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JASON VARITEK |
THE "IDIOTS" REVERSE THE CURSE
A crucial error gives the Sox the needed runs
May 26, 2004 ... Bobby
Crosby, who replaced Miguel Tejada as the A's shortstop after the former MVP bolted cash-strapped Oakland for $72 million of Baltimore's riches, dropped the ball. With the Sox and A's locked in a 2-2 standoff in Lowe's first appearance against Oakland since the playoffs, the rookie shortstop bobbled a two-out,
bases-loaded grounder in the fourth inning by Mark Bellhorn and threw wildly to second as Boston's base runners hurtled toward home. Crosby's miscue cleared the way for four unearned runs, which proved decisive as the Sox foiled the avenging A's, 9-6, before 34,931 at Fenway Park.
The victory, the fifth straight for the Sox, was hardly triumphal for Lowe, however. Though he improved to 4-4, the sinkerballer struggled through his fourth straight outing, surrendering five runs over six innings as his ERA increased to 6.22 overall and to 8.24 over his last four appearances. Good thing
for Crosby and some timely Sox hitting. Crosby committed his gaffe at a particularly opportune time for Lowe, since the sinkerballer had just let a 1-0 lead slip away.
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BOBBY CROSBY |
With the Sox clinging to a 6-5 lead in the sixth, Jason Varitek broke the game open with a three-run blast over the Monster, knocking in Johnny Damon, who had doubled, and Manny Ramirez, whom A's starter Mark Redman had intentionally walked to face Varitek. Damon, who also walked twice, scored two runs.
Every other Sox starter but David Ortiz scored a run, and Ortiz, who entered the game leading the American League with 38 RBIs, chipped in with a run-scoring single. Bellhorn and Kevin Youkilis singled in the other Sox runs.
As for Lowe, he surrendered the five runs on nine hits, including a two-run homer by Eric Chavez, and a walk as he threw 96 pitches over six innings. He needed the Sox pen to carry him the rest of the way, which proved to be little problem after Anastacio Martinez yielded a run on three straight singles
after starting the seventh. From there, Alan Embree, Mike Timlin, and Keith Foulke each retired three batters to finish off the A's. Foulke did the honors in the ninth to pick up his 10th save and 24th straight since last season.
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