Yankees Walkoff Red Sox (4/5/05)

If Sunday night's epic beatdown by the New York Yankees was bad, today the Yankees found a different way to beat the Boston Red Sox. The Yankees enjoyed a 3-0 lead over new Sox pitcher Matt Clement and the Sox but Boston slowly clawed back. A David Ortiz home run and Johnny Damon rbi single set the stage for Jason Varitek's dramatic ninth inning home run to tie the game. Unfortunately for the Sox, Derek Jeter sent the fans home happy with a walkoff home run off closer Keith Foulke to beat the Red Sox 4-3 at Yankee Stadium.

                                              "Tie the game in the ninth only to lose?"

Old Sox prospect Carl Pavano got the ball in the top of the first and Johnny Damon popped up to second to start. Trot Nixon and Manny Ramirez both struck out swinging to end the inning. Clement made his Sox debut in the bottom of the first and Derek Jeter grounded out to short to start. Alex Rodriguez struck out swinging and Gary Sheffield flied out to left to end the inning.

David Ortiz struck out swinging to start the top of the second and Kevin Millar watched strike three go by. Edgar Renteria grounded out to short to end the inning. Clement got in trouble in the bottom of the second as Hideki Matsui singled to right to start. Jorge Posada walked but Jason Giambi struck out swinging. Bernie Williams walked to load the bases but Tino Martinez hit one up the elevator shaft. Tony Womack popped up to second to end the inning.

The Sox blew a rally in the top of the third as Jason Varitek grounded out to short to start. Bill Mueller got a base hit to left but Mark Bellhorn struck out swinging. Damon lined a base hit to left but Nixon struck out swinging to end the inning. The Yankees pounced in the bottom of the third as Jeter was plunked to start. A-Rod hit a routine grounder to Renteria who turned and fired the ball into the dugout for a bizarre error to move both runners into scoring position. Sheffield scored Jeter with a grounder to third and Matsui hit a home run all the way into the Empire State Building to increase the lead. Posada struck out swinging and Giambi grounded out to second to end the inning with the Yankees up 3-0.

                                                            Yankees strike first

The Sox struck back in the top of the fourth although Manny took strike three to start. Ortiz clobbered his first home run of the season to cut the lead and Millar drew a walk. Renteria flied out to center and Varitek flied out to right to end the inning with the Sox down 3-1.

                                                          Ortiz hits one out

Williams flied out to left to start the bottom of the fourth and Martinez grounded out to second. Womack singled to left and swiped second before Jeter walked. A-Rod struck out swinging to end the inning.

Mueller grounded out to short to start the top of the fifth but Bellhorn singled to right.  Damon flied out to center and Nixon grounded out to second to end the inning. The Yankees chased Clement in the bottom of the fifth as Sheffield singled in the hole at third to start. Matsui flied out to left but Posada singled to center. That was it for Clement who was knocked out after 4 1/3 innings and 3 runs allowed, not the best debut. John Halama came in and plunked Giambi to load the bases, but got Williams to hit into a double play to end the inning.

                                                     Not Clement's best stuff

Manny grounded out to second to begin the top of the sixth but Ortiz singled to right. Millar got a base hit to left but Renteria banged into a double play to end the inning. Halama got Martinez and Womack to both ground out to second to begin the bottom of the sixth but he was lifted for righty Matt Mantei. Jeter grounded out to third to end the inning.

The Sox struck back in the top of the seventh although Varitek grounded out to second to start. Mueller singled to center and Bellhorn singled him to third to chase Pavano. Old friend Mike Stanton came in and Damon dropped a base hit to right to score Mueller. With a chance to do some damage....Nixon banged into a double play to end the inning with the Sox down 3-2.

                                                Pavano leaves with the lead

A-Rod walked to start the bottom of the seventh but Sheffield flied out to center. Sox manager Terry Francona sent in Mike Myers just to pitch to Matsui but Hideki got a base hit to left. Alan Embree came in for Myers and Rodriguez moved to third on the fly ball to center by Posada. Giambi struck out swinging to end the inning.

Tom Gordon came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Manny flied out to right to start. Ortiz popped up to third and Millar lined out to left to end the inning. For some reason Sox closer Keith Foulke came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Williams flied out to right to begin. Martinez took strike three and Womack grounded out to short to end the inning.

Mariano Rivera came in to close out the top of the ninth and Renteria struck out swinging to start. Suddenly Varitek smashed his first home run of the season to tie the game out of nowhere. Mueller singled to center to put the go-ahead run on but Bellhorn struck out swinging. Damon flied out to right to end the inning but the game was tied 3-3.

                                                          Varitek ties it

The end came quickly in the bottom of the ninth when Jeter hit a home run out of Earth's atmosphere off Foulke to win the game for New York. The Yankees had walked off the Red Sox 4-3.

                                                           Yankees win

Jackass of the Night is Keith Foulke, He served up the home run ball to Jeter to lose the game.

                                                                Way to go Jackass

The Good:

Johnny Damon was 2 for 5 with an rbi.

David Ortiz was 2 for 4 with a solo home run.

Kevin Millar was 1 for 3 with a walk.

Bill Mueller was 3 for 4 with a run scored.

Mark Bellhorn was 2 for 4.

John Halama tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings.

Matt Mantei retired 2 of the 3 men he faced.

Alan Embree got the final two outs of the eighth inning.

The Bad:

Trot Nixon was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.

Manny Ramirez was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.

Edgar Renteria was 0 for 4 with a strikeout and an error.

Matt Clement lasted just 4 1/3 innings and allowed 3 runs.

Mike Myers gave up a hit to the only man he faced.

The Ugly:

Jason Varitek was just 1 for 4 but the one hit was a solo home run.

Final Thoughts:

This is worst case scenario for the Boston Red Sox. Yankee fans have been waiting since October for revenge and I'm sure the Yankees themselves that were on the 04 squad are chomping at the bit as well. First Sunday night's blowout and now this just gives more ammo for Yankee fans to use. The Sox showed a lot of heart to come back down 3-0 and for Foulke to blow it was another sucker punch to the gonads. Varitek and Jeter as the two captains going tit for tat was fun to watch, even if the wrong team won. So far both David Wells and Clement failed to impress, which isn't to say Pedro Martinez & Derek Lowe were guaranteed to do better, but this was not a good first impression. The season is starting out on the wrong foot for the starters and that can't continue. Its only two games but losing to the Yankees like this after beating them here in October leaves a bad taste in the mouths of the fans. The Sox look to avoid a sweep tomorrow afternoon when Tim Wakefield makes his season debut against Mike Mussina of the Yankees. The game begins at 1:05 PM at Yankee Stadium.

