Sox starter Ramon Martinez once again fell apart but not in the top of the first inning. Johnny Damon led the game off by flying out to center before Ramon froze Jeff Reboulet for strike three. Mike Sweeney doubled off the Monster but Ramon struck out Jermaine Dye to end the inning. Chris Fussell got the start for the Royals and he cruised in the bottom of the first inning. Jeff Frye grounded out to short, Trot Nixon flied out to left and Brian Daubach grounded out to second to end the inning.
Trouble began to brew in the top of the second inning. Carlos Beltran grounded out to second and Joe Randa hit a routine grounder to Nomar Garciaparra who proceeded to kick the ball over to first like a soccer ball while screaming "GOALLLLLLLLL!" The only problem was the ball didn't come close to first and Randa made it all the way to second on the error. David McCarty singled Randa to third but Ramon recovered to strike out Gregg Zaun. With Rey Sanchez at bat, Randa was picked off by the alert Jason Varitek to end the inning. The Sox dodged a damn bullet right there. The Sox failed to capitalize in the bottom of the second inning. Nomar grounded out to short, Carl Everett whiffed and Mike Stanley grounded out to third to end the inning.
The Royals finally broke through in the top of the third inning. Sanchez hit a routine grounder to Wilton Veras, who fielded the ball and fell down trying to throw it, allowing Sanchez to reach first. Damon singled and Reboulet sacrifice bunted them both into scoring position. Sweeney grounded out to third but Sanchez scored to give the Royals a 1-0 lead. Dye popped up to first to end the inning. 2 errors so far for the Sox and this one cost them as it was now 1-0. The Sox struck back in the bottom of the third inning. Troy O'Leary got the rally started with a base hit before taking second on a passed ball. Varitek singled O'Leary to third and Veras hit a sac fly, scoring Troy to tie the game. Frye singled Varitek to third and Jason scored when Nixon beat out a double play to give the Sox a 2-1 lead. That hustle by Nixon opened the floodgates as Daubach and Nomar walked to load the bases. Everett took advantage of a meatball down the middle, crushing it for a grand slam and giving the Sox a huge lead. Stanley grounded out to third but the Sox had rallied to take a 6-1 lead.
Ramon could barely hold the fort in the top of the fourth inning. Beltran and Randa stroked back to back singles before Beltran scored on the McCarty double play. Zaun grounded out to short to end the inning but the Royals inched closer, 6-2. Fussell recovered in the bottom of the fourth as O'Leary popped up to start before Varitek walked and Veras singled. Frye struck out and Nixon flied out to center to end the inning.
Ramon struggled big time in the top of the fifth inning although he struck out Sanchez to start. Damon singled but the alert Varitek gunned him down at second. Reboulet walked and Sweeney singled but the alert Everett snared a line drive by Dye to end the inning. The Sox looked to have put the game away in the bottom of the fifth as Daubach walked and Nomar smashed a 2 run bomb to increase the lead just like that. Everett popped up, Stanley struck out and O'Leary flied to right to end the inning with the Sox ahead 8-2.
Just like that, it all hit the fan in the top of the sixth inning. Beltran and Randa stroked back to back singles and Sox manager Jimy Williams decided Ramon had enough. Rich Garces had been lights out all season....but not right now. McCarty singled to load the bases and Zaun singled home Beltran to cut the lead. Mark Quinn pinch hit for Sanchez but Garces struck him out. Damon singled home Randa to chase Garces and re-load the bases. Rheal Cormier came in to pour gas on the fire. Reboulet doubled home McCarty and Zaun as Fenway began to boo loudly. Sweeney grounded out but Damon scored to cut the lead to 8-7 but 2 were out. Dye then hit a routine grounder to Veras to end th......WHAT??? Veras booted the ball which allowed Reboulet to score the tying run as more boo's rained down. It got even worse as Beltran singled and Dye motored around for home, Everett then fired the ball 500 feet completely out of Fenway as Dye scored on the error to give the Royals a shocking lead. Randa walked and McCarty singled to increase the lead. Sox manager Jimy Williams finally pulled the incompetent Cormier after allowing 4 runs, although had Veras come up with the ball or if Everett didn't fire it halfway to Medford, the inning would have ended a lot sooner. Tim Wakefield came in and Zaun singled to score Randa...but McCarty was caught in a run-down to end the inning. The Royals scored 9 runs on 9 hits, a walk and 2 errors to lead 11-8.
