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JEFF SUPPAN |
REVERSING THE CURSE,
PART 1
THE NOMAR ERA BEGINS
Jeff Suppan
pitches a gem for the Sox
July 24,
1997 ... Jeff
Suppan provided an encouraging glimpse of the present. The glamour
boy of the Triple A Class of 1996 showed the Fenway Faithful why he
is considered one of Boston's best pitching prospects, going 7 2/3
innings for his fifth win in as many decisions, a 3-0 shutout of the
Oakland Athletics.
The
22-year-old right-hander allowed only four hits, walked two, and struck out six
-- all looking. Jim Corsi took over with two out in the eighth and pitched out
of a jam. Heathcliff Slocumb pitched the ninth, fanning two of the four batters
he faced en route to his 17th save in 21 opportunities.
Suppan won
for the third time in as many starts. This is the rejuvenated Jeff Suppan, who
is showing the kind of confidence the Sox expected out of him coming out of the
minors. A year ago, he made the leap and came down hard from a 10-6 record at
Pawtucket. He made eight starts for Boston and had a 1-1 record in August before
he was lost for the season with an elbow strain. This past April, he suffered
from tendinitis and wound up starting the year at Pawtucket, where he was 5-1 in
nine starts. After posting two victories and seven no-decisions in his first
nine major league starts of 1997, Suppan has put the pieces together.
In his short
career, Suppan had never faced the Athletics. Jose Canseco was a teammate of his
last year. Mark McGwire was a legend from the other side of the moon. Last night
Suppan yielded only a walk in three duels with Canseco. McGwire singled but
struck out three times.
Suppan
challenged hitters with fastballs when they were looking for something
off-speed. They were confused. A year ago, he had a reputation as a finesse
pitcher, mostly because he didn't throw as hard as advertised. Tonight he was a
painter.
Suppan
outdueled Oakland starter Brad Rigby, who gave up two runs on nine hits in six
innings. Boston helped him out by hitting into five double plays. In the fifth,
Rigby induced Hatteberg to hit into a double play that erased Troy O'Leary
(single) in the process. But Darren Bragg then singled. And on a 3-and-1 pitch,
Jeff Frye shot a ball behind the runner on a run-and-hit, and it hugged the
right-field line, allowing Bragg to score. Frye then came home on Garciaparra's
triple.
The
Athletics had baserunners in the sixth and seventh. Williams decided Suppan had
had enough after he gave up a two-out single to pinch hitter Brent Mayne in the
eighth. Corsi took over and gave up a single to Damon Mashore. But then he
caught Tony Batista looking, Oakland's seventh such strikeout of the night.
Garciaparra's 16th home run of the year leading off the eighth gave the Sox a
3-0 cushion. Nomar was a single shy of the cycle with a double and a
triple. |
