Reid "Yukon" Cornelius got the start for the Marlins and Darren Lewis immediately greeted him with a leadoff double to start the top of the first. Jeff Frye dropped down a sacrifice bunt to move Darren to third but Trot Nixon killed the rally by striking out. Nomar Garciaparra flied out to left to end the inning. The Marlins wasted no time scoring in the bottom of the first inning against Schourek. Luis Castillo singled to left but Danny Bautista flied out to right. Castillo took off for second and Schourek threw the ball at him which allowed Castillo to make it to third on the error. Cliff Floyd then smashed a 20,000 foot home run to give the Marlins the quick lead. Preston Wilson whiffed and Mike Lowell flied out to right to end the inning but Florida led 2-0.
Somehow the Sox answered in the top of the second inning. Brian Daubach whiffed but Jason Varitek walked. Manny Alexander legged out a double on a ground ball to left and Varitek scored on the sacrifice fly by Donnie Sadler. Schourek himself singled but Alexander was gunned down at home to end the inning. Still, the Sox got one run back to trail 2-1.
Schourek settled down in the bottom of the second as Derrek Lee grounded out to short, Alex Gonzalez popped up to second and Mike Redmond also popped up to second to end the inning.
The Sox wasted a big chance to tie the game in the top of the third inning although Lewis popped up to second to start. Frye singled to left and Nixon was plunked. Nomar flied out to right but Frye swiped third to put runners at the corners. The rally ended as Daubach whiffed to end the inning. Schourek got Cornelius to fly out to right to open the bottom of the third but Castillo singled to left. This time Schourek successfully picked him off before Bautista grounded out to short to end the inning.
Once again the Sox got the tying run on in the top of the fourth but could do nothing with it. Varitek flied out to center but Alexander singled. Sadler hit a little roller to third and was put out although Manny moved to second. Schourek grounded out to short to end the inning. Schourek made up for his lack of clutch hitting with some clutch pitching in the bottom of the fourth. Floyd flied out to center, Wilson grounded out to short and Lowell flied out to center to end the inning.
Cornelius cruised in the top of the fifth inning as Lewis flied out to center before both Frye and Nixon grounded out to short to end the inning. Schourek remained tough in the bottom of the fifth although Lee singled to start. Gonzalez and Redmond both flied out to right but a passed ball moved Lee to second. Cornelius flied out to right to end the inning.
The Sox mustered nothing in the top of the sixth as Nomar flied out but Daubach singled. Varitek banged into a double play to end the inning. Schourek had one last inning in him in the bottom of the sixth inning. Castillo watched strike three go by and Bautista grounded out to short, but Floyd doubled to right. Wilson whiffed to end the inning. Apart from the one mistake to Floyd, Schourek pitched damn good in the 6 innings he worked.
Alexander watched strike three go by to start the top of the seventh inning but Sadler walked. Carl Everett pinch hit four Schourek as Marlins manager John Boles countered by bringing in Braden Looper. Sadler was forced at second and Everett was thrown out trying to steal to end the inning. Nice going Carl. The Sox pulled a double switch as Everett replaced Sadler in center with Tim Wakefield taking over on the mound in the bottom of the seventh. Lowell flied out to center but Lee walked. Gonzalez banged into a double play to end the inning.
The Sox finally tied the game in the top of the eighth inning as they caught a break when Castillo dropped a routine pop up at second, allowing Lewis to reach first. Frye doubled Darren to third and Boles brought in Armando Almanza. Sox manager Jimy Williams countered by pinch hitting Mike Stanley for Nixon....only for Stanley to hit one up the elevator shaft. Nomar was intentionally walked to load the bases and Daubach watched strike three go by. Somehow Varitek worked a bases loaded walk to tie the game. Boles made a double switch, bringing in Ricky Bones to pitch and Mark Kotsay in for Lee at first. Alexander popped up to first to end the inning but it was now tied 2-2.
Wakefield returned for the bottom of the eighth inning with Stanley now at first, Lewis in right and Troy O'Leary now in left. Mark Smith pinch hit for Redmond and popped up to short. Kotsay flied out to left but Castillo singled and stole second as usual. Bautista whiffed to end the inning.
The Sox stunned the Marlins in the top of the ninth with Paul Bako now behind the plate. Scott Hatteberg pinch hit for Wakefield and popped up to short. Everett gave the Sox the lead with a solo home run, his 20th of the season to light up the predominantly Sox fans in the audience. Lewis singled but Frye lined out to right. Lewis swiped second but Stanley struck out to end the inning with the Sox ahead 3-2.
Sox closer Derek Lowe took the mound to finish off the game in the bottom of the ninth. Floyd grounded out to second, Wilson took strike three and Lowell whiffed to end the game. The Sox broke their losing streak with a come from behind 3-2 win.
Hero of the Night is Carl Everett. His ninth inning home run paved the way for victory.
The Good:
Darren Lewis was 2 for 5 with a run scored and a stolen base.
Jeff Frye was 2 for 4 with a stolen base.
Jason Varitek walked twice in four plate appearances, drove in a run and scored.
Manny Alexander was 2 for 4.
Pete Schourek tossed 6 innings of 2 run ball and was 1 for 2 at the plate.
Tim Wakefield got the win by tossing 2 shut-out innings.
Derek Lowe earned his 11th save of the season with a scoreless 9th inning.
The Bad:
Mike Stanley was 0 for 2 with a strikeout.
Scott Hatteberg was 0 for 1 as a pinch hitter.
The Ugly:
Trot Nixon was 0 for 2 with a strikeout but was hit with a pitch.
Nomar Garciaparra was 0 for 3 but walked.
Brian Daubach was just 1 for 4 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts.
Donnie Sadler was 0 for 1 but walked and drove in a run.
Honorable Mention:
Troy O'Leary played left field in the final two innings.
Final Thoughts:
Oh wow, they won? Its been a long time coming and even then it almost didn't happen. For 7 innings the offense looked lifeless but a little late magic got them the win. Its plain to see that a lot of guys that were apart of their main offense last year are just not getting it done. John Valentin is out for the year, Mike Stanley and Troy O'Leary have been useless, Jose Offerman has been hurt and Brian Daubach has been streaky. If it wasn't for Nomar and Everett they would be screwed. The pitching has been fine this season for the most part so if the offense ever picks up, 1st place is not out of the question the way the New York Yankees have been scuffling. The win propelled the Sox to 30-23, tied for first place with the Yankees in the AL East. Tomorrow night Ramon Martinez (4-3) goes up against Jesus Sanchez in Game 2 of this series in Florida at 7:00 PM.
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