Yankees Pound Sox on Opening Day (4/3/05)

The World Series Champion Boston Red Sox did not get off to the start they would hope for on Opening Day against the New York Yankees. The Yankees are embarrassed and angry following the biggest collapse in post-season history and they took their frustrations out on the new look Red Sox tonight. New Yankees ace Randy Johnson shut down the Boston bats and held them to just 1 run in 6 innings. New Sox ace David Wells (0-1, 8.31 ERA) was smacked around for 4 runs in just 4 1/3 innings. Sox manager Terry Francona gave his entire bullpen a shot to come into the game and the Yankees smacked almost everyone brought in around for another 5 runs. The Yankees sent a message to the Sox that this is a new year with a 9-2 spanking on Opening Day in Yankee Stadium.

Johnson got the ball in the top of the first and Johnny Damon grounded out to Tony Womack to start. Edgar Renteria made his Red Sox debut by taking strike three and Manny Ramirez also watched strike three go by to end the inning. David Wells made his Red Sox debut in the bottom of the first by allowing Derek Jeter to slap a base hit to center to start. Alex Rodriguez flied out to center but Jeter broke up a double play ball hit by Gary Sheffield. Ruben Sierra struck out swinging to end the inning.

The Sox struck first in the top of the second as Yankee killer David Ortiz led off with a double into the right field corner. Hideki Matsui robbed Kevin Millar of a two run homer by jumping over the left field wall but Jason Varitek grounded out to short. Jay Payton made his Red Sox debut by getting a base hit to left to score Ortiz, putting Boston on top. Bill Mueller walked but Mark Bellhorn took strike three to end the inning with the Sox up 1-0.

                                                       Welcome to Boston, Payton

The Yankees wasted no time answering in the bottom of the second as Hideki Matsui led off with a base hit in-between Manny & Damon. Jorge Posada popped up to right but Jason Giambi singled Matsui to third. Bernie Williams drove home Matsui with a sac fly to left to tie the game but Renteria made a nice stab to force Giambi at second on a grounder by Womack to end the inning. The Yankees had tied the game 1-1.

                                                              Williams ties it up

Damon hit a routine grounder to Giambi to start the top of the third but Giambi booted it for an error. Renteria banged into a double play and Manny flied out to center to end the inning. The Yankees struck back in the bottom of the third as Jeter struck a double to left to start. A-Rod struck out swinging but Sheffield doubled to center to score Jeter with the go-ahead run then moved to third on the Sierra grounder to short. Matsui got a base hit to center to score Sheffield and Posada singled off the glove of Renteria. Giambi was plunked on an 0-2 to load the bases and Sox pitching coach Dave Wallace sprinted to the mound to let David know that Metal Gear Solid was one of the best games of 1998. Williams scored on a balk by Wells. Williams struck out swinging to end the inning but the Yankees iced the game 4-1.

                                                      "That's a balk!" - Joe West

The Sox failed to respond in the top of the fourth as Ortiz took strike three to start. Millar popped up to short but Varitek hit a ground rule double down the third base line when a fan touched the ball. Payton grounded out to short to end the inning. Wells got in trouble again in the bottom of the fourth as Womack dumped a base hit to center to start. Jeter flied out to right but A-Rod moved Womack to third with a base hit to left. Sheffield hit a bullet but to Renteria and Sierra grounded out to short to end the inning.

Mueller grounded out to short to start the top of the fifth but Bellhorn doubled to left. Damon struck out swinging and Renteria grounded out to short to end the inning. The Yankees knocked out Wells in the bottom of the fifth although Matsui struck out swinging to start. Posada doubled over the head of Damon, Giambi was plunked and Williams walked to load the bases and chase Wells. Not the best debut for Wells who allowed 4 runs in just 4 1/3 innings. Lefty specialist Mike Myers came in to get Womack to bang into a double play to end the inning.

                                                           Fans heckle Wells as he leaves

The Sox blew a rally in the top of the sixth as Sox analyst Don Orsillo mentioned the last time Randy Johnson started an opener against the Red Sox. Manny took strike three to start and Ortiz grounded out to short. Millar walked and Varitek hit a broken bat base hit over the head of Giambi to put runners at the corners. Payton grounded into a force to end the inning. Blaine Neal made his Red Sox debut in the bottom of the sixth and Jeter walked to start. Jeter stole second and A-Rod got a base hit off the chest of Damon. He bobbled the ball which allowed Jeter to score and advance A-Rod to second. A-Rod moved to third on the fly out to left by Sheffield and that was it for Neal. Alan Embree came in and Sierra doubled down the left field line to score A-Rod with another run. Matsui hit one up the elevator shaft but Giambi drew a walk. Giambi lined out to left to end the inning with the Yankees up 6-1.

                                                           "I don't got it...." - Damon

The Yankees knew the game was well in hand and brought in Tino Martinez for Giambi and Tanyon Sturtze to pitch the top of the seventh. Mueller took strike three, Bellhorn whiffed and Damon grounded out to first to end the inning. Mike Timlin came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh and Williams struck out swinging to start. Womack beat out an infield single to short and stole second, but Jeter grounded out to third. A-Rod flied out to right to end the inning.

Sturtze cruised in the top of the eighth as Renteria grounded out to third to start. Manny flied out to center and Ortiz struck out swinging to end the inning. Matt Mantei made his Red Sox debut by throwing up on himself in the bottom of the eighth. Sheffield walked to start but Sierra flied out to center. Matsui hit a home run all the way to Brooklyn to increase the lead but Posada took strike three. Tino Martinez got a standing O for his first at-bat with the Yankees since 2001 and he drew a walk. Williams walked and that was it for Mantei. Bubba Crosby pinch ran for Williams and John Halama made his Red Sox debut by allowing an infield single to short by Womack to load the bases. Jeter hit a grounder to Halama....right through his legs for an error to score Martinez with another run. Mueller made a great play to rob A-Rod of a hit to end the inning with the Yankees ahead 9-1.

                                                     Nothing going right for the Sox

Old buddy Tom Gordon came in to pitch the top of the ninth and Millar walked to start. Varitek singled off the right field wall to move Millar to third and Trot Nixon pinch hit for Payton. Nixon flied out to center to score Millar to cut the lead. Mueller flied out to right but Varitek took second on defensive indifference. Bellhorn struck out swinging to end the game. The Yankees drew first blood on the 2005 season by winning Opening Day 9-2.

