Martinez, Sox Crush White Sox (6/26/99)

Ace pitchers usually can win you games if you only score 2 or 3 runs in them, but Boston Red Sox ace Pedro Martinez (14-2, 2.08 ERA) had nothing to worry about in today's game against the Chicago White Sox. The Sox bats put up ELEVEN runs in the bottom of the first inning against James Baldwin and Scott Eyre to put the game away early. Brian Daubach hit a three run bomb, Jason Varitek hit a two run double, Lou Merloni hit a bases clearing double, Daubach had another rbi and Nomar Garciaparra capped off the rally with a two run home run. After Chris Singleton drove in a run for Chicago, Nomar hit a three run bomb in the bottom of the third. To save Pedro's bullets, he was pulled after 5 innings and John Wasdin shut the door the rest of the way. Mike Stanley and Jason Varitek went back to back in the bottom of the fourth and the Sox cruised to an easy victory 17-1 at Fenway Park

                                                           The Rock approves of the win

Martinez got the ball in the top of the first inning and Ray Durham singled to center to start. Mike Caruso struck out swinging and Durham was thrown out at second trying to steal. Frank Thomas took strike three to end the inning. The Sox exploded against Baldwin in the bottom of the first as Jose Offerman doubled to left to start. Lou Merloni got a base hit to center and Brian Daubach smashed his ninth home run of the season to put the Sox on top. Nomar Garciaparra struck out swinging but Troy O'Leary got a base hit to center. Mike Stanley doubled to the Monster and Jason Varitek doubled off the top of the Monster to score both runners. Darren Lewis grounded back to the mound to move Jason to third and Trot Nixon walked to chase Baldwin. Scott Eyre came in pitch and Offerman walked to load the bases. Merloni missed a grand slam by eight feet off the top of the Monster but all three runs scored on the double. A passed ball moved Merloni to third and Daubach drilled a base hit to right to score Lou. Nomar capped it off with a 2 run bomb to dead center and O'Leary lined out to center to end the inning with the Sox ahead 11-0.

                                                        Eleven runs in one inning

The White Sox got a run back in the top of the second as Magglio Ordonez grounded out to third to start. Carlos Lee grounded out to short but Chris Singleton hit a home run to the moon to cut the lead. Greg Norton flied out to right to end the inning with Chicago down 11-1.

                                                         Singleton goes yard

Liu Rodriguez came in for Durham to start the bottom of the second and Stanley flied out to right to start. Varitek struck out swinging and Lewis lined out to left to end the inning.

Paul Konerko grounded out to short to start the top of the third but Brook Fordyce walked. Rodriguez flied out to left and Caruso grounded out to second to end the inning. The Sox poured it on in the bottom of the third as Nixon walked to start. Offerman took strike three but Merloni was hit with a pitch. Daubach grounded out to second to move the runners over but Garciaparra hit a 3 run blast over everything in left to increase the lead. O'Leary flied out to center to end the inning with the Sox ahead 14-1.

                                                        All Sox today

Thomas struck out swinging to start the top of the fourth but Ordonez singled to center. Lee popped up to Offerman and Singleton popped up to short to end the inning. Jeff Liefer came in for Ordonez to start the bottom of the fourth and Stanley led off with his 8th home run of the year over the bullpen to increase the lead. Varitek then went back to back with his home run of the year into the screen. Lewis grounded out to first but Nixon singled to right. Norton threw the ball away allowing Offerman to reach first but Merloni struck out swinging. Reggie Jefferson pinch hit for Daubach and took strike three to end the inning with the Red Sox up 16-1.

                                                                 Back to back jacks

Martinez returned for one final inning in the top of the fifth and Norton struck out swinging to start. Konerko grounded out to third and Fordyce did the same to end the inning. Short and sweet for Pedro who allowed just 1 run in 5 innings off 3 hits and a walk.

                                                        Pedro was dominant

Craig Wilson took over for Thomas with Sean Lowe now on the mound for the bottom of the fifth. Nomar grounded out to short, O'Leary grounded out to first and Stanley popped up to first to end the inning.

John Wasdin came in to pitch the top of the sixth and Rodriguez grounded out to second to start. Caruso popped up to short and Wilson grounded out to second to end the inning. The Sox wrapped up the scoring in the bottom of the sixth as Varitek doubled off the glove of Wilson into right field to start. Lewis flied out to right to move Varitek to third and Nixon flied out to center to score Jason. Offerman walked but Merloni lined out to center to end the inning with the Sox up 17-1.

                                                            Nixon drives in the final run

Liefer struck out swinging to start the top of the seventh and Lee flied out to center. Singleton walked but Norton grounded out to second to end the inning. Jefferson lined out to short to start the bottom of the seventh and Garciaparra flied out to center. O'Leary lined out to center to end the inning. 

