THE "IDIOTS" REVERSE THE CURSE
Bill Mueller and Johnny Damon combine
for a dramatic walk-off win in the 10th inning

July 8, 2004 ...  The Red Sox dodged a late fright from the A's and staged an electrifying 8-7 walkoff victory in the 10th inning tonight.  The resurgent Sox reclaimed a share of the wild-card lead and sent notice they just may have resurrected their chances for a division title. The Sox are back, as they showed by winning a third straight game for the first time in more than a month and capping the first three-game sweep of the A's at Fenway since 1998.

The walkoff thriller unfolded after the Sox squandered a 7-1 lead, with the A's chipping away for two runs in the sixth off starter Curt Schilling, three more in seventh and eighth against Mike Timlin, and the tying run in the eighth off Keith Foulke, who blew his second save opportunity in six days.

Damon, who has reestablished himself as one of the league's most productive leadoff hitters, ignited the winning rally by singling to left off Lehr with two outs in the 10th. Then came Mueller, who was batting second in the lineup for the first time since he returned from the disabled list six days earlier. Batting lefthanded against the righthanded Lehr, Mueller took one pitch for a ball then laced a fastball to the gap in left. Damon began sprinting from first, but we was running with a sore left knee after painfully fouling a ball off it for the second time this season. Mueller, uncertain Damon could score on the play, tried to will him home. Like Mueller, Damon was not convinced he had enough time to beat the throw to the plate. Damon narrowly beat the throw before his teammates mobbed him and the crowd exalted to the strains of "Dirty Water."

The dramatic finish unfolded after Foulke blew the save in the eighth by allowing a two-out, tying triple to Jermaine Dye. Foulke surrendered an opposite-field, run-scoring single to Scott Hatteberg to allow one of the runners he inherited from Timlin to score. But Foulke returned to hold the A's scoreless in the ninth before Curtis Leskanic pitched a scoreless 10th to pick up the victory.

The Sox bullpen effectively cost Schilling a chance to improve to 12-4 and become the first pitcher in baseball to post eight wins at home this season (he is 7-0 at Fenway). In his last start before the All-Star Game, Schilling was strong enough to carry the Sox into the sixth inning before he departed with one out, runners at the corners, and the 7-3 lead. Schilling, who continues to require two doses of the anesthetic Marcaine each time he pitches, surrendered the three runs on 11 hits, including a solo shot by Eric Byrnes. He walked none and struck out eight before Alan Embree spared him further damage by holding off the A's in the sixth.

David Ortiz, who had gone all but silent in the first two games of the series, and Manny Ramirez helped to power the Sox as Ortiz launched a solo homer in the first inning (his 23d) before Ramirez topped that by unleashing his 24th, a three-run shot in the third. Both blows came against A's starter Rich Harden.

Millar also provided further evidence he may be emerging from his power funk, as he dinged the Wall twice, singling in the second inning and doubling home two runs in the fifth. Trot Nixon also launched a sacrifice fly in the fifth and tried to win it in the ninth with a two-out triple before David McCarty grounded out to end the inning. But the victory came soon, helping to embolden the Sox.

With the A's Tim Hudson injured, AL All-Star manager Joe Torre of the Yankees offered the spot to Martinez, who declined. Torre gave the nod to his starter, Javier Vazquez. Dodgers catcher Paul Lo Duca was added to the NL squad as an injury replacement for Sean Casey of the Reds.

Manny Ramirez homered in consecutive games for the fourth time this season. His three-run shot was his 371st career homer, moving him past Gil Hodges into sole possession of 57th place on the all-time list.

Ellis Burks underwent surgery on his left knee and is expected to be sidelined until nearly September.