                                                    Final score

Jackass of the Night is David Wells. The de-facto ace with Curt Schilling on the shelf allowed 4 runs and failed to get out of the fifth inning to take the loss.

                                                       Jackass Wells

The Good:

Kevin Millar walked twice in four plate appearances with a run scored.

Jason Varitek was 3 for 4.

Jay Payton was 1 for 3 with an rbi.

Trot Nixon drove in a run as a pinch hitter.

Mike Myers got the final two outs of the fifth inning.

Mike Timlin pitched a scoreless seventh inning.

The Bad:

Johnny Damon was 0 for 4 with a strikeout and an error.

Edgar Renteria was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.

Manny Ramirez was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.

Blaine Neal was charged with 2 runs in 1/3 of an inning.

Matt Mantei was charged with 3 runs in 2/3 of an inning.

John Halama allowed an inherited runner to score and committed an error in 1/3 of an inning.

The Ugly:

David Ortiz was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts but drove in a run.

Bill Mueller was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but walked.

Mark Bellhorn was just 1 for 4 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts.

Alan Embree allowed an inherited runner to score in 2/3 of an inning.

Final Thoughts:

Its a new season and the New York Yankees are steaming mad. They came out firing tonight that they're not going to take their ALCS loss lying down. The Yankees pulled a 1980's Los Angeles Lakers and made roster moves specifically designed to beat the Red Sox. Randy Johnson and Tino Martinez always had good success against Boston and the Yankees got them for that. The Sox couldn't crack Johnson meanwhile all the new additions except Jay Payton flopped in their Red Sox debuts. Renteria, Wells, Halama, Neal and Mantei all failed but it would be unfair to judge them after 1 game with 161 to go. Its a long year and the Sox are going to find out being hunted is a lot tougher than being the hunter. For the first time in 90 years the Sox are the champs and the Yankees are gunning for them. The top 4 hitters for Boston went 1 for 16 with 6 strikeouts, one rbi and an error.....not exactly how you beat Randy Johnson and the Yankees bullpen. Its only Opening Day but the Yankees completely kicked their ass in every facet of the game. The errors by Damon and Halama, the incompetence of Wells and the bullpen...it all added up to Yankee fans delight. They're going to be laughing all the way to tomorrow. The Sox look to bounce back tomorrow afternoon when Matt Clement makes his Red Sox debut taking on old friend Carl Pavano of the Yankees. The game begins at 1:05 PM at Yankee Stadium

Yankees Beat Pedro Again, Take Game 2 (10/13/04)

Now its time to panic Boston Red Sox fans. After Curt Schilling got hammered in Game 1 the Sox turned to Pedro Martinez to bail them out against the New York Yankees in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series. It didn't happen as Pedro allowed 3 runs in 6 innings but the Sox offense was silenced by Jon Lieber. Lieber tossed 7 innings of 1 run ball, John Olerud hit a back breaking home run and the Yankees sent the series back to Fenway with a 3-1 victory at Yankee Stadium.

                                                  The two aces fail to deliver

The Sox did nothing in the top of the first inning against Lieber as Johnny Damon grounded weakly to Olerud to begin the game. Mark Bellhorn popped up to short before Manny Ramirez whiffed to end the inning. Yankee fans rose to their feet and chanted "Who's Your Daddy" as Pedro took the mound for the bottom of the first and the chants got louder as the Yankees rallied. Derek Jeter drew a leadoff walk before taking off for second. The Yankees caught a break when Bellhorn dropped the ball as the throw did manage to beat Jeter. Alex Rodriguez was plunked and Gary Sheffield singled home Jeter to give the Yankees the lead. Hideki Matsui and Bernie Williams both looked at strike three before Jorge Posada grounded out to second to end the inning but it was 1-0 Yankees.

                                                   Yankees strike first

The Sox failed to respond in the top of the second although David Ortiz walked to start. Kevin Millar popped up to short, Trot Nixon flied out to left and Jason Varitek grounded out to second to end the inning. The Yankees drove Pedro's pitch count in the bottom of the second as Olerud grounded out to second to start. Miguel Cairo walked and Kenny Lofton singled before Cairo moved to third on the Jeter line out to center but A-Rod looked at strike three to end the inning.

The Sox did nothing in the top of the third although Orlando Cabrera singled to start. Cabrera moved to third on groundouts by Bill Mueller and Damon before Bellhorn flied out to center to end the inning. Pedro settled down in the bottom of the third as Sheffield popped up to short to start. Matsui and Williams both grounded out to first to end the inning.

Lieber was untouchable in the top of the fourth as Ramirez popped up to center to start. Ortiz popped up to center and Millar grounded back to the mound to end the inning. Pedro did what he could in the bottom of the fourth although Posada walked to start. Olerud popped up to second before Cairo flied out to left. Lofton whiffed to end the inning.

Still nothing for the Sox in the top of the fifth inning as Nixon flied out to left to begin. Varitek hit a squibber back to the mound and Cabrera whiffed to end the inning. Pedro kept pace in the bottom of the fifth as Jeter grounded out to short to start. A-Rod beat out an infield single to third before Sheffield whiffed. Matsui was frozen for strike three to end the inning.

Shades of Game 1, the Sox couldn't hit in the top of the sixth as Mueller popped up to third to start. Damon lined out to a running Williams in center before Bellhorn whiffed to end the inning. Through the first through innings of Game 1 they had no hits and through the first six tonight they had 1 hit.

                                                 Exactly Bob

The Yankees iced the game against Pedro in the bottom of the sixth inning although Williams lined out to center to begin. Posada walked and Olerud iced the game with a 2 run bomb into the right field seats to increase the lead. Pedro recovered to freeze Cairo with a fastball on the inside corner before Lofton popped up to third to end the inning. That was it for Pedro after 6 innings of 3 run ball, the one mistake to Olerud made the difference as the Sox trailed 3-0.

                                                Olerud goes yard

The Sox failed to respond in the top of the seventh inning as Ramirez grounded out to short to start. Ortiz managed a base hit to right but Manny banged into a double play to end the inning. Mike Timlin came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh inning and got Jeter to ground to short to begin. A-Rod lined a bullet that a diving Mueller caught before Sheffield singled to chase Timlin. Alan Embree came in and Matsui blooped a single to left but Williams popped up to right to end the inning.