Konerko popped up to short to start the top of the eighth and Fordyce grounded out to third. Rodriguez grounded out to first to end the inning. Stanley took strike three to start the bottom of the eighth and Varitek popped up to short. Lewis grounded out to short to end the inning.

Wasdin returned to close out the top of the ninth and Caruso grounded out to short to start. Wilson took strike three and Liefer grounded out to first to end the game. The Sox had won it 17-1.

                                                          Sox win

Hero of The Night is Brian Daubach. His three run home run put the Sox up for good and later added another rbi.

                                                            Hero Daubach

The Good:

Jose Offerman was 1 for 3 with 2 walks and 2 runs scored.

Lou Merloni was 2 for 4 with 3 rbis, a hit by pitch and 3 runs scored.

Nomar Garciaparra was 2 for 5 with 5 rbis coming off 2 home runs.

Mike Stanley was 2 for 5 with a home run and 2 runs scored.

Trot Nixon singled, walked twice, drove in a run and scored a run.

Jason Varitek was 3 for 5 with a home run, 3 total rbis and 3 runs scored.

Pedro Martinez got the win allowing 1 run in 5 innings off 3 hits and a walk.

John Wasdin earned his second save by tossing 4 shutout innings.

The Bad:

Reggie Jefferson was 0 for 2 with a strikeout.

Darren Lewis was 0 for 5.

The Ugly:

Troy O'Leary was just 1 for 5 but scored a run.

Final Thoughts:

That was one of the worst beat downs of the season and even the Red Sox broadcasters felt sorry for the White Sox by the end of the game. Scoring 11 runs in the first inning tied a team record and the game was never in doubt. Martinez getting lifted after five was a good idea and Wasdin saved the bullpen for tomorrow. The more bullets you can save for games that matter, the better. The Sox needed to win to keep pace with the New York Yankees and they did. The Sox have a legit chance to hang with them this year and if they stay healthy, they'll be right in the thick of things moving forward. Not much to complain about in this one and this was their fourth win in a row. The Sox need to keep rolling to take back first place come July. The win improved the Sox to 44-30, 1 game behind the Yankees for first place in the AL East. The Sox look to win their fifth game in a row tomorrow afternoon against the White Sox when Brian Rose of Boston takes on Jim Parque of Chicago. The game begins at 1:05 PM at Fenway Park.

Leiter, Mets Drop Sox (6/12/99)

Before the game the Boston Red Sox made a roster move. Bret Saberhagen was placed on the Disabled List after cutting his foot on broken glass in his swimming pool....yes of course I'm serious. Kirk Bullinger was called up from Pawtucket to take his place. Get well soon.

                                                                         OUT

                                                                    IN

The June swoon continues for the Boston Red Sox as they have now lost six out of their last seven games. The bats have been silent lately and today they were almost shut down by Al Leiter and the New York Mets. Leiter held the Sox to just 2 runs in 7 strong innings while Boston starter Pat Rapp (2-4, 5.00 ERA) was tagged for 3 runs in 6 innings. Benny Agbayani hit a third inning home run and Edgardo Alfonzo drove in a run as well. Robin Ventura drove in a run in the sixth but the Sox rallied for a pair in the seventh. Troy O'Leary and Creighton Gubanich drove in runs and the Sox had the tying run at second, but Jason Varitek failed to deliver. John Olerud took Mark Guthrie deep in the bottom of the eighth and John Franco slammed the door in the ninth as the Mets won this one 4-2 at Shea Stadium.

Leiter got the ball in the top of the first inning and Jose Offerman grounded out to third to start. John Valentin ate up Robin Ventura at third on a "single" but Nomar Garciaparra grounded into a double play to end the inning. Rapp got the ball in the bottom of the first and Roger Cedeno grounded out to short to start. Edgardo Alfonzo struck out swinging and John Olerud hit a broken bat grounder to first to end the inning.

Mike Stanley lined out to Benny Agbayani to start the top of the second and Damon Buford blooped a base hit to right. Troy O'Leary lined out to left and Creighton Gubanich popped up to first in foul territory to end the inning. Mike Piazza got a base hit to center to start the bottom of the second but Ventura grounded into a double play. Brian McCrae popped up to third to end the inning.

Darren Lewis' bunt attempt was snuffed out by Leiter to start the top of the third and Rapp struck out swinging. Offerman grounded out to second to end the inning. The Mets struck first in the bottom of the third as Agbayani hit a home run all the way to Yankee Stadium to start. Rey Ordonez singled to left past the diving Garciaparra and Leiter dropped down a bunt to move him to second. Cedeno dropped down a bunt to move Ordonez to third and Rey scored on the Alfonzo double to left. Olerud grounded out to short to end the inning with the Mets up 2-0.

