Jeff Fassero pitched into the 6th inning to earn the win, giving up 3 runs on 7 hits, 2 walks while striking out 3. Rich Garces pitched a scoreless 6th inning. Brian Rose pitched a scoreless 7th inning. Rheal Cormier pitched a scoreless eighth inning.


The Bad:

Only two names on this list and they are both well deserved. Trot Nixon somehow went hitless in an 0 for 6 disaster. John Wasdin gave up a run in the ninth inning.



The Ugly:

Jose Offerman was just 1 for 6



Honorable Mention:

Andy Sheets played shortstop in the ninth

Big Sixth Inning Picks Up Pedro In Win (4/25/00)

There will be days that Pedro Martinez (4-0) won't have his best stuff and the Sox offense will need to step it up. Today was one of those days as the Sox rode a big 6th inning to defeat the Texas Rangers 6-3 at Arlington Park.

                                                 Dr. Pierce approves of the victory

The Sox wasted no time scoring as Jose Offerman led off the game with a solo home run off Texas starter Rick Helling. Trot Nixon flied out but Brian Daubach walked. Nomar Garciaparra flied out and Troy O'Leary grounded out to end the inning but the Sox had the 1-0 lead. Pedro took the mound in the bottom of the first and got Luis Alicea to fly out. Chad Curtis popped up and Ivan Rodriguez struck out to end the inning.

Carl Everett struck out to open the top of the second inning. Mike Stanley flied out and Jason Varitek popped up to end the inning. The Rangers struck in the bottom of the second.  Rafael Palmeiro and David Segui singled before Ruben Mateo advanced the runners on the ground out. Gabe Kapler hit a routine grounder to Stanley who bobbled it, allowing the runners to score to give the Rangers a 2-1 lead. Mike Lamb struck out but Royce Clayton was hit with a pitch.  Alicea struck out but the damage was done.

The Sox failed to respond in the top of the third.  Manny Alexander grounded out and Offerman struck out. Nixon flied out to end the inning. Pedro rebounded in the bottom of the third. Curtis grounded out, Rodriguez struck out, Palmeiro walked and Segui struck out.

The Sox went quietly in the top of the fourth as well. Daubach struck out, Nomar flied out, O'Leary doubled and Everett struck out. Mateo grounded out to begin the bottom of the fourth. Kapler singled but was erased on the Lamb force. Clayton grounded out to end the inning.

The Sox did nothing in the top of the fifth. Stanley worked a walk but Varitek grounded out. Alexander popped up and Offerman struck out to end the inning.  Pedro remained tough in the bottom of the fifth. Alicea flied out, Curtis struck out and Rodriguez struck out to end the inning.

The Sox exploded in the top of the sixth inning. Nixon walked and Daubach moved him over to second with a ground out. Nomar singled but Nixon didn't move. O'Leary lofted a ball toward Alicea who bobbled it, allowing Nixon to score and advance Nomar to third. The game was tied 2-2. Everett popped up but Stanley walked to load the bases. Varitek poked one into right field that scored Nomar and O'Leary to give the Sox a 4-2 lead. Alexander singled home Stanley but Offerman grounded out to end the inning with a 5-2 score. The Rangers answered in the bottom of the sixth. Palmeiro grounded out and Segui flied out. Mateo then swatted a solo home run to cut the lead 5-3. Kapler flied out but the Rangers had managed to score 3 runs off Pedro.

The Sox got the run back in the top of the seventh. Nixon and Daubach flied out but Nomar doubled to chase Helling. Mike Venafro came into pitch and he walked O'Leary. Everett doubled home Nomar but O'Leary was thrown out at the plate to end the inning. The Sox now lead 6-3. Pedro returned for the bottom of the seventh. Lamb struck out, Clayton grounded out, Alicea singled and Curtis flied out to end the inning. Pedro was far from his best but still pitched 7 innings of 3 run ball.

Fransisco Cordero came in to pitch the 8th inning. Stanley struck out but Varitek walked. Alexander flied out and Offerman struck out to end the inning. Sox manager Jimy Williams brought in closer Derek Lowe for a six out save. Rodriguez grounded out and Palmeiro struck out, but Segui singled. Mateo flied out to end the inning.

