Before the game the Boston Red Sox made a bevy of roster moves. Rod Beck was placed on the Disabled List with a pain in the neck, Wilton Veras was sent down to Pawtucket and Curtis Pride was designated for assignment. In their places the Sox called up Tim Young and activated Bernard Gilkey. The Sox are putting all their faith behind Ed Sprague Jr at third by sending Veras down and hope Gilkey can give them something in the outfield that Pride, Darren Lewis and others can't.
As for the game, the Boston Red Sox celebrated the Fourth of July by smacking around the Minnesota Twins for the second consecutive game. This time Tim Wakefield (4-5, 5.21 ERA) kept the Twins off the board with 6 solid innings of 3 run ball. Bernard Gilkey had a tremendous Red Sox debut by going 3 for 4 with a home run and four runs batted in. Manny Alexander, Troy O'Leary and Jose Offerman also went yard as the Sox pounded out 18 hits and 14 runs. Bryce Florie earned his first save of the season by pitching the final 3 innings of the season and the Sox enjoyed July 4th with a 14-4 victory over the Twins at the Metrodome.
The Red Sox wasted no time getting to Minnesota starter Eric Milton in the top of the first inning. Jose Offerman doubled to left but Ed Sprague Jr took strike three. Carl Everett flied out to left but Nomar Garciaparra doubled to center to score Offerman to put the Sox on the board. Morgan Burkhart flied out to right to end the inning with the Sox ahead 1-0.
The Twins answered against Wakefield in the bottom of the first as Christian Guzman walked and stole second immediately. Guzman moved to third on the grounder by Denny Hocking and scored on the Matt Lawton grounder to second. Ron Coomer hit a routine grounder to Sprague who dove on the ball and swam on it for an error. Corey Koskie forced Coomer at second to end the inning with the game tied 1-1.
The Sox exploded in the top of the second as Troy O'Leary singled to left to start. Jason Varitek doubled to left to score Troy and Bernard Gilkey made his Red Sox debut with an rbi base hit to right to score Jason. Manny Alexander belted his first home run of the season to put the icing on the cake. Offerman flied out to left and Sprague hit one up the elevator shaft, but Everett walked. Nomar grounded out to second to end the inning with the Sox ahead 5-1.
Butch Huskey popped up to second to start the bottom of the second before David Ortiz walked. Marcus Jensen struck out swinging before Ortiz took second on a passed ball. Jacque Jones grounded out to second to end the inning.
The Sox were relentless in the top of the third as Burkhart singled to center to begin. O'Leary struck out swinging but Varitek singled to center. Gilkey doubled home both runners to put himself halfway to the cycle and increase the lead. Gilkey moved to third on the fly ball by Alexander but Offerman grounded out to second to end the inning with the Sox ahead 7-1.
Guzman doubled to right to start the bottom of the third but Hocking struck out swinging. Guzman moved to third on the grounder to short by Lawton but Coomer popped up to short to end the inning.
The Sox cracked new pitcher Jason Ryan in the top of the fourth as Sprague grounded out to third to start. Everett singled to right, Nomar doubled to left and Burkhart doubled them both home to add to the lead. O'Leary smashed his seventh home run of the season (100th career) but Varitek grounded out to second. Gilkey put himself a triple away from the cycle with a solo home run to increase the lead. Alexander struck out swinging to end the inning but it was 12-1 Red Sox.
The Twins answered in the bottom of the fourth as Koskie walked to begin. Huskey lined out to left but a passed ball moved Koskie to second. Ortiz ripped a double past the shift to score Koskie and moved to third on the Jensen grounder. Jones doubled home Ortiz and Guzman grounded out to second to end the inning with the Twins down 12-3.
Johan Santana came in to pitch the top of the fifth and Offerman flied out to left to start. Sprague struck out swinging but Everett tore up Koskie at third with a grounder for a "single". Nomar flied out to right to end the inning. Hocking grounded out to third to open the bottom of the fifth but Burkhart threw a grounder by Lawton completely out of the Metrodome for an error. Coomer popped up to short and Koskie grounded out to second to end the inning.
