It was a good day for Boston sports as the Boston Bruins beat the Montreal Canadiens in Game 1 of their first round playoff series and the Boston Red Sox trounced the Baltimore Orioles. The Red Sox offense were pretty much silenced the first two games by the Orioles but they finally broke out in tonight's game. Johnny Damon was 5 for 5 at the top of the order and a seven run second inning by the Sox bats against O's starter Kurt Ainsworth was more than enough damage. Derek Lowe (1-0, 3.00 ERA) went six strong innings holding the O's to just two runs. Bill Mueller, Manny Ramirez and Kevin Millar all drove in runs but the exclamation point was hit by David Ortiz in the form of a three run home run against Rick Bauer. Bobby Jones and Ramiro Mendoza slammed the door and the Sox won the game 10-3 at Camden Yards.
Ainsworth got the ball in the top of the first inning and Damon started his big night with a double down the left field line. Bill Mueller struck out swinging, David Ortiz popped up to third in foul territory and Manny Ramirez grounded out to second to end the inning. Lowe started off strong in the bottom of the first as Brian Roberts took strike three to start. Melvin Mora got a base hit up the middle but Miguel Tejada banged into a double play to end the inning.
The Sox blitz Ainsworth in the top of the second as Kevin Millar doubled down the left field line to begin. Jason Varitek walked but Gabe Kapler grounded into a double play to move Millar to third. Mark Bellhorn walked and Pokey Reese beat out an infield single to short to load the bases. Damon ripped a base hit to left to score Millar and Bellhorn. Mueller got a base hit to center to score Reese and Damon to increase the lead, then Ortiz drew a walk. Ramirez hit a routine fly to Matos who lost it in the lights for a "double" to score Mueller and Ortiz. The guy who started the inning, Millar, got a base hit to center to score Manny. That was it for Ainsworth who got slaughtered for seven runs in just 1 2/3 innings. Rick Bauer came in and froze Varitek for strike three to end the inning as the Sox led 7-0
Lowe started the bottom of the second ominously as he hit Rafael Palmeiro to begin. Javy Lopez got a base hit to left and both runners moved over on the Jay Gibbons grounder to first. Lowe got a big out when David Segui watched strike three go by. Matos walked to load the bases but Larry Bigbe grounded out to first to end the inning.
Kapler grounded out to second to start the top of the third before Bellhorn struck out swinging. Reese also struck out swinging to end the inning. The O's got on the board in the bottom of the third as Roberts grounded out to second to start. Mora caught Lowe asleep with a bunt down the third base line and moved to second on the Tejeda grounder to second. Palmeiro ripped a base hit to right to score Mora to cut the lead. Lopez forced Raffy at second to end the inning with the O's down 7-1.
The Sox blew a rally in the top of the fourth as Damon singled to left to start. Damon stole second but Mueller flied out to left. Ortiz walked but got picked off at first. Ramirez took strike three to end the inning. Gibbons walked to start the bottom of the fourth but Segui hit into a double play. Matos grounded out to short to end the inning.
Millar singled to right to start the top of the fifth but Varitek flied out to center. Kapler hit a bullet to Tejeda who doubled off Millar at first to end the inning. Bigbie took strike three to start the bottom of the fifth before Roberts grounded out to second. Mora grounded back to the mound to end the inning.
The Sox iced the game in the top of the seventh as Bellhorn popped up to short to start. Reese grounded out to short but Damon got another base hit to left. Mueller singled to right and Ortiz bashed his first home run of the season to put the game out of reach. Ramirez grounded out to short to end the inning with the Sox ahead 10-1.
Lowe returned for one last inning in the bottom of the sixth as Tejeda singled to center to start. Pameiro flied out to center but Lopez singled to center. Gibbons got a base hit up the middle to score Tejeda with another run. Damon made a huge catch to rob Segui of a three run home run to move Lopez to third. Matos also flied out to deep center to end the inning. Lowe had tossed 6 innings of two run ball allowing 7 hits and 2 walks as the Sox now led 10-2.
Buddy Groom came in to pitch the top of the seventh and Millar flied out to left to start. Varitek popped up to first in foul territory and Kapler watched strike three go by to end the inning. Bobby Jones made his Sox debut in the bottom of the seventh and Bigbie hit a home run all the way into the Gulf of Mexico to cut the lead. Roberts flied out to right and Mora struck out swinging, but Tejada got a base hit to left. Palmeiro struck out swinging to end the inning with the O's down 10-3.
Groom returned to pitch the top of the eighth and Bellhorn struck out swinging to start. Reese took strike three but Damon completed his torrid day with a base hit to center. Mueller popped up to second to end the inning. Lopez walked to start the bottom of the eighth but Gibbons banged into a double play. Segui grounded out to short to end the inning.
Jorge Julio came in to pitch the top of the ninth and Keith Osik took over behind the plate. Ortiz walked and Manny got a base hit to right. Cesar Crespo pinch ran for Ramirez and Millar walked to load the bases with nobody out. Varitek popped up to third in foul territory, Kapler hit one up the elevator shaft and Bellhorn flied out to center to end the inning. So much for that rally. Ramiro Mendoza came in to close out the bottom of the ninth and Jose Bautista pinch hit for Matos to start. Bautista got a single to right and Jack Cust pinch hit for Bigbe. Cust struck out swinging and Luis Lopez pinch hit for Roberts. Lopez hit into a double play to end the game. The Sox had won 10-3.
Hero of the Night is Johnny Damon. He was 5 for 5 and drove in the first two runs while scoring two total runs.
The Good:
Bill Mueller was 2 for 5 with 2 rbis and 2 runs scored.
Kevin Millar was 3 for 4 with a hit by pitch and an rbi.
David Ortiz was 1 for 2 with 3 walks, 2 total runs scored and a 3 run homer.
Manny Ramirez was 2 for 5 with 2 rbis and a run scored.
Derek Lowe got the win by allowing 2 runs in 6 innings of work. He allowed 7 hits and 2 walks while striking out three.
Ramiro Mendoza tossed a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Gabe Kapler was 0 for 5 with a strikeout.
The Ugly:
Jason Varitek was 0 for 4 with a strikeout but walked and scored a run.
Mark Bellhorn was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts but walked and scored a run.
Pokey Reese was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts but scored a run.
Bobby Jones allowed a run in 2 innings of work.
Honorable Mention:
Cesar Crespo pinch ran for Ramirez and played left field in the ninth inning.
Final Thoughts:
Derek Lowe himself is somewhat sheepish about how much run support he gets during his starts, but he pitched well tonight to earn the win. The bats essentially only scored in two innings but made them both count. Damon finally broke out after being quiet the first two games and the balanced attack worked to knock out the starter in the second inning. Ortiz' home run off Bauer will be the first of many this season. The Sox are definitely going to miss Nomar Garciaparra and Trot Nixon's bats until they return but the defense with Pokey Reese was flawless in this one. When the only negatives of this game was Gabe Kapler going 0 for 5 and Bobby Jones allowing a home run, you know you had a good game. Hopefully the Sox can ride this momentum to the next game, especially offensively. The Sox look to take the fourth game of this series tomorrow night when Tim Wakefield makes his season debut opposite Matt Riley of Baltimore. The game begins at 7:05 PM at Camden Yards.
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