Everett, Sox Club Expos (7/16/00)

After yesterday's incident, not too many people are happy with Carl Everett right now. Despite his explosive temper, he's still a good player for the Boston Red Sox. The Montreal Expos took a 2-1 lead against the Red Sox in today's interleague game with Boston's run scored by Carl himself. Morgan Burkhart put the Sox ahead in the bottom of the fifth and Everett smashed a two run bomb in the sixth to add some much needed insurance. On the other side of the ball Tim Wakefield (6-5, 4.69 ERA) tossed a gutty game where he allowed just two runs in seven innings of work. John Wasdin earned his second save of the season by pitching the next two scoreless innings and the Sox had beaten the Expos 5-2 at Fenway Park.

                                                      Brande Roderick approves of the win

Wakefield got the ball in the top of the first inning and Peter Bergeron singled up the middle to start. Jose Vidro grounded out to second to move Bergeron to second but Wilton Guerrero flied out to left. Vladimir Guerrero walked but Lee Stevens popped up to short to end the inning. Mike Johnson got the start for Montreal in the bottom of the first and Jose Offerman flied out to right to start. Morgan Burkhart also flied out to right and Brian Daubach flied out to center to end the inning.

The Expos struck first in the top of the second as Geoff Blum grounded out to third to start. Michael Barrett grounded out to third but Nomar threw a routine grounder by Terry Jones away for an error. Jones stole second and scored on the Lenny Webster single to left. Bergeron grounded back to the mound to end the inning with the Expos up 1-0.

                                                                 Webster drives in a run

The Sox answered in the top of the second as Nomar Garciaparra flied out to center to open. Carl Everett walked but Troy O'Leary flied out to center. Jason Varitek doubled home Everett to tie the game but Manny Alexander flied out to center to end the inning with the game tied 1-1.

                                                           Tie game

The Expos came right back in the top of the third inning as Vidro grounded out to second to start. Wilton Guerrero grounded out to third but Vladimir Guerrero hit a home run all the way to Colisee De Quebec to put Montreal back on top. Stevens walked but Blum flied out to center to end the inning with the Expos up 2-1.

                                                            Guerrero hits one out

Darren Lewis lined out to third to start the bottom of the third before Offerman grounded out to second. Burkhart struck out swinging to end the inning.

Barrett popped up to second to start the top of the fourth and Jones lined out to first, but Webster drew a walk. Bergeron flied out to left to end the inning. The Sox got another run back in the bottom of the fourth as Daubach singled up the middle to begin. Nomar struck out swinging but Everett doubled to left. O'Leary grounded out to first but it was enough to score Daubach to tie the game. Varitek grounded out to first to end the inning with the game tied 2-2.

                                                            O'Leary drives in a run

The Expos beat the ball in the dirt in the top of the fifth as Vidro grounded out to second to begin. Wilton Guerrero grounded out to short and Vladimir Guerrero grounded out to third to end the inning. The Sox moved ahead in the bottom of the fifth as Alexander got a base hit to left to start. Lewis dropped down a bunt to move Alexander to second but Offerman flied out to right. Burkhart cracked a base hit to right to score Alexander but was thrown out at second base trying to stretch a double to end the inning with the Sox ahead 3-2.

                                                              Yerrrrrr out!

Stevens singled to center to start the top of the sixth but Blum hit into a double play. Barrett grounded out to third to end the inning. Felipe Lira came in to pitch the bottom of the sixth and Daubach grounded out to second to start. Nomar singled to left and Everett crushed his 25th home run of the season to ice the game. O'Leary singled to right before moving to second on the grounder to second by Varitek, but Alexander lined out to third to end the inning with the Sox up 5-2.

                                                           Everett goes yard

Wakefield returned for one final inning in the top of the seventh and Jones struck out swinging to start. Webster went down hacking and Bergeron grounded out to short to end the inning. Wakefield pitched great, allowing just the two runs in 7 innings of work.

                                                             Wakefield with the strong start

Lewis grounded back to the mound to start the bottom of the seventh and Offerman grounded out to first, but Burkhart walked. Scott Forster came in to pitch to Daubach and Brian hit one up the elevator shaft to end the inning.

John Wasdin came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Vidro walked to start. Wilton Guerrero hit a rocket but right at Nomar and his brother Vladimir popped up to Garciaparra as well. Vidro took second on defensive indifference but Stevens grounded out to first to end the inning. Wilton took over for Vladimir in right to start the bottom of the eighth and Garciaparra flied out to right to start. Everett walked but O'Leary popped up to short. Varitek flied out to right to end the inning.

Wasdin returned to close out the top of the ninth and Blum flied out to right to start. Barrett also flied out to right and Jones grounded out to short to end the game. The Sox had won it 5-2.

Hero of the Night is Carl Everett. He was 2 for 2 with 2 walks, a 2 run homer and 2 runs scored.

                                                         Hero Everett

The Good:

Morgan Burkhart was 1 for 3 with a walk and an rbi.

Manny Alexander was 1 for 3 with a walk.

Tim Wakefield earned his fourth straight win as a starter with 7 innings of 2 run (1 earned) ball. He allowed 4 hits and struck out 2.

John Wasdin earned the save by tossing 2 scoreless innings.

The Bad:

Jose Offerman was 0 for 4.

Darren Lewis was 0 for 2.

The Ugly:

Brian Daubach was just 1 for 4 but scored a run.

Nomar Garciaparra was just 1 for 4 with an error and a strikeout but scored a run.

Troy O'Leary was just 1 for 4 but drove in a run.

Jason Varitek was just 1 for 4 but drove in a run.

Final Thoughts:

The league is going to come down hard on Everett for his nonsensical headbutting of Ron Kulpa and Carl knows it. Hopefully he can carry the team to make up for the rapport he lost and today he did. He scored runs, he hit home runs and even made a nice catch. The Sox need to take advantage of playing National League teams and so far after the break, they've beaten New York 2 out of 3 and now took the first game against Montreal. Wakefield pitched well again and there should be no reason why he isn't in the rotation permanently with Pedro & Ramon Martinez, Pete Schourek and Jeff Fassero. We got two weeks until the trade deadline and getting a second starter is the goal. They got plenty of bench help if Jimy Williams ever decides to use Bernard Gilkey, Morgan Burkhart and Izzy Alcantara and the bullpen has been a strength with Rheal Cormier, Rich Garces and Derek Lowe. Getting that true number 2 starter would put them up there with the New York Yankees. After all, that was their weakness last year when the likes of an injured Bret Saberhagen and Kent Mercker were losing to the Yankees starters. All in all it was a good win and the Sox are still within striking distance of first place, its your move Dan Duquette. The win improved the Sox to 46-42, 2 games behind the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East. The Sox look to make it three wins in a row and 2 against Montreal tomorrow night against the Expos. Jeff Fassero (6-3, 4.92 ERA) takes on Julio Santana at 7:05 PM at Fenway Park.