Sox Survive in Detroit as Streak Reaches 4 (7/11/03)

The Sox are rolling as their 5-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park brought their current road win streak to 4 as well as 2 games behind the New York Yankees in the division race.

Mike Maroth (4-13, 4.89) was no match for the Red Sox offense as he took the hill for the top of the 1st. Gabe Kapler led the game off with a walk after falling behind 0-2. Todd Walker stepped in and doubled home Kapler (who ran through 3rd base coach Mike Cubbage's stop sign) after commentator Sean McDonough brought up his recent slump. Nomar Garciaparra continued his slump by striking out (2 for 33 now). Kapler moved to third on a wild pitch by Maroth and Manny Ramirez singled him in to give the Sox a quick 2-0 lead. Kevin Millar singled but the rally ended there as Jason Varitek struck out and Trot Nixon grounded out. John Burkett (7-4, 5.25 ERA) took the ball for the Sox in the bottom of the inning. Burkett was perfect by striking out Alex Sanchez and inducing ground outs from Warren Morris and Dimitri Young.

The Sox struck again in the top of the second. Damien Jackson (starting for lefty Johnny Damon) grounded out but Freddy Sanchez (starting for Bill Mueller who got the day off) singled. Kapler lined out sharply to second but Walker again doubled down the right field line to move Sanchez to third. Nomar finally contributed by singling home Sanchez and Walker to give the Sox a 4-0 lead. Manny struck out to end the top half. Burkett was perfect in the bottom of the inning by striking out Kevin Witt, grounding out Eric Munson and striking out Cody Ross.

Maroth got in trouble again in the top of the 3rd but this time got out of it. Millar flied out to right but Varitek and Nixon hit back to back singles. Unfortunately for the Sox, Jackson hit into a double play to end the inning. The Tigers broke through in the bottom of the third. Carlos Pena walked and AJ Hinch singled. Burkett managed to get Ramon Santiago to fly out but Sanchez doubled home Pena and Hinch to cut the lead in half, 4-2. Young singled but Burkett kept his cool and with a little help from the Sox defense, induced an inning ending double play from Dimitri Young.

Maroth appeared to have settled down in the top of the 4th. Sanchez took a borderline strike 3 on the outside corner then Kapler flied out on the first pitch. Walker grounded out to second to end the inning. Burkett returned for the 4th and got Witt to fly out on a broken bat pop up. Burkett retired Munson on a pop up to right and Ross on an infield pop up.

The 5th inning showed promise when Nomar whiffed and stole second but Manny lined out to second followed by Millar grounding out to short. Varitek was intentionally walked and Maroth got out of the inning by getting Nixon to fly out to right. Carlos Pena tagged Burkett with a line drive home run just over the right field wall to cut the lead 4-3 to open the bottom of the 5th. Burkett recovered to strike out Hinch and get Santiago to ground out to first on the first pitch. Sanchez flied out to right to end the inning.

Damien Jackson led off the 6th with a single up the middle and Sanchez also singled. Maroth caught a break when he got Kapler to bang into a 6-4-3 double play (Jackson moved to third). Walker then worked a walk to chase Maroth from the game after 99 pitches. Chris Spurling replaced him and Nomar hit a sure double to left but it was snared by third basemen Eric Munson. Burkett then got the side in order in the bottom of the 6th. Morris grounded out while Young popped up to 3rd and Witt popped up to short.

Manny led off the 7th and grounded out meekly to Spurling. As the commentators discussed Hair Club For Men, Millar lined out to short. Varitek was walked his last at bat so he made up for it with a blast off the foul pole (16th of the year and 11th from the left side) to give the Sox some insurance. Nixon poked one into left for a base hit but Jackson struck out to end the top half. Munson tried to get on with a swinging bunt but the alert Burkett gunned him down at first. Ross grounded out to Nomar and Pena grounded out to Walker to end the inning.

Fernando Rodney replaced Spurling for the top of the 8th. Rodney punched out Sanchez on a borderline call and got Kapler to ground out to first. Walker grounded out to short to end the 8th. Alan Embree took over for Burkett in the bottom of the 8th. Embree punched out Hinch to open the frame then induced a groundout from Santiago. Sanchez gave it a ride but ultimately Kapler ran down the fly ball to end the inning.

Nomar led off the top of the 9th by striking out and Ramirez grounded out. Millar worked a walk and Tigers manager Alan Trammell brought in old Sox lefty Steve Avery to pitch to Varitek (hitting from the right side). Jason grounded into a force at second to end the inning. Sox closer Byung-Hyun Kim took over for Embree for the bottom of the ninth. Morris grounded one to Millar who bobbled it but Kim had sprinted over the first to make the cover for the out. Kim struck out Young on 3 straight pitches (he did not hit the ball out of the infield all game) then struck out Witt also on 3 pitches to end the game. 

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Final Thoughts:

After Pena homered in the 6th inning not a single Tiger reached base. Kim picks up his 4th save in a Sox uniform and the Sox have now won 13 of 18 and are 54-37 on the year. Pedro Martinez takes the hill tomorrow against Matt Roney.