Happy fans
Ramon got the ball in the bottom of the first and Rich Becker popped up to third to start. Frank Menechino grounded out to short and Ben Grieve lined out to center to end the inning. The Sox wasted no time getting on the board in the bottom of the first against Omar Olivares. Jose Offerman led off the bottom of the first with a double down the left field line. Trot Nixon moved him over to third with a ground out and Brian Daubach walked to put runners at the corners. Mike Stanley got the run in with a groundout to third to give the Sox a 1-0 lead. Troy O'Leary pulled ball four into a groundout to the mound to end the inning with the Sox ahead 1-0.
Olmedo Saenz reached on an error by Wilton Veras to begin the top of the second inning. Matt Stairs singled in the hole at second but Jeremy Giambi banged into a double play. Miguel Tejada grounded out to third to end the inning. The Sox beat the ball in the dirt in the bottom of the second as Carl Everett grounded out to first to start. Jason Varitek grounded to first and Veras grounded out to second to end the bottom of the second quickly.
Eric Chavez singled to right to open the top of the third but Sal Fasano banged into a double play. Becker walked but Menechino struck out on a pitch low and away to end the inning. Andy Sheets made his Sox debut by popping up to right. Offerman hit a bullet but right to Saenz and Nixon grounded out to short to end the inning.
The A's broke through against Ramon in the top of the fourth. Grieve flied out to center but Saenz was hit with a pitch. Saenz had to be restrained by home plate umpire Mike DiMuro from attacking Ramon. This stemmed from yesterday when Ramon's brother Pedro hit Miguel Tejada and the A's pitcher didn't respond. Stairs struck out but Giambi singled to center. Tejada walked to load the bases and Chavez hit a bases clearing double high off the centerfield wall. For some reason 1st base umpire Brian Gorman ruled it a home run and 2nd base umpire Mike Everitt said no way. The play was finally ruled a double and A's manager Art Howe sprinted out of the dugout and threw sunflower seeds while protesting the call. Sal Fasano struck out looking to end the inning but the A's had control of the game 3-1.
The Sox struck back in the bottom of the third as Daubach lined out to center to start. Stanley grounded out to first but O'Leary singled to right. Grieve misplayed a flyball by Everett for a double that scored O'Leary to inch the Sox closer. Varitek grounded out to second to end the inning but it was now 3-2.
The A's got another run off Ramon in the top of the fifth. Becker doubled down the left field line over the head of Stanley but Ramon punched out both Menechino and Grieve swinging. The wind carried a routine fly ball hit by Saenz past the diving Nixon for a double that scored Becker. Stairs struck out swinging to end the inning with the A's ahead 4-2.
The Sox could not answer in the bottom of the fifth as Veras whiffed to start. Sheets struck out looking and Offerman grounded out to second to end the inning.
Ramon had one inning left in the top of the sixth and it was a good one. Giambi flied out to the right field warning track and Everett had to run after a wind aided pop up from Tejada. Chavez singled to left and Everett had to dive after a wind aided pop up from Fasano flied out to end the inning. The final run was a fluke but he left after allowing 4 runs in 6 innings of work.
The Sox failed to score in the bottom of the sixth as Nixon flied out to center to start. Daubach singled to center but Stanley flied out to right. O'Leary flied out to center to end the inning.
The A's nearly tagged Tim Wakefield in the top of the seventh as Becker walked to start. Menechino dumped a base hit in front of Nixon but Wakefield bore down to get Grieve to pop up to short. Saenz popped up to center and Stairs swung at air at a knuckleball to end the inning. The Sox roared back in the bottom of the seventh with Becker moving to left field and Ryan Christenson replacing Grieve in center. Everett grounded out to second but Varitek ate up Saenz with a grounder to first for a "single". Veras singled over the head of Menechino but Sheets flied out to right. A wild pitch advanced the runners and Offerman made Olivares pay but singling home the two runners but was thrown out at second trying to stretch a double. Still, the game was tied 4-4.
Wakefield returned for the top of the eighth and was greeted with a Giambi single into right field. Tejada sacrifice bunted Giambi to second and he moved to third on the ground-out by Chavez. Not wanting to risk a passed ball to score the go-ahead run, Sox manager Jimy Williams pulled Wakefield for lefty Rheal Cormier. A's manager Art Howe countered by pinch hitting Jason Giambi for Fasano. Giambi gave one a ride but it was snared for the third and final out by Nixon to end the inning. Mike Magante was brought in to pitch the bottom of the eighth as Ramon Hernandez came into catch. Darren Lewis pinch hit for Nixon and was called out on strike three at a pitch at his ankles. Daubach singled to right to chase Magante and Jeff Frye pinch ran for him. Howe countered by bringing in TJ Matthews to pitch to Stanley. Mike hit a bullet but the wind knocked it into the glove of Giambi in right. O'Leary flied out to left to end the inning.
Cormier returned to the mound in the top of the ninth with Lewis now in right. Becker took strike three and Menechino flied out to right. That was it for Rheal as Sox closer Derek Lowe was brought in. Christenson singled to left but Saenz whiffed to end the inning. Matthews returned to the mound but the bottom of the ninth wouldn't last long. Carl Everett blasted a walk-off home run on a 3-1 count to give the Sox the 5-4 victory.
The Good:
Jose Offerman was 2 for 4 with 2 rbi's and a run scored.
Brian Daubach was 2 for 3 with a walk.
Jason Varitek was 1 for 3 with a run scored.
Wilton Veras was 1 for 3 with a run scored.
Tim Wakefield pitched 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief.
Rheal Cormier tossed a full inning of scoreless relief.
Derek Lowe got the win by getting the final out of the ninth.
The Bad:
Trot Nixon was 0 for 3.
Trot Nixon was 0 for 3.
Darren Lewis was 0 for 1 as a pinch hitter.
Andy Sheets was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.
The Ugly:
Mike Stanley was 0 for 4 but drove in a run.
Mike Stanley was 0 for 4 but drove in a run.
Troy O'Leary was 1 for 4 with a run scored.
Ramon Martinez gutted through 6 innings, giving up 4 runs on 7 hits, 2 walks and struck out 6.
Honorable Mention:
Jeff Frye pinch ran for Daubach.
Jeff Frye pinch ran for Daubach.
Final Thoughts:
That's why they traded for Carl Everett, folks. They needed offense and he pulled his load today. The Sox look headed to defeat but rallied in the later innings. Kudos to Jose Offerman for tying the game and the trio of Wakefield, Cormier and Lowe for keeping the game tied with a chance for the Sox to come back. Ramon's velocity was up to start the game but started to run out of gas in the 6th inning. It wasn't his best stuff but wasn't the worst either. It'll be interesting to see how long Daubach can keep his hot streak. All in all its always a good thing to send the fans home happy so enjoy the walkoff win tonight. Tomorrow morning the Sox play their annual Patriots Day game before the Boston Marathon. Gil Heredia takes the mound for Oakland against Jeff Fassero (1-0) of the Red Sox. The game begins at 11 AM at Fenway Park.
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