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.
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.
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