Boston Red Sox starter Jeff Fassero (4-1. 4.26 ERA) wasn't the sharpest but the Sox offense bailed him out in a decisive 10-6 victory over the the Detroit Tigers at Fenway Park.
Happy Fans
Gregg Jefferies led off the top of the first with a ground out to short. Brad Ausmus flied out and Juan Encarnarcion grounded out to end the inning. Good start by Fassero. Detroit starter CJ
Nitkowski (1-5, 7.26 ERA) simply didn't have it although he managed to retire
leadoff man Darren Lewis. Jeff Frye singled but was erased on Nomar Garciaparra's
force out at second. This brought up Mike Stanley who smashed his 4th homer of
the year to give the Sox a quick 2-0 lead. Troy O'Leary grounded out to end the
frame but the Sox had the lead.
Fassero took the
mound for the second and was quickly greeted by a Juan Gonzalez single. Fassero
managed to get Bobby Higginson to fly out to right and got Damion Easley to
ground out. With 2 outs and Gonzalez on second, Fassero got out of trouble by
inducing a Wendell Magee groundout. The Sox struck
quickly in the bottom of the second when Carl Everett launched his 8th homer of
the year to increase the lead to 3-0. The Sox failed to score any further as
Jason Varitek flied out to center. Andy Sheets and Wilton Veras both grounded
out to end the inning.
The Tigers struck
back in the 3rd inning off Fassero. Shane Halter doubled to start the inning
and was driven home on a single by Devi Cruz. Gregg Jefferies doubled home Cruz
as Brad Ausmus moved the runners over with a sacrifice bunt. Juan Encarnarcion
hit a ball deep to third that Veras was unable to do anything with and just
like that the game was tied 3 apiece. Fassero then caught a break as he
initiated a strike out/throw out double play when he punched out Juan Gonzalez
and Encarnarcion was thrown out stealing. The Sox regained the
lead in the bottom of the 3rd inning. Darren Lewis led off with a double and
advanced to third on a Jeff Frye single. Nomar then banged into a double play
but Lewis scored to give the Sox a 4-3 lead. Stanley worked a walk but O'Leary
flied out to end the inning.
Fassero returned for the top of the fourth inning. Higginson struck out and both Easley, then Magee grounded out to third to end the inning. The Sox continued to score in the bottom of the fourth. Halter threw a groundball by Everett away allowing him to reach first.
Then Everett was picked off first but Jeffries threw the ball away allowing
Everett to reach third. Varitek made the Tigers pay for their 2 mistakes by
socking a double to score Everett and extend the lead 5-3. Tigers manager Bob
Melvin had seen enough and replaced Cj Nitkowski with Dave Borkowski. Borkowski
put the fire out by getting Sheets, Veras and Lewis but the damage was done.
The Tigers wasted no
time getting back in the game when Shane Halter led off the 5th with a blast to
pull the Tigers within one run. Fassero managed to retire Cruz and Jeffries but
Ausmus singled to put the tying run on base. Fassero worked out of the jam by
getting Encarnarcion to pop up to right. Borkowski continued his brilliant
pitching by getting Frye, Garciaparra and Stanley to ground out in the bottom
of the inning.
That was it for
Fassero as Rich Garces replaced him for the top of the 6th. Garces retired the
side in order before Borkowski returned for the bottom of the 6th. It was
apparent he was tiring as he walked O'Leary and gave up a single to Everett.
Borkowski got Varitek to fly out but O'Leary moved over to third. Brian Daubach
lumbered out of the dugout to pinch hit for the light hitting Sheets and
greeted Borkowski with a towering 3 run homer to give the Sox an 8 to 4 lead. A
case of leaving in your reliever too long cost Melvin big time. Borkowski got
Veras and Lewis to end the inning but the damage was done.
Luis Polonia pinch
hit for Magee and grounded out to start the 7th and Halter whiffed. Cruz
singled but Jeffries flied out to end the inning. Borkowski came back out for
the bottom of the frame and was jumped on quickly. He got Jeff Frye to fly out
but 3 straight doubles by Nomar, Stanley and O'Leary increased the lead to
10-4. After getting Everett to fly out and walking Varitek, Borkowski was
mercifully pulled. Jim Poole came in and got Daubach to pop up to end the
inning.
Tim Wakefield got the
ball in the top of the 8th. He allowed back to back hits to Ausmus and
Encarnarcion but escaped with some great battery power. Wake struck out
Gonzalez and Varitek gunned down Ausmus trying to advance to third. Higginson
popped up to end the threat. Willie Blair relieved Poole in the bottom of the eighth. Veras lined out and Lewis grounded out. Frye grounded out to end the inning.
Wakefield returned to close it out in the top of the ninth. Easley singled and Polonia walked. Wakefield bobbled a ground ball by Halter and the bases were loaded. Cruz scored Easley on a ground out and Jefferies scored Polonia with a sac fly to make it 10-6. Ausmus struck out to end the game. The Sox had won 10-6
Hero of the night is a tough one. I gotta go with the herculean effort of Brian Daubach. He came off the bench ice cold and hit a 3 run bomb that helped ice the game.
The Good:
Jeff Frye was 2 for 5. Mike Stanley was 2 for 3 with 2 total runs and 3 total rbi's thanks to his 4th home run of the year. Troy O'Leary was 1 for 3 with a walk, rbi and run scored. Carl Everett was 2 for 4 with 3 total runs scored and an rbi off his 8th home run of the year. Jason Varitek was 1 for 3 with a walk and an rbi. Rich Garces pitched 2 scoreless innings.
The Bad:
Andy Sheets was 0 for 2. Wilton Veras was 0 for 4.
The Ugly:
Darren Lewis was just 1 for 5 with a run scored. Nomar Garciaparra was just 1 for 4 with 2 runs score. Jeff Fassero improved to 3-1 on the season but lasted just 5 innings and gave up 4 runs on 7 hits while striking out 2. Tim Wakefield pitched 2 innings and gave up 2 runs in the ninth.
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