The Sox refused to go quietly and rallied in the bottom of the sixth against Ricky Bottalico with Luis Ordaz playing short. Varitek tripled to start the rally down the right field line and he scored on the sac fly by Veras. Frye walked but Nixon flied out to center. Daubach walked and Nomar tied the game with a huge double. That was it for Botallico as Jose Santiago came in only for Everett to get a base hit to send Nomar to third. Stanley walked to load the bases but O'Leary grounded out back to the pitcher to end the inning. The game was tied but the Sox missed a huge chance to re-take the lead with the game 11-11.
Wakefield shut the door in the top of the seventh inning as Ordaz whiffed to open the inning. Damon flied out to left and Reboulet struck out to end the inning. The Sox blew another chance to score in the bottom of the 7th as Varitek and Veras grounded out although Frye singled. Nixon doubled but Frye foolishly tried for home. He was out by a mile and the inning was over.
Derek Lowe was brought in to pitch the top of the eighth and he too crapped his pants. Sweeney singled to open the frame but Dye flied out to right. Sweeney was erased on the force by Beltran but Randa singled. McCarty then smacked one past the diving Everett for a 2 run triple to put the Royals up again. Zaun flied out to end the inning but the Royals had taken a 13-11 lead.
Dan Reichert came in and slammed the door in the bottom of the eighth inning. Daubach flied out but Nomar singled. Everett banged into a double play to end the inning.
John Wasdin had mop up duty in the top of the ninth and he got Ordaz to fly out to right to start. Damon whiffed and Reboulet grounded out to second to end the inning. The Sox had one last chance in the bottom of the ninth but Stanley flied out to begin the inning. O'Leary walked to put the tying run on but Varitek whiffed. Veras had a chance to be the hero but grounded out to end the game. The Royals had outslugged the Sox 13-11.
Jackass of the Night is a tough one since the offense pounded out 11 runs and the pitchers didn't get any help from the defense that committed four errors, but I'll go with Derek Lowe. He allowed the deciding runs to score in the top of the eighth inning.
The Good:
Jeff Frye was 2 for 4 with a walk and a run scored
Brian Daubach walked 3 times in 5 plate appearances and scored 3 runs.
Nomar Garciaparra was 3 for 4 with a walk, 2 runs scored, a home run and 4 rbis.
Carl Everett was 2 for 5 with a grand slam.
Jason Varitek was 2 for 4 with a walk and 2 runs scored.
Tim Wakefield tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
John Wasdin pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Rich Garces got lit up for 3 runs in just 1/3 of an inning.
Rheal Cormier gave up 4 runs in just 1/3 of an inning
The Ugly:
Trot Nixon was just 1 for 5 but drove in a run and scored.
Mike Stanley was 0 for 4 but walked.
Troy O'Leary was just 1 for 4 but walked and scored.
Wilton Veras was 1 for 3 with 2 rbi's but made 2 huge errors that led to the Royals rallying.
Ramon Martinez lasted just 5 innings while giving up 4 runs on NINE hits and a walk.
Final Thoughts:
Garces and Lowe melted down? Say it ain't so! Those two have been solid all year so to watch them blow it was heartbreaking to say the least. Still, the Royals couldn't miss no matter who was on the mound and those games happen. Only thing you can do is move on and hope for the best. The loss dropped the Sox to 29-20, 1 game ahead of the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow the Sox travel to Philadelphia for an inter-league series with the Phillies. Brian Rose takes the ball for the Sox against Robert Person at 7:35 PM at Veteran's Stadium.
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