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CAMDEN YARDS |
THE "IDIOTS" REVERSE THE CURSE
A bad inning loses the opener
for the Red Sox
April 4, 2004 ... The game-time temperature at Camden Yards last night was 43 degrees, matching the coldest
opener for the Orioles since 1987. But as the Sox opened their 104th season amid some of the highest hopes in franchise history, something bedeviled Martinez in a tumultuous second inning that contributed to a 7-2 loss before 47,683 heavily-clad witnesses at Oriole Park. The lapse helped to extend Boston's losing streak in
season openers to four.
Martinez, who left the ballpark while his teammates tried in vain to battle back, ultimately got precious little help as the Sox put 19 runners on base and scored only on Manny Ramirez's third-inning single and Johnny Damon's fielder's choice with the bases loaded in
the eighth. The Sox ended one inning with a strikeout-caught stealing, were unable to score from first on a two-out double to the right-field corner, stranded runners at second and third with a two- out bunt back to the mound, and bounced into a pair of double plays.
The Sox pen also provided the ace little help as Mike Timlin surrendered three runs while retiring only two batters in the seventh inning, though Timlin was betrayed in part by an apparently faulty defensive play. With one run already in and runners at the corners after
Timlin uncharacteristically walked two batters and allowed an RBI grounder by Rafael Palmeiro, Lopez sent a fly ball to right center that dropped untouched. Either center fielder Damon or right fielder Kapler appeared within range, but neither was able to capitalize, allowing a two-run
double that left the Sox in a 6-1 bind. An error by shortstop Cesar Crespo, a late-game sub appearing in his first career opener, cleared the way for the final Baltimore run.
The shame of it for the Sox was that Martinez recovered well from his stormy second and a number of hitters had a productive opening night despite the difficult conditions. Defending batting champ Mueller joined Kapler in collecting three hits, while Ramirez and
Bellhorn each had two.
But in the end, the Sox were unable to overcome Martinez's shaky second, the defensive lapses, and their futility at the plate. |