The Sox threatened in the top of the ninth inning against Matt Perisho. Nixon doubled and Daubach singled through the hole and took second on a bad throw. Nomar was intentionally walked but O'Leary failed to recapture the magic of the 99 LDS by lining out to first. Jeff Zimmerman replaced Perisho and got Everett to ground into a force at home. Stanley grounded out to end the inning. Lowe came back for the bottom of the ninth and got 3 straight ground-outs to end the game and earn his 4th save of the year. The Sox had won 6-3

Hero of the Night is a tough one. Pedro wasn't particularly sharp and the offense was spread out. I'll go with Derek Lowe. He was brought in for a 6 out save facing a dangerous lineup and retired 6 of the 7 batters he faced to earn the save.

                                              Hero of the Night: Derek Lowe



The Good:

Nomar Garciaparra was 2 for 4 with a walk and 2 runs scored. Jason Varitek was 1 for 3 with a walk and 2 rbi's. Pedro Martinez (4-0, 1.59 ERA) wasn't at his best but gutted his way through 7 innings, giving up 3 runs on 5 hits and a walk while striking out 8.


The Bad:

None.


The Ugly:

Jose Offerman hit a leadoff home run but was just 1 for 5 total. Trot Nixon and Troy O'Leary were both 1 for 4 with a walk and a run scored. Brian Daubach was 1 for 4 with a walk. Carl Everett was 1 for 5 with an rbi. Mike Stanley was 0 for 3 with 2 walks and a run scored. Manny Alexander was 1 for 4 with an rbi.

Rangers Outlast Sox After Long Layoff (4/24/00)

After a day-off and THREE consecutive rainouts, the Boston Red Sox returned to action and lost to the Texas Rangers in Arlington Park 5-4.

                                                     "Damn Rangers!"

Jose Offerman led off the top of the first with a ground out against Kenny Rogers. Darren Lewis flied out but Nomar Garciaparra doubled. Mike Stanley walked but Troy O'Leary grounded out to end the inning. Ramon Martinez took the hill and struck out old friend Luis Alicea to begin the bottom of the first. Chad Curtis doubled and moved to third on the ground out by Ivan Rodriguez. Rafael Palmeiro flied out to end the inning.

Carl Everett singled to open the top of the second but was picked off first. Brian Daubach and Jason Varitek both lined out to end the inning. Ramon walked David Segui to begin the bottom of the second but was erased on the Ruben Mateo force. Gabe Kapler walked but was erased on the force by Mike Lamb. Royce Clayton grounded into a force to end the inning.

Wilton Veras grounded out to begin the top of the third and Offerman struck out. Lewis got plunked and Nomar singled but Stanley grounded out to end the inning. The Rangers broke through in the bottom of the third. Alicea struck out but Curtis doubled.  Curtis stole third but Pudge Rodriguez struck out. Palmeiro belted a 2 run home run to put the Rangers on top but Segui struck out to end the inning.

The Sox wasted no time tying the game in the top of the fourth. O'Leary singled and Everett swatted his 6th home run of the year to tie the game.  Daubach walked but Varitek singled. Veras lined out and Offerman grounded out to end the inning. The Rangers threatened in the bottom of the fourth. Mateo grounded out but Kapler walked again. Lamb flied out but Kapler swiped second. Clayton and Alicea walked to load the bases but Curtis struck out to end the inning.

The Sox mustered nothing in the top of the fifth. Lewis and Nomar flied out but Stanley walked. O'Leary struck out to end the inning. Sox manager Jimy Williams pulled Ramon Martinez early in favor of Tim Wakefield in the bottom of the fifth. Pudge and Palmeiro struck out but Segui walked. The alert Varitek gunned down Segui trying to steal to end the inning.

The Sox went quiet against Rogers in the top of the sixth. Everett flied out, Daubach grounded out and Varitek flied out in short order. The Rangers took command in the bottom of the inning. Mateo struck out and Kapler popped up but Lamb singled and Clayton walked. Alicea drove home both runners with a single to give the Rangers a 4-2 lead. Curtis flied out to end the inning.

The Sox went quietly in the top of the seventh. Veras grounded out, Offerman flied out and Lewis grounded out to end the inning. The Rangers got a big insurance run in the bottom of the seventh off Rich Garces. Pudge grounded out but Palmeiro hit his second home run of the game to increase the lead 5-2. Segui lined out and Mateo popped up to end the inning.

