Pitching Woes Continue as Streak Reaches Four (4/8/00)

Other than Pedro Martinez, no other Sox starter looked particularly good during the 4 games since Pedro's start. Today it was Brian Rose (0-1) who took the beating and the Sox's 4th straight loss and second in a row to the Anaheim Angels at Edison Field.

Ken Hill took the mound for Anaheim and walked Jose Offerman to begin the game. Nixon flied out and Daubach struck out. Offerman was gunned down at second trying to steal leaving Nomar Garciaparra standing at the plate. Like yesterday, the Angels took the lead quickly. Darin Erstad led off with a single in the bottom of the first and Kennedy walked. Mo Vaughn singled home Erstad and Salmon's fly out moved Kennedy to third. Anderson drove home Kennedy with a force and was thrown out trying to steal. Just like that it was 2-0 Anaheim, way to go Rose.

Nomar Garciaparra singled to start the top of the second but was gone when Troy O'Leary bounced into a double play. Carl Everett walked but he too was gunned down trying to steal. Angels catcher Bengie Molina is 2 for 2 as the scene shifts to the bottom of the second. Rose settled down to retire Troy Glaus and Scott Spiezio flied out to center. Molina doubled but Gary Disarcina grounded out to end the inning.

Jason Varitek led off the third with a flyout to short left as Jeff Frye grounded out. Darren Lewis worked a walk but Offerman flied out to end the inning. Rose got Erstad to ground out and Kennedy to pop up to Nomar. Vaughn flied out to end the inning.

Hill continued to dominate in the 4th by striking out Nixon to open before inducing Daubach and Nomar to ground out. Rose was almost as tough on the Anaheim batters. He got Salmon to fly out but allowed Anderson to single. Brian recovered to get both Glaus and Spiezio to fly out to right.

The Sox continued to sputter offensively in the 5th. O'Leary grounded out and Everett whiffed. Varitek grounded out as Hill had now pitched 5 shut out innings. Molina popped up to Nixon before Rose ran into trouble when Disarcina and Erstad hit back to back singles. Brian recovered to get Kennedy on a fly out and Vaughn to ground out to keep it a 2-0 game.

The Sox broke through in the 6th. Frye and Lewis both grounded out before Offerman walked. A wild pitch moved Offerman to second and Nixon took advantage by singling Jose home. Another wild pitch moved Nixon to second but he stayed there as Daubach walked and Garciaparra flied out. Stranding the tying run at second proved inconsequential as the Angels broke the game open in the bottom of the 6th. Salmon flied out but Anderson singled. Glaus doubled home Anderson and Spiezio homered to chase Rose and give the Angels a 5-1 lead. Bryce Florie replaced Rose and gave up a single to Molina. Disarcina sacrificed bunted Bengie over to second who scored on the double by Erstad. Kennedy struck out to end it but now the Angels had a commanding 6-1 lead.

Old friend Kent Mercker replaced Hill for the top of the 7th. O'Leary walked but was erased on the force out from Everett. Varitek walked to chase Mercker and Angels manager Mike Scoscia replaced him with Shigetoshi Hasegawa. Frye singled home Everett and Scott Hatteberg pinch hit for Lewis by singling to load the bases. Manny Alexander pinch ran for Hatteberg as Hasegawa walked Offerman to score Varitek. The Sox were on a roll but were stopped dead in their tracks when Nixon banged into a double play to end the inning. Nixon moved from right to take over at center for the departed Lewis, Frye replaced Nixon in right and Alexander took over at third. Florie got Vaughn to line out and he struck out Salmon before Red Sox manager "Mr. Pitch Count" Jimy Williams lifted Florie after 24 pitches for Rheal Cormier. Cormier got Anderson to ground out which begs why Florie couldn't have gotten that last out and saved Cormier for the 8th?

Benji Gill replaced Disarcina at short for Anaheim and Mark Petkovsek replaced Hasegawa for the top of the 8th. Daubach led off with a single and Nomar walked. O'Leary nearly killed the rally by banging into a double play but Daubach moved to third. Everett doubled home Daubach and Varitek singled home Everett to make the game 6-5. With the tying run on base, Scoscia pulled Petkovesk for Lou Pote as Jeff Frye watched strike 3 go by to end the inning. What was once a commanding lead was now a 1 run game but the Angels struck back in the bottom of the inning. Cormier struck out Glaus but gave up a double to Spiezio and a single to Molina who advanced to second when Spiezio beat out the throw home. Gill grounded out and Erstad struck out but the Angels now had some insurance.

Angels closer Troy Percival took the mound and struck out Alexander. Offerman walked to bring the tying run to the plate but Nixon flied out and Daubach grounded out to end it. Missed chances, shoddy relief and mediocre starting pitching has dropped the Red Sox to 1-4 on the season.

Jackass of the Night is Brian Rose. He gave up 5 runs on NINE hits and walk in just 5 1/3 innings.

                                          Jackass of the Night: Brian Rose

The Good:

Jose Offerman was 0 for 1 with an amazing 4 walks, a run scored and an rbi. Nomar Garciaparra was 1 for 3 with a walk.Carl Everett was 1 for 3 with a walk, rbi and 2 runs scored. Jason Varitek was 1 for 3 with a walk, run scored and rbi. Scott Hatteberg pinch hit and singled.

The Bad:

Manny Alexander struck out as a pinch hitter.

The Ugly:  

Trot Nixon was 1 for 5 with an rbi. Brian Daubach was just 1 for 4 but walked, scored a run and drove in one. Troy O'Leary was 0 for 3 with a walk. Jeff Frye was 1 for 4 with an rbi. Darren Lewis was 0 for 1 but walked. Both Bryce Florie and Rheal Cormier gave up runs in 1 1/3 of an inning's work.