Sox Bash Jays Again (4/17/02)

Make that 5 wins out of 6 for the Boston Red Sox. After the Sox plastered the Toronto Blue Jays by scoring 14 runs last night, the Sox almost matched their effort in tonight's game against Toronto. Darren Oliver (2-0, 3.14 ERA) tossed 6 gutty innings and held the Jays to just two runs in that time frame. Meanwhile the Sox bats stuck it to Scott Eyre and the Toronto bullpen for another 13 hits and 10 runs. The Sox used a team effort to blitz Eyre in the first inning for four runs and cruised from there. Manny Ramirez led the charge with 4 total rbis and a two run home run to outscore the Jays by himself. Everyone in the lineup drove in a run or got on base at least once in the thirteen hit attack. Sun-Woo Kim handled the Jays in the final two innings and the Sox had won their third game in a row 10-3 at the Skydome.

                                 Boston Bruins coach Robbie Ftorek approves of the win

The Sox bombed Eyre in the top of the first as Rickey Henderson led off with a double to left. Johnny Damon drew a walk but Nomar Garciaparra forced him at second. Manny Ramirez opened the salvo with a base hit to center to score Henderson. Shea Hillenbrand struck out swinging but Jose Offerman got a base hit to left to score Nomar. Doug Mirabelli lashed a base hit to right to score Manny and Trot Nixon lined a base hit to left to score Offerman. Rey Sanchez popped up to first to end the inning with the Sox ahead 4-0.

                                                        Ramirez starts the party

Oliver got the ball in the bottom of the first and Shannon Stewart flied out to left to start. Vernon Wells flied out to center and Raul Mondesi popped up to third in foul territory to end the inning. 

The Sox struck again in the top of the second as Henderson led off with a walk to begin. Damon forced Rickey at second but Nomar tripled to center to score Johnny and Ramirez crushed his fourth home run of the season to increase the lead. That was it for Eyre as Corey Thurman came in to pitch as Hillenbrand flied out to center. Offerman took strike three to end the inning with the Sox up 7-0.

                                                                  So much for Eyre

Carlos Delgado flied out to center to start the bottom of the second before Jose Cruz Jr flied out to left. Darrin Fletcher grounded out to second to end the inning. 

Mirabelli flied out to right to start the bottom of the third before Nixon flied out to center. Sanchez popped up to short to end the inning. Homer Bush grounded out to short to start the bottom of the third before Eric Hinske singled to right. Felipe Lopez struck out swinging and Stewart popped up to short to end the inning.

Henderson beat out a roller to third to start the top of the fourth but Damon banged into a double play. Nomar walked but Manny flied out to center to end the inning. The Jays struck back in the bottom of the fourth as Wells lined one off Oliver but Sanchez threw him out. Mondesi then hit a home run all the way to Jupiter to cut the lead but Delgado struck out swinging. Cruz then also hit a home run all the way to Vancouver before Fletcher singled to left. Bush struck out swinging to end the inning with the Jays down 7-2.

                                                          Cruz hits one out

Hillenbrand walked to start the top of the fifth but Offerman lined out to center. Mirabelli lined out to left to end the day for Thurman. Pedro Borbon Jr came in and Hillenbrand stole second, but Nixon grounded back to the mound to end the inning. Hinske grounded back to the mound to start the bottom of the fifth but Lopez singled to center. Stewart hit into a double play to end the inning.

Sanchez popped up to first in foul territory to start the top of the sixth before Henderson grounded out to second. Damon walked to chase Borbon as Justin Miller came in to pitch. Damon swiped second but Nomar grounded out to third to end the inning. Wells singled to left to start the bottom of the sixth but Mondesi flied out to right. Delgado was plunked but Cruz banged into a double play to end the inning.

                                                        Damon helps Delgado up

The Sox struck again in the top of the seventh as Ramirez singled to center to start. Hillenbrand forced Manny at second but Offerman singled to right. Mirabelli walked to load the bases but Nixon popped up to third in foul territory. Sanchez was hit with a pitch to score Hillenbrand but Henderson flied out to center to end the inning with the Sox up 8-0.

                                                  Sanchez drives in a run by getting hit

Oliver came back for one final inning in the bottom of the seventh as Fletcher lined out to first to start. Bush singled to left and Hinske walked, but Lopez grounded into a double play to end the inning. Oliver was outstanding, allowing just the two home runs in 7 brilliant innings.

                                                         Oliver gets it done

Bob File got tagged in the top of the eighth as Damon doubled to right to start. Nomar flied out to right but Ramirez dropped a base hit to center to score Damon. Hillenbrand grounded out to third to move Manny to second and Ramirez scored on the Offerman base hit to center. Mirabelli took strike three to end the inning with the Sox ahead 10-2.

                                              "Well if that don't beat all" - Buck

Sun-Woo Kim came in to get tagged in the bottom of the eighth as Stewart singled to left to start. Wells beat out a roller to third and a wild pitch moved both runners along. Mondesi grounded back to the mound but Delgado grounded out to first to score Stewart. Cruz Jr grounded out to first to end the inning with the Jays down 10-3.

                                                             Kim allows a run

Kelvim Escobar came in to pitch the top of the ninth and Nixon walked to start. Sanchez struck out swinging, Henderson flied out to left and Damon struck out swinging to end the inning. Kim came back to start the bottom of the ninth as Fletcher flied out to right to start. Bush grounded out to third and Hinske grounded out to first to end the game. The Sox had won it 10-3.

Hero of the Night is Manny Ramirez. He was 4 for 5 with a 2 run home run, 4 total rbis, and 3 total runs scored.

The Good:

Rickey Henderson was 2 for 5 with an rbi and a run scored.

Jose Offerman was 3 for 5 with 2 rbis and a run scored.

Darren Oliver earned the win by tossing 7 innings of 2 run ball allowing 7 hits while striking out 3.

The Bad:

None

The Ugly:

Johnny Damon was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but walked twice, stole a base and scored 2 runs.

Nomar Garciaparra was just 1 for 4 but walked, drove in a run and scored two runs.

Shea Hillenbrand was 0 for 4 with a strikeout but walked, stole a base and stole a run.

Doug Mirabelli was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but walked and drove in a run.

Trot Nixon was just 1 for 4 but walked and drove in a run.

Rey Sanchez was 0 for 4 with a strikeout but drove in a run.

Sun-Woo Kim allowed a run in 2 innings of work.

Final Thoughts:

Another good win by the Sox and that's three in a row. The Sox have been doing it with pitching with Derek Lowe, Pedro Martinez and now Darren Oliver pitching in. Frank Castillo pitched well yesterday so that gives the Sox four dependable starters with John Burkett due to come off the Disabled List soon. The bats continued to roll and the Sox are going to be tough to beat with Damon and Henderson at the top of the order with their speed. Just going from first to third on singles and stealing bases would set the stage for Nomar and Manny. Sox manager Grady Little seriously needs to take advantage of the team speed that they really hadn't had in a long time. All in all things are looking are up for the Sox and hopefully that momentum continues in the next series. After an off-day tomorrow the Sox are back in action Friday night in Kansas City against the Royals. Pedro Martinez (2-0) takes the hill against Chris George of the Royals. The game begins at 8:05 PM Eastern time at Kauffman Stadium.