Lieber returned for the complete game shutout but he was chased by a Nixon single to open the top of the eighth inning. Old pal Tom Gordon took the mound and Varitek greeted him with a double into the gap to bring the tying run to the plate. Cabrera grounded out to short but Nixon scored to put the Sox on the board. Mueller grounded out but Cabrera moved to third and Yankees manager Joe Torre took no chances, bringing in Mariano Rivera to finish off the Sox. Damon took strike three to end the inning but it was 3-1 Sox.

                                                       Nixon scores a run

Embree returned for the bottom of the eighth and Posada greeted him with a single. Olerud flied out to right and that was it for Embree. Sox closer Keith Foulke came in and hit Cairo with a pitch before Lofton whiffed. Jeter walked to load the bases but A-Rod flied out to right to end the inning.

Rivera came back to close out the top of the ninth and Bellhorn grounded out to first to start. Manny doubled to center to bring the tying run to the plate but Ortiz whiffed on a high fastball. Millar whiffed to end the game with the Yankees winning 3-1 to send the series back to Fenway with a 2-0 series lead.

         

Jackass of the Night is Johnny Damon. He was 0 for 4 with a strikeout and is supposed to be the catalyst for the offense. He's 0 for 8 with 5 strikeouts so far in this series.

                                                            Damon the Jackass



The Good:

David Ortiz was 1 for 3 with a walk.

Trot Nixon was 1 for 3 with a run scored.

Jason Varitek was 1 for 3.

Orlando Cabrera was 1 for 3 and drove in the only run.

Mike Timlin retired 2 of the 3 men he faced.

Alan Embree pitched 2/3 of a scoreless inning.

Keith Foulke pitched 2/3 of a scoreless inning.



The Bad:

Mark Bellhorn was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.

Kevin Millar ws 0 for 4 with a strikeout.

Bill Mueller was 0 for 3.



The Ugly:

Manny Ramirez was just 1 for 4.

Pedro Martinez took the loss but didn't pitch that bad, allowing 3 runs in 6 innings while striking out 7.




Final Thoughts:

So much for the vaunted 1-2 punch of Curt Schilling and Pedro Martinez. Schilling's ankle couldn't hold up and Pedro was doomed by one pitch to Olerud and a lousy offense. Who would have guessed Jon Lieber would shut down the Sox the way he did? Damon really is killing the Sox as he's 0 for 8 with 5 strikeouts in the first two games of the series. With Bellhorn being as streaky as he is, that's not a good thing for Ramirez or Ortiz to come up with nobody on. The back end of the bullpen is going to burn out if this kind of workload continues as Embree, Timlin and Foulke had to work the first two games and in a 7 game series that adds up. Luckily the Sox may catch a break as Kevin Brown has been named the Game 3 starter for New York and they have hit him hard this season. The Sox need to make a stand Friday night in Game 3 when Bronson Arroyo goes one on one with Brown at 8:00 PM at Fenway Park.

Yankees Pound Schilling, Take Game 1 (10/12/04)

Talk about the worst case scenario for the Boston Red Sox. It was feared Curt Schilling was injured more seriously than it looked at the end of his Game 1 win against the Anaheim Angels and those fears came true tonight in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series against the hated New York Yankees. Schilling got blasted for 6 runs in 3 innings, the bullpen was no help as they allowed 4 more runs,Mike Mussina was perfect through 6 innings and Mariano Rivera literally ran off a plane from Panama to save the game for the Yankees. When it was over the Sox had lost 10-7 and Schilling looks done for the year, just great.

                                                            Dammit

Mussina was perfect in the top of the first as he made Johnny Damon look silly on a 3 pitch strikeout. Mark Bellhorn lined out to a running Bernie Williams in center and Manny Ramirez grounded out to first to end the inning. The injured Schilling took the mound in the bottom of the first inning and the Yankees tagged him. His velocity was down as Derek Jeter flied out to right field warning track before Alex Rodriguez flied out to right. Gary Sheffield crushed a double down the left field line and Hideki Matsui took a splitter in the dirt and lined it past Ramirez for an rbi double. Bernie Williams effortlessly singled up the middle for another run but Jorge Posada grounded out to second to end the inning with the Yankees up 2-0.

                                                          The Yankees strike first

The Sox did nothing in the top of the second as David Ortiz grounded out to first to begin. Kevin Millar grounded out to short and Trot Nixon popped up to short to end the inning. John Olerud grounded out to second to begin the bottom of the second before Miguel Cairo flied out to left. Kenny Lofton whiffed to end the inning.

Mussina remained perfect in the top of the third as Jason Varitek flied out to left to begin. Mark Bellhorn flied out to center and Ramirez grounded back to the mound. The Yankees exploded to knock out Schilling in the bottom of the third inning. Jeter singled to center and A-Rod singled in the hole at short. Sheffield walked and Matsui cleared the bases with a double into the corner. Williams advanced Matsui to third with a grounder to second then he scored on the Posada sac fly to center. Olerud walked before Cairo flied out to center to end the inning. That was it for Schilling as he was knocked out after giving up 6 runs in just 3 innings. Typical Red Sox luck that the guy they got to beat the Yankees tears up his ankle before facing them when it counts.

                                                 Schilling failed in his biggest game

The Sox failed to respond in the top of the fourth inning as Damon took strike three on the outside corner to start. Bellhorn also took strike three on the outside corner while Ramirez looked at strike three on the inside corner to end the inning. Curtis Leskanic took the mound in the bottom of the fourth and walked both Lofton and Jeter to start. Leskanic got A-Rod to bang into a double play and Sheffield struck out to end the inning.

Mussina remained perfect in the top of the fifth inning as Ortiz whiffed on a full count to begin. Millar whiffed on a knucklecurve in the dirt before Nixon was retired on a squibber in front of the mound to end the inning. Ramiro Mendoza was summoned to pitch the bottom of the fifth and Manny had to run to the wall to get a line drive by Matsui to start. Williams grounded out to second but Posada got hit on the foot. Olerud blooped a single to left to send Posada to third but Cairo lined out to short to end the inning.

The perfect game continued in the top of the sixth inning as Varitek whiffed to start. Cabrera popped up to right a graphic showed Mussina's near perfect game on September 2, 2001 in Fenway. Mueller popped up to left to end the inning as the high powered Sox offense was held without a baserunner through six. Game 4's scheduled starter Tim Wakefield was brought in to pitch the bottom of the sixth and the Yankees pounced. Lofton swatted a solo home run to right to increase the lead before Jeter grounded out to third. Sheffield doubled to left and Matsui singled down the right field line to score Gary and seemingly put the game out of reach. Williams lined out to a running Manny in left to end the inning but it was now 8-0 Yankees.

