Before the game the Boston Red Sox released Curtis Pride who refused his minor league assignment and elected to become a free agent. With the addition of Bernard Gilkey and the return of Trot Nixon in two weeks, Pride became expendable. Thanks for the 9 games Curtis and good luck with your future endeavors.
As for the game, if there was any doubt as to why the Atlanta Braves are a mile ahead of the Boston Red Sox in terms of ready to compete in October, look no further than the starting rotation. Tonight Braves ace Tom Glavine dominated the Red Sox for 7 shutout innings while Sox starter Pete Schourek (2-8, 4.67 ERA) was knocked out in the second inning. Schourek left after putting the Sox in 5-0 hole. The bullpen stepped up big for the Sox with 7 1/3 scoreless innings but the Sox could only muster an eighth inning rally that was quelled pretty quickly. With the Sox down 5-3 and the bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth, Jason Varitek flied out to center to end the threat. The Braves slammed the door in the ninth and snapped the Sox back to reality with a 5-2 win at Fenway Park.
Schourek got the ball in the top of the first and Quilvio Veras singled to left to start. Veras was thrown out trying to steal second and Andruw Jones lined out to center. Chipper Jones singled to left but Brian Jordan flied out to right to end the inning. The Sox had one of their only rallies in the bottom of the first as Jose Offerman singled to left to start. Jeff Frye banged into a double play but Carl Everett walked. Nomar Garciaparra walked and Morgan Burkhart was drilled to load the bases. Bernard Gilkey took a full count strike three to end the inning.
The Braves exploded in the top of the second inning as Andres Galarraga hit a home run all the way to the Greensboro Coliseum to put the Braves on top. Javy Lopez singled to left and Bobby Bonnila doubled him to third, Lopez scoring on the Reggie Sanders grounder to short. Walt Weiss struck out swinging but Veras was hit with a pitch. A wild pitch moved both runners and Andruw Jones singled home both men, taking second on the throw. Another wild pitch moved Andruw to third and he scored on the Chipper Jones double to center. That was it for Schourek as the incompetent lefty was tagged for 5 runs in just 1 2/3 innings. Hipolito Pichardo came in and Jordan lined out to left to end the inning with the Braves up 5-0.
Keith Lockhart took over for Veras in the bottom of the second and Ed Sprague Jr walked to start. Manny Alexander flied out to right and Scott Hatteberg took strike three, but Offerman singled to center. Frye lined out to left to end the inning.
Galarraga struck out swinging to open the top of the third but Lopez singled to center. Bonilla walked but Sanders hit into a double play to end the inning. Glavine dominated the bottom of the third as Everett struck out swinging to start. Nomar grounded out to second and Burkhart grounded out to second as well to end the inning.
Pichardo cruised in the top of the fourth as Weiss grounded out to second to begin. Lockhart grounded out to first and Andruw Jones flied out to right to end the inning. Gilkey popped up to first to start the bottom of the fourth and Sprague flied out to left. Alexander popped up to left to end the inning.
Chipper Jones grounded out to second to begin the top of the fifth but Jordan singled to right. A wild pitch moved Jordan to second and he moved to third on the grounder to first by Galarraga. Lopez grounded out to third to end the inning. Hatteberg grounded out to second to start the bottom of the fifth before Offerman also grounded out to second. Frye lined out to third to end the inning.
Pichardo returned for the top of the sixth and Bonilla walked to start. Sanders forced Bonilla at second and Weiss forced Sanders at second. Lockhart singled to left but Andruw Jones flied out to right to end the inning. Pichardo tossed 4 1/3 scoreless innings to give the Sox a chance to get back in the game.
There would be no comeback in the bottom of the sixth as Everett grounded out to first to start. Nomar grounded out to third but Burkhart singled to right. Gilkey flied out to center to end the inning.
Bryce Florie came in for the top of the seventh and Chipper Jones flied out to center to begin. Jordan took strike three and Galarraga struck out swinging to end the inning. Sprague grounded out to third to start the bottom of the seventh but Manny Alexander beat out a swinging bunt in front of the plate. Jason Varitek pinch hit for Hatteberg and banged into a double play to end the inning.
Florie returned for the top of the eighth and Lopez took strike three to begin. Bonilla flied out to left and Sanders grounded out to third to end the inning. The Sox finally rallied in the bottom of the eighth as Offerman singled to left to begin. Frye singled to left and Everett beat out a double play ball to put runners at the corners. Nomar beat out a double play ball to score Offerman and Burkhart walked. Gilkey was plunked to load the bases and the Braves called in the vile John Rocker to pitch to Sprague. Ed drew a walk to score Nomar and put the tying run at first. Kerry Ligtenberg came in to pitch and Sox manager Jimy Williams sent in Brian Daubach to pinch hit for Alexander. Daubach walked to cut the lead but Varitek flied out to center to end the rally. The Sox had cut the lead 5-3.
Rich Garces came in to pitch the top of the ninth and Weiss singled to right to start. Lockhart dropped down a sacrifice bunt to move Weiss to second but Andruw Jones grounded out to third, Chipper Jones was intentionally walked and Jordan flied out to right to end the inning. The Sox bullpen had not allowed a run since the second inning. Offerman grounded out to first to start the bottom of the ninth but Frye got a base hit to right to bring the tying run to the plate. A passed ball moved Frye to second but Everett popped up to second. With the game on the line, Nomar flied out to center to end the game. The Braves had won it 5-3.
The Good:
Jose Offerman was 3 for 5 with a run scored.
Jeff Frye was 2 for 5.
Morgan Burkhart was 1 for 2 with a walk, hit by pitch and a run scored.
Ed Sprague Jr walked twice and drove in a run in 4 plate appearances.
Manny Alexander was 1 for 3.
Brian Daubach walked and drove in a run.
Hipolito Pichardo pitched 4 1/3 scoreless innings.
Bryce Florie pitched 2 scoreless innings.
Rich Garces pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Scott Hatteberg was 0 for 2 with a strikeout.
Pete Schourek took the loss by allowing 5 runs in 1 2/3 innings.
The Ugly:
Carl Everett was 0 for 4 with a strikeout
Nomar Garciaparra was 0 for 4 but walked, drove in a run and scored a run.
Bernard Gilkey was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but was hit with a pitch.
Final Thoughts:
This game was a good old fashioned sucker punch to the gonads. The Sox made mincemeat out of the Twins but ran smack into a team that can actually pitch. Glavine was Glavine for 7 innings but Varitek leading the bases loaded sealed their doom. You're not gonna get too many chances to get to guys like Glavine, Milwood, Maddux, etc and it would have helped if Schourek didn't stink the joint out to start. Hats off to the Sox bullpen who kept the Braves down the final 7 innings, its too bad the Sox couldn't complete the comeback. Can't really complain about Jimy Williams because he pulled Schourek before it was too late and syou had Everett and Nomar come up in the ninth. Just didn't work out this time. The worst part about the Sox having to play the Braves is the Toronto Blue Jays crashed down to Earth. The New York Yankees are making their move and the Sox could possibly be swept before the all-star break. The loss dropped the Sox to 42-40, 2 games behind the Yankees for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow night the Sox look to rebound against the Braves when they send Ramon Martinez (6-4) up against Terry Mulholland of the Braves. The game begins at 5:05 PM at Fenway Park.
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