As for the game, so much for the first place Boston Red Sox. After being in front of the New York Yankees for most of May, the Sox got trounced by the Philadelphia Phillies tonight. Tim Wakefield (1-4, 4.79 ERA) wasn't ready for prime time and neither was the Boston JV bullpen as the Phillies smacked the Sox 9-3 at Veteran's Stadium.
The Sox did nothing in the top of the first against Randy Wolf as Darren Lewis watched strike three go by to begin. Jeff Frye whiffed but Nomar Garciaparra walked. Mike Stanley flied out to center to end the inning. The Phillies wasted no time scoring in the bottom of the first due to complete incompetence. Doug Glanville grounded out to third to start but Kevin Sefcik walked. Bobby Abreu singled and Mike Lieberthal hit a routine grounder to Wilton Veras at third. Inexplicably Veras tried to field it with his hat and the ball went through for an error, scoring Sefcik. Pat Burrell grounded into a force at second to put runners at the corners. Kevin Jordan flied out to right to end the inning but the Phillies were already ahead 1-0.
The Sox failed to respond in the top of the second inning. Carl Everett grounded out to second before both Jason Varitek and Veras whiffed to end the inning. Wakefield settled down in the bottom of the second as Alex Arias lined out to second to start. Desi Relaford grounded out to first and Wolf whiffed to end the inning.
More futility in the top of the third as Trot Nixon and Wakefield both whiffed. Lewis popped up to third to end the inning. The Phillies put the game away in the bottom of the third inning. Glanville singled and stole second but Sefcik lined out to right. Abreu whiffed but the ball got away, advancing Glanville to third and Abreu to first. Lieberthal singled home Glanville and Abreu swiped third to put runners at the corners. Burrell singled home Abreu before another passed ball put both runners into scoring position. Wakefield got a big out by getting Jordan to pop up to first but Arias was plunked to load the bases. Relaford popped up to third to end the inning but it was now 3-0 Phillies.
Somehow the Sox fought back in the top of the fourth inning. Frye popped up to second but Nomar doubled to right. Stanley walked and Everett singled home Nomar to put the Sox on the board. Varitek and Veras both whiffed but it was now 3-1 Philly.
The Phillies added insult to injury when Wolf the pitcher doubled to open the bottom of the fourth. Glanville sacrifice bunted Randy to third and he scored on the Sefcik sac fly. Abreu flied out to center to end the inning but the Phillies got the run back to lead 4-1.
Nixon walked to open the top of the fifth inning but Wakefield bunted foul for strike three. Lewis popped up to short and Frye grounded out to short to end the inning. The Phillies iced it in the bottom of the fifth when Lieberthal smacked a solo home run to increase the lead. Burrell walked but Jordan popped up to third. Arias doubled and Relaford was intentionally walked to get to Wolf. Wake got Randy to pop up to short but Glanville walked to score Burrell and chase Wakefield. He had nothing today, giving up 6 runs in just 4 2/3 innings.
Dan Smith came in and got Sefcik to ground out to first to end the inning but it was 6-1 Phillies.
The Sox managed to get a run back in the top of the sixth when Nomar homered to lead off the frame. Stanley flied out to right and Everett popped up to the pitcher, but Varitek walked. Veras grounded out to second to end the inning with the Sox down four 6-2.
Somehow Smith pitched a scoreless bottom of the sixth. Abreu whiffed and Lieberthal grounded out to short, but Burrell walked. Jordan flied out to center to end the inning.
The Sox did nothing in the top of the seventh as Nixon grounded out to second to start. Manny Alexander pinch hit for Smith and flied out to left. Lewis popped up to short to end the inning. Rob Stanifer came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh and got Arias to ground out to short. Relaford singled to left and Rob Ducey pinch hit for Wolf only to line into a double play when Desi was doubled off first to end the inning.
Chris Brock came in to pitch the top of the eighth and the Sox got a big assist from Relaford when he made back to back errors to put Frye at third and Nomar at second. Stanley walked to load the bases with nobody out but all they could muster was an Everett sac fly to score Frye, moving Nomar to third. With the tying run at the plate, Varitek popped up to second and Veras whiffed to end the inning. The Sox scratched out a run but that's all, 6-3.
The Phillies capitalized on the Sox failure to ice the game in the bottom of the eighth. Glanville singled to center and moved to second on the ground out by Sefcik. Abreu was intentionally walked and Lieberthal made them pay with a 400,000 foot home run into the Atlantic Ocean to add 3 runs to the Phillies lead. Burrell lined out to short and Jordan flied out to left but it was 9-3 Phillies and all but over.
The Sox were lifeless in the top of the ninth as Nixon whiffed to start. Scott Hatteberg pinch hit for Stanifer and lined out to first. Lewis grounded out to end the game. The Phillies had won it 9-3 and sent the Sox to their fourth straight loss.
Jackass of the Night is Tim Wakefield. He allowed 6 runs in just 4 1/3 innings. Sure the offense didn't do much but he didn't exactly put them in a position to win either.
The Good:
Nomar Garciaparra was 2 for 3 with a walk, 2 total runs scored and a solo home run.
Mike Stanley walked twice in four plate appearances.
Carl Everett was 2 for 3 with 2 rbis.
Dan Smith tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
The Bad:
Darren Lewis was 0 for 5 with a strikeout.
Wilton Veras was 0 for 4 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts and an error.
Rob Stanifer gave up the 3 run homer to put the game out of reach.
Manny Alexander was 0 for 1 as a pinch hitter.
Scott Hatteberg was 0 for 1 as a pinch hitter.
The Ugly:
Jeff Frye was 0 for 4 but scored a run.
Jason Varitek was 0 for 3 with 2 passed balls but walked.
Trot Nixon was 0 for 3 but walked.
Final Thoughts:
Talk about a June swoon. The Sox have yet to win a game this month and they can neither hit nor pitch. As brilliant as Pedro Martinez has been, he can't bail them out in every single game. Veras seems to be hitting the rookie wall because he's been useless lately. If Valentin didn't get hurt they would be able to sit him. Mike Stanley's bat looks slowed as well, maybe they're better off playing Brian Daubach tomorrow. Either way they better get it right soon because the New York Yankees are not going to go away.The loss dropped the Sox to 29-22, still tied for first place in the AL East with the Yankees. The Sox try to avoid the sweep tomorrow when they send Jeff Fassero (6-1, 3.32 ERA) to the mound to take on Phillies ace Curt Schilling at 1:30 PM at Veterans Stadium.
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