Schourek Dazzles, Win Streak Hits Six (5/15/00)

Everything seems to be going right for the Boston Red Sox right now, all they had to do was suffer injuries to their 3 best players John Valentin, Carl Everett and Nomar Garciaparra. Also who needs Pedro Martinez when you have Pete Schourek (2-3, 2.78 ERA) to pitch a gem to propel the Sox to their sixth straight victory. The Sox rode the hot bats of their role players to take the game 8-1 against the Toronto Blue Jays at Skydome.

                                                      Grover Cleveland approves of the victory

Blue Jays starter Frank Castillo was tough to begin the top of the first. Darren Lewis and Trot Nixon both struck out as Mike Stanley flied out to end the inning. Sox starter Pete Schourek was in command right from the get go. Shannon Stewart popped up as Homer Bush flied out. Raul Mondesi walked but Carlos Delgado flied out to end the inning.

The Sox tried to rally in the top of the second inning. Brian Daubach looked at strike three but Troy O'Leary walked. Mike Stanley singled but Scott Hatteberg banged into a double play to end the inning. Schourek remained hot in the bottom of the second. Tony Batista struck out, Marty Cordova (released by the Sox just before the season started) grounded out and Jose Cruz struck out to end the inning.

Castillo matched Pete in the top of the third. Wilton Veras and Donnie Sadler both grounded out and Lewis flied out to end the inning. The Jays struck first in the bottom of the third. Alex S Gonzalez struck out but Alberto Castillo walked. Castillo was erased on the force by Stewart. Bush singled and Veras booted a ball hit by Mondesi, allowing Stewart to score but Mondesi was thrown out at second trying to stretch. Still, it was 1-0 Jays.

Castillo maintained the lead in the top of the fourth. Nixon struck out but Stanley singled. Daubach struck out and O'Leary flied out to end the inning.  The Sox defense pitched in during the bottom of the fourth. Delgado struck out but Batista singled. Tony stole second and broke for home on the single by Cordova. O'Leary came up throwing and Batista was nailed at the plate. Cruz lined out to end the inning, big run prevention there.

                                       Hatteberg says "Yerrrrr out!"

The Sox erupted in the top of the fifth. Frye singled and moved to second on the Hatteberg ground out. Veras singled Frye to third and Sadler singled home Frye, moving to second (Veras third) on an error by Gonzalez. Lewis scored Veras with a single and Sadler motored to third. Lewis swiped second and Sadler scored on the ground out by Nixon. Stanley whiffed to end the inning with the Sox ahead 3-1. Schourek slammed the door in the bottom of the fifth. Gonzalez, Castillo and Stewart all grounded out in short order.

The Sox threatened again in the top of the sixth. Daubach singled but O'Leary struck out. Daubach was thrown out at second trying to steal as Frye walked. Hatteberg struck out to end the inning. Schourek returned for the bottom of the sixth and got Bush to ground out. Mondesi flied out and Delgado grounded out to end the inning.

The Sox iced the game in the top of the seventh with John Frascatore on the mound. Veras led off with a scintillating triple. Sadler whiffed but Lewis slammed a single to score Veras. Nixon walked and Lewis swiped third. Stanley then hit a sac fly that scored Lewis to make it 5-1. Nixon stole second but Daubach grounded out to end the inning. More than enough cushion for Pete in the bottom of the seventh. Batista lined out, Cordova flied out and Cruz struck out to end the inning.

Old friend Eric Gunderson came on to pitch the top of the eighth. O'Leary struck out then both Frye and Hatteberg grounded out to end the inning. Schourek came back to finish the bottom of the eighth. Gonzalez grounded out, Castillo popped up and Stewart popped up to end the inning. Hell of an effort by Schourek, tossing 8 innings and allowing an unearned run.

Roy Halladay got the ball in the top of the ninth and got lit up. Veras singled but Sadler popped up. Lewis singled and Nixon scored both runners with a double. Stanley advanced Nixon to third with a fly out and Daubach wrapped up the scoring with a single to score Nixon. O'Leary grounded out to end the inning but the Sox now led 8-1. Rich Garces came on to finish it off in the bottom of the ninth. Bush grounded out but Mondesi singled. Delgado flied out but Batista singled. Cordova looked at strike three to end the game. The Sox had won 8-1.

Hero of the Night is Pete Schourek. He stepped it up by tossing 8 innings of 1 unearned run ball by scattering 4 hits and 2 walks while striking out 5.

                                                           Hero of the Night: Pete Schourek


The Good:

Darren Lewis was 3 for 5 with 2 stolen bases, 2 runs scored and 2 rbi's. Brian Daubach was 2 for 5 with an rbi. Jeff Frye was 2 for 3 with a walk and a run scored. Wilton Veras was 3 for 4 with 3 runs scored. Rich Garces pitched a scoreless ninth inning.


The Bad:

Scott Hatteberg was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.


The Ugly:

Trot Nixon was just 1 for 4 but walked, scored a run, stole a base and drove in 3. Mike Stanley was just 1 for 4 but drove in a run. Troy O'Leary was 0 for 4 but drew a walk. Donnie Sadler was just 1 for 4 but scored a run and drove in one.



Final Thoughts:

It can't last forever but the role players stepped up big time the past week. Darren Lewis, Wilton Veras and Donnie Sadler have been getting it done on offense while Pete Schourek and Brian Rose got it done with their pitching. All this has led to a nice six game win streak that has the Red Sox at 23-12 and in first place. The Sox look for seven in a row tomorrow as Tim Wakefield gets the start against Lance Painter.