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NOMAR GARCIAPARRA |
THE "IDIOTS" REVERSE THE CURSE
The Red Sox hammer the Rangers
July 10, 2004 ...
In their latest act of baseball brutality, Terry Francona's boys stomped on All-Star lefthander Kenny Rogers as if he were just another beverage cup en route to banging out a season-high 21 hits and steamrolling the Rangers, 14-6, before a richly entertained 35,024 on Yawkey Way.
The latest barrage - the Sox matched season highs by scoring 14 runs and swatting five homers - buoyed struggling starter Derek Lowe, who survived six unearned runs in the second inning to snap a three-game losing streak and improve to 7-8 with a 5.57 ERA, down from 6.02. Lowe, who called
the outing perhaps the biggest of his career, allowed four hits, including a grand slam by Hank Blalock, and three walks over seven innings before Alan Embree and Joe Nelson (in his Sox debut) each pitched a scoreless inning.
Manny Ramirez (4 for 5) paced the Sox by slugging a pair of two-run homers and an RBI single on his way to the All-Star Game. But Ramirez had plenty of help, particularly from Nomar Garciaparra (4 for 5 with a two-run homer and RBI double) in his second career start at designated hitter, and
Johnny Damon, who singled to start three rallies and scored three times. Mark Bellhorn also went 4 for 5 with a two-run homer and an RBI double, while Varitek chipped in a two-run homer of his own. The top four batters in the order - Damon, Bellhorn, Garciaparra, and Ramirez - went 15 for 21
(.714) with 11 RBIs and 11 runs.
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MANNY RAMIREZ |
The Sox maintained their one-game lead over the A's in the wild- card race after limping home from a 1-5 road trip and starting the homestand three games off the pace.
After chasing Rogers with two outs in the second (his shortest outing in 40 starts since June 1, 2003), the Sox continued the surge against former Sox pitcher John Wasdin, among other Texas battering rams. The Sox collected 13 or more hits in a fifth straight game for the first time since
July 6, 1984. In another measure of their recent dominance, the Sox extended their streak of putting at least one runner on base to 22 innings. The Sox have been retired in order only three times in their last 42 innings and have hit .400 (80 for 200) over the first five games of the
homestand.
The Sox went with an unfamiliar lineup for a number of reasons, including the birth of David Ortiz's third child and first son, D'Angelo. Ortiz's wife, Tiffany, delivered the 7-pound, 1-ounce boy yesterday afternoon at Brigham and Women's Hospital. Ortiz had been by her side since 7:30 a.m.
Johnny Damon continued his tear with three singles in his first three at-bats to extend his hitting streak to 15 games, the league's longest active streak. His longest career streak is 18 games in 2002. He is batting .500 (24 for 48) this month.
Sox wives will completed their 13th Can and Cash Drive today to benefit the Greater Boston Food Bank. |
