Before the game the Boston Red Sox made some roster moves, one good and one bad. The bad news is Pedro Martinez was placed on the 15 day Disabled List with a bad shoulder. Reportedly Pedro fought like hell against this move, even getting in manager Jimy Williams' face about it. The bottom line is it was the right move to make. The Sox are slumping badly and an injured Pedro isn't going to help them. They need him healthy and refocused for the second half of the season especially if the Toronto Blue Jays are for real, let alone the New York Yankees. Sox GM Dan Duquette's Korean import Sang-Hoon Lee was called up from Pawtucket to replace Pedro on the roster. In a much more positive move, the Sox signed free agent outfielder Bernard Gilkey to give them some much needed depth. The 33 year old veteran was hitting just .110 in Arizona for the Diamondbacks so a change of scenery is just what the doctor ordered. He hit .294 last year off the bench and if Troy O'Leary can't get hit his head out of his ass, the Sox are going to need Gilkey for the stretch run.
As for the game, the Sox temporarily stopped their slide against the Baltimore Orioles. After being embarrassed the previous two games, this time the Sox left no doubt and no hope for a comeback. The Sox offense pounded Orioles starter Scott Erickson and reliever Darren Holmes for 12 runs and 14 hits. Tim Wakefield (3-5, 5.27 ERA) stepped up big by pitching into the eighth inning to give the bullpen a rest. Korean import Sang-Hoon Lee made his major league debut and the Sox pounded out 16 total hits to beat the Orioles 12-4 at Fenway Park.
Bobbie Brown approves of the win
Wakefield took the ball in the top of the first inning and Brady Anderson flied out to center to start. Mike Bordick singled to right but Will Clark hit one up the elevator shaft. Albert Belle singled to left but BJ Surhoff flied out to center to end the inning. Erickson got the ball in the bottom of the first and Jose Offerman greeted him with a base hit to left. Jeff Frye banged into a double play and Carl Everett went down hacking to end the inning.
Wakefield cruised in the top of the second as Harold Baines flied out to left to start. Ryan Minor flied out to center and Mark Lewis grounded out to short to end the inning. The Sox struck first in the bottom of the second although Nomar Garciaparra popped up to second to start. Morgan Burkhart singled to right, Scott Hatteberg walked and Jason Varitek beat out a double play ball to put runners at the corners. Brian Daubach pummeled his 12th home run of the year to put the Sox on top before Wilton Veras grounded out to second to end the inning with Boston ahead 3-0.
Wakefield cruised in the top of the third as Greg Myers went down swinging to start. Anderson whiffed and Bordick grounded out to short to end the inning. The Sox blew a chance to ice the game early in the bottom of the third as Offerman doubled to center before taking third on a wild pitch. Frye popped up to first and Everett grounded out to second, but Nomar walked. Nomar stole second and Burkhart walked to load the bases....only for Hatteberg to ground out to first to end the inning.
Clark grounded back to the mound to start the top of the fourth before Belle flied out to right. Surhoff flied out to left to end the inning. The Sox struck again in the bottom of the fourth as Varitek grounded a base hit in the hole at second to start. Daubach was plunked for hitting a home run but Veras dropped down a bunt to advance the runners over. Offerman scored Varitek with a sac fly before Frye struck out swinging to end the inning with the Sox up 4-0.
The O's threatened in the top of the fifth although Baines popped up to second to start. Minor and Lewis stroked back to back singles but Myers flied out to center. Anderson grounded out to first to end the inning. The Sox iced the game in the bottom of the fifth as Everett singled to center to start. Nomar forced Carl at second but Burkhart singled and Hatteberg clubbed his second home run of the season to put the Sox up big. Varitek flied out to center but Daubach and Veras stroked back to back singles only for Offerman to strike out swinging to end the inning. The Sox were in total control with a 7-0 lead.
Wakefield got Bordick to fly out to left to start the top of the sixth but Clark got a base hit. Belle flied out to center and Surhoff grounded out to second to end the inning. Chuck McElroy came in for the bottom of the sixth and Frye grounded out to short to start. Everett flied out to left but Nomar singled to center. Burkhart walked and Hatteberg singled to load the bases, but Varitek popped up to first to end the inning.
Wakefield continued his dominance in the top of the seventh as Baines grounded out to second to start. Minor grounded out to short but Lewis singled to left. Myers lined out to second to end the inning. Wakefield had tossed 7 shut-out innings, he was outstanding. Darren Holmes came in to take a beating in the bottom of the seventh as Daubach clobbered his second home run of the game to increase the lead. Veras grounded out to short and Offerman popped up to third, but Frye walked. Everett struck out swinging to end the inning with the Sox ahead 8-0.
For no other reason than to eat up innings, Sox manager Jimy Williams sent Wakefield out to keep going in the top of the eighth. Things looked good when Anderson grounded out to first but the wheels fell off. Bordick singled to left, Clark doubled off the Monster and Belle crushed a home run into the Atlantic Ocean to chase Wakefield after 7 1/3 gutty innings. Sang-Hoon Lee made his major league debut and got Surhoff to line out to right. Jeff Conine pinch hit for Baines and bashed a home run into the Charles River to cut the lead. Minor singled to left but Lewis lined out to right to end the inning. The O's cut the lead in half but still trailed 8-4.
The Sox poured it on in the bottom of the eighth as Nomar got the party started with a double to center. Burkhart drew another walk and Hatteberg singled to left to load the bases. Varitek walked home Nomar and Daubach doubled home Burkhart and Hatteberg. Jose Mercedes came in to pitch and Veras grounded out to short, but Offerman scored Varitek with a sac fly. Frye flied out to right to end the inning with the Sox ahead 12-4.
John Wasdin came in to pitch the top of the ninth with Izzy Alcantara now in right. Myers flied out to left but Anderson singled to center. Anderson swiped second but Bordick flied out to left. Clark grounded out to short to end the game. The Sox had won it 12-4.
The Good:
Jose Offerman was 2 for 4 with 2 rbis.
Nomar Garciaparra was 2 for 4 with a walk, a stolen base and 2 runs scored.
Morgan Burkhart was 2 for 2 with 3 walks and 3 runs scored.
Scott Hatteberg was 3 for 4 with a walk, a three run homer and 2 total runs scored.
Tim Wakefield earned the win by tossing 7 1/3 innings of 3 run ball.
John Wasdin pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Sang-Hoon Lee allowed a run in his ML debut.
The Ugly:
Jeff Frye was 0 for 5 but drew a walk.
Carl Everett was just 1 for 5.
Jason Varitek was just 1 for 4 but walked, drove in a run and scored 3 times.
Wilton Veras was just 1 for 4.
Honorable Mention:
Izzy Alcantara played right field in the top of the ninth.
Final Thoughts:
Finally the Sox looked like themselves again. Morgan Burkhart seemed to have breathed life into this group because they hit the ball all over the place tonight. A strong pitching performance by Wakefield helped and they're gonna need more like that with Pedro Martinez gone for a few weeks. Not much else can be said other than the Sox beat a team they were supposed to. If they have any hope of getting back in the race they're going to need good starting pitching. The win improved the Sox to 38-36 on the season, 3.5 games behind the Toronto Blue Jays for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow the Sox travel to Chicago for a set with the White Sox. Hipolito Pichardo (2-0) gets the spot start for the BoSox with Jim Parque going for the ChiSox. The game begins at 8:05 PM Eastern time at Commiskey Park.
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