Official Boston Red Sox dynasty thread

[stealyerface]

Re: Arroyo Pulls Up Sox!

Boston, MA.
April 28, 2004

The Fenway faithful were out in droves Thursday night, as the Seattle Mariners and the Boston Red Sox faced off in the first of a three game set. Soft tossing Jamie Moyer started for the M's, while Bronson Arroyo made his debut as a starter, taking the place of injured Tim Wakefield.

It did not take long for Arroyo to get the Beantown faithful behind him. Bronson served up his own version of Deathwish on the Seattle Sluggers, and scattered only 4 hits over the 6 innings he worked. Ichiro was held hitless on this night, and power hitters Edgar Martinez and Brett Boone could only muster weak opposite-field hits against a defense that was in position all night. Manager Stealy Francona was very much in tune with his young pitcher, and made sure to position the defense for each, and every hitter. "B-man was nails out there", remarked Stealy. "He is not going to overpower anyone with his stuff, so we wanted to make sure the D was where they needed to be on every pitch". The defense proved to be the difference as Johnny Damon and Trot Nixon both made spectacular catches deep in the outfield to rob M's hitters of extra bases. Damon's was a Willie Mays-style, over the shoulder snag off the bat of Boone, and brought the bleacher creatures in right center to their feet.

Manny led the way for the Sox offense tonight, with his 17th and 18th bombs of the season. Both were solo shots, and until the Red Sox can get some guys on base for him, his RBI totals will continue to be well below the league leaders. In the first inning, he hit a Moyer curveball that went a mile....straight up. This rain maker took advantage of the abbreviated confines of left field, and 315 feet later, was gone. Hardly a blast, but a round tripper anyway. In the 4th, he showed off his opposite field power with another big bang, this one over the bullpen in rightfield, and the Sox were up 2-0. Catcher Jason Varitek took advantage of his switch hitting power, ripping a 2 run job off of the lefty Moyer in the 6th, and the Redsox handed the ball to newly called up Robert Persons, with a 4-0 lead.

Persons would use a blazing fastball, clocked at over 94mph, to throw off the M's timing, and worked a perfect 7th and 8th. The only scare was a deep drive to right field by Ichiro, that would have easily been an inside the park homerun, but Trot Nixon made a sweet diving catch that was replayed at least 5 times by the cameraman. The cameraman's wife finally yelled at him, as it was closing in on 9pm est, and apparently there was a scheduled broadcast that was about to pre-empt the last inning...

Anyway, after a quiet bottom half of the eighth, the bullpen was stirring, and Wednesday night's goat, Keith Foulke, was warming up to the sweet chorus of the boobirds in the stands. With a 4-0 lead safely in the bank, Stealy decided that the only way to get his closer back in the good graces of his teammates, was to run him back out there, and let him sink or swim. Tonight, he swan. Mark Spitz would have been proud on this night, as Foulke used a filthy changeup to have the number 2,3, and 4 hitters flailing and sputtering at the dish.

After striking out Bret Boone on 4 pitches, Edgar Martinez watched a called strike three float by, and Helmut Olerud could do nothing but weakly ground to Nomar to end the game. Even though there was no save situation, Foulke enjoyed the work, and thanked his manager after the game. "I know I can pitch, and I know I can help this team. Tonight, it was all good." Foulke added. "If I get the chance, I'll take us to the next level, and we can put last night, and 1918 behind us".

Tonight, Pedro brings his 5-1 record to the bump, looking for his 3rd consecutive victory. The Sox take advantage of another Yankee loss, and are just 1 game out of the East.

SYF

[Starbase503]

Dominican Due Stymie Seattle

Dominican Duo Stymie Seattle
5/28/2004
Pedro Martinez finally pitched like--well, Pedro Martinez. Facing the sixth-ranked offense in baseball, Martinez used the plate like a master surgeon uses the scalpel, moving his pitches in and out, up and down. He used his dominating fastball to set up his circle change, allowing just five hits in 8 2/3 innings to beat the visiting Seattle Mariners 3-1.
Martinez (5-2) was rarely in trouble, pitching with an ease Sox fans haven't really seen much this season. Pedro walked just one batter while whiffing seven, besting Seattle southpaw Freddy Garcia in what turned out to be something of a pitcher's duel.

Pedro's Dominican brethren, Manny Ramirez, opened up scoring with his 27th homerun of the season, a bases-empty, two-out shot in the bottom of the first that disappeared into the gathering gloom well beyond the Monster. Sox led 1-0.

The M's evened up the score in a sloppy second inning. Scott Spezio spanked a base hit to left that Manny couldn't corral, and Spezio pulled up with a gift double. With two outs, DH Ben Davis hit a little flare that fell between Ramirez and shortstop Nomar Garciaparra. It then skidded past Ramirez, and only quick feet by Johnny Damon backing up the play kept that from going for more than two bases. Game tied 1-1.

But the Sox came back soon enough, with what would prove to be the final runs of the game. Manny led off the last of the fourth with a base hit that went between the legs of Garcia and just barely squeaked through into centerfield.

Carlos Delgado then jumped on a Garcia fastball and put it over the Monster in left, a two-run jack that ignited the sellout crowd. For Delgado, it was his 13th homerun of the year, his third as a Red Sox. Garcia (4-4) only got tougher from that point, but the damage was done.

Pedro took over from there, keeping the M's guessing all night. The two hitters that had Sox management most concerned, Ichiro Suzuki and the newest M, Jorge Posada, were 0-for-6 against Martinez.

Pedro finally ran out of steam in the 9th, giving way to Mike Myers after Rich Aurilia lined a two-out single. Myers, looking for his first save, made just three pitches to Spezio, whose bat never left his shoulder.