Tim Crabtree replaced Rogers in the top of the eighth and the Sox tried to rally. Nomar singled but Stanley flied out. O'Leary singled but Everett struck out. Daubach stepped up with a big double that scored both runners to cut the lead 5-4. Jeff Frye pinch ran for Brian and with the chance to tie the game....Varitek grounded out. How big was the second home run now? Rheal Cormier was brought in to pitch the bottom of the eighth. Kapler singled and advanced to second on the sacrifice bunt by Lamb. Clayton struck out and Alicea grounded out to end the inning.

Rangers closer John Wetteland came in for the top of the ninth. Trot Nixon pinch hit for Veras and flied out. Offerman struck out as Scott Hatteberg pinch hit for Darren Lewis and walked. Manny Alexander pinch-ran for Hatteberg and with the tying run on base....Nomar popped up to end the game. The Rangers had won 5-4.

Jackass of the Night is a tough one. Ramon Martinez lasted only 4 innings but Wakefield and Garces gave up the go-ahead runs. Both Varitek and Nomar failed in the clutch.....but I'll go with Garces. If he didn't give up that second home run to Palmeiro, the game would have been tied on the Daubach double.

                                            Jackass of the Night: Rich Garces


The Good:

Scott Hatteberg pinch hit for Lewis and walked. Nomar Garciaparra was 3 for 5 with a run scored. Troy O'Leary was 2 for 4 with two runs scored. Carl Everett was 2 for 4 with two total runs and a 2 run home run.


The Bad:

Jose Offerman was 0 for 5 with 2 strikeouts. Wilton Veras was 0 for 3. Trot Nixon was 0 for 1 as a pinch hitter.


The Ugly:

Mike Stanley was 0 for 2 but walked twice. Darren Lewis was 0 for 3 but was hit with a pitch. Brian Daubach was just 1 for 4 but made the one hit count with a 2 run double. Jason Varitek was just 1 for 4.


Honorable Mention:

Jeff Frye pinch ran in the top of the eighth. Manny Alexander pinch-ran in the top of the ninth.

Rainout News: (4/20/00)

Tonight's Boston Red Sox game has been rained out. Oh well...

On this day in Basebawful History:

1915 - Foster, Hooper lead Sox past Senators

1970 - Orioles beat Sox in rain shortened game

1971 - Peters, Sox beat Indians

1973 - Sox lose sixth straight game

1981 - Torrez, Sox win on Patriots Day

1982 - Ojeda, Sox beat Orioles

1983 - Red Sox walkoff Brewers

1984 - Sox snap losing streak, beat A's

1991 - Harris, Sox beat Indians

1992 - Blue Jays drop Sox in 13 innings

1993 - Clemens, Sox beat Mariners

1994 - Clemens shuts out A's

Absolutely no idea who's pitching tomorrow. You decide, pick a name out of a hat!

Sox Ride Homer Parade For Second Straight Shutout (4/19/00)

Pete Schourek was last night's hero for shutting out the Detroit Tigers. This time it was Brian Rose that pitched great as the Boston Red Sox won a 10-0 laughter in Tigers Stadium.

                                           The Boys celebrate the victory

Tigers starter Hideo Nomo got off to a good start in the top of the first inning. Jose Offerman grounded out and Trot Nixon struck out. Brian Daubach worked a walk but Nomar Garciaparra grounded out to end the inning. Brian Rose (1-2) took the hill in the bottom of the frame. Gregg Jefferies grounded out and Brad Ausmus popped up.  Juan Encarnarcion bunted down the third base side for a hit and Juan Gonzalez walked. Bobby Higginson hit one up the elevator shaft to end the inning.

Troy O'Leary looked at strike 3 to begin the top of the second inning. Carl Everett popped up but Mike Stanley singled. Jason Varitek walked but Manny Alexander flied out to end the inning. Rose struck out Dean Palmer to start the bottom of the second inning. Wendell MaGee grounded out but Tony Clark worked a walk. Deivi Cruz flied out to end the inning.

The Sox struck in the top of the third when Jose Offerman blasted a home run off Nomo to give the Sox a 1-0 lead. Nixon singled and stole second. Daubach walked for a second time but Nomar flied out. O'Leary whiffed but a wild pitch moved Nixon to third. Everett struck out to end the threat. Jefferies singled to lead off the bottom of the third. Ausmus flied out and Encarnarcion grounded out. Gonzalez lined out to end the inning.

