Pedro took the mound in the top of the first and struck out Rich Becker swinging. Frank Menechino walked but was thrown out at second by the alert Jason Varitek. Ben Grieve struck outlooking to end the inning. The Sox wasted no time scoring against Oakland starter Tim Hudson. Jose Offerman dumped a base hit to right and moved to second on the sacrifice bunt by Trot Nixon. Brian Daubach doubled home Offerman to give the Sox the quick lead. Nomar Garciaparra hit a little roller to third that he beat out and Troy O'Leary walked to load the bases. Carl Everett gave one a ride but was nabbed in center, but it did score Daubach and advance Nomar to third. Varitek struck out looking to end the inning, but it was 2-0 Boston.
Olmedo Saenz got one of the runs right back with a solo home run off Pedro in the top of the second. Matt Stairs popped up to short, Jeremy Giambi grounded out to second and Ramon Hernandez struck out looking to end the inning with the Sox ahead 2-1.
The Sox exploded in the bottom of the second inning as Manny Alexander hit a leadoff triple into the centerfield triangle. Darren Lewis walked and was picked off.....or would have been if Hudson hadn't thrown the ball away. Alexander scored and Lewis advanced to second on the error. Offerman flied out to left but Nixon walked. Daubach ripped a double down the right field line to clear the bases. Nomar walked but was erased on the force by O'Leary. Everett doubled home both runners to chase Hudson. Old friend Ron Mahay replaced Hudson and walked Varitek. Alexander popped up to center to end the inning with the Sox ahead 7-1.
The A's struck back in the top of the third inning as Eric Chavez lined out to left but Miguel Tejeda was hit in the left shoulder. Becker singled in the hole at second but Menechino struck out swinging. Grieve hit a bullet to center to score Tejeda to cut the lead. Saenz grounded out to second to end the inning with the A's down 7-2.
Mahay returned for the bottom of the third and Lewis lined out to third to start. Offerman flied out to center and Nixon flied out to right to end the inning.
Pedro failed to get a clean inning in the top of the fourth when Stairs singled up the middle to start. Pedro recovered to strike out Giambi looking and Hernandez swinging. Chavez flied out to right to end the inning. Daubach walked to open the bottom of the fourth but Nomar lined out to left. O'Leary flied out to left and Everett struck out swinging to end the inning.
Pedro finally had a clean inning in the top of the fifth. Tejada grounded back to the mound to start then Becker looked at strike three right down the middle. Menechino struck out swinging to end the inning. The Sox broke through on Mahay in the bottom of the fifth as Varitek crushed his first home run just into the left field screen to increase the lead. Alexander reached on a throwing error by Tejeda and Lewis singled Manny to third. Manny scored on a wild pitch by Mahay to increase the lead. Offerman grounded out to Tejada to move Lewis to third and Nixon walked to put runners at the corners. Daubach flied out to center and Nomar grounded out to third to end the inning, but it was 9-2 Sox.
Pedro remained hot in the top of the sixth as Grieve grounded out to first to start. Saenz struck out swinging and Stairs flied out to the right field warning track to end the inning. The Sox struck back in the bottom of the sixth although O'Leary grounded out to first to start. Everett blooped a double under the glove of Becker but Varitek lined out to Giambi. A's manager Art Howe brought in Luis Vizcaino to walk Alexander. Oakland then played hot potato with the ball as Becker muffed a line drive by Lewis, allowing Everett to score and advance Manny to third. Then Offerman hit a ball that Chavez booted at third, scoring Alexander and advancing Lewis to second. Nixon struck out swinging to end the inning but it was now 11-2 Sox.
Sox manager Jimy Williams decided one more inning was good enough for Pedro. Giambi singled to center begin the top of the seventh but Hernandez beat out a double play ball. Chavez grounded out to first and Tejada grounded out to short to end the inning. That was it for Martinez who tossed 7 masterful innings of 2 run ball while striking out 9. He probably could have gone on longer but with a huge lead, why risk it?