For Boston, it was their third straight win, and their 12th in their last 13 games. As Baltimore stumbled again, the lead in the AL East increased to eight full games. The Yankees remain ten back.

STAT CENTRAL: Ramirez (1st), Delgado (2nd), Pudge Rodriguez (5th) and Jason Varitek (9th) are all in the top ten in batting average (in both leagues).

Manny and Pudge are 1-2 in homers, RBIs and slugging percentage (in both leagues)

Nomar and Pudge are 1-2 in doubles

Tim Wakefield is tops in the AL in ERA and #1 in all of baseball with eight wins

Pedro's seven Ks put him on top in the AL with 64 strikeouts

[Starbase503]

Dominican Due Stymie Seattle

Dominican Duo Stymie Seattle
5/28/2004
Pedro Martinez finally pitched like--well, Pedro Martinez. Facing the sixth-ranked offense in baseball, Martinez used the plate like a master surgeon uses the scalpel, moving his pitches in and out, up and down. He used his dominating fastball to set up his circle change, allowing just five hits in 8 2/3 innings to beat the visiting Seattle Mariners 3-1.
Martinez (5-2) was rarely in trouble, pitching with an ease Sox fans haven't really seen much this season. Pedro walked just one batter while whiffing seven, besting Seattle southpaw Freddy Garcia in what turned out to be something of a pitcher's duel.

Pedro's Dominican brethren, Manny Ramirez, opened up scoring with his 27th homerun of the season, a bases-empty, two-out shot in the bottom of the first that disappeared into the gathering gloom well beyond the Monster. Sox led 1-0.

The M's evened up the score in a sloppy second inning. Scott Spezio spanked a base hit to left that Manny couldn't corral, and Spezio pulled up with a gift double. With two outs, DH Ben Davis hit a little flare that fell between Ramirez and shortstop Nomar Garciaparra. It then skidded past Ramirez, and only quick feet by Johnny Damon backing up the play kept that from going for more than two bases. Game tied 1-1.

But the Sox came back soon enough, with what would prove to be the final runs of the game. Manny led off the last of the fourth with a base hit that went between the legs of Garcia and just barely squeaked through into centerfield.

Carlos Delgado then jumped on a Garcia fastball and put it over the Monster in left, a two-run jack that ignited the sellout crowd. For Delgado, it was his 13th homerun of the year, his third as a Red Sox. Garcia (4-4) only got tougher from that point, but the damage was done.

Pedro took over from there, keeping the M's guessing all night. The two hitters that had Sox management most concerned, Ichiro Suzuki and the newest M, Jorge Posada, were 0-for-6 against Martinez.

Pedro finally ran out of steam in the 9th, giving way to Mike Myers after Rich Aurilia lined a two-out single. Myers, looking for his first save, made just three pitches to Spezio, whose bat never left his shoulder.

For Boston, it was their third straight win, and their 12th in their last 13 games. As Baltimore stumbled again, the lead in the AL East increased to eight full games. The Yankees remain ten back.

STAT CENTRAL: Ramirez (1st), Delgado (2nd), Pudge Rodriguez (5th) and Jason Varitek (9th) are all in the top ten in batting average (in both leagues).

Manny and Pudge are 1-2 in homers, RBIs and slugging percentage (in both leagues)

Nomar and Pudge are 1-2 in doubles

Tim Wakefield is tops in the AL in ERA and #1 in all of baseball with eight wins

Pedro's seven Ks put him on top in the AL with 64 strikeouts

[Starbase503]

Dominican Due Stymie Seattle

Dominican Duo Stymie Seattle
5/28/2004
Pedro Martinez finally pitched like--well, Pedro Martinez. Facing the sixth-ranked offense in baseball, Martinez used the plate like a master surgeon uses the scalpel, moving his pitches in and out, up and down. He used his dominating fastball to set up his circle change, allowing just five hits in 8 2/3 innings to beat the visiting Seattle Mariners 3-1.
Martinez (5-2) was rarely in trouble, pitching with an ease Sox fans haven't really seen much this season. Pedro walked just one batter while whiffing seven, besting Seattle southpaw Freddy Garcia in what turned out to be something of a pitcher's duel.

Pedro's Dominican brethren, Manny Ramirez, opened up scoring with his 27th homerun of the season, a bases-empty, two-out shot in the bottom of the first that disappeared into the gathering gloom well beyond the Monster. Sox led 1-0.

The M's evened up the score in a sloppy second inning. Scott Spezio spanked a base hit to left that Manny couldn't corral, and Spezio pulled up with a gift double. With two outs, DH Ben Davis hit a little flare that fell between Ramirez and shortstop Nomar Garciaparra. It then skidded past Ramirez, and only quick feet by Johnny Damon backing up the play kept that from going for more than two bases. Game tied 1-1.

But the Sox came back soon enough, with what would prove to be the final runs of the game. Manny led off the last of the fourth with a base hit that went between the legs of Garcia and just barely squeaked through into centerfield.

Carlos Delgado then jumped on a Garcia fastball and put it over the Monster in left, a two-run jack that ignited the sellout crowd. For Delgado, it was his 13th homerun of the year, his third as a Red Sox. Garcia (4-4) only got tougher from that point, but the damage was done.

Pedro took over from there, keeping the M's guessing all night. The two hitters that had Sox management most concerned, Ichiro Suzuki and the newest M, Jorge Posada, were 0-for-6 against Martinez.

Pedro finally ran out of steam in the 9th, giving way to Mike Myers after Rich Aurilia lined a two-out single. Myers, looking for his first save, made just three pitches to Spezio, whose bat never left his shoulder.

For Boston, it was their third straight win, and their 12th in their last 13 games. As Baltimore stumbled again, the lead in the AL East increased to eight full games. The Yankees remain ten back.

