In one of the most frustrating games of the season, the Boston Red Sox bullpen officially became a liability against the Oakland A's. The A's jumped out to a 4-0 lead and knocked Red Sox starter Paxton Crawford out after the second inning. Boston managed to cut it to 4-3 but Rolando and Pete Schourek allowed two runs to make it 6-3. A furious Sox rally in the bottom of the eighth tied the game at 6-6 but Mark Bellhorn singled home Miguel Tejada against Rod Beck in the top of the ninth. Then in one of the dumbest plays in memory, Carl Everett was thrown out trying to go to third on a fly ball by Troy O'Leary, negating the tying run scoring by Trot Nixon to end the game. The A's had won it 7-6 at Fenway Park.
The A's bushwhacked Crawford in the top of the first inning as Johnny Damon legged out a double through the hole at short to start. Both Jeremy and Jason Giambi walked to load the bases with nobody out and John Jaha walked home Damon to give the A's the lead. Terrance Long beat out a double play ball to score Jeremy but Miguel Tejada hit into a double play to end the inning with the A's up 2-0.
Cory Lidle got the start for Oakland and Trot Nixon led off the bottom of the first with a fly out to right. Jose Offerman flied out to left and Carl Everett popped up to left to end the inning.
The A's struck again in the top of the second although Eric Chavez struck out swinging to start. Mark Bellhorn flied out to left but Ramon Hernandez hit a home run all the way to Jacksonville, Florida to increase the lead. Damon hit a swinging bunt to first and Brian Daubach threw the ball all the way to Maine for an error to move Damon to second. Jeremy Giambi singled to right to score Damon with another run. Jason Giambi got a base hit to left but Everett made a great catch rob Jaha of extra bases to end the inning with the A's ahead 4-0. Sox manager Jimy Williams pulled the plug on Crawford after just two innings and 4 runs allowed.
Lidle dominated the bottom of the second as Manny Ramirez, Troy O'Leary and John Valentin all struck out swinging in short order.
Tim Wakefield came in to pitch the top of the third and Long lined out to third to start. Tejada singled to left and moved to second on the grounder to second by Chavez. Bellhorn grounded back to the mound to end the inning. The Sox struck back in the bottom of the third as Daubach singled to center to start. Hillenbrand forced Daubach at second but Hatteberg doubled off the Monster to score Hillenbrand. Hatteberg moved to third on a grounder to second by Nixon but Offerman grounded out to second to end the inning with the Sox down 4-1.
Hernandez singled to left to start the top of the fourth but Damon banged into a double play. Jeremy Giambi walked and Jason Giambi blooped a single to left, but Jaha took strike three to end the inning. Everett flied out to center to start the bottom of the fourth before Ramirez took strike three. O'Leary grounded out to third to end the inning.
Wakefield got Long to ground out to second to start the top of the fifth before Tejada flied out to left. Chavez doubled to right but Bellhorn flied out to right to end the inning. Valentin grounded out to second to begin the bottom of the fifth before Daubach flied out to left. Hillenbrand struck out swinging to end the inning.
Pete Schourek came in to pitch the top of the sixth and Hernandez flied out to left to start. Damon took strike three and Jeremy Giambi grounded out to short to start. The Sox rallied in the bottom of the sixth although Hatteberg took strike three to start. Nixon walked, Offerman singled to center and Everett beat out a double play ball to put runners at the corners. Ramirez cleared the bases with a triple to the centerfield triangle and O'Leary was plunked to put the go-ahead run on. Jim Mecir came in to pitch to Valentin and John lined out to short to end the inning with the Sox down 4-3.
Just as soon as the Sox were back in the game, they gagged in the top of the sixth. Jason Giambi walked to start and that was it for Schourek. Rolando Arrojo came in and promptly walked Jaha. Long doubled to center to score Giambi and increase the lead. Somehow Tejada popped up to second and Chavez was intentionally walked to load the bases. Bellhorn struck out swinging and Hernandez grounded out to short to end the inning with the A's ahead 5-3.
