Dammit! Dammit! Dammit! Dammit! The Boston Red Sox had come off winning 7 of their last 9 games to inch closer in the AL East race, plus found out the New York Yankees had lost to the Oakland A's. What did they do? Blow the game late and have old friend Jeff Suppan throw a complete game at them. The Sox scored 2 runs in the first but that was it as the Royals tied it in the 6th then scored 4 runs off Bryce Florie (0-4, 4.44 ERA) to ice the game. When the dust settled the Royals had dropped the Red Sox 6-2 at Kauffman Stadium.
"Damn you Florie!"
The Sox went right to work on Suppan in the top of the first inning as Jose Offerman flied out to left to start. Trot Nixon grounded out to short but Brian Daubach doubled to left. Everett than smashed his 30th home run of the season to put the Sox on top. Troy O'Leary flied out to left to end the inning with the Sox ahead 2-0. The Sox would have just 3 hits the rest of the game.
Everett goes yard
Jeff Fassero got the start for the Red Sox and Johnny Damon led off with a walk. Rey Sanchez grounded out to short and Mike Sweeney struck out swinging. Jermaine Dye flied out to right to end the inning.
Lou Merloni lined out to center to start the top of the second but Scott Hatteberg doubled. Mike Lansing grounded out to third and Manny Alexander grounded out to first to end the inning. The Sox would have just two hits in the next seven innings. Meanwhile Joe Randa took strike three to start the bottom of the second before Mark Quinn grounded out to second. David McCarty lined out to left to end the inning.
Offerman singled to center to start the top of the third but was doubled off first on the line drive by Nixon. Daubach grounded out to second to end the inning. The Royals struck back in the bottom of the third as Hector Ortiz grounded out to second to start. Jeff Reboulet singled to left and swiped second before moving to third on the Damon grounder. Sanchez singled home Reboulet to cut the lead. Sweeney flied out to right to end the inning with the Sox ahead 2-1.
Why can't the Sox have guys like this?
Everett whiffed to start the top of the fourth but O'Leary walked. Merloni grounded back to the mound and Hatteberg lined out to center to end the inning. Fassero got in trouble in the bottom of the fourth as Dye singled to start but was erased on the Randa double play. Quinn singled to center and took second on a wild pitch, but McCarty grounded out to third to end the inning.
Lansing grounded out to short to start the top of the fifth but Alexander walked. Offerman took strike three and Nixon grounded out to second to end the inning. Ortiz flied out to center to open the bottom of the fifth before Reboulet grounded out to second. Damon singled to right and Sanchez caught the Sox asleep with a bunt single, but Sweeney grounded back to the mound to end the inning.
Daubach grounded out to short to begin the top of the sixth before Everett flied out to left. O'Leary walked but Merloni grounded out to third to end the inning. Fassero was knocked out in the bottom of the sixth as Dye doubled to left to start. Randa singled home Dye to tie the game but Quinn popped up to second. McCarty doubled to center and Ortiz was intentionally walked to chase Fassero. Once again Jeff ran out of gas the third time through the order and was out after 5 1/3 innings. Bryce Florie came in and struck out Reboulet swinging and got Damon to fly out to right to end the inning with the game tied 2-2.
The Sox went right to work on Suppan in the top of the first inning as Jose Offerman flied out to left to start. Trot Nixon grounded out to short but Brian Daubach doubled to left. Everett than smashed his 30th home run of the season to put the Sox on top. Troy O'Leary flied out to left to end the inning with the Sox ahead 2-0. The Sox would have just 3 hits the rest of the game.
Jeff Fassero got the start for the Red Sox and Johnny Damon led off with a walk. Rey Sanchez grounded out to short and Mike Sweeney struck out swinging. Jermaine Dye flied out to right to end the inning.
Lou Merloni lined out to center to start the top of the second but Scott Hatteberg doubled. Mike Lansing grounded out to third and Manny Alexander grounded out to first to end the inning. The Sox would have just two hits in the next seven innings. Meanwhile Joe Randa took strike three to start the bottom of the second before Mark Quinn grounded out to second. David McCarty lined out to left to end the inning.
Offerman singled to center to start the top of the third but was doubled off first on the line drive by Nixon. Daubach grounded out to second to end the inning. The Royals struck back in the bottom of the third as Hector Ortiz grounded out to second to start. Jeff Reboulet singled to left and swiped second before moving to third on the Damon grounder. Sanchez singled home Reboulet to cut the lead. Sweeney flied out to right to end the inning with the Sox ahead 2-1.
Everett whiffed to start the top of the fourth but O'Leary walked. Merloni grounded back to the mound and Hatteberg lined out to center to end the inning. Fassero got in trouble in the bottom of the fourth as Dye singled to start but was erased on the Randa double play. Quinn singled to center and took second on a wild pitch, but McCarty grounded out to third to end the inning.
Lansing grounded out to short to start the top of the fifth but Alexander walked. Offerman took strike three and Nixon grounded out to second to end the inning. Ortiz flied out to center to open the bottom of the fifth before Reboulet grounded out to second. Damon singled to right and Sanchez caught the Sox asleep with a bunt single, but Sweeney grounded back to the mound to end the inning.
Daubach grounded out to short to begin the top of the sixth before Everett flied out to left. O'Leary walked but Merloni grounded out to third to end the inning. Fassero was knocked out in the bottom of the sixth as Dye doubled to left to start. Randa singled home Dye to tie the game but Quinn popped up to second. McCarty doubled to center and Ortiz was intentionally walked to chase Fassero. Once again Jeff ran out of gas the third time through the order and was out after 5 1/3 innings. Bryce Florie came in and struck out Reboulet swinging and got Damon to fly out to right to end the inning with the game tied 2-2.