STAT CENTRAL: Ramirez (1st), Delgado (2nd), Pudge Rodriguez (5th) and Jason Varitek (9th) are all in the top ten in batting average (in both leagues).

Manny and Pudge are 1-2 in homers, RBIs and slugging percentage (in both leagues)

Nomar and Pudge are 1-2 in doubles

Tim Wakefield is tops in the AL in ERA and #1 in all of baseball with eight wins

Pedro's seven Ks put him on top in the AL with 64 strikeouts

[Starbase503]

Sox Ride Nixon\'s Bat and Niekro\'s Knuckles to Win Over Seattle

5/30/2004

Fenway Park, Boston MA -- After Saturday's 8-2 win, the Mariners picked up right where they left off. In the top of the second inning, DH Ben Davis tripled, and he scored on a grounder by John Olerud; Olerud was safe at first when Tony Graffanino tried to nail the runner at the plate.
It stayed that way for a while, as Sox starter Phil Niekro exchanged goose eggs with Mariner starter Gil Meche, who was going for his seventh win in eight decisions.

Finally in the last of the sixth, at least one Boston bat awoke from its slumber, when Trot Nixon belted a Meche fastball over the wall in dead center with the bases empty and two outs. For Trot, it was four-bagger number eight. But more importantly, it knotted the game at 1-1 and sent a spark of enthusiasm through that quiet Boston dugout.

And then in the last of the seventh, Ivan Rodriguez turned that spark into the flame with a lead-off home run (his 18th) that gave Boston its first lead since Friday. Sox were up 2-1, and with Niekro effectively shutting down those pesky Mariner bats, the sellout crowd began to smell another Boston victory.

But Nixon wasn't finished. Manny Ramirez opened the last of the eighth with a base hit just past the outstretched glove of secondbaseman Ramon Santiago and into right field. Two outs later, Trot unloaded another bomb, this one into the bullpen in right, and the Sox faithful erupted. Niekro (4-0) finished the game with a 1-2-3 ninth, extending his streak of innings pitched without allowing a walk to 50 1/3. Boston was back to 20 games over .500, as they prepared for their first trip to the West Coast.

For Nixon, it was his first multi-homer game of 2004, and a boost to his confidence, shaken after manager Terry Francona began platooning Nixon with Gabe Kapler.

Series recap

Game One
Red Sox 3, Mariners 1
Game Two
Mariners 8, Red Sox 2
Game Three
Red Sox 4, Mariners 1


"Franco is gonna do what he feels is necessary for this team to win," Nixon told reporters after the win. "I just need to show him what I can do when I am in the game."

Boston still holds a 7 1/2-game over Baltimore, but the Yankees are closing in, with four straight wins. New York trails by 8 1/2. The Sox have a travel day, as they hit California for their first look at the Anaheim Angels. Unbeaten Bartolo Colon (5-0) is slated to take the mound against Derek Lowe in the first of this two-game set.

[Starbase503]

Sox Ride Nixon\'s Bat and Niekro\'s Knuckles to Win Over Seattle

5/30/2004

Fenway Park, Boston MA -- After Saturday's 8-2 win, the Mariners picked up right where they left off. In the top of the second inning, DH Ben Davis tripled, and he scored on a grounder by John Olerud; Olerud was safe at first when Tony Graffanino tried to nail the runner at the plate.
It stayed that way for a while, as Sox starter Phil Niekro exchanged goose eggs with Mariner starter Gil Meche, who was going for his seventh win in eight decisions.

Finally in the last of the sixth, at least one Boston bat awoke from its slumber, when Trot Nixon belted a Meche fastball over the wall in dead center with the bases empty and two outs. For Trot, it was four-bagger number eight. But more importantly, it knotted the game at 1-1 and sent a spark of enthusiasm through that quiet Boston dugout.

And then in the last of the seventh, Ivan Rodriguez turned that spark into the flame with a lead-off home run (his 18th) that gave Boston its first lead since Friday. Sox were up 2-1, and with Niekro effectively shutting down those pesky Mariner bats, the sellout crowd began to smell another Boston victory.

But Nixon wasn't finished. Manny Ramirez opened the last of the eighth with a base hit just past the outstretched glove of secondbaseman Ramon Santiago and into right field. Two outs later, Trot unloaded another bomb, this one into the bullpen in right, and the Sox faithful erupted. Niekro (4-0) finished the game with a 1-2-3 ninth, extending his streak of innings pitched without allowing a walk to 50 1/3. Boston was back to 20 games over .500, as they prepared for their first trip to the West Coast.

For Nixon, it was his first multi-homer game of 2004, and a boost to his confidence, shaken after manager Terry Francona began platooning Nixon with Gabe Kapler.

Series recap

Game One
Red Sox 3, Mariners 1
Game Two
Mariners 8, Red Sox 2
Game Three
Red Sox 4, Mariners 1


"Franco is gonna do what he feels is necessary for this team to win," Nixon told reporters after the win. "I just need to show him what I can do when I am in the game."

Boston still holds a 7 1/2-game over Baltimore, but the Yankees are closing in, with four straight wins. New York trails by 8 1/2. The Sox have a travel day, as they hit California for their first look at the Anaheim Angels. Unbeaten Bartolo Colon (5-0) is slated to take the mound against Derek Lowe in the first of this two-game set.

[Starbase503]

Sox Ride Nixon\'s Bat and Niekro\'s Knuckles to Win Over Seattle

5/30/2004

Fenway Park, Boston MA -- After Saturday's 8-2 win, the Mariners picked up right where they left off. In the top of the second inning, DH Ben Davis tripled, and he scored on a grounder by John Olerud; Olerud was safe at first when Tony Graffanino tried to nail the runner at the plate.
It stayed that way for a while, as Sox starter Phil Niekro exchanged goose eggs with Mariner starter Gil Meche, who was going for his seventh win in eight decisions.