Daubach struck out swinging to start the top of the seventh and Hillenbrand grounded out to third. Hatteberg singled to center but Nixon grounded out to third to end the inning.
The A's looked to have iced the game in the top of the eighth as Damon walked to start. Jeremy Giambi singled Damon to third and Johnny scored on the force at second by Jason Giambi. Jaha flied out to right and Long flied out to center to end the inning with the A's up 6-3.
A's manager Art Howe brought in closer Jason Isringhausen for the six out save and the Sox roared back. Sal Fasano took over behind the plate as Offerman doubled to center to start. Everett doubled off the Monster to score Offerman and Ramirez doubled off the Monster to score Everett. O'Leary doubled in almost the exact same spot to tie the game and put the go-ahead runner at second with nobody out. Valentin made a huge out when he failed to move O'Leary over with a ground out to third. Daubach was intentionally walked but Sox manager Jimy Williams made the foolish decision to pinch hit Hillenbrand with Jason Varitek. Naturally Varitek struck out swinging and Hatteberg also struck out swinging to end the inning but the Sox had tied it 6-6.
Lou Merloni took over at short with Rod Beck coming in to pitch the top of the ninth. Tejada doubled to center to start but Chavez took strike three. Bellhorn singled to right and Tejada came around to score, Mark taking second on the rbi. Fasano struck out swinging and Damon grounded out to short to end the inning but the A's took the lead 7-6.
Mario Valdez took over in left with Mike Magnante came in to pitch the bottom of the ninth. Nixon walked to start but Offerman flied out to right. Everett singled to right to chase Magnante from the game. Jeff Tam came in and hit Ramirez with a pitch to load the bases. O'Leary then lofted a fly ball to left. Nixon took off for home but Everett took off for third. Valdez fired to third and Everett was tagged out before Nixon scored to end the game. A dumb baserunning play by Everett ended the game and the A's had won it 7-6.
Jackass of the Night is Carl Everett. Everett had a great game but getting thrown out at third with the tying run coming home is inexcusable.
The Good:
Jose Offerman was 2 for 5 with a run scored.
Brian Daubach was 1 for 3 with a walk.
Manny Ramirez was 2 for 4 with 3 rbis and a run scored.
Scott Hatteberg was 2 for 4 with an rbi.
Tim Wakefield tossed 3 scoreless innings.
The Bad:
John Valentin was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Jason Varitek struck out as a pinch hitter.
Paxton Crawford allowed 4 runs in just 2 innings of work.
Pete Schourek was charged with a run in an inning of work.
Rolando Arrojo allowed an inherited runner to score and one of his own in two innings of work.
Rod Beck allowed a run in the ninth inning.
The Ugly:
Trot Nixon was 0 for 3 but walked twice and scored a run.
Troy O'Leary was just 1 for 4 but was hit with a pitch and drove in a run.
Shea Hillenbrand was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but scored a run.
Honorable Mention:
Lou Merloni played short in the top of the ninth.
Final Thoughts:
That was a pretty disgusting loss considering how it happened. Even without the Everett blunder, the bullpen after Wakefield couldn't stop the A's. Schourek, Arrojo and Beck allowed 3 runs including the backbreaker in the ninth. With Rich Garces struggling lately, one of the strengths of the team has become a weakness in a hurry. What's more concerning is the erosion of Crawford and Tomo Ohka in the last few weeks. Just last week Crawford was outdueling Barry Zito in Oakland and he gets hammered at Fenway. Ironically, tomorrow David Cone starts his rehab with the Sarasota Red Red Sox tomorrow. They may need him sooner rather than later. The Sox have one game left against Oakland and the AL West in this stretch and it would be nice if they win it. The Sox have fallen out of first place thanks to their incompetence against Oakland and Seattle and that's not good moving forward. The loss drops the Sox to 20-15, 0.5 games behind the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East. The Sox look to rebound tomorrow afternoon when Pedro Martinez (4-0) tries to stop the bleeding against Gil Heredia of the As. The game begins at 1:05 PM at Fenway Park.
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