                                              5 rbis for Matsui

Out of nowhere the Sox exploded off Mussina in the top of the seventh inning although Damon earned the hat trick with his third strikeout of the game. Bellhorn broke up the perfect game with a double to the left field wall before Ortiz singled him to third. Millar doubled off the glove of Matsui to score both runners to put the Sox on the board. Millar took third on a passed ball and scored on the Nixon base hit. That was it for Mussina who went from being perfect to out of the game in a blink of an eye. Tanyon Sturtze was brought in and Varitek got his first hit in Yankee Stadium all YEAR with a 2 run bomb to right to make it a three run game. Cabrera whiffed to end the inning but suddenly the Sox were back in it 8-5.

                                               Varitek goes yard to inch the Sox closer

With the game now in reach Sox manager Terry Francona turned to Alan Embree in the bottom of the seventh inning. Posada grounded out to second before Matsui popped up to left. Cairo singled down the right field line but Lofton popped up to left to end the inning.

Old pal Tom Gordon took the mound in the top of the eighth and the Sox rallied again. Cairo made a diving grab on a Mueller grounder but couldn't make the throw for a leadoff hit. Damon earned the golden sombrero with his fourth strikeout of the game but Bellhorn popped up to left. Ramirez singled Mueller to third and Ortiz missed a game tying home run by 5 feet with a triple off the glove of Matsui field that still scored both runners. The Sox were down 8-0 having a perfect game thrown against them going into the top of the 7th and were one swing away from taking the lead one inning later. In a scene out of a movie, Mariano Rivera who began the day in Panama took the mound for the four out save to pick up the Yankees. Sure enough Millar popped up to short to end the inning but the Sox were knocking at the door down 8-7.

                                                    Ortiz nearly hits it out

Unfortunately the bullpen couldn't keep it a one run game in the bottom of the eighth as Mike Timlin took the mound. Jeter grounded out to short to start but A-Rod shook off being buzzed by Timlin to single to left. Sheffield also singled to left but Matsui popped up to short. Needing just one out to keep this a one run game, Williams instead lined a triple just out of reach from Manny to ice the game. One batter too late Francona replaced Timlin with Keith Foulke and Posada lined out to third to end the inning with the Yankees ahead 10-7.

                                               Williams ices it.

The horse was out of the barn as the Sox went quickly in the top of the ninth inning with Rivera back on the mound. Nixon popped to short but Varitek and Cabrera stroked back to back singles to bring the tying run to the plate. Once again out of a movie, Mueller hit a walkoff three run homer off Rivera on July 24th but this time Rivera got Bill to bang into a double play to end the game. The Sox comeback fell short and the Yankees had taken Game 1.

Jackass of the Night is Mike Timlin. Sure, Curt Schilling put the Sox in a hole but the Sox were rallying to get back into it only for Mike to give up the deciding two runs. Getting one run off Rivera is hard enough but 3 was too much to overcome.

                                                        Jackass of the Night: Timlin



The Good:

David Ortiz was 2 for 4 with 2 rbis and a run scored.

Jason Varitek was 2 for 4 including a 2 run home run.

Curtis Leskanic pitched a scoreless 4th inning.

Ramiro Mendoza pitched a scoreless 5th inning.

Alan Embree pitched a scoreless 7th inning.

Keith Foulke retired the only man he faced.



The Bad:

Johnny Damon was 0 for 4 with a golden sombrero of 4 strikeouts.

Curt Schilling lasted just 3 innings and allowed 6 runs, his worst start in October history.

Tim Wakefield allowed 2 runs in 1 inning of work.



The Ugly:

Mark Bellhorn was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but scored a run.

Manny Ramirez was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but scored a run.

Kevin Millar was just 1 for 4 but drove in 2 runs and scored.

Trot Nixon was just 1 for 4 but drove in a run and scored.

Orlando Cabrera was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.

Bill Mueller was just 1 for 4 but scored a run.




Final Thoughts:

Its only one game but this was an ominous start to the ALCS. If Schilling is pitching on one foot then he's useless for the rest of the series. He was supposed to be the answer to the Yankees they didn't have last year and he failed big time. The Yankees offense not only knocked him around but almost the same bullpen that was unhittable last year as well. The Sox got off on the wrong foot, no pun intended, but there are positives to build on. The Sox pulled off a huge rally to score 7 runs after having a perfect game tossed against them and this a 7 game series so there's plenty more action to come. The negatives outweigh the positives unfortunately and they needed Schilling to win this series and now have to turn to Pedro Martinez to stem the tide. The same Pedro who has been knocked around by the Yankees this year and who started that god awful "Who's your daddy" chant that Yankee fans were bellowing tonight. Tomorrow night Pedro takes on Jon Lieber at 8 PM at Yankee Stadium

Schilling, Sox Shutout Devil Rays (4/28/04)

So far, so good for the Curt Schilling (3-1, 3.31 ERA) era in Boston. After being signed to make a difference this season, he's been worth every penny spent so far. Tonight he mastered the Tampa Bay Devil Rays for 7 1/3 innings, not allowing a single run to Tampa. Meanwhile the Sox beat up Paul Abbott of Tampa. Jason Varitek hit a two run home run in the bottom of the fourth and drove in another run against Travis Harper in the seventh. Mark Bellhorn drove in a run against former NBA player Mark Hendrickson and Bill Mueller drove in the final run. Alan Embree and Lenny DiNardo put the finishing touches on the win by slamming the door as the Sox defeated Tampa 6-0 at Fenway Park.

                            New Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers approves of the win

Schilling got the ball in the top of the first as Carl Crawford flied out to center to start. Rocco Baldelli beat out a roller to short and Aubrey Huff singled in the hole at second. Robert Fick popped up to third and Tino Martinez struck out swinging to end the inning. Abbott got the ball in the bottom of the first inning and Johnny Damon grounded out to second to start. Bill Mueller popped up to first and David Ortiz struck out swinging to end the inning.

Julio Lugo lined out to third to start the top of the second and Jose Cruz Jr flied out to center. Toby Hall singled to right but old pal Rey Sanchez forced Hall at second to end the inning. Manny Ramirez grounded out to short to start the bottom of the second before Jason Varitek took strike three. Kevin Millar flied out to center to end the inning.

Crawford struck out swinging to start the top of the third before Baldelli grounded out to third. Huff popped up to short to end the inning. Mark Bellhorn walked to start the bottom of the third before being forced at second by Gabe Kapler. Cesar Crespo got a base hit to right but Damon flied out to left. Mueller flied out to center to end the inning.