Finally in the last of the sixth, at least one Boston bat awoke from its slumber, when Trot Nixon belted a Meche fastball over the wall in dead center with the bases empty and two outs. For Trot, it was four-bagger number eight. But more importantly, it knotted the game at 1-1 and sent a spark of enthusiasm through that quiet Boston dugout.

And then in the last of the seventh, Ivan Rodriguez turned that spark into the flame with a lead-off home run (his 18th) that gave Boston its first lead since Friday. Sox were up 2-1, and with Niekro effectively shutting down those pesky Mariner bats, the sellout crowd began to smell another Boston victory.

But Nixon wasn't finished. Manny Ramirez opened the last of the eighth with a base hit just past the outstretched glove of secondbaseman Ramon Santiago and into right field. Two outs later, Trot unloaded another bomb, this one into the bullpen in right, and the Sox faithful erupted. Niekro (4-0) finished the game with a 1-2-3 ninth, extending his streak of innings pitched without allowing a walk to 50 1/3. Boston was back to 20 games over .500, as they prepared for their first trip to the West Coast.

For Nixon, it was his first multi-homer game of 2004, and a boost to his confidence, shaken after manager Terry Francona began platooning Nixon with Gabe Kapler.

Series recap

Game One
Red Sox 3, Mariners 1
Game Two
Mariners 8, Red Sox 2
Game Three
Red Sox 4, Mariners 1


"Franco is gonna do what he feels is necessary for this team to win," Nixon told reporters after the win. "I just need to show him what I can do when I am in the game."

Boston still holds a 7 1/2-game over Baltimore, but the Yankees are closing in, with four straight wins. New York trails by 8 1/2. The Sox have a travel day, as they hit California for their first look at the Anaheim Angels. Unbeaten Bartolo Colon (5-0) is slated to take the mound against Derek Lowe in the first of this two-game set.

[Starbase503]

Halos Seeing Double After Tough 10-inning Loss to Sox

6/1/2004

Anaheim, CA -- It was a wild night in Southern California, as the hosting Anaheim Angels battled back from a 4-0 deficit. However, it was the grit of the Red Sox that prevailed in the end, as Boston whaled EIGHT doubles to dump the Halos in ten innings 6-5.
Double, Double, Toil and Trouble: Manny Ramirez celebrates the second of his four doubles
Johnny Damon, whose batting average plunged 85 points in a horrific May, led off the game against Bartolo Colon with a double into the gap in right-center. One out later, Manny Ramirez roped a Colon curveball into the gap in left-center, plating Damon. Another out later, Jason Varitek smacked the ball off the wall in deep center for the third double of the inning. Sox led 2-0.

The Sox got three more two-baggers in the fourth. Nomar Garciaparra drilled a one-out double and came home on Ramirez' second double of the night. Carlos Delgado followed Manny with his own two-base hit, and the Boston lead was stretched to 4-0.

However, the Angels got it all back in the fifth, when they pounded Sox starter Derek Lowe for five hits. Two-run doubles by Vladimar Guerrero and Garrett Anderson knotted the score at 4-4.

Boston snatched the lead back. Bill Mueller led off the seventh by launching his tenth home run of the season off reliever Rich Rodriguez. However, after two shutout innings by newly acquired relief man Scott Sullivan, the other Scott (Williamson) came on and served up a one-out game-tying home run to DH Tim Salmon.

Williamson was out there when the Angels looked to win it in regulation. But with the winning run in scoring position with just one out, Williamson reached back and found a little extra, fanning Guerrero and Jose Guillen to end the threat.

Facing rally killer Troy Percival, Manny opened the tenth with his fourth double of the game. Two outs later, he stood at third, the game still tied. But with a count of 1-2, Trot Nixon hit a dying quail to shallow centerfield. The ball dropped in, Ramirez scored, and the Red Sox once again had the lead.

Mike Myers came on to try to get the save in the last of the tenth. Garrett Anderson hit a looping line drive down the rightfield line, but Nixon made a sweet running catch. However, Troy Glaus and Salmon followed with singles, and the Angels once again had the winning run on base.

Boston skipper Terry Francona called on Rudy Seanez, coming off a real pasting at the hands of the Seattle Mariners in his last outing. Catcher Bengie Molina laid down Seanez' second pitch for a bunt, but Rudy pounced on the ball and fired a perfect strike to Mueller to nail Glaus at third. Pinch-hitter Robby Hammock, picked up in a trade with Arizona today, hit a little chopper in front of the plate. Seanez again pounced and snapped the throw to Delgado for the final out.

June 1, 2004 (Anaheim Stadium)

TEAMS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Boston Red Sox 2 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 6 14 0
Anaheim Angels 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 1 0 0 5 15 0
Johnny Damon 4-for-5, Manny Ramirez 4-for-5, 4 doubles, 3 runs, 2 RBIS





For Boston, it was a big win in many ways. Despite their recent success, the bats had gone suddenly flat. But tonight they rapped out 14 hits, ten of them for extra bases. Johnny Damon, who struggled all through May, apparently looked at the calendar prior to tonight's game, as he went 4-for-5, with a double and a triple. The Sox have so far won eight of nine against the AL West clubs.

Baltimore knocked off the Yankees tonight, so the Birds stay 7 1/2 back, while New York drops to 9 1/2 behind the first place Sox.