Stanley flied out to begin the top of the fourth. Varitek worked a walk but Alexander and Offerman flied out to end the inning. Rose remained hot in the bottom of the fourth. Higginson struck out, Palmer grounded out and MaGee popped up to end the inning.

The Sox struck again in the top of the fifth inning. Nixon walked but Daubach flied out. Nixon was erased on the force by Nomar and O'Leary swatted a 2 run home run to increase the lead 3-0. Everett lined out to end the inning. Rose protected the lead in the bottom of the fifth. Clark struck out but Cruz singled. Jefferies struck out and Ausmus grounded out to end the inning.

The Sox put the game out of reach in the top of the sixth inning. Stanley led off with a solo blast to make it 4-0 and chase Nomo.  Matt Anderson came on in relief and walked Varitek. Alexander singled and Offerman walked to load the bases. Tigers manager Phil Garner brought in Jim Poole to pitch to Nixon. The gamble failed with Nixon belted a grand slam to give the Sox a commanding 8-0 lead. Daubach flied out but Nomar got in on the homer parade by blasting one of his own. O'Leary grounded out but Everett singled. Willie Blair replaced the ineffective Poole and Stanley singled. Varitek flied out to end the inning but it was now 9-0. Rose returned for the bottom of the 6th and got Encarnarcion to ground out. Gonzalez popped up but Higginson walked. Palmer grounded out to end the inning. After two straight stinkers, Rose finally pitched well to earn a win.

The Tigers emptied their bench in the top of the 7th. Shane Halter replaced Palmer at third,  MaGee moved to right as Kareem Garcia replaced Encarnarcion. Mark Johnson took over on the mound.  Alexander led off with a double and Offerman moved him to third with a groundout. Nixon singled home Manny for his 5th rbi of the day and wrap up the scoring to make it 10-0. Daubach worked his third walk of the game but Nomar, then O'Leary grounded out to end the inning. Rich Garces replaced Rose in the bottom of the 7th. MaGee grounded out but Clark singled.  Cruz flied out and so did Jefferies to end the inning.

Robert Fick took over for Ausmus behind the plate in the top of the 8th. Everett struck out but Stanley doubled. Varitek lined out short and Alexander popped up to end the inning. The much maligned Rob Stanfier came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth. Jeff Frye replaced Offerman at second and Andy Sheets replaced Nomar at short. Fick and Garcia grounded out but Gonzalez singled and Higginson doubled. Halter grounded out to end the inning.

Johnson returned for the top of the ninth. Frye grounded out but Nixon singled. Daubach singled and Sheets moved them both over with a ground out. O'Leary flied out to end the inning. John Wasdin was brought in to pitch the bottom of the ninth. MaGee and Clark flied out then Cruz grounded out to end the game. The Sox had won 10-0.

Hero of the Night is a no-brainer. Brian Rose pitched 6 solid innings of shut out ball, giving the bullpen a rest and improving his record to 1-2.

                                        Hero of the Night: Brian Rose

The Good:

Trot Nixon was 4 for 5 with 5 total rbi's, a grand slam and a walk. Brian Daubach was 1 for 3 with  3 walks. Mike Stanley was 4 for 5 including a home run and run scored. Manny Alexander was 2 for 5 with 2 runs scored. Rich Garces pitched a scoreless 7th inning. Rob Stanifer pitched a scoreless 8th inning. John Wasdin pitched a scoreless 9th inning.


The Bad:

Jeff Frye was 0 for 1 at the plate. Andy Sheets was 0 for 1 at the plate.


The Ugly:

Jose Offerman was just 1 for 4 but the one hit was a home run, plus he walked and scored 2 total runs. Nomar Garciaparra was just 1 for 5 with a walk and 2 runs scored but the one hit was a home run. Troy O'Leary was just 1 for 6 with 2 total rbis and a run scored but the one hit was a home run. Jason Varitek was 0 for 2 but walked 3 times and scored a run.

Schourek, Sox Shut Out Detroit (4/18/00)

The Boston Sox starters have picked it up after their horrendous first week. First Jeff Fassero allowed just one run yesterday and today Pete Schourek (1-1) allowed zero as the Sox defeated the Detroit Tigers 7-0 at Tigers Stadium.