Fick lined out to first to start the top of the fourth before Martinez struck out swinging. Lugo doubled in the hole at short but Cruz struck out swinging to end the inning. The Sox struck first in the bottom of the fourth as Ortiz grounded out to first to start. Ramirez doubled to left and Varitek launched his third home run of the season to put the Sox on top. Millar got a base hit to left and Bellhorn doubled off the Monster but Kapler lined out to third. Crespo grounded out to second to end the inning with the Sox up 2-0.

                                                              Home run Varitek

Hall popped up to short to start the top of the fifth before Sanchez flied out to left. Crawford grounded out to second to end the inning. Damon popped up to third to start the bottom of the fifth before Mueller grounded back to the mound. Ortiz walked and Ramirez got a base hit to left but Varitek grounded out to second to end the inning.

Baldelli struck out swinging to start the top of the sixth but Huff flied out to center. Fick also flied out to center to end the inning. Millar grounded out to third to start the bottom of the sixth but Bellhorn walked. Kapler forced Bellhorn at second but Crespo grounded out to second to end the inning.\

Martinez struck out swinging to open the top of the seventh but Lugo singled to center. Cruz struck out swinging and Hall took strike three to end the inning. The Sox poured it on in the bottom of the seventh as Damon grounded out to first to start. Mueller got a base hit to right and Ortiz hit a double off The Monster to chase Abbott. Travis Harper came in to pitch and Ramirez was intentionally walked to load the bases. Varitek made the Rays pay with a base hit to right to score Mueller. Millar popped up to short and Mark Hendrickson was brought in to face Bellhorn. Mark got a base hit to left to score Ortiz and Ramirez. Kapler flied out to center to end the inning with the Sox up 5-0.

                                                             Bellhorn gets it done

Schilling came back briefly in the top of the eighth with David McCarty now in at first base. Sanchez flied out to center and Sox manager Terry Francona came out to get Schilling. Curt was outstanding, tossing 7 1/3 shutout innings allowing just 5 hits while striking out eight. Alan Embree came in and Crawford struck out swinging. Baldelli flied out to right to end the inning.

                                                                   Good work Curt

Crespo grounded out to short to start the bottom of the eighth before Damon beat out a roller to third. Mueller doubled to center to score Damon before Ortiz struck out swinging. Ramirez lined out to right to end the inning with the Sox up 6-0.

                                                          RBI for Mueller

Lenny DiNardo came in to close out the top of the ninth and Huff grounded out to first to start. Damian Rolls pinch hit for Fick and took strike three but Eduardo Perez pinch hit for Martinez. Perez grounded out to short to end the game. The Sox had won it 6-0.

Hero of The Night is Curt Schilling. He throttled the Devil Rays for 7 1/3 innings allowing 5 hits while striking out 8

                                                                Hero Curt

The Good:

Bill Mueller was 2 for 5 with an rbi and a run scored.

Manny Ramirez was 2 for 4 with a walk and 2 runs scored.

Jason Varitek was 2 for 4 with a 2 run homer and 3 total rbis.

Mark Bellhorn was 2 for 4 with 2 walks and 2 rbis.

Alan Embree got the final two outs of the eighth inning.

Lenny DiNardo tossed a scoreless ninth inning.

The Bad:

Gabe Kapler was 0 for 4.

The Ugly:

Johnny Damon was just 1 for 5 but scored a run.

David Ortiz was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts but walked and scored a run.

Kevin Millar was just 1 for 4.

Cesar Crespo was just 1 for 4.

Honorable Mention:

David McCarty played first base in the final two innings.

Final Thoughts:

Another great start by Schilling and he's been worth every cent to start the season. Sox fans have been screaming for another starter to go with Pedro Martinez and Derek Lowe for two years and Schilling was what the doctor ordered. He shut down the Rays big time tonight while the Sox bats responded to get to Abbott. Bellhorn, Varitek, Mueller and Ramirez all had multiple hits and when this lineup is on, they're very tough to defeat. The best part is this isn't even the Sox at full strength, eventually they're going to get back Trot Nixon, Byung-Hung Kim and Nomar Garciaparra. Kim and Arroyo are essentially going to have a duel for the 5th starter spot when Kim gets back. The rumor is Kim will be activated for tomorrow's doubleheader and it'll be interesting to see who goes. It might be Mark Malaska, it might be Phil Seibel, who knows. The Sox look to continue the momentum in tomorrow's doubleheader against the Devil Rays. Byung-Hung Kim is scheduled to make his season debut against Victor Zambrano of Tampa. The game begins at 1:00 PM at Fenway Park.

Sox Defeat Yankees in 12 Innings (4/24/04)

The New York Yankees might be in trouble. The Boston Red Sox have now beaten them five out of six games and today's game might have been the best one yet. The Red Sox took the lead against Kevin Brown with sac flies from Manny Ramirez and Pokey Reese but the Yankees got a run in the 4th off Bronson Arroyo and another in the seventh to tie the game. The Boston bullpen stepped up with six lights out innings to keep the Yankees off the board but the Yankees bullpen stayed tough as well. In the top of the 12th, Mark Bellhorn hit a sac fly off old buddy Paul Quantrill. Mike Timlin slammed the door in the bottom of the 12th as the Sox beat the Yankees 3-2 at Yankee Stadium.

                                                        Clare Kramer approves of the win

The Sox wasted no time getting to Brown in the top of the first as Johnny Damon walked to start. Bill Mueller walked as well and David Ortiz moved both runners over with a grounder to first. Manny Ramirez hit a sac fly to center to score Damon and put the Sox on top. Jason Varitek grounded out to short to end the inning with the Sox up 1-0.

                                                            Damon scores the first run

Arroyo got the ball in the bottom of the first and Derek Jeter walked to start. Hideki Matsui took strike three and Jeter was gunned down at second trying to steal. Alex Rodriguez grounded back to the mound to end the inning.

Brown couldn't do anything right in the top of the second as Kevin Millar lined a ball off Brown and he threw the ball into the crowd, moving Millar to second. Mark Bellhorn hit a grounder to Travis Lee who flipped to Brown.....DROPPED IT! Gabe Kapler was plunked to load the bases and Pokey Reese hit a sac fly to center to score Millar. Damon flied out to left and Mueller grounded out to first to end the inning with the Sox up 2-0.

                                                        Reese drives in a run

Jason Giambi took strike three to start the bottom of the second before Gary Sheffield also watched strike three go by. Jorge Posada grounded out to second to end the inning.