                                                       Mets strike first

Valentin flied out to left to start the top of the fourth and Nomar grounded out to third. Stanley lined out to a diving Ventura to end the inning. Piazza flied out to the right fielding track to start the bottom of the fourth but Ventura got a base hit to right. McCrae was hit with a pitch but was thrown out trying to steal on the Agbayani swinging strikeout to end the inning.

Buford struck out swinging to start the top of the fifth and O'Leary took strike three. Gubanich flied out to center to end the inning. Odonez flied out to right to start the bottom of the fifth and Leiter grounded back to the mound. Cedeno got a base hit to center and promptly stole second. Alfonzo grounded out to short to end the inning.

Lewis beat out a roller to short to start the top of the sixth and Rapp dropped down a bunt. Leiter threw wide of second for an error, but Offerman grounded into a double play directly after Fox analyst Tim McCarver had said Jose had only done it twice all year. Valentin grounded out to short to end the inning. The Mets finished off Rapp in the bottom of the sixth as Olerud lined out to right to start. Piazza grounded out to second but Ventura hit a home run all the way to Albany to increase the lead. McRae walked but Lewis slid to catch a line drive by Agbayani to end the inning with the Mets up 3-0. That was it for Rapp as he allowed 3 runs in 6 innings off 7 hits and a walk.

                                                                 Rapp got no run support

The Sox rallied in the top of the seventh as Garciaparra struck out swinging to start. Stanley flied out to left but Buford got a base hit to center. Buford stole second and O'Leary doubled to left to score him. Gubanich got a base hit to center to score O'Leary and cut the lead. Jeff Frye ran for Gubanich and Lewis walked. Jason Varitek pinch hit for Rapp but popped up to first to end the inning with the Sox down 3-2.

                                                        Gubanich gets the Sox closer

Derek Lowe came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh and Ordonez walked to start. Matt Franco pinch hit for Leiter and forced Ordonez at second. Cedeno took strike three and Alfonzo grounded out to third to end the inning.

Armando Benitez came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Offerman walked to start. Valentin lined out to third but Offerman stole second on Nomar's swinging strike out. With the tying run at second....Stanley flied out to left to end the inning. Mark Guthrie came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Olerud greeted him with a home run all the way into the Long Island Sound to ice the game. Piazza grounded out to short, Ventura struck out swinging and McRae lined out to right to end the inning with the Mets up 4-2.

                                                             This one's over

John Franco came in to close out the top of the ninth and Buford took strike three to start. O'Leary got a base hit to center and Trot Nixon pinch hit for Guthrie. Nixon grounded out to short to move Troy to second but Lewis grounded out to short to end the game. The Mets had won it 4-2.

                                                            Mets win

Jackass of The Night is Mark Guthrie. His home run to John Olerud put the game out of reach.

                                                        Lefty on lefty Jackass

The Good:

Damon Buford was 2 for 4 with a run scored.

Troy O'Leary was 2 for 4 with an rbi and a run scored.

Creighton Gubanich was 1 for 3 with an rbi.

Darren Lewis was 1 for 3 with a walk.

One of the rare times the losing pitcher ends up on the Good list but Pat Rapp tossed 6 solid innings allowing just 3 runs off 7 hits and a walk.

Derek Lowe pitched a scoreless seventh inning.

The Bad:

Nomar Garciaparra was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.

Mike Stanley was 0 for 4.

Trot Nixon was 0 for 1 as a pinch hitter.

Jason Varitek was 0 for 1 as a pinch hitter.

The Ugly:

Jose Offerman was 0 for 3 but walked and stole a base.

John Valentin was just 1 for 4.

Honorable Mention:

Jeff Frye ran for Gubanich in the seventh.

Final Thoughts:

Once again the Sox can't get it done on national television. Very concerning how they couldn't do much against Al Leiter who came into the game with an ERA over 5. Pat Rapp didn't even pitch that bad but that Guthrie home run to Olerud was a killer. Had the Sox only trailed by one you could play small ball but not with a 2 run deficit. After last night's game, tying it up in the ninth might have broke the backs of the Mets. Worse yet, the rumor is Tom Gordon might be done for the year with elbow problems and Jin-Ho Cho might replace him. Tim Wakefield is interim closer and the idea makes everyone want to hurl. One of the reasons the Sox made the playoffs last year was Gordon was as automatic as it got. If he's gone that's a huge blow to a team already struggling in the month of June. The New York Yankees aren't going away and every win counts if the Sox hope to topple them. The loss dropped the Sox to 34-26, 1.5 games behind the Yankees for first place in the AL East. The Sox look to take the series tomorrow afternoon when Mark Portugal (3-4) takes on Orel Hershiser of the Mets. The game begins at 1:30 PM at Shea Stadium.