                                                     Dan Freebird approves of the win

The Sox wasted no time getting on the board in the top of the first against Tigers starter Dave Milicki. Jose Offerman led the game off with a fly out but Trot Nixon smashed a solo home run to give the Sox a 1-0 lead. Brian Daubach and Nomar Garciaparra grounded out to end the inning. Pete Schourek took the hill in the bottom of the first inning. Greg Jefferies led off with a single but was thrown out trying to steal second. Brad Ausmus struck out and Bobby Higgenson flied out to end the inning.

Troy O'Leary popped up to begin the top of the second. Carl Everett struck out but Mike Stanley worked a walk. A wild pitch moved Stanley to second but Scott Hatteberg struck out to end the inning. Juan Gonzalez popped up to begin the bottom of the second. Dean Palmer flied out but Juan Encarnarcion singled. Tony Clark struck out to end the inning.

The Sox threatened in the top of the third. Wilton Veras grounded out, Offerman flied out but Nixon doubled. Daubach struck out to end the inning. The Tigers tried to tie it up in the bottom of the third.  Wendell McGee bunted his way on and Deivi Cruz singled. Jefferies banged into a double play but Ausmus walked. Higginson popped up to end the inning.

The Sox rallied in the top of the fourth. Nomar singled, O'Leary doubled and Everett was hit with a pitch to load the bases with nobody out. Stanley then missed a grand slam by inches as he was robbed at the wall, still it was enough to score Nomar plus move the runners over. Hatteberg scored O'Leary with a sac fly and it was now 3-0. Veras struck out to end the inning. Schourek remained hot in the bottom of the fourth. Gonzalez and Palmer grounded out before Encarnarcion popped up to end the inning.

Milicki recovered in the top of the fifth.  Offerman and Nixon grounded out and Daubach struck out again. Schourek continued to dominate in the bottom of the fifth.  Clark struck out before Magee and Cruz flied out to end the inning.

Milicki matched Pete in the top of the 6th. Nomar and O'Leary grounded out and Everett flied out. Schourek got Jefferies to ground out and Ausmus to fly out to begin the bottom of the 6th. The string of 9 in a row retired by Pete ended with a Higginson double. Gonzalez grounded out to end the inning.

Milicki came back for the top of the seventh. Stanley popped up but Hatteberg worked a walk. Veras grounded out and Offerman struck out to end the inning. Schourek came back for the bottom of the seventh.  Palmer flied out but Encarnarcion singled. Clark whffed and MaGee grounded out to end the inning. 7 shut out innings from Schourek, outstanding.

Milicki came back for the top of the eighth. Nixon flied out, Daubach popped up but Nomar walked. O'Leary grounded out to end the inning. Sox manager Jimy Williams brought in closer Derek Lowe to get a six out save. Robert Fick pinch hit for Cruz and flied out. Jefferies walked but was erased on the Ausmus force. Higginson struck out to end the inning.

The Sox put the game away in the top of the ninth. Shane Halter took over at short for Detroit. Tigers manager Phil Garner tried to get Milicki to finish it out but he couldn't. Everett singled to chase him and Danny Patterson relieved Milicki. Stanley singled and Hatteberg singled home Carl. Veras singled home Stanley to make it 5-0. Jim Poole replaced Patterson and Offerman singled home Hatteberg, Nixon flied out but advanced Veras to third. Daubach hit a sac fly to score Veras and increase the lead 7-0. Willie Blair was brought in to replace Poole and Nomar singled. O'Leary grounded out to end the inning but it was now 7-0. Derek Lowe came out for the bottom of the ninth to get credit for the save. Gonzalez and Palmer grounded out and Encarnarcion struck out to end the game. The Sox had won 7-0.

Hero of the Night is Pete Schourek. He tossed 7 innings of shut-out ball scattering 6 hits and a walk while striking out 4.

                                           Hero of the night: Pete Schourek



The Good:

Trot Nixon was 2 for 5 with a run scored and an rbi. Nomar Garciaparra was 2 for 4 with a walk and a run scored. Carl Everett was 1 for 3 with a run scored and was hit with a pitch. Mike Stanley was 1 for 2 with a walk, run scored and rbi. Scott Hatteberg was 1 for 2 with a walk, run scored and 2 rbi's. Derek Lowe earned his 3rd save with 2 scoreless innings.


The Bad:

Nothing here.


The Ugly:

Jose Offerman was just 1 for 5 with rbi. Brian Daubach was 0 for 4 but hit a sac fly. Troy O'Leary was just 1 for 5 with a run scored. Wilton Veras was just 1 for 4 with a run scored and an rbi.