Ortiz doubled to center to start the top of the third but Manny grounded back to the mound. Varitek walked and Millar moved both runners over with a grounder to third. Bellhorn flied out to center to end the inning. Both Lee and Bernie Williams grounded out to second to begin the bottom of the third but Enrique Wilson walked. Jeter flied out to right to end the inning.

Kapler grounded out to third to start the top of the fourth before Reese flied out to right. Damon grounded out to short to end the inning. The Yankees struck back in the bottom of the fourth as Matsui struck out swinging to start. A-Rod hit a home run all the way to Los Angeles to cut the lead. Giambi and Sheffield both grounded back to the mound to end the inning with the Yankees down 2-1.

                                                     A-Rod hits one out

Mueller doubled down the right field line to start the top of the fifth before moving to third on the Ortiz fly ball to right. Ramirez grounded back to the mound and Varitek flied out to center to end the inning. Posada flied out to center to open the bottom of the fifth and Lee flied out to left. Williams flied out to left to end the inning.

Millar flied out to right to open the top of the sixth and Bellhorn flied out to center. Kapler grounded out to short to end the inning. The Yankees beat the ball in the dirt in the bottom of the sixth as Wilson grounded out to first to start. Jeter grounded out to third and Matsui grounded out to second to end the inning.

The Sox blew a rally in the top of the seventh as Reese got a base hit to center to start. Damon flied out to right but Mueller walked. Ortiz took strike three and Ramirez forced Miller at second to end the inning. Arroyo ran out of gas in the bottom of the seventh as A-Rod beat out a roller to third to begin. Giambi dropped a base hit to right but Millar bobbled the ball for an error to move Rodriguez to third. Sheffield got a base hit to left to score A-Rod to tie the game and chase Arroyo. Bronson battled but lasted just 6+ innings while allowing 2 runs off four hits and 2 walks. Bubba Crosby pinch ran for Giambi with Scott Williamson coming in to pitch. Posada grounded out to first to move both runners over and Lee was intentionally walked to load the bases. The gamble worked as Williams grounded into a double play to end the inning with the game tied 2-2.

                                                     Better luck next time Arroyo

Old pal Tom Gordon came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Varitek struck out swinging to start. Millar and Bellhorn both went down hacking to end the inning. Alan Embree came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and old buddy Tony Clark pinch hit for Wilson. Clark grounded out to second before Jeter struck out swinging. Matsui flied out to right to end the inning.

Miguel Cairo took over at second to start the top of the ninth and Kapler walked to start. Reese dropped down a bunt to move Kapler to second and Gabe moved to third on the Damon grounder to second. Mueller popped up to short to end the inning. A-Rod walked to put the winning run on first to start the bottom of the ninth and moved to second on the sacrifice bunt by Crosby. Sheffield popped up to short and Posada was intentionally walked. Lee grounded back to the mound to end the inning.

Mariano Rivera came in to pitch the top of the tenth and Ortiz flied out to the right field wall to start. Ramirez got a base hit to right but Varitek forced him at second. Varitek swiped second but Millar hit one up the elevator shaft to end the inning. Keith Foulke came in to pitch the bottom of the tenth and Ortiz booted a grounder by Williams for an error to start. Cairo dropped down a bunt to move Williams to second and Williams moved to third on a grounder to second by Jeter. Matsui walked and A-Rod was intentionally walked to load the bases. Ruben Sierra pinch hit for Crosby and grounded into a force to end the inning.

Bellhorn walked to start the top of the eleventh but Kapler's bunt forced him at second. Ellis Burks pinch hit for Reese and got hit with a pitch before Damon walked to load the bases. Mueller popped up to short and Ortiz struck out swinging to end the inning. Cesar Crespo took over at short for the bottom of the eleventh and Sheffield was hit with a pitch to start. Posada flied out to center, Lee also flied out to center and Sheffield was thrown out trying to steal second to end the inning.

Paul Quantrill came in to pitch the top of the 12th and Ramirez doubled off the right field wall to start. Varitek grounded out to second to move Ramirez to third and Millar got hit with a pitch. Bellhorn hit a sac fly to center to score Ramirez to put the Sox on top. Kapler forced Millar at second to end the inning with the Sox up 3-2. 

                                                        Ramirez scores the go-ahead run

Mike Timlin came in to close out the bottom of the 12th with David McCarty now at first base. Williams took strike three to start and Cairo struck out swinging. Jeter grounded out to third to end the game. The Sox had won it 3-2.

                                                               Sox win

Hero of The Night is Mark Bellhorn. His sac fly in the 12th put the Sox up for good.

                                                        Mark Hero

The Good:

Ellis Burks got hit with a pitch as a pinch hitter.

Manny Ramirez was 2 for 5 with an rbi and a run scored.

Pokey Reese was 1 for 2 with an rbi.

Bronson Arroyo tossed 6+ innings allowing just 2 runs of 4 hits and 2 walks.

Scott Williamson pitched a scoreless seventh inning.

Alan Embree pitched a scoreless eighth inning.

Keith Foulke tossed 3 scoreless innings to get the win.

Mike Timlin earned the save with a scoreless 12th inning.

The Bad:

None

The Ugly:

Johnny Damon was 0 for 4 but walked twice and scored a run.

Bill Mueller was just 1 for 4 but walked twice.

David Ortiz was just 1 for 6 with 2 strikeouts and an error.

Kevin Millar was just 1 for 5 with a strikeout and an error but was hit with a pitch and scored a run.

Jason Varitek was 0 for 5 with a strikeout but walked and stole a base.

Gabe Kapler was 0 for 4 but walked.

Honorable Mention:

Cesar Crespo played short in the final two innings.

David McCarty played first in the final inning.

Final Thoughts:

I hate to bring up last year but this is what Sox brass envisioned Game 7 going down if the Sox had one more arm in the bullpen. Keith Foulke matched Mariano Rivera in extra innings and they still had Mike Timlin left in the bullpen. There was no Aaron Boone this time and the Sox got to Paul Quantrill in the 12th inning. Arroyo pitched well and the bullpen was lights out as they were last October. Its only April but that's a huge sign of good things to come if everyone can stay healthy. The Yankees have no answer for Timlin, Embree, Williamson and Foulke and that's not counting the starters. Again, there's a long way to go but winning 5 out of 6 against the Yankees is nothing to sneeze at. Good work by Bellhorn for getting the run in to win this marathon. The Sox now look for the sweep against the Yankees tomorrow afternoon when Pedro Martinez (2-1) returns to Yankee Stadium to face Javier Vazquez of New York. The game begins at 1:05 PM at Yankee Stadium.