[Starbase503]

Halos Seeing Double After Tough 10-inning Loss to Sox

6/1/2004

Anaheim, CA -- It was a wild night in Southern California, as the hosting Anaheim Angels battled back from a 4-0 deficit. However, it was the grit of the Red Sox that prevailed in the end, as Boston whaled EIGHT doubles to dump the Halos in ten innings 6-5.
Double, Double, Toil and Trouble: Manny Ramirez celebrates the second of his four doubles
Johnny Damon, whose batting average plunged 85 points in a horrific May, led off the game against Bartolo Colon with a double into the gap in right-center. One out later, Manny Ramirez roped a Colon curveball into the gap in left-center, plating Damon. Another out later, Jason Varitek smacked the ball off the wall in deep center for the third double of the inning. Sox led 2-0.

The Sox got three more two-baggers in the fourth. Nomar Garciaparra drilled a one-out double and came home on Ramirez' second double of the night. Carlos Delgado followed Manny with his own two-base hit, and the Boston lead was stretched to 4-0.

However, the Angels got it all back in the fifth, when they pounded Sox starter Derek Lowe for five hits. Two-run doubles by Vladimar Guerrero and Garrett Anderson knotted the score at 4-4.

Boston snatched the lead back. Bill Mueller led off the seventh by launching his tenth home run of the season off reliever Rich Rodriguez. However, after two shutout innings by newly acquired relief man Scott Sullivan, the other Scott (Williamson) came on and served up a one-out game-tying home run to DH Tim Salmon.

Williamson was out there when the Angels looked to win it in regulation. But with the winning run in scoring position with just one out, Williamson reached back and found a little extra, fanning Guerrero and Jose Guillen to end the threat.

Facing rally killer Troy Percival, Manny opened the tenth with his fourth double of the game. Two outs later, he stood at third, the game still tied. But with a count of 1-2, Trot Nixon hit a dying quail to shallow centerfield. The ball dropped in, Ramirez scored, and the Red Sox once again had the lead.

Mike Myers came on to try to get the save in the last of the tenth. Garrett Anderson hit a looping line drive down the rightfield line, but Nixon made a sweet running catch. However, Troy Glaus and Salmon followed with singles, and the Angels once again had the winning run on base.

Boston skipper Terry Francona called on Rudy Seanez, coming off a real pasting at the hands of the Seattle Mariners in his last outing. Catcher Bengie Molina laid down Seanez' second pitch for a bunt, but Rudy pounced on the ball and fired a perfect strike to Mueller to nail Glaus at third. Pinch-hitter Robby Hammock, picked up in a trade with Arizona today, hit a little chopper in front of the plate. Seanez again pounced and snapped the throw to Delgado for the final out.

June 1, 2004 (Anaheim Stadium)

TEAMS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Boston Red Sox 2 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 6 14 0
Anaheim Angels 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 1 0 0 5 15 0
Johnny Damon 4-for-5, Manny Ramirez 4-for-5, 4 doubles, 3 runs, 2 RBIS





For Boston, it was a big win in many ways. Despite their recent success, the bats had gone suddenly flat. But tonight they rapped out 14 hits, ten of them for extra bases. Johnny Damon, who struggled all through May, apparently looked at the calendar prior to tonight's game, as he went 4-for-5, with a double and a triple. The Sox have so far won eight of nine against the AL West clubs.

Baltimore knocked off the Yankees tonight, so the Birds stay 7 1/2 back, while New York drops to 9 1/2 behind the first place Sox.

[Starbase503]

Halos Seeing Double After Tough 10-inning Loss to Sox

6/1/2004

Anaheim, CA -- It was a wild night in Southern California, as the hosting Anaheim Angels battled back from a 4-0 deficit. However, it was the grit of the Red Sox that prevailed in the end, as Boston whaled EIGHT doubles to dump the Halos in ten innings 6-5.
Double, Double, Toil and Trouble: Manny Ramirez celebrates the second of his four doubles
Johnny Damon, whose batting average plunged 85 points in a horrific May, led off the game against Bartolo Colon with a double into the gap in right-center. One out later, Manny Ramirez roped a Colon curveball into the gap in left-center, plating Damon. Another out later, Jason Varitek smacked the ball off the wall in deep center for the third double of the inning. Sox led 2-0.

The Sox got three more two-baggers in the fourth. Nomar Garciaparra drilled a one-out double and came home on Ramirez' second double of the night. Carlos Delgado followed Manny with his own two-base hit, and the Boston lead was stretched to 4-0.

However, the Angels got it all back in the fifth, when they pounded Sox starter Derek Lowe for five hits. Two-run doubles by Vladimar Guerrero and Garrett Anderson knotted the score at 4-4.

Boston snatched the lead back. Bill Mueller led off the seventh by launching his tenth home run of the season off reliever Rich Rodriguez. However, after two shutout innings by newly acquired relief man Scott Sullivan, the other Scott (Williamson) came on and served up a one-out game-tying home run to DH Tim Salmon.

Williamson was out there when the Angels looked to win it in regulation. But with the winning run in scoring position with just one out, Williamson reached back and found a little extra, fanning Guerrero and Jose Guillen to end the threat.

Facing rally killer Troy Percival, Manny opened the tenth with his fourth double of the game. Two outs later, he stood at third, the game still tied. But with a count of 1-2, Trot Nixon hit a dying quail to shallow centerfield. The ball dropped in, Ramirez scored, and the Red Sox once again had the lead.

Mike Myers came on to try to get the save in the last of the tenth. Garrett Anderson hit a looping line drive down the rightfield line, but Nixon made a sweet running catch. However, Troy Glaus and Salmon followed with singles, and the Angels once again had the winning run on base.

Boston skipper Terry Francona called on Rudy Seanez, coming off a real pasting at the hands of the Seattle Mariners in his last outing. Catcher Bengie Molina laid down Seanez' second pitch for a bunt, but Rudy pounced on the ball and fired a perfect strike to Mueller to nail Glaus at third. Pinch-hitter Robby Hammock, picked up in a trade with Arizona today, hit a little chopper in front of the plate. Seanez again pounced and snapped the throw to Delgado for the final out.

