Now THAT was a great game. In one of the most hyped games of the year stemming from the beanball war that's gone on the last two years between the Red Sox and the Cleveland Indians, this time the teams let the pitching do the talking. Pedro Martinez (9-2, 0.95 ERA) was matched up with Indians ace Bartolo Colon, The two pitchers tossed zeroes until Carl Everett got a piece of one to give the Sox the lead they would not give up. In the end it was the Sox that came away with the 3-0 win as Pedro still has yet to lose to the Indians in his career.
Powdered Toast Man approves of the win
Pedro
Martinez took the mound in the top of the first facing Kenny Lofton.
Carl Everett made a running catch to rob Kenny of a hit. Omar Vizquel
struck out and Alomar hit a swinging bunt right in front of Jason
Varitek. Jason gunned it to first but pegged Alomar in the back of
the head. Robbie should have been called out but the home plate
umpire incorrectly ruled safe. Alomar was safe at first but with a
heck of a headache. Jim Thome popped up to Wilton Veras to end the
inning. Jeff Frye led off the bottom of the first against Colon and
reached first when Lofton and Vizquel crossed each other up, Lofton
dropping the ball. It was ruled a hit. Trot Nixon whiffed on a 3-2
count. Nomar Garciaparra stepped in hitting .385 to start the day, 3
points behind Darren Erstad. Nomar banged into a double play on the
first pitch.
David
Justice struck out to begin the top of the second inning. Travis
Fryman also struck out on a check swing. Russell Branyon completed
the check swing strike out inning. Everett struck out on a 3-2 count
to open the bottom of the second. Brian Daubach worked an 11 pitch
walk. Mike Stanley struck out on a 2-2 count. Troy O’Leary flied
out to left center to end the inning.
Richie
Sexson flied out to Everett in second as Einar Diaz came to the plate
amidst of chorus of boo’s. Diaz popped up to center. Lofton was
called out on strikes and protested, but Pedro had struck out 5
through 3 innings. Enrique Wilson replaced Alomar for the bottom of
the third, possibly due to Alomar getting pegged on the head earlier.
Varitek popped up to right-center. Veras chopped a ball right back to
Colon for the second out. Frye struck out to end the inning.
Nixon
made a great diving catch to rob Vizquel of a hit to open the top of
the fourth inning. Wilson grounded out to Daubach as Sox commentators
continued to make fun of the Indians. Thome flied out to right to end
the inning. Nixon struck out swinging to begin the bottom of the
fourth inning. Nomar grounded out and Everett struck out to end the
inning. Other than the Alomar blown call and Lofton dropping the pop
up, both pitchers would have been throwing perfect games
Justice
grounded out to first to start the top of the fifth inning. Fryman
flied out to Nixon but Branyon got the Indians first hit of the game
on a ground rule double to right. Sexson walked to mount the first
threat against Pedro all day. Diaz then grounded to Pedro to end the
inning. Daubach led off the bottom of the 5th with a pop
out to third. Stanley struck out on a 98 mph fastball. O’Leary hit
an infield single off the glove and moved to third on the single by
Nixon. Veras popped up to end the inning.
Jeff
Frye made a great diving catch and throw to first to rob Lofton of a
hit to open the top of the 6th. Vizquel grounded out to
second and Wilson struck out in short order. In the bottom of the
sixth, Frye grounded out to second. Nixon popped up on a pitch in on
his hands. Nomar then whiffed on a 98 mph fastball, that’s 8 K’s
for Colon in this pitcher’s duel.
Pedro
was on fire in the 7th inning. Thome whiffed on a nasty
curveball to begin the inning, Justice grounded out to second and
Fryman looked at strike 3. Pedro was working on a 1 hitter against
arguably the league’s best offense. The Sox finally got on the
board in the bottom of the 7th when Carl Everett smashed a
solo blast into the bullpen. Daubach broke his bat on a ground-out.
Stanley popped up to Diaz…who dropped it amidst a chorus of jeers.
Stanley eventually grounded out. O’Leary singled and Varitek
doubled him to third. Veras grounded out to end the inning with the Sox ahead 1-0.
Everett puts the Sox on top
Pedro
returned to the mound for the top of the 8th inning.
Branyon became Pedro’s 9th strikeout victim. Sexson
became his 10th. Diaz popped up behind the plate to end
the inning. What an outstanding start by Pedro who tossed 8 shutout innings.
Pedro was outstanding
The Sox struck again in the bottom of the 8th. Frye singled but Nixon popped up a bunt to Diaz. Colon tried to pick off Frye but the throw sailed and he scampered all the way to third. Nomar finally struck out on a 97 mph fastball. Indians manager Charlie Manual intentionally walked Everett to get to Daubach. The move backfired as Daubach blooped a single to left that scored Frye. Colon was tired but Manuel left him in to face Stanley. Mike made him pay with a single to score Everett, increasing the lead. That was it for Colon who was replaced by Scott Kamieniecki. A hell of an effort by Bartolo but it just wasn’t enough. O’Leary flied out to end the inning with the Sox ahead 3-0
The Sox struck again in the bottom of the 8th. Frye singled but Nixon popped up a bunt to Diaz. Colon tried to pick off Frye but the throw sailed and he scampered all the way to third. Nomar finally struck out on a 97 mph fastball. Indians manager Charlie Manual intentionally walked Everett to get to Daubach. The move backfired as Daubach blooped a single to left that scored Frye. Colon was tired but Manuel left him in to face Stanley. Mike made him pay with a single to score Everett, increasing the lead. That was it for Colon who was replaced by Scott Kamieniecki. A hell of an effort by Bartolo but it just wasn’t enough. O’Leary flied out to end the inning with the Sox ahead 3-0
Derek
Lowe took the mound in the top of the 9th looking to nail
down the save. Lofton grounded out meekly to second. Vizquel tried to
catch Veras asleep but Wilton gunned him down at first. Wilson
prolonged the game with a single but Lowe finished off the Indians by
striking out Thome to win the game.
Hero
of the Night is an easy one. Pedro Martinez. He allowed just 1 hit
and one walk in 8 innings, striking out 10 while giving up 0 runs.
Pedro the Hero
The
Good:
Jeff
Frye was 2 for 4 with a run scored.
Carl Everett was 1 for 3 with a
walk and made the hit count with a solo shot in the 7th
inning.
Brian Daubach was 1 for 3 with a walk and an rbi.
Troy
O’Leary was 2 for 4.
Jason Varitek was 2 for 3.
Derek Lowe picked
up his 13th save with a scoreless 9th inning.
The
Bad:
Trot
Nixon was 0 for 4 with 4 strikeouts.
Nomar Garciaparra was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Wilton Veras was 0 for 3.
The
Ugly
:
Mike
Stanley was just 1 for 4 but drove in a run.
Final
Thoughts:
A
great, great game ended with the Sox victorious. It was a pleasure to
watch and it was a great pitcher’s duel until Colon ran out of gas.
Pedro was masterful, improving to 9-2 on the year. This is the kind of game the Sox needed to win before they went back out on the road, especially with the New York Yankees lurking around the corner. The win improved the Sox to 32-24, 1/2 game behind the idle Yankees in the AL East race. Tomorrow night the Sox go back on the road and back into interleague as they travel to Atlanta to play the Braves. Jeff Fassero (6-1) will go head to head with Greg Maddux at 7:30 PM at Turner Field.
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