Sox Lose Nailbiter, Shutout at Fenway (4/17/00)

The Boston Red Sox got a great start from Jeff Fassero (1-1) but it went to waste as the Oakland A's won a 1-0 classic at Fenway Park behind the great pitching of Gil Heredia.

Fassero ran into trouble in the beginning of the game. Ryan Christenson singled to lead off the bottom of the first and Miguel Tejada followed with another single. Olmedo Saenz singled and Christenson broke for home but was thrown out at the plate by Darren Lewis. Tejada swiped third but John Jaha walked to load the bases. Jeremy Giambi banged into a double play to end the inning. Fassero escaped but tossed too many pitches. Gil Heredia began his great outing by walking Lewis to open the bottom of the first. Trot Nixon grounded out to advance Lewis to second, but Darren was doubled off at second after Brian Daubach hit a rocket line drive to short.

Fassero settled down in the top of the second. Ramon Hernandez lined out, Ben Grieve grounded out and Jorge Velandia grounded out to end the inning. The Sox went quietly in the bottom of the second.  Nomar Garciaparra grounded out, Carl Everett popped up and Mike Stanley grounded out to end the inning.

The A's threatened in the top of the third as well. Eric Chavez struck out but Christenson and Tejeda hit back to back singles. Christenson was foolishly thrown out trying to steal, which loomed large when Saenz singled Tejeda to third base. Jaha walked to load the bases but Giambi struck out to end the inning. Jeff Frye struck out to begin the bottom of the third. Jason Varitek got the Sox first hit of the game but Wilton Veras flied out. Lewis flied out to end the inning.

Hernandez grounded out to begin the top of the fourth inning. Grieve struck out and Vealandia grounded out to end the inning. The Sox attempted to rally in the bottom of the fourth. Nixon struck out but Daubach singled. Nomar doubled into the gap but the slow footed Daubach had to be held at third. Everett was intentionally walked and all Stanley needed to do was hit a fly ball and the Sox would have had the lead. Unfortunately with the lead foot Daubach, his fly ball he hit wasn't deep enough and everyone stayed put. Frye lined out to end virtually the only threat of the day.

Fassero took full advantage of his defense in the top of the fifth.  Chavez, Christenson and Tejeda all grounded out in short order. Heredia settled down himself by striking out Varitek to open the bottom of the fifth. Veras flied out and Lewis grounded out to end the inning.

The A's finally broke through in the top of the 6th. Saenz doubled and Jaha singled him home, taking second on the throw home. Giambi struck out and trigger happy Sox manager Jimy Williams pulled Fassero for Rich Garces. Fassero did well, just didn't get any run support. Hernandez erased Jaha at third on a force and Grieve struck out to end the inning. The Sox got the tying run on in the bottom of the sixth when Nixon walk. Daubach flied out and Nixon was erased at second on the force by Nomar. Everett grounded out to end the inning.

Garces returned for the top of the 7th. Velandia flied out, Chavez flied out and Christenson did as well to end the inning. The Sox went quietly in the bottom of the 7th. Stanley grounded out, Frye struck out, Varitek flied out to end the inning.

Garces returned for the top of the 8th. Tejeda struck out, Saenz walked and Jaha struck out. Tim Wakefield replaced Garces popped up to end the inning. Doug Jones replaced Heredia in the bottom of the eighth and the Sox tried to rally one last time. Jose Offerman pinch hit for Veras and struck out. Lewis struck out and Nixon singled. Daubach struck out to end the inning.

Offerman stayed in the game at second and Frye moved to third, Wakefield returned for the top of the ninth. Hernandez grounded out but Grieve doubled. Jason Giambi pinch hit for Valendia and was intentionally walked. Frank Menechino pinch ran for Giambi as Chavez flied out. Christenson singled but Grive was thrown out at home by Lewis to end the inning. Menechino stayed in the game at second base as Jason Isringhausen came in to close out the game. Nomar struck out and Everett grounded out. Scott Hatteberg pinch hit for Stanley and grounded out to end the game. The A's had won 1-0.



Jackass of the Night is a tough one because it was a beautiful game with not much offense on either side. I'll have to go with Mike Stanley. He was 0 for 3 and failed to drive in a run with the bases loaded, that changed the complexion of the game.