Can't pitch 3 times through the order
Suppan cruised in the top of the seventh as Hatteberg grounded back to the mound to start. Lansing grounded out to third and Alexander flied out to left to end the inning. The Royals took the lead for good in the bottom of the seventh as Sanchez singled to center and Mike Sweeney launched a 2 run bomb into Tempe, Arizona. Dye whiffed, Randa lined out to short and Quinn flied out to center to end the inning but it was 4-2 Royals.
Royals go on top
The Sox failed to respond in the top of the eighth as Offerman struck out swinging again to start. Nixon grounded out to first and Daubach grounded back to the mound to end the inning. The Royals iced it in the bottom of the eighth although McCarty whiffed to start. Ortiz singled to center but Reboulet struck out swinging. Damon then bashed a 2 run bomb into Lake Ontario to ice the game. Sanchez grounded out to short to end the inning with the Royals up 6-2.
Why can't the Sox get players like this?
Suppan finished the job in the top of the ninth as Everett flied out to right to start. O'Leary got a base hit to center but Merloni banged into a double play to end the game. Suppan went the distance as the Royals had won it 6-2.
Where was this in 97?
Jackass of the Night is Bryce Florie. He allowed the 4 runs to put the game away
Florie the Jackass
The Good:
Troy O'Leary was 1 for 2 with 2 walks.
Scott Hatteberg was 1 for 3.
Jeff Fassero tossed 5 1/3 innings of 2 run ball to keep the Sox in the game.
The Bad:
Trot Nixon was 0 for 4.
Lou Merloni was 0 for 4 with an error.
Mike Lansing was 0 for 3.
The Ugly:
Jose Offerman was just 1 for 4.
Brian Daubach was just 1 for 4 but scored a run.
Carl Everett was just 1 for 4 but the one hit was a 2 run bomb.
Manny Alexander was 0 for 2 but walked.
Final Thoughts:
Such a shame the Sox couldn't win this one considering the Yankees lost as well. Getting just 3 hits off Suppan after the Everett home run is pathetic considering Jeff's ERA is over 5 this year. Other teams don't have trouble hitting him but the Sox went right in the tank. I know Nomar didn't play but still, that was pathetic. The Sox need to win games like this to keep pace with the Yankees and potential wild card teams. Maybe the Sox need to make a waiver move by August 31st for more offense because this isn't going to cut it. If they can't beat the Royals, how are they going to beat the Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays or Cleveland Indians? The loss dropped the Sox to 67-58, 3 games behind the Yankees for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow the Sox look to rebound against the Royals when they send Rolando Arrojo (7-10) up against Brian Meadows at 9:05 PM Eastern time at Kauffman Stadium.
Suppan cruised in the top of the seventh as Hatteberg grounded back to the mound to start. Lansing grounded out to third and Alexander flied out to left to end the inning. The Royals took the lead for good in the bottom of the seventh as Sanchez singled to center and Mike Sweeney launched a 2 run bomb into Tempe, Arizona. Dye whiffed, Randa lined out to short and Quinn flied out to center to end the inning but it was 4-2 Royals.
The Sox failed to respond in the top of the eighth as Offerman struck out swinging again to start. Nixon grounded out to first and Daubach grounded back to the mound to end the inning. The Royals iced it in the bottom of the eighth although McCarty whiffed to start. Ortiz singled to center but Reboulet struck out swinging. Damon then bashed a 2 run bomb into Lake Ontario to ice the game. Sanchez grounded out to short to end the inning with the Royals up 6-2.
Suppan finished the job in the top of the ninth as Everett flied out to right to start. O'Leary got a base hit to center but Merloni banged into a double play to end the game. Suppan went the distance as the Royals had won it 6-2.
Jackass of the Night is Bryce Florie. He allowed the 4 runs to put the game away
The Good:
Troy O'Leary was 1 for 2 with 2 walks.
Scott Hatteberg was 1 for 3.
Jeff Fassero tossed 5 1/3 innings of 2 run ball to keep the Sox in the game.
The Bad:
Trot Nixon was 0 for 4.
Lou Merloni was 0 for 4 with an error.
Mike Lansing was 0 for 3.
The Ugly:
Jose Offerman was just 1 for 4.
Brian Daubach was just 1 for 4 but scored a run.
Carl Everett was just 1 for 4 but the one hit was a 2 run bomb.
Manny Alexander was 0 for 2 but walked.
Final Thoughts:
Such a shame the Sox couldn't win this one considering the Yankees lost as well. Getting just 3 hits off Suppan after the Everett home run is pathetic considering Jeff's ERA is over 5 this year. Other teams don't have trouble hitting him but the Sox went right in the tank. I know Nomar didn't play but still, that was pathetic. The Sox need to win games like this to keep pace with the Yankees and potential wild card teams. Maybe the Sox need to make a waiver move by August 31st for more offense because this isn't going to cut it. If they can't beat the Royals, how are they going to beat the Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays or Cleveland Indians? The loss dropped the Sox to 67-58, 3 games behind the Yankees for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow the Sox look to rebound against the Royals when they send Rolando Arrojo (7-10) up against Brian Meadows at 9:05 PM Eastern time at Kauffman Stadium.
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