June 1, 2004 (Anaheim Stadium)

TEAMS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Boston Red Sox 2 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 6 14 0
Anaheim Angels 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 1 0 0 5 15 0
Johnny Damon 4-for-5, Manny Ramirez 4-for-5, 4 doubles, 3 runs, 2 RBIS





For Boston, it was a big win in many ways. Despite their recent success, the bats had gone suddenly flat. But tonight they rapped out 14 hits, ten of them for extra bases. Johnny Damon, who struggled all through May, apparently looked at the calendar prior to tonight's game, as he went 4-for-5, with a double and a triple. The Sox have so far won eight of nine against the AL West clubs.

Baltimore knocked off the Yankees tonight, so the Birds stay 7 1/2 back, while New York drops to 9 1/2 behind the first place Sox.

[Starbase503]

Back-to-back Jacks Awaken Snoozing Boston Bats

6/2/2004

Anaheim, CA -- After last night's wild 10-inning, 29-hit affair that featured the top two offenses in baseball, fans and both teams expected more of the same in this closing game of the short two-game set.
However, here in the land of Disney, the pitching of wins leader Tim Wakefield and Angel southpaw Jarrod Washburn were anything but Mickey Mouse. Through six innings, Wakefield held the high-octane Halo attack to no runs and three hits. Washburn was even better, going six-and-a-third innings before surrendering his first hit, a one-out double by Manny Ramirez in the seventh.

One out later, Washburn left his fastball too much over the plate, and Jason Varitek lashed a single to center that Garrett Anderson overran trying to come up with a strong throw home. The result was an easy RBI for Varitek, and the scoreless duel was cracked open a bit. Sox up 1-0.

The Angels got it back, though. Anderson stroked a one-out single, then Troy Glaus caught a Wakefield mistake and ripped the ball to the wall between Ramirez and centerfielder Johnny Damon. Anderson stopped at third, and the Angels were threatening with two in scoring position. Salmon hit a fly to straightaway center that Damon caught. However, his throw was off-target as Anderson scored to tie the game at 1-1.

With Wakefield running on fumes, Sox manager Terry Francona elected to bring on lefty Mike Myers to face the Angels in the last of the eighth. Again, a threat was mounted. Adam Kennedy dropped a pop fly in front of the racing Gabe Kapler for a lead-off single. Two outs later, he stood 90 feet away from paydirt, with Valdimar Guerrero stepping up. The Red Sox elected to put Guerrero on, with Jose Guillen to follow, a hitter the Sox had thus far dominated.

The strategy paid off, as Guillen hit the ball the farthest he has all series, when he dribbled a grounder to Carlos Delgado at first.

We move to the ninth, the second straight night these two teams entered the final frame with a tie score. The sellout crowd had fallen into an uncomfortable silence, a low hum of tension circuiting through the throng. But the buzz of the Manny blast was nothing compared to that which accompanied the next hit, a 510-foot moon shot by Ivan Rodriguez that cleared the fountain beyond the fence in left-center field.

Closer Keith Foulke, in limited duty since his two straight blown saves, came on to pitch a perfect ninth to pick up his 12th save.

The Yankees beat Baltimore, dropping the Orioles 8 1/2 games back of the Sox. The Yanks remained 9 1/2 behind.

The Red Sox have a day off now as they travel to Kansas City to take on the Royals, whose 27-26 record has KC 1 1/2 games ahead of Cleveland in the division nobody seems to want to win.

TEAMS... R H E
Boston Red Sox 3 7 0
Anaheim Angels 1 6 0

PITCHING STATS...
WP - Mike Myers (1-1)
LP - Bart Miadich (0-1)
S - Keith Foulke (12)

STAT LEADERS...
Manny Ramirez 29th HR in 9th
Ivan Rodriguez 19th HR in 9th
Tim Wakefield 7IP, 5H, 1R, 3K

NEXT SIX GAMES...3 @ Kansas City, 3 vs. San Diego

The Royals are, for the moment, the best of baseball's weakest division. The Sox will have to be careful not to let down after the emotional two games in Anaheim. San Diego is the first of Boston's interleague matchups against the NL West.

[Starbase503]

Back-to-back Jacks Awaken Snoozing Boston Bats

6/2/2004

Anaheim, CA -- After last night's wild 10-inning, 29-hit affair that featured the top two offenses in baseball, fans and both teams expected more of the same in this closing game of the short two-game set.
However, here in the land of Disney, the pitching of wins leader Tim Wakefield and Angel southpaw Jarrod Washburn were anything but Mickey Mouse. Through six innings, Wakefield held the high-octane Halo attack to no runs and three hits. Washburn was even better, going six-and-a-third innings before surrendering his first hit, a one-out double by Manny Ramirez in the seventh.

One out later, Washburn left his fastball too much over the plate, and Jason Varitek lashed a single to center that Garrett Anderson overran trying to come up with a strong throw home. The result was an easy RBI for Varitek, and the scoreless duel was cracked open a bit. Sox up 1-0.

The Angels got it back, though. Anderson stroked a one-out single, then Troy Glaus caught a Wakefield mistake and ripped the ball to the wall between Ramirez and centerfielder Johnny Damon. Anderson stopped at third, and the Angels were threatening with two in scoring position. Salmon hit a fly to straightaway center that Damon caught. However, his throw was off-target as Anderson scored to tie the game at 1-1.

With Wakefield running on fumes, Sox manager Terry Francona elected to bring on lefty Mike Myers to face the Angels in the last of the eighth. Again, a threat was mounted. Adam Kennedy dropped a pop fly in front of the racing Gabe Kapler for a lead-off single. Two outs later, he stood 90 feet away from paydirt, with Valdimar Guerrero stepping up. The Red Sox elected to put Guerrero on, with Jose Guillen to follow, a hitter the Sox had thus far dominated.