                                                      Jackass of the Night: Mike Stanley

The Good:

Trot Nixon was 1 for 3 with a walk. Jason Varitek was 1 for 3. Rich Garces pitched 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. Tim Wakefield pitched 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief.


The Bad:

Scott Hatteberg was 0 for 1 as a pinch hitter. Jeff Frye was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts. Wilton Veras was 0 for 2. Jose Offerman pinch hit for Veras and struck out.


The Ugly:

Darren Lewis was 0 for 3 with a walk and gunned down 2 runners at the plate on defense. Brian Daubach was just 1 for 4. Nomar Garciaparra was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout. Carl Everett was 0 for 3 with a walk. Jeff Fassero was game but lasted only 5 1/3 innings giving up 8 hits and 2 walks, escaping trouble throughout the game.

Sox Walkoff, Defeat A's (4/16/00)

For six innings the Boston Red Sox looked to be heading to another defeat. The Oakland A's had a comfortable 4-2 lead over Ramon Martinez and the Sox. The Sox rallied for 2 runs in the seventh to tie the game and Carl Everett hit his first walkoff home run of the season. The Sox went from the brink of defeat to defeating the Oakland A's 5-4 at Fenway Park.

                                                          Happy fans

Ramon got the ball in the bottom of the first and Rich Becker popped up to third to start. Frank Menechino grounded out to short and Ben Grieve lined out to center to end the inning. The Sox wasted no time getting on the board in the bottom of the first against Omar Olivares. Jose Offerman led off the bottom of the first with a double down the left field line. Trot Nixon moved him over to third with a ground out and Brian Daubach walked to put runners at the corners. Mike Stanley got the run in with a groundout to third to give the Sox a 1-0 lead. Troy O'Leary pulled ball four into a groundout to the mound to end the inning with the Sox ahead 1-0.

                                                        Stanley drives a run in

Olmedo Saenz reached on an error by Wilton Veras to begin the top of the second inning. Matt Stairs singled in the hole at second but Jeremy Giambi banged into a double play. Miguel Tejada grounded out to third to end the inning. The Sox beat the ball in the dirt in the bottom of the second as Carl Everett grounded out to first to start. Jason Varitek grounded to first and Veras grounded out to second to end the bottom of the second quickly.

Eric Chavez singled to right to open the top of the third but Sal Fasano banged into a double play. Becker walked but Menechino struck out on a pitch low and away to end the inning. Andy Sheets made his Sox debut by popping up to right. Offerman hit a bullet but right to Saenz and Nixon grounded out to short to end the inning.

                                                     Hey look its Andy Sheets!

The A's broke through against Ramon in the top of the fourth. Grieve flied out to center but Saenz was hit with a pitch. Saenz had to be restrained by home plate umpire Mike DiMuro from attacking Ramon. This stemmed from yesterday when Ramon's brother Pedro hit Miguel Tejada and the A's pitcher didn't respond. Stairs struck out but Giambi singled to center. Tejada walked to load the bases and Chavez hit a bases clearing double high off the centerfield wall. For some reason 1st base umpire Brian Gorman ruled it a home run and 2nd base umpire Mike Everitt said no way. The play was finally ruled a double and A's manager Art Howe sprinted out of the dugout and threw sunflower seeds while protesting the call. Sal Fasano struck out looking to end the inning but the A's had control of the game 3-1. 

                                               "Why I augghta....." - Saenz

The Sox struck back in the bottom of the third as Daubach lined out to center to start. Stanley grounded out to first but O'Leary singled to right. Grieve misplayed a flyball by Everett for a double that scored O'Leary to inch the Sox closer. Varitek grounded out to second to end the inning but it was now 3-2.

                                                     "I don't got it...." - Grieve

The A's got another run off Ramon in the top of the fifth. Becker doubled down the left field line over the head of Stanley but Ramon punched out both Menechino and Grieve swinging. The wind carried a routine fly ball hit by Saenz past the diving Nixon for a double that scored Becker. Stairs struck out swinging to end the inning with the A's ahead 4-2.

                                                       Nixon can't make the play
 

The Sox could not answer in the bottom of the fifth as Veras whiffed to start. Sheets struck out looking and Offerman grounded out to second to end the inning.

