After being dormant for the first 6 games of the season, the Boston Red Sox offense came alive to shell the Minnesota Twins at Fenway Park, picking up Ramon Martinez (1-1, 11.37 ERA) in the victory.
Ramon Martinez took the mound in the top of the first, looking to bounce back from his hideous opening start, but it failed. Todd Walker led off the top of the first inning and flied out to center. Christia Guzman walked as Matt Lawton and David Ortiz hit back to back singles to load the bases. Ron Coomer walked and just like that it was 1-0 Twins. Corey Koskie helped matters by popping up and Ramon got out of the inning by getting Marcus Jensen to fly out to end the inning. The Sox wasted no time scoring against Twins starter Joe Mays. Jose Offerman led off the bottom of the first with a walk and was moved to third on the double by Trot Nixon. Brian Daubach gave one a ride but was caught in deep right, but it was deep enough to score Offerman and advance Nixon to third. The Sox took the lead when Nomar Garciaparra singled to score Nixon. Troy O'Leary banged into a double play but the Sox had life, 2-1.
Ramon looked to be in trouble when Jacque Jones doubled to lead off the top of the second but Tori Hunter grounded out to short, leaving Jones at second. Walker advanced Jones to third but Guzman flied out to left to end the inning. The Sox put the game away in the bottom of the second inning. Carl Everett bashed a home run to increase the lead 3-1 as Mike Stanley worked a walk. Jason Varitek flied out but Wilton Veras (replacing the injured John Valentin) doubled Stanley to third. Offerman walked to load the bases and Nixon walked to score Stanley from third. Daubach hit one to Mays but he airmailed the throw which scored Veras and advanced the runners, increasing the lead 5-1. Twins manager Tom Kelly had seen enough and pulled Mays for Mark Redman. Nomar singled in Offerman and Nixon, advancing Daubach to third. O'Leary singled home Daubach who beat out the throw home, Nomar went to third and Troy to second on the throw. Everett started the inning with a home run but struck out here. Stanley worked his second walk of the inning and Varitek singled home 2 more runners to make it 10-1. Veras lined out to end the inning, but what a massacre.
More than enough cushion for Ramon who got Lawton to pop up to Veras to lead off the top of the third inning. Ortiz flied out to short right and Coomer grounded out to short to end the frame. Offerman whiffed to begin the bottom of the third. Nixon flied out and Daubach grounded out.
Ramon remained tough in the top of the fourth. Koskie lined out and Jensen flied out. Jones managed a base hit but Hunter struck out to end the inning. Nomar singled to begin the bottom of the fourth but O'Leary flied out. Everett walked but Stanley and Varitek flied out to left to end the inning.
Ramon came out for the fifth inning and was greeted by a Walker double. Guzman walked but Lawton flied out and Ortiz banged into a double play to end the inning. The Sox could muster nothing in the bottom of the fifth inning. Veras grounded out but Offerman singled. Jose was erased on the force by Nixon and Daubach looked at strike 3 to end the inning.
After the marathon first inning, Sox manager Jimy Williams decided to sit Ramon after 5 innings with a 9 run lead. John Wasdin came into the game and immediately gave up a leadoff home run to Coomer in the top of the 6th. Some relief. Wasdin recovered to strike out Wasdin. Jensen lined out and Jones also struck out to end the inning.It was now 10-2 Sox. The Sox struck again in the bottom of the 6th. Nomar singled and advanced to second on a ground out by O'Leary. Everett crushed his second home run of the day to increase the lead 12-2. Walker flubbed a line drive off the bat of Stanley and that was it for Redmond. Tom Kelly brought in Bob Wells who fared no matter. Varitek doubled Stanley to third and Veras singled him home, advancing Varitek to third. Offerman walked but both Nixon and Daubach struck out to end the inning. It was now 13-2 Boston.
The Twins rallied against Wasdin in the top of the 7th. Hunter struck out but Walker singled and Guzman walked. Lawton doubled home Walker and advanced Guzman to third, who scored on the ground out by Ortiz. Coomer popped up to end the inning and the score 13-4 Boston. Eddie Guardado took over for the bottom of the 7th. Nomar grounded out and O'Leary flied out but Evcrett doubled and Stanley singled him to third. Varitek was hit by a pitch to load the bases but Veras flied out to end the inning.
Jimy Williams decided to rest his starters as Scott Hatteberg came in to catch for Varitek, Jeff Frye replaced Jose Offerman at second and Manny Alexander took over at short for Nomar. Rob Stanifer also relieved Wasdin for the top of the 8th, thankfully. Koskie lined out to center, Jensen popped up and Jones grounded out to end the inning. Travis Miller was brought in to face the three lefties coming up in the bottom of the 8th. Frye singled but Nixon flied out. Gary Gaetti pinch hit for Daubach looking for his first hit of the year....and grounded out. Alexander popped up to end the inning.
Stanifer returned for the top of the 9th to close it out. Hunter singled but Walker flied out. Hunter was erased on the force by Guzman and Lawton grounded out to end the game. The Sox prevailed 13-4.
Hero of the Night is a tough one with so much offense but I'll have to go with Nomar Garciaparra going 4 for 5, driving in 3 runs and scoring twice.
The Good:
Jose Offerman was 1 for 2 with an amazing 3 walks to go along with 2 runs scored. Jeff Frye was 1 for 1 as a pinch hitter. Carl Everett was 3 for 4 with two home runs, 3 total rbi's and 2 runs scored. Mike Stanley was 1 for 3 with 2 walks, got hit with a pitch and scored twice. Jason Varitek was 2 for 4 with 2 rbi's. Wilton Veras was 2 for 5 with an rbi and a run scored. Ramon Martinez gutted through 5 innings and allowed just 1 earned run to pick up his first win of the season. Rob Stanifer pitched 2 scoreless innings.
The Bad:
Gary Gaetti pinch hit for Daubach and grounded out. Manny Alexander was 0 for 1 as a pinch hitter. John Wasdin was hammered for 3 runs in 2 innings.
The Ugly:
Trot Nixon was just 1 for 5 but walked and scored 2 runs. Brian Daubach went 0 for 4 but drove in a run and scored a run of his own. Troy O'Leary was just 1 for 5 but scored a run and drove one in.
Honorable Mention:
Scott Hatteberg caught the 8th and 9th inning with no plate appearances.
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