The strategy paid off, as Guillen hit the ball the farthest he has all series, when he dribbled a grounder to Carlos Delgado at first.

We move to the ninth, the second straight night these two teams entered the final frame with a tie score. The sellout crowd had fallen into an uncomfortable silence, a low hum of tension circuiting through the throng. But the buzz of the Manny blast was nothing compared to that which accompanied the next hit, a 510-foot moon shot by Ivan Rodriguez that cleared the fountain beyond the fence in left-center field.

Closer Keith Foulke, in limited duty since his two straight blown saves, came on to pitch a perfect ninth to pick up his 12th save.

The Yankees beat Baltimore, dropping the Orioles 8 1/2 games back of the Sox. The Yanks remained 9 1/2 behind.

The Red Sox have a day off now as they travel to Kansas City to take on the Royals, whose 27-26 record has KC 1 1/2 games ahead of Cleveland in the division nobody seems to want to win.

TEAMS... R H E
Boston Red Sox 3 7 0
Anaheim Angels 1 6 0

PITCHING STATS...
WP - Mike Myers (1-1)
LP - Bart Miadich (0-1)
S - Keith Foulke (12)

STAT LEADERS...
Manny Ramirez 29th HR in 9th
Ivan Rodriguez 19th HR in 9th
Tim Wakefield 7IP, 5H, 1R, 3K

NEXT SIX GAMES...3 @ Kansas City, 3 vs. San Diego

The Royals are, for the moment, the best of baseball's weakest division. The Sox will have to be careful not to let down after the emotional two games in Anaheim. San Diego is the first of Boston's interleague matchups against the NL West.

[Starbase503]

Back-to-back Jacks Awaken Snoozing Boston Bats

6/2/2004

Anaheim, CA -- After last night's wild 10-inning, 29-hit affair that featured the top two offenses in baseball, fans and both teams expected more of the same in this closing game of the short two-game set.
However, here in the land of Disney, the pitching of wins leader Tim Wakefield and Angel southpaw Jarrod Washburn were anything but Mickey Mouse. Through six innings, Wakefield held the high-octane Halo attack to no runs and three hits. Washburn was even better, going six-and-a-third innings before surrendering his first hit, a one-out double by Manny Ramirez in the seventh.

One out later, Washburn left his fastball too much over the plate, and Jason Varitek lashed a single to center that Garrett Anderson overran trying to come up with a strong throw home. The result was an easy RBI for Varitek, and the scoreless duel was cracked open a bit. Sox up 1-0.

The Angels got it back, though. Anderson stroked a one-out single, then Troy Glaus caught a Wakefield mistake and ripped the ball to the wall between Ramirez and centerfielder Johnny Damon. Anderson stopped at third, and the Angels were threatening with two in scoring position. Salmon hit a fly to straightaway center that Damon caught. However, his throw was off-target as Anderson scored to tie the game at 1-1.

With Wakefield running on fumes, Sox manager Terry Francona elected to bring on lefty Mike Myers to face the Angels in the last of the eighth. Again, a threat was mounted. Adam Kennedy dropped a pop fly in front of the racing Gabe Kapler for a lead-off single. Two outs later, he stood 90 feet away from paydirt, with Valdimar Guerrero stepping up. The Red Sox elected to put Guerrero on, with Jose Guillen to follow, a hitter the Sox had thus far dominated.

The strategy paid off, as Guillen hit the ball the farthest he has all series, when he dribbled a grounder to Carlos Delgado at first.

We move to the ninth, the second straight night these two teams entered the final frame with a tie score. The sellout crowd had fallen into an uncomfortable silence, a low hum of tension circuiting through the throng. But the buzz of the Manny blast was nothing compared to that which accompanied the next hit, a 510-foot moon shot by Ivan Rodriguez that cleared the fountain beyond the fence in left-center field.

Closer Keith Foulke, in limited duty since his two straight blown saves, came on to pitch a perfect ninth to pick up his 12th save.

The Yankees beat Baltimore, dropping the Orioles 8 1/2 games back of the Sox. The Yanks remained 9 1/2 behind.

The Red Sox have a day off now as they travel to Kansas City to take on the Royals, whose 27-26 record has KC 1 1/2 games ahead of Cleveland in the division nobody seems to want to win.

TEAMS... R H E
Boston Red Sox 3 7 0
Anaheim Angels 1 6 0

PITCHING STATS...
WP - Mike Myers (1-1)
LP - Bart Miadich (0-1)
S - Keith Foulke (12)

STAT LEADERS...
Manny Ramirez 29th HR in 9th
Ivan Rodriguez 19th HR in 9th
Tim Wakefield 7IP, 5H, 1R, 3K

NEXT SIX GAMES...3 @ Kansas City, 3 vs. San Diego

The Royals are, for the moment, the best of baseball's weakest division. The Sox will have to be careful not to let down after the emotional two games in Anaheim. San Diego is the first of Boston's interleague matchups against the NL West.

[Starbase503]

Sox Win by the Skin of Niekro\'s Knuckles

6/6/2004

Ewing Kaufmann Stadium, Kansas City MO -- Two games, two aces from the number one pitching staff in baseball. The result? Eleven runs, THIRTY hits.
After a grueling two games decided by one run each, in which no lead was seemingly safe, it was Phil Niekro and Darrell May who plugged the [censored]. May allowed no hits at all through the first six innings, and just two hits in totality, but thanks to Niekro's knuckler, he still ended up on the losing end of a 2-0 squeaker.

Niekro went the distance, scattering six hits, striking out four and again not walking a single batter. He has not allowed a free pass this season, over a span of almost 60 innings pitched.

