Once again the Sox threw up on themselves to open the top of the first game. Mickey Rivers hit a routine ground ball to Jerry Remy at second who inexplicably tried to swat the ball over to first with his glove. It didn't come close and Rivers reached first on the error. Pete O'Brien hit a routine grounder to Mike Easler at firs t, who was laughing so hard at Remy that the ball went right through his legs. Rivers ended up on third and O'Brien was standing on second. Eckersley did manage to get George Wright to pop up to first, but Buddy Bell grounded out to short to score Rivers, causing Eckersley to throw up his hands in disgust at his infield. Larry Parrish struck out to end the inning but the Rangers led 1-0 without a single hit.
The Sox failed to respond in the bottom of the first as Remy flied out to center to start. Dwight Evans walked but Wade Boggs struck out. Jim Rice singled to put the tying run on second....but Easler flied out to left to end the inning.
Eckersley did what he could in the top of the second, striking out both Billy Sample and Ned Yost to start. Wayne Tolleson doubled but Curt Wilkerson flied out to left to end the inning. The Sox struck back in the bottom of the second when Tony Armas singled to start. Reid Nichols was hit with a pitch but Glenn Hoffman hit a little squibber in front of the plate, getting Armas thrown out at third. Gary Allenson flied out to left but Remy made up for his earlier error with a 2 run double to give the Sox the lead. Evans struck out to end the inning but the Sox led 2-1.
It took about 30 seconds for Eckersley to cough up the lead in the top of the third inning. Rivers flied out to right but O'Brien crushed a 583,000 foot home run halfway to Vermont to tie the game. Wright grounded out to second and Bell flied out to center to end the inning with the game tied 2-2.
The Sox blew a chance in the top of the third inning to take the lead. Boggs singled but was erased on the Rice force. Rice swiped second but Easler whiffed. Armas flied out to right to end the inning.
The Rangers took command in the top of the fourth inning although Parrish flied out to center to start. Sample singled and Yost singled him to third. Tolleson hit a sac fly to score Sample to give Texas the lead. Wilkerson grounded back to the mound to end the inning but it was now 3-2 Texas.
The Sox went quietly in the bottom of the fourth inning as Nichols struck out to start. Hoffman popped up to second and Allenson popped up to first to end the inning.
The Rangers struck again in the top of the fifth inning although Rivers grounded out to second to start. O'Brien singled and Wright doubled him to third. Bell was intentionally walked to load the bases and set up the double play but it backfired as Parrish singled to score two runners, advancing Bell to third. Sample hit a sac fly to score Bell and Yost grounded back to the mound to end the inning but it was now 6-2 Rangers and getting worse.
The Sox beat the ball in the dirt in the bottom of the fifth inning as Remy grounded out back to the mound, Evans grounded out to short and Boggs grounded out to second in short order.
Tolleson singled to lead off the top of the sixth and was sacrificed to second by Wilkerson. Rivers flied out to right but Tolleson moved to third. O'Brien popped up to third to end the inning. Rice walked to lead off the bottom of the sixth but Easler flied out to right and Armas popped up to third. Nichols singled but Hoffman flied out to left to end the inning.
The Rangers delivered the knockout blow in the top of the seventh inning. Wright doubled and Bell singled him home to finally chase Eckersley. Rookie Al Nipper took the mound and walked Parrish but Sample grounded into a double play. Yost doubled home Bell to close the book on Eck, he had surrendered EIGHT runs in 6 innings. Tolleson flied out to right to end the inning but it was now 8-2 Rangers.
The Sox went quietly against Tanana in the bottom of the seventh as Allenson grounded back to the mound, Remy struck out and Evans grounded out to short to end the inning.
Nipper returned for the top of the eighth and Wilkerson flied out to center to start. Rivers flied out to left but O'Brien singled. Wright flied out to left to end the inning. The Sox somehow rallied in the bottom of the eighth against Tom Henke. Boggs walked but Rice popped up to second. A wild pitch moved Boggs to second and a balk moved him to third. Easler walked as Rangers manager Bobby Cox brought in Odell Jones to pitch to Armas. Tony popped up to second but Nichols singled in Boggs. Rick Miller pinch hit for Hoffman and flied out to left to end the inning with the Sox down 8-3.
Nipper came back for the top of the ninth with Jackie Gutierrez now at short. Bell popped up to short, Parrish struck out and Sample grounded out to third to end the inning. The Sox refused to go quietly in the bottom of the ninth as Rich Gedman pinch hit for Allenson but flied out to center. Remy struck out but Evans walked. Boggs hit a routine grounder to Bell but he booted it for an error, allowing the inning to continue. Rice singled home Evans but Easler struck out to end the game. The Rangers had won it 8-4.
Jackass of the Night is Dennis Eckersley. He allowed EIGHT runs in just 6 innings to take the loss.
The Good:
Jim Rice was 2 for 4 with a walk, stolen base and an rbi.
Reid Nichols was 2 for 3 with a run scored and an rbi.
Al Nipper tossed 3 scoreless innings.
The Bad:
Rick Miller was 0 for 1 as a pinch hitter.
Gary Allenson was 0 for 3.
Rich Gedman was 0 for 1 as a pinch hitter.
The Ugly:
Jerry Remy was just 1 for 5 with an error but knocked in two runs.
Dwight Evans was 0 for 3 but walked twice and scored a run.
Wade Boggs was just 1 for 4 but walked and scored a run.
Mike Easler was 0 for 4 with an error but walked.
Tony Armas was just 1 for 4.
Glenn Hoffman was 0 for 3 but scored a run.
Honorable Mention:
Jackie Gutierrez played short in the top of the ninth
Final Thoughts:
Is this team ever going to win again? It sure doesn't seem like it as they have no ace and can't seem to field at all. Bruce Hurst can't pitch every game so someone else has to step up on the mound. The offense will hit their stride but it won't mean anything if Dennis Eckersley, Mike Brown, Bob Ojeda, etc get pounded more often than not. The Sox also look like fools for letting Frank Tanana slip away but oh well. Speaking of Ojeda, he goes tomorrow night against the Rangers opposite Danny Darwin at Fenway Park.
No comments:
Post a Comment