As for the game, its about time the Sox paid back the New York Yankees. After getting obliterated 22-1 on Monday night, the Yankees beat Pedro Martinez last night to reign supreme in the AL East. Tonight the Sox counterpunched the Yankees by exploiting the Yankees usually indomitable bullpen. A titantic meltdown by Jason Grimsley and old pal Mike Stanton led to 5 Boston runs in the 7th inning. The Sox survived a late Yankees surge to beat the Yanks 9-7 in front of 32,958 fans at Fenway Park.
Pete Schourek got the start for the Sox and Chuck Knoblauch led off the top of the first by popping up to second to start. Derek Jeter popped up to Jeff Frye in foul territory before Paul O'Neill was frozen for strike three to end the inning. The Sox struck first in the bottom of the first against Yankees starter David Cone. Jose Offerman led off with a double to right before being sacrificed to third by Frye. A wild pitch scored Offerman and Trot Nixon tripled into the triangle. Nomar Garciaparra walked to put runners at the corners and Carl Everett beat out a double play ball to score another run. Mike Stanley whiffed to end the inning with the Sox ahead 2-0.
Bernie Williams popped up to third to start the top of the second inning but Jorge Posada singled to left. Posada was forced at center on a grounder by Shane Spencer before Scott Brosius grounded out to short to end the inning. Scott Hatteberg flied out to center to start the bottom of the second before Darren Lewis flied out to right. Manny Alexander singled to left and Offerman walked, but Frye flied out to right to end the inning.
Schourek cruised in the top of the third inning as Chris Turner whiffed to start. Clay Bellinger popped up to third and Knoblauch grounded out to short to end the inning. Nixon grounded out to first to begin the bottom of the third before Nomar doubled to right. Everett walked but Stanley flied out to center and Hatteberg grounded out to first to end the inning.
Jeter popped up to right to begin the top of the fourth before O'Neill grounded out to first. Williams grounded out to short to end the inning. Cone cruised in the bottom of the fourth as Lewis flied out to center to start. Alexander flied out to left and Offerman flied out to center to end the inning.
The Yankees clawed back in the top of the fifth as Posada and Spencer drew back to back walks to start. Brosius beat out a double play ball to put runners at the corner and naturally the previously unheard Turner singled home Posada. Bellinger beat out an infield single to load the bases but Schourek held the fort by getting Knoblauch to pop up to right and Jeter to fly out to center to end the inning with the Sox up 2-1.
The Sox tried to fight back in the bottom of the fifth when Frye got a base hit to center to start. The rally ended as Nixon whiffed, Nomar flied out to right and Everett went down swinging to end the inning.
The Yankees chased Schourek quickly in the top of the sixth when O'Neill doubled to center to begin. Pete should never have started the inning as it was, but he went 5 innings and allowed 2 runs. Hipolito Pichardo came in and struck out Williams but Posada singled home O'Neill to tie the game although he was thrown out at second trying to stretch. Spencer flied out to right to end the inning but the game was tied 2-2.
The Sox fought back in the bottom of the sixth as Stanley singled to center to begin. Hatteberg doubled him to third but Lewis whiffed. Alexander dumped a base hit to center to score Stanley with the go-ahead run and Offerman walked to load the bases. Frye scored Hatteberg with a sac fly but Nixon grounded out to first to end the inning with the Sox ahead 4-2.
The Sox then bumbled around the top of the seventh inning as Brosius singled to center to begin. Tino Martinez pinch hit for Turner and walked and Jose Vizcaino pinch hit for Bellinger. Jose hit a routine grounder to Frye who screamed and kicked the ball completely out of Fenway for an error to score Brosius and send Tino to third. Rich Garces replaced Pichardo and Knoblauch got Vizcaino forced at second but Martinez scored to tie the game. Jeter singled to center to send Knoblauch to third and he scored on the O'Neill sac fly to give the Yankees the lead. Williams was intentionally walked and Posada took strike three to end the inning but the normally reliable middle relievers failed to give the Yankees the 5-4 lead.
Somehow the Sox rallied against the Yankees in the bottom of the seventh against Jason Grimsley. Nomar singled to center and Everett walked before both runners moved over on the Stanley grounder. Hatteberg grounded out to second but Nomar scored to tie the game and Everett moved to third. Brian Daubach pinch hit for Lewis and was intentionally walked. Curtis Pride pinch ran for Daubach and somehow Alexander walked to load the bases. Mike Stanton came in and somehow the best control reliever the Yankees had walked both Offerman and Frye to give the Sox the lead. Nixon then jacked a ground rule double into the Sox bullpen to score Alexander and Offerman to ice the game. Jeff Nelson replaced Stanton and Nomar grounded out to short to end the inning with the Sox ahead 9-5.
Rod Beck came in for the top of the eighth and punched out Spencer to start. Brosius singled to left but Martinez popped up to first. Brosius took second on defensive indifference and Vizcaino grounded out to second to end the inning. Everett took strike three to begin the bottom of the eighth but Stanley singled to left. Hatteberg banged into a double play to end the inning.
Derek Lowe came in to close out the top of the ninth and Knoblauch singled to right to start. Jeter struck out swinging and O'Neill lined out second but Williams launched a 500,000 foot home run into the Atlantic Ocean to cut the lead. Posada whiffed to end the game with the Sox hanging on to win 9-7.
Hero of the Night is Jose Offerman. He scored the first run of the game and walked home the go-ahead run in the 7th.
The Good:
Jeff Frye was 1 for 2 with a walk and 2 rbis.
Trot Nixon was 2 for 5 with 2 rbis and a run scored.
Nomar Garciaparra was 2 for 4 with a walk and a run scored.
Mike Stanley was 2 for 5 with a run scored.
Brian Daubach walked in the bottom of the seventh.
Curtis Pride scored a run as a pinch runner.
Manny Alexander was 2 for 3 with a walk, rbi and scored a run.
Pete Schourek allowed just 2 runs in 5 plus innings.
Rod Beck pitched a scoreless 8th inning.
The Bad:
Darren Lewis was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.
Hipolito Pichardo allowed an inherited runner to score and 3 of his own in just 1 full inning.
Derek Lowe allowed 2 runs in the 9th inning.
The Ugly:
Carl Everett was 0 for 3 but walked twice, drove in a run and scored.
Scott Hatteberg was just 1 for 5 but drove in a run and scored.
Rich Garces allowed an inherited runner to score in an inning of work.
Final Thoughts:
The Sox needed a big win to get back on track and this was barely the way to do it. Not only did the Sox need an uncharacteristic meltdown by Mike Stanton but their middle relievers were lit up. Garces and Pichardo are supposed to be stoppers but they didn't get the job done. Still, a win is a win and any wins over the Yankees is a good thing. Even with the 22-1 and Pedro losses, the Sox still are one more win away from being back in first place. The win improved the Sox to 36-31, 0.5 games behind the Yankees for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow the Sox look to jump back into first when they send Ramon Martinez (5-4, 6.08 ERA) out against Jake Westbrook of the Yankees at 7:05 PM at Fenway Park.
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