Burkhart struck out swinging to begin the top of the sixth before O'Leary flied out to left. Varitek grounded out to third to end the inning. Wakefield came back for one final inning in the bottom of the sixth as Huskey flied out to center to start. Ortiz popped up to Sprague in foul territory and Jenson took strike three to end the inning. Wakefield was servicable, allowing 3 runs in 6 innings of work.
Midre Cummings came in to play left for Lawton, Jason Maxwell came in for Coomer and Latroy Hawkins came in to pitch the top of the seventh. With a chance for the cycle...Gilkey grounded out to short to start. Alexander popped up to first and Offerman flied out to left to end the inning. Bryce Florie came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh and Jones grounded out to second to start. Guzman grounded out to second but Hocking doubled to left. Cummings beat out a nubber to second to put runners at the corners but Maxwell struck out swinging to end the inning.
The Sox struck again in the top of the eighth against Bob Wells as Sprague lined out to short to start. Everett hit a routine pop up to left but Cummings overran it for a "triple". Maxwell made a great play to rob Nomar of a hit but Burkhart walked. O'Leary dropped a base hit to left to score Everett with another run but Varitek flied out to left to end the inning with the Sox ahead 13-3.
Sox manager Jimy Williams made no friends in the Boston media by having Jeff Frye come in for Gilkey with the cycle still in play along with Brian Daubach in right replacing Everett for the bottom of the eighth. The Twins struck back although Koskie grounded out to first to start. Huskey grounded out to third but Ortiz doubled off the baggy in right. Jensen dumped a base hit to right to score Ortiz to cut the lead and Jones singled to left. Guzman beat out an infield chopper to Nomar to load the bases but Hocking flied out to left to end the inning with the Twins down 13-4.
Ortiz scores a run
Offerman joins the homer parade
Eddie Guardado came in to pitch the top of the ninth and Frye popped up to second to start. Alexander popped up to Koskie in foul territory but Offerman swatted his fifth home run of the season to wrap up the scoring. Sprague popped up to first to end the inning with the Sox ahead 14-4.
Florie returned to close out the bottom of the ninth and Cummings flied out to left to start. Maxwell grounded out to third but Koskie pounded a ground rule double into the left field stands. Huskey grounded out to short to end the game. The Sox had won it 14-4.
Sox Win
Gilkey Hero
Hero of the Night is Bernard Gilkey. He was 3 for 4 in his Sox debut with 4 runs batted in including a home run.
The Good:
Jose Offerman was 2 for 6 with a home run and two total runs scored.
Carl Everett was 3 for 4 with a walk and 2 runs scored.
Nomar Garciaparra was 2 for 5 with an rbi and a run scored.
Morgan Burkhart was 2 for 4 with a walk, 2 rbis and 2 runs scored.
Troy O'Leary was 3 for 5 with a 2 run homer, 3 total rbis and 2 runs scored.
Jason Varitek was 2 for 5 with an rbi and 2 runs scored.
Tim Wakefield got the win with 6 innings of 3 run ball. He allowed just 3 hits and 3 walks.
Bryce Florie got the save by allowing a run in 3 innings of work.
The Bad:
Ed Sprague Jr was 0 for 6 with 2 strikeouts.
Jeff Frye was 0 for 1 at the plate.
The Ugly:
Manny Alexander was just 1 for 5 with an error but the one hit was a 2 run home run.
Honorable Mention:
Brian Daubach played right field in the final two innings.
Final Thoughts:
Happy fourth of July everyone. The Red Sox picked up where they left off yesterday by hitting another 4 home runs. The Sox are going to be sad to leave the Metrodome after their resurgence following the horrific June swoon they had. Gilkey made a nice first impression which is what the Sox needed considering the struggles of O'Leary and Darren Lewis. If Gilkey can give them a shot in the arm off the bench, they fixed part of their problems. They still need another starter to go with Pedro Martinez but solving the bench was a good start. Speaking of O'Leary, that's two good games in a row since he came off the Disabled List and hopefully he can get back to where he was last year. All in all, it was a good win and the Sox need to keep the momentum going of they want to rebound in the standings. The win improved the Sox to 40-39, 2.5 games behind the Toronto Blue Jays for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow the Sox look for the series sweep against the Twins when they send Jeff Fassero (6-3, 4.35 ERA) out against Mark Redman of Minnesota. The game begins at 8:05 PM Eastern time at the Metrodome.
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