Ramon had one inning left in the top of the sixth and it was a good one. Giambi flied out to the right field warning track and Everett had to run after a wind aided pop up from Tejada. Chavez singled to left and Everett had to dive after a wind aided pop up from Fasano flied out to end the inning. The final run was a fluke but he left after allowing 4 runs in 6 innings of work.

                                                     Ramon goes six innings

The Sox failed to score in the bottom of the sixth as Nixon flied out to center to start. Daubach singled to center but Stanley flied out to right. O'Leary flied out to center to end the inning.

The A's nearly tagged Tim Wakefield in the top of the seventh as Becker walked to start. Menechino dumped a base hit in front of Nixon but Wakefield bore down to get Grieve to pop up to short. Saenz popped up to center and Stairs swung at air at a knuckleball to end the inning. The Sox roared back in the bottom of the seventh with Becker moving to left field and Ryan Christenson replacing Grieve in center. Everett grounded out to second but Varitek ate up Saenz with a grounder to first for a "single". Veras singled over the head of Menechino but Sheets flied out to right. A wild pitch advanced the runners and Offerman made Olivares pay but singling home the two runners but was thrown out at second trying to stretch a double. Still, the game was tied 4-4.

                                                    "Yerrrrrr out!"

Wakefield returned for the top of the eighth and was greeted with a Giambi single into right field. Tejada sacrifice bunted Giambi to second and he moved to third on the ground-out by Chavez. Not wanting to risk a passed ball to score the go-ahead run, Sox manager Jimy Williams pulled Wakefield for lefty Rheal Cormier. A's manager Art Howe countered by pinch hitting Jason Giambi for Fasano. Giambi gave one a ride but it was snared for the third and final out by Nixon to end the inning. Mike Magante was brought in to pitch the bottom of the eighth as Ramon Hernandez came into catch. Darren Lewis pinch hit for Nixon and was called out on strike three at a pitch at his ankles. Daubach singled to right to chase Magante and Jeff Frye pinch ran for him. Howe countered by bringing in TJ Matthews to pitch to Stanley. Mike hit a bullet but the wind knocked it into the glove of Giambi in right. O'Leary flied out to left to end the inning.

Cormier returned to the mound in the top of the ninth with Lewis now in right. Becker took strike three and Menechino flied out to right. That was it for Rheal as Sox closer Derek Lowe was brought in. Christenson singled to left but Saenz whiffed to end the inning. Matthews returned to the mound but the bottom of the ninth wouldn't last long. Carl Everett blasted a walk-off home run on a 3-1 count to give the Sox the 5-4 victory.

                                                                     SOX WIN!

Hero of the Night is an easy one. Carl Everett hit the walkoff home run to win the game. He was 2 for 4 with 2 total rbi's including his walkoff blast.

                                                       Hero of the Night; Carl Everett


The Good:

Jose Offerman was 2 for 4 with 2 rbi's and a run scored. 

Brian Daubach was 2 for 3 with a walk. 

Jason Varitek was 1 for 3 with a run scored. 

Wilton Veras was 1 for 3 with a run scored. 

Tim Wakefield pitched 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. 

Rheal Cormier tossed a full inning of scoreless relief. 

Derek Lowe got the win by getting the final out of the ninth.

The Bad:

Trot Nixon was 0 for 3. 

Darren Lewis was 0 for 1 as a pinch hitter. 

Andy Sheets was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.

The Ugly:

Mike Stanley was 0 for 4 but drove in a run. 

Troy O'Leary was 1 for 4 with a run scored. 

Ramon Martinez gutted through 6 innings, giving up 4 runs on 7 hits, 2 walks and struck out 6.

Honorable Mention:

Jeff Frye pinch ran for Daubach.

Final Thoughts:

That's why they traded for Carl Everett, folks. They needed offense and he pulled his load today. The Sox look headed to defeat but rallied in the later innings. Kudos to Jose Offerman for tying the game and the trio of Wakefield, Cormier and Lowe for keeping the game tied with a chance for the Sox to come back. Ramon's velocity was up to start the game but started to run out of gas in the 6th inning. It wasn't his best stuff but wasn't the worst either. It'll be interesting to see how long Daubach can keep his hot streak. All in all its always a good thing to send the fans home happy so enjoy the walkoff win tonight. Tomorrow morning the Sox play their annual Patriots Day game before the Boston Marathon. Gil Heredia takes the mound for Oakland against Jeff Fassero (1-0) of the Red Sox. The game begins at 11 AM at Fenway Park.