Jones got the ball in the top of the first and Nomar Garciaparra led off with a liner to center. Darren Bragg lined out to left and Mo Vaughn took strike three to end the inning. Eshelman got the ball in the bottom of the first as Bernard Gilkey ate up third baseman Tim Naehring on a line drive to start. Eshelman had Gilkey picked off but Vaughn threw the ball away allowing Bernard to reach third. Carlos Baerga grounded out to third and John Olerud grounded out to short. Todd Hundley struck out swinging to end the inning.
Naehring struck out swinging to start the top of the second and Scott Hatteberg lined out to right. John Valentin got a base hit to left and Troy O'Leary struck out swinging to end the inning. The Mets struck first in the bottom of the second as Carl Everett caught Naehring asleep with a bunt single to start. Alex Ochoa doubled off the second base bag and Matt Franco grounded out to short to move Everett. Luis Lopez was hit by a pitch and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Jones. Gilkey lined out to center to end the inning with the Mets up 1-0.
The Sox exploded in the top of the third as Shane Mack took strike three to start. Eshelman somehow beat out a bunt down the third base line and Garciaparra belted his ninth home run of the year to put the Sox on top. Bragg doubled to center and Vaughn drilled a base hit to left to score him. Naehring doubled to left and Hatteberg walked to load the bases. Valentin hit a routine grounder to third and Franco tried to throw home....instead the threw the ball away for an error to score Vaughn and and Naehring. Unfortunately Vaughn came up limping and had to leave the game. The Sox can NOT afford to lose him. O'Leary was intentionally walked and the gamble worked as Mack grounded into a double play to end the inning with the Sox ahead 5-1.
Sox pour it on but lose Vaughn
Mike Stanley took over for Vaughn at first to start the bottom of the third as Baerga grounded out to third to start. Olerud flied out to left and Hundley took strike three to end the inning.
Eshelman bunted foul for strike three to start the top of the fourth and Garciaparra struck out swinging. Bragg flied out to left to end the inning. Everett grounded back to the mound to start the bottom of the fourth and Ochoa grounded out to third. Franco grounded out to short to end the inning.
The Sox got another run in the top of the fifth with Barry Manuel now on the mound. Stanley lined out to right and Naehring grounded out to first. ESPN analysts Joe Morgan and Jon Miller were discussing how Sam Lacy was assigned to over Jackie Robinson in Spring Training in Havana, Cuba. Both Jackie and Sam were denied service and had to stay in a fleabag motel. In real time, Hatteberg then pounded his fourth home run of the season to increase the lead. Valentin got a base hit to center but O'Leary lined out to center to end the inning with the Sox up 6-1.
What a blast by Hatteberg
Lopez grounded out to short to start the bottom of the fifth and Manuel took strike three. Gilkey lined out to left to end the inning.
Mack beat out a roller to second to start the top of the sixth but Eshelman's bunt was too hard, forcing Shane at second. Eshelman took second on a balk but was doubled off on the Garciaparra liner to Franco to end the inning. Baerga lined out to right to start the bottom of the sixth and Olerud lined out to left. Hundley walked and Everett doubled to left, but Ochoa grounded out to first to end the inning.
The Sox rallied in the top of the seventh as Bragg popped up to right to start. Stanley walked and Naehring got a base hit to right. Hatteberg struck out swinging but Valentin got a base hit to right. The throw beat Stanley to the plate but Hundley dropped the ball for an error to score Mike. O'Leary was intentionally walked to get to Mack and Shane made them pay with a double to left to score Naehring & Valentin. Eshelman grounded out to second to end the inning with the Sox up 9-1.
Eshelman returned for one final inning in the bottom of the seventh and Lopez struck out swinging. Kevin Morgan made his ML debut pinch hitting for Manuel and popped up to short to end the inning. Eshelman was outstanding, allowing just one run off four hits and a walk in seven innings of work.
One of the best starts of Vaughn's career
The Sox rallied in the top of the eighth with Alberto Castillo behind the plate and Takashi Kashiwada now on the mound. Garciaparra doubled into the right field corner then took third on the Bragg grounder to second. Stanley walked and Naehring hit a sac fly to left to score Garciaparra. Hatteberg flied out to center to end the inning with the Sox up 9-1.
Kerry Lacy came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Gilkey got a base hit to left to start. Baerga flied out to the centerfield warning track and Gilkey took second on defensive indifference. Olerud took strike three and Castillo lined out to right to end the inning.
Cory Lidle came in to pitch the top of the ninth and Valentin grounded out to short to start. O'Leary struck out swinging and Mack grounded out to third to end the inning. Joe Hudson came in to close out the bottom of the ninth and Everett grounded out to first to start. Ochoa grounded out to second and Steve Bieser pinch hit for Lidle. Bieser grounded out to first to end the game. The Sox had won it 10-1.
Sox win
Hero Eshelman
Hero of The Night is Vaughn Eshelman. He allowed just 1 run in 7 innings off 4 hits and a walk. He was also 1 for 4 with a run scored at the plate.
The Good:
Nomar Garciaparra was 2 for 5 with a 2 run home run and scored 2 total runs.
Mo Vaughn was 1 for 2 with an rbi and a run scored before leaving the game.
Mike Stanley walked twice and scored a run.
Tim Naehring was 2 for 4 with an rbi and 2 runs scored.
John Valentin was 3 for 5 with a run scored.
Shane Mack was 2 for 5 with 2 rbis.
Kerry Lacy tossed a scoreless eighth inning.
Joe Hudson tossed a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
None
The Ugly:
Scott Hatteberg was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but walked and hit a home run.
Troy O'Leary was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts but walked twice.
Final Thoughts:
The Sox are already without Wil Cordero for being a dumbass but now they lost Vaughn as well. Thankfully x-rays showed negative so there's no immediate danger but we'll see what the MRI results are when they get back to Boston. This season has been so bad that even when they knock out the best pitcher in the National League, hang 10 runs total on the Mets and have Vaughn Eshelman's best career start, they still find a way to sour it. Hopefully Vaughn is okay but who knows the way this year is going. Still, where was that from Eshelman the last two years? If he can come back from Pawtucket and pitch like that moving forward, they might have something here. Otherwie, this season is heading to hell in a hand basket so enjoy the small victories like tonight's when they happen. The win improved the Sox to 28-38, good for last place in the AL East. The Sox resume inter-league play tomorrow night when they come home to face the Philadelphia Phillies for the first time since the 1915 World Series. Tom Gordon goes for the Sox against Matt Beech of Philadelphia. The game begins at 7:05 PM at Fenway Park.
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