Orioles ace Mike Mussina got the ball to start the game and immediately fell behind. Jose Offerman struck out but Darren Lewis just barely cleared the wall, out of the reach of BJ Surhoff for his first home run of the season. Trot Nixon grounded out and Brian Daubach struck out but the Sox had the lead. It was up to Sox starter Brian Rose (3-2, 6.31 ERA) to hold down the fort. Brady Anderson grounded out to lead off the bottom of the first. Mike Bordick popped up and BJ Surhoff flied out to end the inning.
Mussina settled down in the top of the second inning. Troy O'Leary lined out while yesterday's hero Mike Stanley worked a walk. Jason Varitek banged into a double play to end the inning. Rose responded with another scoreless inning in the bottom of the second. Albert Belle flied out but Harold Baines walked. Jeff Conine lined out but Charles Johnson whiffed to end the inning.
The Sox committed a boo-boo in the top of the third. Wilton Veras doubled but was thrown out trying to move to third on the force by Donnie Sadler, he should have stayed at second. Offerman lined out and Lewis popped up to end the inning. Things got dicey for Rose in the bottom of the third. Ryan Minor hit one up the elevator shaft and Mark Lewis flied out, but Anderson singled and moved to second on a wild pitch. Anderson then stole third but was stranded when Bordick flied out to end the inning.
Mussina continued to pitch well in the top of the fourth. Nixon walked but Daubach struck out. O'Leary flied out and Stanley grounded out to end the inning. Rose ran into trouble again in the bottom of the fourth. Surhoff popped up and Belle flied out but Baines singled. Conine doubled but the slow footed Baines was thrown out at home by Sadler on a relay throw to end the inning.
The Sox struck back in the top of the fifth inning. Varitek flied out and Veras grounded out but Sadler started the rally with a double. Offerman singled and Sadler beat the throw home to make it 2-0, advancing Offerman to second. Lewis singled Jose to third but Nixon struck out to end the inning. Rose was playing with fire and was finally burned in the bottom of the fifth. Johnson walked and Minor singled him to second, but Lewis botched the sacrifice bunt by popping it up. Anderson singled to load the bases and Bordick walked to cut the lead 2-1. Rose recovered to get Surhoff to pop up and Belle to fly out to end the inning.
The Sox struck again when Daubach led off the top of the sixth with a home run to increase the lead 3-1. O'Leary walked and advanced to third on groundouts by Stanley and Varitek. Veras flied out to end the inning. Rheal Cormier took over for Rose in the bottom of the 6th. Baines grounded out and Conine popped up. Johnson singled and Minor flied out to end the inning.
Mussina continued to dominate in the top of the 7th. Sadler lined out, Offerman grounded out and Lewis lined out to end the inning. Cormier returned for the bottom of the seventh. Lewis grounded out, Anderson walked and Bordick grounded Anderson to second. Anderson swiped third but Surhoff grounded out to end the inning.
The Sox exploded in the top of the eighth when Mussina was out of the game. BJ Ryan started the inning and Nixon walked. He swiped second as Daubach walked. O'Leary walked to load the bases and Stanley walked to make it 4-1. Jose Mercedes was brought in to pour gas on the fire. Daubach was out at home on a force by Varitek. Veras lined out but Sadler doubled in all 3 runs to break it open 7-1. Offerman singled home Sadler and Lewis singled Jose to third. Nixon wrapped up the scoring with a 2 run triple. Chuck McElroy relieved Mercedes and Daubach struck out to end the inning after 7 runs scored. John Wasdin got the ball in the bottom of the eighth. Belle grounded out, Baines flied out and Conine flied out to end the inning.
The Sox nearly put more runs on the board in the top of the ninth. O'Leary lined out and Stanley flied out but Varitek singled. Veras singled but Sadler grounded out to end the inning. Wasdin returned for the bottom of the ninth. Johnson popped up, Minor flied out and Lewis grounded out to end the game. The Sox had swept the O's in Baltimore 10-1.
Hero of the Day is the diminutive Donnie Sadler. He was 2 for 5 with 2 runs scored and a team leading 3 rbi's. He also cut down Baines at the plate to keep the 1-0 lead at the time.
The Good:
Jose Offerman was 2 for 5 with a run scored and 2 rbi's. Darren Lewis was 3 for 5 including 2 runs scored and an rbi off his first home run of the year. Wilton Veras was 2 for 5. Brian Rose got his third win of the year by tossing 5 innings of 1 run ball, allowing 5 hits and 3 walks while striking out a man. Rheal Cormier tossed 2 scoreless innings of relief. John Wasdin pitched 2 perfect innings to close out the game.
The Bad:
None....a miracle!
The Ugly:
Trot Nixon was just 1 for 5 but made the one hit count as it was a 2 run triple, he also walked twice and scored a run. Brian Daubach was just 1 for 4 with a walk but made the hit count as it was his 8th home run of the year. Troy O'Leary was 0 for 3 but walked twice and scored a run. Mike Stanley was 0 for 3 but walked twice, scored a run and drove in a run. Jason Varitek was just 1 for 5 but scored a run.
Final Thoughts:
Who knew the Sox needed their 3 best hitters get hurt in John Valentin, Carl Everett and Nomar Garciaparra in order to go on a winning streak. The Sox have now won 5 in a row thanks to the role players such as Lewis, Sadler and Offerman stepping it up. Daubach and Stanley have remained big hitters to keep the offense going. The win improved the Sox to 22-12, 1/2 game in front of the New York Yankees for 1st place in the AL East. Tomorrow Pete Schourek goes up against Frank Castillo and the Toronto Blue Jays looking to make it 6 wins in a row.
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