Nomo took the mound in the top of the first and flashbulbs went off as Ichiro Suzuki stepped in for their first Fenway battle. Nomo got the duke as Ichiro lined out to second to start. Mark McLemore whiffed but Edgar Martinez walked. John Olerud grounded back to the mound to end the inning. The Sox wasted no time scoring in the bottom of the first inning against Moyer although Chris Stynes lined out to center to start. Jose Offerman walked before Carl Everett hit one up the elevator shaft. Manny Ramirez smashed a tremendous home run to give the Sox the lead. O'Leary hit one up the elevator shaft to end the inning with the Sox ahead 2-0.
The Mariners wasted no time tying the game in the top of the second as Mike Cameron led off with a home run to cut into the lead. Bret Boone whiffed and Carlos Guillen grounded out to first but David Bell walked. Dan Wilson singled and Ichiro singled home Bell to tie the game. McLemore whiffed to end the inning but it was 2-2.
The Sox failed to respond in the bottom of the second as Dante Bichette flied out to left to start. Jason Varitek grounded out to second before Shea Hillenbrand took strike three to end the inning.
Things looked bleak in the top of the third when Martinez doubled and Olerud singled him to third to put runners at the corners with nobody out. Nomo managed to get Cameron to pop up to right with the slow Martinez not advancing. Nomo got a huge out when Boone whiffed and ended the inning with Guillen popping up to third to end the inning. The Sox re-took the lead in the bottom of the third inning. Mike Lansing flied out to right but Stynes singled. Third basemen David Bell booted a ground ball by Offerman to put runners at second and third. Everett whiffed and Ramirez was intentionally walked. The Mariners found out what Cleveland did two years ago when you walk someone to get to O'Leary when Troy smacked an infield single to score Lansing. Bichette hit one up the elevator shaft to end the inning with the Sox ahead 3-2.
Just as soon as the Sox went ahead, the Mariners tied it in the top of the fourth inning. Bell grounded out to third but Wilson walked. Ichiro doubled and Wilson scored on the McLemore ground out to tie the game. Martinez whiffed to end the inning but it was 3-3.
The Sox finally knocked out Moyer in the bottom of the fourth inning. Varitek singled and Hillenbrand crushed a 2 run home run to give the Sox the lead back. Lansing grounded out to short but Stynes walked. Offerman smashed a 2 run home run of his own for some insurance. Everett singled and that was it for Moyer. Brett Tomko was summoned to stop the bleeding for Seattle and he walked Ramirez. O'Leary flied out to center before Bichette grounded into a force to end the inning with the Sox ahead 7-3.
Olerud walked to start the top of the fifth inning but Cameron grounded into a double play. Boone singled to left but Guillen struck out swinging to end the inning. That was it for Nomo who battled to allow 3 runs in 5 innings of work.
Not his best stuff but it'll do tonight
The Sox got another run in the bottom of the fifth as Varitek singled to center to start. Hillenbrand forced Varitek at second but Lansing popped up to second. Stynes smacked his second home run of the season to increase the lead and Offerman flied out to right to end the inning with Boston ahead 9-3.
Tim Wakefield came in to pitch the top of the sixth inning and Bell lined out to second to start. Wilson flied out to center and Ichiro grounded out to first to end the inning. The Sox struck again in the bottom of the sixth although Everett grounded out to second to start. Ramirez struck out swinging but O'Leary tripled to the centerfield triangle. Bichette doubled off the Monster to bring Troy home but Varitek grounded out to first to end the inning with the Sox ahead 10-3.
Darren Lewis took over for Bichette to start the top of the seventh and McLemore grounded out to first to start. Martinez walked but Olerud flied out to right. Cameron took strike three to end the inning. Hillenbrand flied out to center to start the bottom of the seventh before Lansing grounded out to third. Stynes doubled to right but Offerman grounded out to second to end the inning.
Derek Lowe came in for the top of the eighth and Boone grounded back to the mound to start. Guillen lined out to third and Bell lined out to left to end the inning. The Sox poured it on against Norm Charlton in the bottom of the eighth as Everett popped up to first to start. Ramirez swung and missed for strike three but took first when the ball got away from the catcher. O'Leary doubled home Ramirez to increase the lead and chase Charlton. Charles Gipson came in to get Lewis to ground out to short, but Varitek singled home O'Leary to add to the lead. Hillenbrand grounded into a force to end the inning with the Sox ahead 12-3.
Lowe returned for the top of the ninth and Wilson singled to left to start. Ichiro hit a double play ball to first and Offerman flipped to Lansing....who was too busy staring at a bird flying overhead that he missed the catch for an error to put runners at the corners. Ichiro took second on defensive indifference but McLemore struck out swinging. Wilson scored on the grounder to second by Martinez and Olerud grounded back to the mound to end the game. The Sox had won it 12-4.
Hero of the Night is Shea Hillenbrand. His 2 run homer broke the tie and put the Sox up for good.
The Good:
Chris Stynes was 3 for 4 with a walk, a two run homer and 3 runs scored.
Manny Ramirez was 1 for 3 with 2 walks, a 2 run homer and two total runs scored.
Troy O'Leary was 3 for 5 with 2 rbis and 2 runs scored.
Jason Varitek was 3 for 5 with an rbi and a run scored.
Hideo Nomo got the win by allowing 3 runs in 5 innings of work. He allowed 7 hits and 4 walks while striking out 6 batters.
Tim Wakefield pitched two scoreless innings.
The Bad:
The Bad:
Darren Lewis was 0 for 1 at the plate.
Mike Lansing was 0 for 4.
The Ugly:
The Ugly:
Jose Offerman was just 1 for 4 but the one hit was a 2 run homer. He also walked and scored two runs.
Carl Everett was just 1 for 5 with a strikeout.
Dante Bichette was just 1 for 4 but drove in a run.
Derek Lowe allowed an unearned run in 2 innings of work.
Final Thoughts:
The Sox needed a win like this against a good team and pounding Moyer to do it was a strong message to send. It was a well balanced offensive attack and the Sox are finding a groove with Stynes back in the lineup and Grebeck out. Offerman and O'Leary are starting to heat up and the Sox are going to need them with Daubach not playing much lately. Nomo didn't look that great but rubber armed Wakefield and Lowe was there to pick up the slack. Once again Lowe allowed a run in the ninth inning but this time it was unearned. Still, it would be nice if he could go a game without allowing a run for once. All in all it was a good win and a good team and hopefully they can keep the momentum going. The win improved the Sox to 20-12, 1 game ahead of the Toronto Blue Jays for first place in the AL East. The Sox look to make it 3 overall wins in a row tomorrow night when they send Frank Castillo to the mound to take on old pal Aaron Sele of the Mariners. The game begins at 7:05 PM at Fenway Park.
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