Sox starter Pete Schourek had 2 good starts in a row and he looked to make it 3 in the top of the first inning. Shane Halter grounded out, Jose Macias popped up and Greg Jefferies grounded out to end the inning. Tigers starter Dave Milicki matched Pete in the bottom of the first. Jose Offerman led off with a ground out and Donnie Sadler tried to catch the defense asleep with a bunt...it failed. Trot Nixon flied out to end the inning.
Schourek remained tough in the top of the second inning. Juan Gonzalez popped up, Dean Palmer struck out and Bobby Higginson flied out. Milicki was just as tough in the bottom of the second. Brian Daubach flied out, Carl Everett popped up and Troy O'Leary struck out to end the inning.
Schourek began to throw too many pitches in the top of the third. Gabe Alvarez walked on a full count but was erased on the strike em out throw em out double play with Robert Fick. Unfortunately that was also on a full count. Deivi Cruz singled and stole second but Halter struck out to end the inning. The Sox fared no better in the bottom of the third. Mike Stanley grounded out as both Scott Hatteberg and Wilton Veras flied out to end the inning.
The Tigers struck first in the top of the fourth. Macias and Jefferies both grounded out but Palmer walked and scored on the double by Higginson. Alvarez walked again but Fick struck out again to end the inning with the Tigers up 1-0. The Sox struck back in the bottom of the fourth. Offerman singled and moved to second on the ground out by Sadler. Nixon singled Jose to third and Daubach walked to load the bases. The Sox caught a break when a wild pitch tied the game, scoring Jose and moving the other runners into scoring position. Then the Sox committed a fatal blunder when Everett lined out but Daubach was doubled off at second. Rather than take the lead the Sox only tied it at 1-1.
Schourek returned for the top of the fifth with his pitch count rising. Cruz flied out and Halter grounded out, but Macias singled. Jefferies grounded out to end the inning. The Sox threatened again in the bottom of the fifth. O'Leary doubled but Stanley failed to move him over on a ground out. A passed ball moved Troy to third and Hatteberg walked to put runners at the corners. The rally stalled when Veras popped up and Offerman grounded out to end the inning.
Rather then let Pete start the sixth at 98 pitches, Sox manager Jimy Williams pulled him in favor of Tim Wakefield (1-3, 3.82 ERA). Right on cue the Tigers took the lead when Gonzalez belted a solo home run to make it 2-1. Palmer struck out and Higginson struck out. Alvarez struck out to end the inning but the damage was done. Milicki returned for the bottom of the sixth to get Sadler to pop up, but he was chased by a Nixon walk. Tigers manager Phil Garner brought in lefty Allen McDill to pitch to lefty Daubach. Nixon stole second to put the tying run in scoring position, then moved to third on the fly out by Daubach. Danny Patterson was brought in to pitch to Everett....who grounded out to end the inning. That's twice now Everett failed in the clutch.
Wakefield returned for the top of the seventh. Fick tried to catch the Sox asleep with a bunt but it failed. Cruz flied out but Halter singled and stole second, moving to third on the single by Macias. That was it for Wakefield as Williams pulled him in favor of Rheal Cormier. Rheal got Jefferies to ground out to end the inning. Could the Sox answer in the bottom of the seventh? NO! O'Leary grounded out and Stanley flied out. Hatteberg walked to put the tying run on but Veras grounded into a force to end the inning.
John Wasdin took over in the top of the eighth. Gonzalez popped up but Palmer singled. Williams brought in lefty Tim Young to pitch to Higginson. Young got him to fly out and that was it for him, Brian Rose was up next to pitch to Becker. Rich singled but Fick flied out to end the inning. 3 pitchers for 3 outs but no runs were scored. Brad Ausmus took over behind the plate for Fick in the bottom of the eighth as Doug Brocail came in to pitch. Offerman grounded out and Jason Varitek pinch hit for Sadler....only to strike out. Nixon and Daubach singled to once again put Everett in the spotlight....where he popped up to end the inning. Three times now he's failed with men in scoring position.
Rose stayed in for the top of the ninth with Manny Alexander now playing short. Cruz, Halter and Macias all flied out to end the inning. Tigers closer Todd Jones was brought in for the save in the bottom of the ninth. O'Leary flied out and Stanley struck out, but Hatteberg singled. With the tying run at first Veras...struck out to end the game.
Jackass of the Night is Carl Everett. He failed 3 times with men in scoring position. Not what you're looking for from your best hitter (until Nomar Garciaparra returns).
The Good:
Trot Nixon was 2 for 3 with a walk. Brian Daubach was 1 for 3 with a walk. Scott Hatteberg was 1 for 2 with 2 walks. Pete Schourek pitched well by only allowing 1 run in 5 innings, its too bad he wasnt allowed to pitch further. Rheal Cormier, John Wasdin and Tim Young all retired a batter. Brian Rose tossed 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief.
The Bad:
Donnie Sadler continued his slump by going 0 for 3. Jason Varitek struck out as a pinch hitter. Mike Stanley was 0 for 4 with a strikeout. Wilton Veras was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
The Ugly:
Jose Offerman was just 1 for 4 but scored a run. Troy O'Leary was just 1 for 4. Tim Wakefield took the loss but pitched 1 2/3 innings of relief.
Honorable Mention:
Manny Alexander played shortstop in the top of the ninth.
Final Thoughts:
The Sox had their chances time and time again but couldn't cash in. The team misses Nomar Garciaparra in a big way. Donnie Sadler looks lost, Troy O'Leary and Mike Stanley are in slumps and Jose Offerman isn't the on base machine he was last year. Everett had a bad game big time but he's been big so far. Jimy Williams cost them this one with his damn pitch counts. Schourek needs to be able to pitch over 100 pitches, especially when it counts in October...if there is one. Its one thing if it was a cold April night but we're two weeks away from June. The loss dropped the Sox to 25-14, good for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow afternoon Ramon Martinez (3-2) takes on Hideo Nomo at 3:30 PM.
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