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.
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.
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