As for the game, the struggling Red Sox offense found their tonic in the form of the Minnesota Twins. The Twins knocked Ramon Martinez out in the fourth inning but the Red Sox bats exploded for 9 runs in the top of the inning. The Sox hit four home runs in the fourth inning alone but the Twins kept fighting back. Hipolito Pichardo and Rheal Cormier both got tagged for runs but the Sox offense pounded out 15 hits and 11 runs to outslug the Twins 11-8 at the Metrodome.
Mike Lincoln got the start for Minnesota in the top of the first and Jose Offerman singled to right to start. Jeff Frye also singled to right but Morgan Burkhart banged into a double play. Brian Daubach struck out swinging to end the inning. The Twins struck first in the bottom of the first against Martinez as Jay Canizaro doubled to right to start. Canizaro moved to third on the fly out by Christian Guzman and Matt Lawton walked. Ron Coomer doubled home Canizaro and Corey Koskie walked to load the bases. Denny Hocking popped up to short but David Ortiz walked home Lawton to increase the lead. Chad Moeller popped up to first to end the inning with the Twins ahead 2-0.
The Sox struck back in the top of the second as Carl Everett walked to start. Troy O'Leary singled in the hole at second but Ed Sprague Jr banged into a double play. Jason Varitek hit a seeing eye single into left to score Everett and put the Sox on the board. Manny Alexander struck out swinging to end the inning but the Sox were down 2-1.
The Twins threatened again in the bottom of the second as Jacque Jones singled to center to start. Canizaro singled to left and Jones took third on a fly ball to center by Guzman. Lawton lined out to second and Coomer grounded out to third to end the inning.
Offerman flied out to left to start the top of the third and Frye grounded out to short. Burkhart singled to right but Daubach grounded out to first to end the inning. The Twins added to the lead in the bottom of the third as Koskie walked and Hocking doubled him to third. Ortiz hit a sac fly to score Koskie and Hocking went to third on a grounder to short by Moeller. Jones lined out to right to end the inning with the Twins up 3-1.
The Sox exploded in the top of the fourth as Everett clubbed his 24th home run of the season to right to start. O'Leary then smashed his sixth of the season to tie the game. Sprague walked and Varitek drilled his fifth home run of the season to give the Sox the lead. Alexander walked to chase Lincoln as Jason Ryan came in to pitch. Offerman forced Alexander at second before moving to second on a wild pitch. Frye walked and Burkhart crushed his first career home run to put the Sox up big. Daubach walked and Everett doubled to right to chase Ryan. Hector Carrasco came in to pitch and O'Leary doubled home both runners to add to the carnage. Sprague grounded out to short and Varitek flied out to right to end the inning. The Sox hit 4 home runs and scored 9 runs to take a 10-3 lead.
The Twins answered in the bottom of the fourth as Canizaro singled to center and Guzman singled to right to start. Lawton doubled home Canizaro and Sox manager Jimy Williams had seen enough of Ramon after 3 plus innings. Hipolito Pichardo came in and was just as bad as Coomer singled home Guzman and Koskie singled home Lawton. Both runners moved over on a swinging bunt by Hocking that was thrown out at first and Ortiz hit another sac fly to score Coomer. Moeller struck out swinging to end the inning with the Twins down 10-7.
The Sox blew a rally in the top of the fifth as Alexander struck out swinging to start. Offerman flied out to right but Frye singled to right. Frye took second on a wild pitch, Burkhart walked and both runners moved over on another wild pitch. Daubach struck out swinging to end the inning. Jones grounded out to second to start the bottom of the fifth and Canizaro grounded out to short. Guzman walked and Lawton was hit with a pitch but Coomer grounded out to first to end the inning.
Everett struck out swinging to start the top of the sixth before O'Leary flied out to left. Sprague struck out swinging to end the inning. Rheal Cormier came in to pitch the bottom of the sixth and Koskie singled to left to start. Koskie moved to second on the grounder to short by Hocking and old friend Butch Huskey pinch hit for Ortiz. Huskey grounded back to the mound to move Koskie to third and Moeller took strike three to end the inning.
Varitek walked to start the top of the seventh and Travis Miller came in to pitch. Somehow Alexander tripled into the left field gap to score Varitek with another run. Offerman grounded out to third, Frye struck out swinging and Burkhart went down hacking to end the inning with the Sox ahead 11-7.
Jones struck out swinging to begin the bottom of the seventh and Canizaro popped up to third. Guzman flied out to center to end the inning.
Jason Maxwell came in to play second base to start the top of the eighth as Daubach singled to right. Everett popped up to first, O'Leary flied out to center and Sprague also popped up to center to end the inning. The Twins rallied in the bottom of the eighth although Lawton grounded out to second to start. Coomer grounded out to second but Koskie doubled to right. Hocking singled to right to chase Cormier and score Koskie to inch the Twins closer. Derek Lowe came in for the four out save and old pal Midre Cummings pinch hit for Huskey. Cummings grounded out to second to end the inning with the Twins down 11-8.
Johan Santana came in to pitch the top of the ninth and Varitek struck out swinging to start. Alexander struck out swinging but Offerman singled to left. Frye struck out swinging to end the inning. Lowe returned for the bottom of the ninth and Marcus Jensen pinch hit for Moeller to begin. Jensen grounded out to second, Jones grounded out to first and Maxwell took strike three to end the game. The Sox had hit four home runs and won the game 11-8.
The Good:
Jose Offerman was 2 for 6 with a run scored.
Jeff Frye was 2 for 5 with a walk and a run scored.
Carl Everett was 2 for 4 with a home run, a walk and 3 total runs scored.
Troy O'Leary was 3 for 5 with a home run and 3 total rbis.
Jason Varitek was 2 for 4 with a 2 run home run, a walk, 3 total rbis and 2 total runs scored.
Derek Lowe tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings to earn his 18th save of the season.
The Bad:
Ramon Martinez got hammered for 6 runs in just 3 plus innings.
Hipolito Pichardo allowed 2 inherited runners to score and 1 of his own in 2 innings of work.
The Ugly:
Brian Daubach was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts but walked and scored a run.
Ed Sprague Jr was 0 for 4 with a strikeout but walked and scored a run.
Manny Alexander was just 1 for 4 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts but walked and tripled home a run.
Rheal Cormier allowed a run in 2 2/3 innings pitched.
Final Thoughts:
The bad news was Ramon Martinez sucked again and could be on his way out when his brother comes back. He looks all washed up and how many times are the Sox going to run him out there to get knocked out in the 3rd or 4th inning? Pichardo and Cormier also allowed runs and this bullpen is starting to look tired after the bad starts anyone other than Pedro Martinez has had this season. Thank goodness for Derek Lowe to slam the door. The good news was the offense clicked big time today and Burkhart led the charge with a 3 run bomb after the homers by Everett, O'Leary and Varitek. The Sox are hoping Sprague and Burkhart can deliver where Wilton Veras, Gary Gaetti and Donnie Sadler failed. The win improved the Sox to 39-39, 3.5 games behind the Toronto Blue Jays for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow night the Sox look to make it two in a row against the Twins when Tim Wakefield (3-5, 5.27 ERA) goes up against Eric Milton of the Twins. The game begins at 7:05 PM Eastern time at the Metrodome.
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