The good news was the Boston Bruins defeated the Buffalo Sabres in Game 3 of their first round NHL playoff series and the Boston Celtics defeated the Indiana Pacers in Game 1 of their first round NBA playoff series. The bad news was the Boston Red Sox were beaten by the Milwaukee Brewers. Bill Wegman of the Brewers outpitched Roger Clemens (2-2, 1.41 ERA) and the Boston bats were as cold as the Milwaukee weather. The Sox took an early lead on a Tony Pena rbi double but the Brewers rallied for three runs in the third inning. That turned out to be the difference in the game as the Sox failed to capitalize on any scoring chances. The putrid Sox offense failed to pick up Clemens and the Brewers won 3-2 at County Stadium.
Wegman got the ball in the top of the first inning and Wade Boggs led off with a ground out to second. Jody Reed walked but Mike Greenwell banged into a double play to end the inning. Clemens got the ball in the bottom of the first inning and Paul Molitor flied out to center to start. Darryl Hamilton flied out to left but BJ Surhoff singled to left. Dante Bichette struck out swinging to end the inning.
The Sox struck for the only time in the top of the second inning as Ellis Burks walked to start. Phil Plantier walked and Tom Brunansky dropped down a sacrifice bunt to move the runners over. Mo Vaughn was intentionally walked and Tony Pena made the Brewers pay with a double to left to score Burks & Plantier. The key to the game was Luis Rivera failed to score Vaughn by grounding out to short and Boggs lined out to short to end the inning with the Sox up 2-0.
Robin Yount took strike three to start the bottom of the second before Franklin Stubbs struck out swinging. Kevin Seitzer grounded out to second to end the inning.
The Sox blew a rally in the top of the third as Reed singled in the hole at short to start. Greenwell walked but Burks struck out swinging. Plantier popped up to third in foul territory and Brunansky struck out swinging to end the inning. The Brewers exploded in the bottom of the third as Jim Gantner beat out a roller to third to start. Scott Fletcher walked and Molitor hit a routine grounder to Boggs who turned and fired the ball out of the ballpark for an error to score Gantner. Fletcher moved to third on the error and he scored on the sac fly to left by Hamilton. Surhoff grounded out to second but Bichette got a base hit to right to score Molitor. Bichette was thrown out trying to steal second to end the inning but it was now 3-2 Brewers.
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The Sox blew a huge rally in the top of the fourth as Vaughn grounded out to short to start. Pena dumped a base hit to left, Rivera hit a seeing eye single in the hole at short and Boggs walked to load the bases. Reed forced Pena at home and Greenwell grounded out to second to end the inning. Clemens recovered in the bottom of the fourth as Yount struck out swinging to start. Stubbs went down hacking and Seitzer grounded out to third to end the inning.
Wegman cruised in the top of the fifth as Burks grounded out to short to start. Plantier flied out to left and Brunansky flied to to center to end the inning. Gantner singled in the hole at third to start the bottom of the fifth but Fletcher flied out to center. Molitor forced Gantner at second and Hamilton lined out to third to end the inning.
The Sox beat the ball in the dirt in the top of the sixth as Vaughn grounded out to the mound to start. Pena grounded out to short and Rivera grounded out to third to end the inning. Surhoff grounded out to third to start the bottom of the sixth and Bichette struck out swinging. Yount lined out to short to end the inning.
Boggs grounded out to short to start the top of the seventh and Reed grounded out to third. Greenwell singled to center but Burks flied out to right to end the inning. Stubbs struck out swinging to begin the bottom of the seventh before Seitzer singled in the hole at short. Gantner lined out to left but Fletcher singled in the hole at second. Molitor grounded out to second to end the inning.
The Sox blew yet another rally in the top of the eighth as Plantier singled in the hole at second to start. Brunansky dropped down a sacrifice bunt to move Phil to second and Brewers manager Phil Garner brought in Jesse Orosco to pitch to Vaughn. Sox manager Butch Hobson countered by pinch hitting Tim Naehring for Vaughn. Naehring walked and Doug Henry was brought in to face Pena. Tony popped up to short and Herm Winningham pinch hit for Rivera only to ground out to third to end the inning.
Clemens returned for the bottom of the eighth with Scott Cooper now at first. Hamilton struck out looking before Surhoff flied out to left. Bichette singled to center but Yount flied out to right to end the inning. Clemens ended up going the distance while allowing 3 runs in 8 innings. Usually that would be good enough to win, but not this time.
Boggs beat out an infield single to short to start the top of the ninth but Reed banged into a double play. Greenwell lined out to left to end the game. The Brewers had won it 3-2.
The Good:
Phil Plantier was 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.
Tim Naehring walked as a pinch hitter.
Tony Pena was 2 for 4 with 2 rbis.
Luis Rivera was 1 for 3.
One of the rare times the losing pitcher ends up on the good list but Roger Clemens pitched a complete game 7 hitter. He allowed 3 runs all in one inning and struck out 8 batters.
The Bad:
Tom Brunansky was 0 for 2 with a strikeout.
The Ugly:
Wade Boggs was just 1 for 4 with an error but walked.
Jody Reed was just 1 for 4 but walked.
Mike Greenwell was just 1 for 4 but walked.
Ellis Burks was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but walked and scored a run.
Mo Vaughn was 0 for 2 but walked.
Honorable Mention:
Scott Cooper played first in the bottom of the eighth.
Final Thoughts:
This Red Sox offense is downright offensive. The Sox have had scoring trouble all month but time and time again Roger Clemens bailed them out. Not this time....not even Clemens could overcome this pathetic offense. Its still early and there's plenty of time to turn things around but the Sox have gotten some good pitching from some of the guys and great pitching from Mike Gardiner and Roger Clemens. The Sox can't afford to continue to waste pitching like that if they hope to compete in the AL East, especially against AL East opponents. Its time for some of the younger guys like Naehring, Vaughn and Plantier to step up and for the veterans like Burks, Clark and Greenwell to pick up the pace. Its too bad the Sox couldn't pull this one out because Clemens pitched very well. At least the bullpen will be quite rested for the next game. The Sox look bounce back when they return home tomorrow for a set with the Texas Rangers. Frank Viola (0-2) goes for Boston up against Jose Guzman of the Rangers. The game begins at 7:05 PM at Fenway Park.
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