After scoring 11 runs last night, naturally the Red Sox offense would fall asleep a day later. They managed to scratch out just one run against the Philadelphia Phillies, falling in eleven innings to extend their losing streak to 3 games. The Phillies were able to win it in the eleventh inning at Veterans Stadium.
Robert Person began his dominance in the top of the first inning, striking out Donnie Sadler to begin the game. Trot Nixon walked but Brian Daubach flied out to center. Nomar Garciaparra singled but Carl Everett grounded out to first to end the inning. Brian Rose got the start for the Sox and Doug Glanville singled....only to get thrown out at second by Everett. Ron Gant popped up to short and Bobby Abreu grounded out to second to end the inning.
The Sox missed a chance to take the lead in the top of the second inning. Troy O'Leary whiffed but Jason Varitek walked. Wilton Veras grounded out but Rose himself drew a walk. Sadler popped up to end the inning. The Phillies struck first in the bottom of the second inning. Mike Lieberthal grounded out to third but Kevin Jordan singled. Mickey Morandini walked and Brian Hunter doubled home Jordan to give the Phils the lead. Desi Relaford was intentionally walked to load the bases but Rose was able to strike out Person. Glanville grounded out to second to end the inning but the Phillies were up 1-0.
The Sox threatened in the top of the third although Nixon flied out to left to begin. Daubach walked but Nomar whiffed. Everett was plunked but O'Leary whiffed to end the inning. Rose recovered to stone the Phillies cold in the bottom of the third. Grant grounded out to third, Abreu grounded out to first and Lieberthal flied out to center to end the inning.
The Sox mustered nothing in the top of the fourth inning. Varitek hit one up the elevator shaft but Veras singled to left. Rose bunted foul for strike three and Sadler watched strike three go by to end the inning. Rose ran into trouble in the bottom of the fourth although Jordan grounded out to second to end the inning. Morandini lined out to second but Hunter doubled. Relaford was intentionally walked and Rose struck out Person to end the inning.
More futility occured in the top of the fifth inning as Nixon lined out to third. Daubach grounded out to second but Nomar doubled. Everett whiffed to end the inning. Rose kept pace in the bottom of the fifth by fielding a comebacker by Glanville to begin. Gant flied out to left and Abreu froze for strike three to end the inning.
The Sox did nothing in the top of the sixth as O'Leary whiffed to start the inning. Varitek flied out to center and Veras flied out to right to end the inning. Rose came back for one last inning in the bottom of the sixth. Lieberthal grounded out to short, Jordan popped up to second and Morandini flied out to left to end the inning. Rose tossed 6 innings of 1 run ball as a huge improvement over most of his starts yet had nothing to show for it.
Jeff Frye pinch hit for Rose in the top of the seventh and somehow poked a base hit to left. Sadler flied out to center, Nixon flied out to right, and Frye was thrown out trying to steal to end the inning. Hipolito Pichardo came in to pitch and Jeff Frye took over at second for Sadler, with the pitcher now batting first. Gotta love National League rules. Hunter flied out to right but Relaford singled. Rob Ducey pinch hit for Person as Relaford stole second base. Ducey struck out and Glanville grounded out to second to end the inning.
The Sox finally struck back in the top of the eighth with Wayne Gomes now on the mound. Daubach popped up to third and Nomar grounded out to short, but Everett blasted his 18th home run of the year to tie the game. The Sox pounced on Gomes as O'Leary and Varitek struck back to back singles. Veras singled to left and O'Leary motored around as the throw came home.....OUT! O'Leary was out and the threat ended right then and there with the score tied 1-1.
Pichardo came back for the bottom of the eighth but allowed a leadoff single to Gant. Abreu flied out to left as the alert Varitek gunned down Gant trying to steal. That proved huge as Lieberthal walked and Jordan singled to chase Hipolito. Sox manager Jimy Williams brought in Rich Garces to get Morandini to ground out to first to end the inning.
Jason Boyd replaced Gomes for the top of the ninth and got Frye to fly out to center to start. Hopes of Garces ripping a game winning home run were dashed when Mike Stanley pinch hit for Rich only to strike out. Nixon grounded out back to Boyd to end the inning. Rheal Cormier came in to pitch the bottom of the ninth and he got Hunter to fly out to left to start. Relaford popped up to short as Pat Burrell pinch hit for Boyd only for Cormier to walk him. Glanville grounded out to third to end the inning as on to extras we went.
Jeff Brantley got the call to pitch the top of the tenth and Daubach flied out to left to start. Nomar singled but Everett banged into a double play to end the inning by striking out, causing Nomar to get thrown out at second. Cormier fielded a comebacker by Gant to open the bottom of the tenth. Abreu singled to right but Lieberthal popped up to second. Jordan flied out to left to end the inning.
The Sox went quietly in the top of the eleventh as O'Leary grounded out to first to start. Varitek watched strike three go by and Veras flied out to right to end the inning. John Wasdin (0-2, 4.56 ERA) was brought in to pitch the bottom of the eleventh and Sox manager Jimy Williams immediately regretted it. Morandini hit one up the elevator shaft but Hunter walked. Relaford was plunked and pinch hitter Alex Arias became the hero by ripping the game winning double to give the Phillies a 2-1 win.
Jackass of the Night is John Wasdin. He gave up the game ending run in the bottom of the eleventh.
The Good:
Nomar Garciaparra was 3 for 5.
Wilton Veras was 2 for 5.
Brian Rose tossed 6 innings of 1 run ball and walked in a plate appearance.
Jeff Frye was 1 for 2 as a pinch hitter.
Hipolito Pichardo pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings.
Rich Garces retired the only man he faced.
Rheal Cormier tossed 2 scoreless innings.
The Bad:
Donnie Sadler was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Mike Stanley struck out as a pinch hitter.
The Ugly:
Trot Nixon was 0 for 4 but walked.
Brian Daubach was 0 for 4 but walked.
Carl Everett was just 1 for 5 but made the hit count as it was a solo home run.
Troy O'Leary was just 1 for 5 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts.
Jason Varitek was just 1 for 4 but walked.
Final Thoughts:
Another good Rose start wasted as the Sox couldn't generate any offense against Robert Person. They had Wayne Gomes on the run but O'Leary getting thrown out at home killed any momentum they had. It shouldn't have come to Wasdin having to pitch but he still could have gotten the final two outs of the inning. Another tough loss to swallow and it comes at a bad time, it drops them to 29-21 and in a virtual tie with the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow night Tim Wakefield (1-3) takes the mound opposite Randy Wolf at 7:05 PM at Veterans Stadium.
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