Mirabelli, Wakefield Drop Blue Jays (4/21/04)

Rikishi and Scotty Two Hotty may be the current WWE Tag Team Champions but Doug Mirabelli and Tim Wakefield (2-0, 2.37 ERA) tag teamed the Toronto Blue Jays into submission in tonight's game. Wakefield pitched into the seventh inning while holding the Jays to just two runs allowed. His partner Mirabelli clubbed two home runs, driving in three runs to outscore the Jays by himself. David Ortiz scored on a wild pitch by Kerry Ligtenberg for a big insurance run. After Wakefield left, Alan Embree and Keith Foulke slammed the door as the Sox made it two in a row over the Jays with a 4-2 victory at the Skydome.

                                                    The champs approve of the win

Ted Lilly got the start for Toronto in the top of the first and Mark Bellhorn walked to start. Bill Mueller struck out swinging and David Ortiz grounded into a double play to end the inning. Wakefield got the ball in the bottom of the first and Frank Catalanotto flied out to left. Eric Hinske struck out swinging and Vernon Wells popped up to short to end the inning.

Manny Ramirez struck out swinging to start the top of the second and Kevin Millar took strike three. Ellis Burks drilled a base hit to left but Gabe Kapler flied out to center to end the inning. Carlos Delgado lined out to short to start the bottom of the second before Josh Phelps grounded out to second. Greg Myers singled to right and Reed Johnson doubled to left. Orlando Hudson flied out to center to end the inning.

The Sox struck first in the top of the third as Doug Mirabelli belted his second home run of the year to start. Pokey Reese singled to center but Bellhorn struck out swinging. Reese swiped second and Mueller walked, but Ortiz beat out a double play ball to put runners at the corners. Ramirez flied out to left to end the inning but the Sox were up 1-0.

                                                      Home run Mirabelli

Chris Gomez grounded out to third to start the bottom of the third but Catalanotto walked. Hinske grounded into a double play to end the inning.

The Sox struck again in the top of the fourth as Millar singled to left to start. Burks flied out to right and Kapler hit one up the elevator shaft, but Mirabelli pounded his second home run of the game to increase the lead. Reese took strike three to end the inning but the Sox now led 3-0.

                                                   Mirabelli does it again

The Jays struck back in the bottom of the fourth as Wells popped up to second to start. Delgado walked but Phelps struck out swinging. Myers doubled to center to score Delgado and get Toronto on the board. Johnson struck out swinging to end the inning with the Jays down 3-1.

                                                             Myers drives in a run

Bellhorn struck out swinging to open the top of the fifth and Mueller lined out to first. Ortiz popped up to short to end the inning. The Jays rallied in the bottom of the fifth as Hudson grounded out to first to start. Gomez doubled to center and moved to third on a passed ball. Catalanotto doubled to left to score Gomez but Hinske flied out to center. Catalanotto took third on a passed ball but Wells flied out to center to inch the Jays closer down 3-2.

                                                               Pain in the ass

Ramirez beat out a roller to third to start the top of the sixth but Millar popped up to second. Burks popped up to short but Kapler walked to chase Lilly. Jason Frasor came in to face Mirabelli and Doug took strike three to end the inning. Delgado grounded out to first to start the bottom of the sixth but Phelps got a base hit to right. Myers struck out swinging and Johnson grounded out to second to end the inning.

Reese popped up to second to start the top of the seventh before Bellhorn took strike three. Mueller flied out to left to end the inning. Hudson grounded back to the mound to start the bottom of the seventh and Gomez hit one up the elevator shaft. Rather than extend his starter after 107 pitches, Sox manager Terry Francona pulled Wakefield in favor of Alan Embree. Wakefield allowed just 2 runs in 6 2/3 gutty innings allowing 6 hits and 2 walks. Catalanotto took strike three to end the inning.

                                                                 Good start by Wakefield

Valerio De Los Santos came in to pitch to Ortiz to start the top of the eighth and Big Papi doubled to right. Kerry Ligtenberg came in to pitch to Ramirez and Manny flied out to right to move Ortiz to third. David scored on a wild pitch and Millar struck out swinging. Burks flied out to right to end the inning with the Sox up 4-2.

                                                           Ortiz scores on a wild pitch

Dave Berg (not the lighter side) pinch hit for Hinske to start the bottom of the eighth and flied out to right. Wells popped up to second and Delgado flied out to left to end the inning.

Justin Speier came in to pitch the top of the ninth and Kapler flied out to right to start. Mirabelli singled to right but Reese flied out to right. Bellhorn flied out to center to end the inning. Cesar Crespo came in for Millar for defense with Keith Foulke on the mound to close out the bottom of the ninth. Phelps took strike three and Myers popped up to short before Howie Clark pinch hit for Johnson. Clark flied out to right to end the game. The Sox had won it 4-2.

Hero of The Night is Doug Mirabelli. He hit two home runs, good for three runs to outscore the Jays by himself.

                                                          Doug The Hero

The Good:

Tim Wakefield got the win by tossing 6 2/3 innings of 2 run ball. He allowed 6 hits and 2 walks while striking out four.

Alan Embree pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings.

Keith Foulke earned his 5th save with a scoreless ninth inning.

The Bad:

None

The Ugly:

Mark Bellhorn was 0 for 4 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts but walked.

Bill Mueller was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but walked.

David Ortiz was just 1 for 4 but scored a run.

Manny Ramirez was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.

Kevin Millar was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts but scored a run.

Ellis Burks was just 1 for 4.

Gabe Kapler was 0 for 3 but walked.

Pokey Reese was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but stole a base.

Honorable Mention:

Cesar Crespo played center in the ninth inning.

Final Thoughts:

Good win by the Sox and Mirabelli was the star of it. Wakefield pitched a good game but for one of the only times, Doug overshadowed him. He outscored the Jays by himself and Sox manager Terry Francona after the game playfully said "He's a horseshit player!" Another factor is Toronto has been completely inept at home to start the season, going 0-8 so far. Mirabelli himself said after the game that the Sox are not on a roll, they expect to play like this every night. Hopefully the offense doesn't rely on Mirabelli every night or they'd be in trouble. All in all it was a good win and the Sox do look like they're on a roll. The Sox look for the series sweep tomorrow night when Curt Schilling (2-0, 2.66 ERA) takes on Miguel Batista of Toronto. The game begins at 7:05 PM at the Skydome.