Sox Bash Orioles (4/10/01)

It would be unfair and almost impossible to expect Hideo Nomo (2-0, 0.60 ERA) to top his first start with the Boston Red Sox when he threw a no-hitter. His sophomore effort wasn't as epic but it got the job done against the Baltimore Orioles. Nomo tossed 6 solid innings, allowing just 1 run to earn the win. The Red Sox offense clobbered O's starter Sidney Ponson and the Baltimore bullpen for 10 runs and 12 hits. Brian Daubach was a one man wrecking crew as he crushed two home runs and drove in half of the runs by him. Tim Wakefield earned his first save of the season with 3 scoreless innings in relief of Nomo and the Sox had won it 10-1 at Fenway Park.

                                                   Miriam Gonzalez approves of the win

Nomo got the ball in the top of the first inning and old friend Brady Anderson grounded out to second to start. Mike Bordick walked but Delino DeShields struck out swinging. Bordick swiped second but David Segui grounded back to the mound to end the inning. Ponson got the ball in the bottom of the first inning and Trot Nixon was plunked to start. Jose Offerman took strike three but Carl Everett singled Trot to third. Manny Ramirez struck out swinging but Everett swiped second base. Troy O'Leary struck out swinging to end the inning.

Johnny Vander Meer could rest in piece as the Orioles prevented back to back no hitters in the top of the second inning. Chris Richard walked but Cal Ripken Jr popped up to second. Richard was thrown out trying to steal second but Brook Fordyce walked. Melvin Mora then caught Shea Hillenbrand asleep with a bunt single to third to break up the idea of back to back no-nos. Jerry Hairston flied out to left to end the inning. The Sox struck first in the bottom of the second as Jason Varitek doubled to left to start. Hillenbrand hit a routine grounder to short but Bordick booted it for an error. Daubach made the O's pay with a double to left to score Varitek to give the Sox the lead. Mike Lansing grounded out to second but Hillenbrand scored and Daubach moved to third. Nixon scored Daubach with a sac fly to center and Offerman flied out to left to end the inning with the Sox ahead 3-0.

                                                          Daubach gets the party started

Nomo cruised in the top of the third as Anderson grounded out to first to start. Bordick grounded out to short and DeShields struck out swinging to end the inning. Ponson recovered in the bottom of the third as Everett struck out swinging to start. Ramirez struck out swinging and O'Leary grounded out to second to end the inning.

Segui grounded out to first to start the top of the fourth but Richard singled to right. Ripken Jr banged into a double play to end the inning. The Sox iced the game in the bottom of the fourth as Varitek doubled to left to start. Hillenbrand singled to center and Daubach smashed a 3 run home run to ice the game. Lansing struck out swinging but Nixon and Offerman drew back to back walks to chase Ponson from the game. Calvin Maduro came in to pour gas on the fire as Everett got a base hit to center to load the bases and Ramirez drove home Nixon and Offerman with a base hit to center. O'Leary singled to left to re-load the bases and Varitek beat out a double play to score Everett with another run. Hillenbrand flied out to left to end the inning with the Sox ahead 9-0.

                                                         3 run homer for Daubach

More than enough cushion for Nomo in the top of the fifth as Fordyce flied out to center to start. Mora grounded out to short and Hairston popped up to third to end the inning. The Sox got their final run in the bottom of the fifth when...who else...Daubach pounded his second homer of the game to increase the lead. Lansing and Nixon both flied out to left but Offerman singled to left. Everett popped up to second to end the inning with the Sox ahead 10-0.

                                                     Its Brian's night

The O's scored their first run against Nomo in the top of the sixth as Anderson walked to start. Bordick doubled to left to score Anderson and break up the shutout. DeShields struck out swinging but Segui singled Bordick to third. Richard struck out swinging and Ripken Jr grounded into a force to end the inning with the Sox ahead 10-1. That was it for Nomo who threw six solid innings and allowed just 1 run.

                                                       Nomo gets the job done

BJ Ryan came in to pitch the bottom of the sixth and Ramirez walked to start. O'Leary forced Ramirez at second but Varitek popped up to second. Hillenbrand grounded out to short to end the inning.

Tim Wakefield came in to pitch the top of the seventh and Fordyce took strike three to start. Mora took strike three and Hairston grounded out to third to end the inning. Fernando Lunar replaced Fordyce, Jay Gibbons replaced Segui and Mike Kinkade replaced Ripken with Mike Trombley in to pitch the bottom of the seventh. Daubach took strike three, Lansing popped up to second and Nixon flied out to right to end the inning.

Lou Merloni came in for Offerman and Darren Lewis came in for Everett to start the top of the eighth. Anderson popped up to short, Bordick popped up to second and DeShields grounded out to first to end the inning. Ryan Kohlmeier came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Merloni singled in the hole at short to start. Lewis popped up to first and Dante Bichette pinch hit for Ramirez. Bichette moved Merloni to second with a grounder and O'Leary flied out to center to end the inning.

Wakefield came back to finish off the O's in the top of the ninth and Gibbons flied out to center to start. Richard doubled to right and Kinkade singled to left before Lunar was plunked to load the bases. Mora banged into a double play to end the game. The Sox had won it 10-1.

Hero of the night is Brian Daubach. He drove in 5 runs and socked two home runs to lead the charge.

                                                       Daubach Hero

The Good:

Trot Nixon walked, was hit with a pitch, drove in a run and scored a run in 4 at bats.

Jose Offerman was 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.

Lou Merloni got a hit in his only at-bat.

Carl Everett was 2 for 4 with a run scored.

Manny Ramirez was 1 for 3 with a walk and 2 rbis.

Jason Varitek was 2 for 4 with an rbi and 2 runs scored.

Hideo Nomo got the win with 6 innings of 1 run ball while striking out 4.

Tim Wakefield got the save with 3 scoreless innings.

The Bad:

Darren Lewis was 0 for 1 at the plate.

Dante Bichette grounded out as a pinch hitter.

The Ugly:

Troy O'Leary was just 1 for 5 with a strikeout.

Shea Hillenbrand was just 1 for 4 but scored 2 runs.

Mike Lansing was 0 for 4 but drove in a run.

Final Thoughts:

That was an easy win thanks to the efforts of Daubach and Nomo. It would be unfair to expect Nomo to pitch like Pedro but the achillies heel of the Sox last year was the lack of a number 2 after Pedro, which Nomo could totally be. The offense seems to be clicking already with the addition of Ramirez and they're going to be elite when Nomar Garciaparra comes back. Hell if David Cone and Bret Saberhagen have anything left if and when they come back, this team is in solid shape. Things look bright right now so enjoy the good times while they last. The Sox are going to need elite talent to beat the Yankees and hopefully the Sox realized that trying to send Jeff Fassero out against Andy Pettite wasn't going to cut it. Daubach is a streak hitter who can carry a team when he's hot and this was one of those nights. Hopefully tomorrow night someone else can step up and be a hero. The Sox look to make it two in a row against Baltimore tomorrow night when they send Frank Castillo (0-0, 1.69 ERA) up against Jason Johnson of the Orioles. The game begins at 6:05 PM at Fenway Park.