The Red Sox bats were more than quiet today. They were comotose, hitless through six. Granted, many of May's pitches were hammered hard. Unfortunately for Boston, they were always right at somebody.
Ellis Burks was all smiles in the Boston dugout after doubling and scoring the game's first run in the 7th. Sox beat KC 2-0.

Finally, a Boston hitter was able to hit it where they weren't. Ellis Burks, spelling Johnny Damon in centerfield, lashed a leadoff double into the gap in right-center. Manny Ramirez tried to give one a ride, but he got under it, hitting a weak flyball to Juan Gonzalez in right. Gonzalez dropped it, however, his second error of the day, and Burks scrambled to third.

Ivan Rodriguez then got the Sox' last hit of the game, an RBI double off the wall in center. Ramirez moved to third as Burks crossed the plate, and Boston led 1-0. Jason Varitek followed with a well-hit fly to left, easily deep enough to score Manny with the last run of the game.

Kansas City only managed to mount one scoring threat all game, a stark contrast to their explosive attack of the first two games. In the second inning, Carlos Beltran and Matt Stairs opened the frame with back-to-back singles, putting runners at the corners with no one out.

However, Niekro struck out Mike Sweeney (on a 78-mph fastball!), then got Aaron Guiel to hit a picture perfect double play to Tony Graffanino, who flipped to Nomar Garciaparra and over to Carlos Delgado to stifle the Royal opportunity.

Boston heads home, no doubt drained by this short but wicked road trip. They have a day off for travel before opening up their interleague play against the teams of the National League West. They continue to lead the majors in both batting (a .319 average, 111 homers) and pitching (their 2.91 ERA makes them the only AL East team with an ERA under 4.00).

Series recap
@

Game One
Red Sox 5, Royals 4
Game Two
Royals 7, Red Sox 6
Game Three
Red Sox 2, Royals 0

AAA update: While the Boston Red Sox couldn't buy a hit in Kansas City, the Pawtucket Red Sox were punishing baseballs in their series against Scranton Wilkes-Barre. In the final two games of the series, the PawSox won 11-2 and 21-5, racking up 47 hits against the shellshocked Red Barons' pitchers. Jeremy Giambi unloaded 3 homers with 7 RBIs in Sunday's win, and Borchard, Meares, Benson and Singleton all had four hits in Monday's closeout. The PawSox had nine doubles, two triples and three homers. Pete Benson hit for the cycle. Despite this offensive thrust, Pawtucket remains 4 1/2 back of Buffalo in the IL North. ...

[Starbase503]

Sox Win by the Skin of Niekro\'s Knuckles

6/6/2004

Ewing Kaufmann Stadium, Kansas City MO -- Two games, two aces from the number one pitching staff in baseball. The result? Eleven runs, THIRTY hits.
After a grueling two games decided by one run each, in which no lead was seemingly safe, it was Phil Niekro and Darrell May who plugged the [censored]. May allowed no hits at all through the first six innings, and just two hits in totality, but thanks to Niekro's knuckler, he still ended up on the losing end of a 2-0 squeaker.

Niekro went the distance, scattering six hits, striking out four and again not walking a single batter. He has not allowed a free pass this season, over a span of almost 60 innings pitched.

The Red Sox bats were more than quiet today. They were comotose, hitless through six. Granted, many of May's pitches were hammered hard. Unfortunately for Boston, they were always right at somebody.
Ellis Burks was all smiles in the Boston dugout after doubling and scoring the game's first run in the 7th. Sox beat KC 2-0.

Finally, a Boston hitter was able to hit it where they weren't. Ellis Burks, spelling Johnny Damon in centerfield, lashed a leadoff double into the gap in right-center. Manny Ramirez tried to give one a ride, but he got under it, hitting a weak flyball to Juan Gonzalez in right. Gonzalez dropped it, however, his second error of the day, and Burks scrambled to third.

Ivan Rodriguez then got the Sox' last hit of the game, an RBI double off the wall in center. Ramirez moved to third as Burks crossed the plate, and Boston led 1-0. Jason Varitek followed with a well-hit fly to left, easily deep enough to score Manny with the last run of the game.

Kansas City only managed to mount one scoring threat all game, a stark contrast to their explosive attack of the first two games. In the second inning, Carlos Beltran and Matt Stairs opened the frame with back-to-back singles, putting runners at the corners with no one out.

However, Niekro struck out Mike Sweeney (on a 78-mph fastball!), then got Aaron Guiel to hit a picture perfect double play to Tony Graffanino, who flipped to Nomar Garciaparra and over to Carlos Delgado to stifle the Royal opportunity.

Boston heads home, no doubt drained by this short but wicked road trip. They have a day off for travel before opening up their interleague play against the teams of the National League West. They continue to lead the majors in both batting (a .319 average, 111 homers) and pitching (their 2.91 ERA makes them the only AL East team with an ERA under 4.00).

Series recap
@

Game One
Red Sox 5, Royals 4
Game Two
Royals 7, Red Sox 6
Game Three
Red Sox 2, Royals 0

AAA update: While the Boston Red Sox couldn't buy a hit in Kansas City, the Pawtucket Red Sox were punishing baseballs in their series against Scranton Wilkes-Barre. In the final two games of the series, the PawSox won 11-2 and 21-5, racking up 47 hits against the shellshocked Red Barons' pitchers. Jeremy Giambi unloaded 3 homers with 7 RBIs in Sunday's win, and Borchard, Meares, Benson and Singleton all had four hits in Monday's closeout. The PawSox had nine doubles, two triples and three homers. Pete Benson hit for the cycle. Despite this offensive thrust, Pawtucket remains 4 1/2 back of Buffalo in the IL North. ...