The Sox wrapped up the scoring in the bottom of the seventh with Jorge Velandia taking over at short for Tejada. Daubach took strike three on the inside corner but Nomar singled past Velandia. O'Leary advanced Nomar to second with a groundout back to the mound. Everett singled home Nomar and Varitek doubled Nomar to third. Alexander singled home both men to wrap up the scoring. Becker made a great diving catch to rob Lewis the inning with the Sox ahead 14-2
Rheal Cormier was brought in for the top of the eighth as Jeff Frye replaced Offerman at second. Ryan Christianson pinch hit for Becker and grounded back to the mound to start. Menechino lined out to a jumping Frye and Cormier snared a comebacker by Grieve to end the inning.
Jason Isringhausen came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Frye flied out to right to start. Nixon whiffed and Daubach grounded out to second to end the inning.
Tim Wakefield had mop up duty in the top of the ninth and Saenz greeted him with a double into the centerfield triangle. Saenz moved to third on the grounder by Stairs but Wakefield punched out Giambi looking. Hernandez grounded out to third to end the game, the Sox had blasted the A's 14-2.
Sox win
Hero of the night: Manny Alexander
The Good:
Brian Daubach was 2 for 5 with 3 rbi's, a walk and 2 runs scored.
Hero of the Night is a tough one with so much offense. I'll have to go with the surprising Manny Alexander. The normally light hitting Manny went 2 for 4 with 2 rbi's and 3 runs scored.
The Good:
Brian Daubach was 2 for 5 with 3 rbi's, a walk and 2 runs scored.
Nomar Garciaparra was 2 for 4 with a walk and a run scored.
Carl Everett was 3 for 4 with 4 rbi's and 2 runs scored.
Jason Varitek was 2 for 4 including a home run, a walk and 2 total runs scored.
Pedro Martinez once again dazzled, tossing 7 innings of 2 run ball while striking out 9.
Rheal Cormier tossed a scoreless inning.
Tim Wakefield tossed a scoreless inning.
The Bad:
Jeff Frye was 0 for 1
Jeff Frye was 0 for 1
The Ugly:
Jose Offerman was just 1 for 5 with a run scored.
Jose Offerman was just 1 for 5 with a run scored.
Trot Nixon was 0 for 3 but walked twice and scored a run.
Troy O'Leary was 0 for 4 with a walk and a run scored.
Darren Lewis was just 1 for 4 but walked and scored a run.
Final Thoughts:
That's more like it after yesterday's disaster. The offense took a good pitcher in Tim Hudson and clobbered him. They poured on 7 more runs after Hudson was gone and its a good sign to see everyone get in on the fun. Pedro was Pedro and there's not much that can be said apart from he's damn good. Even Cormier and Wakefield didn't give an inch in their mop up duty. With Gary Gaetti retiring, the Sox are going to have a revolving door at DH between Mike Stanley, Daubach and who knows what else. Either way it was a good win today and hopefully the Sox can keep the momentum going in the next game. Tomorrow afternoon the Sox try to make it two in a row against the A's when they send Ramon Martinez up against Omar Olivares of the A's. The game begins at 1 PM at Fenway Park.
That's more like it after yesterday's disaster. The offense took a good pitcher in Tim Hudson and clobbered him. They poured on 7 more runs after Hudson was gone and its a good sign to see everyone get in on the fun. Pedro was Pedro and there's not much that can be said apart from he's damn good. Even Cormier and Wakefield didn't give an inch in their mop up duty. With Gary Gaetti retiring, the Sox are going to have a revolving door at DH between Mike Stanley, Daubach and who knows what else. Either way it was a good win today and hopefully the Sox can keep the momentum going in the next game. Tomorrow afternoon the Sox try to make it two in a row against the A's when they send Ramon Martinez up against Omar Olivares of the A's. The game begins at 1 PM at Fenway Park.
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