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THE "IDIOTS" REVERSE THE CURSE
The Sox on the winning end of a close game
July 20, 2004 ... The
Sox won a
gut-wrenching 9-7 triumph of endurance over the Seattle Mariners in which the man of the hour, Keith Foulke, was the same man for whom the bells had tolled the night before, when he gave up consecutive home runs in the bottom of the ninth. Foulke struck out three straight batters in the ninth, including Edgar Martinez,
who had taken him deep the night before, after putting the tying runs on base with no one out.
An 8-1 lead was what the Sox fashioned by scoring all those runs in one inning, the fourth, when David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez hit home runs on consecutive pitches. The Sox had scored another run in the top of the eighth to take a 9-5 lead when Johnny Damon walked, Mark Bellhorn doubled, and
Ortiz hit a sacrifice fly, but in the bottom of the inning, the first three Mariners reached against reliever Joe Nelson, and two runs were in and the bases were loaded before Alan Embree induced Jolbert Cabrera to fly out to end the inning. Alan Embree had gotten a force play on the first
batter he faced, Scott Spiezio, but there was a walk and a single by Raul Ibanez before he could put down the Mariners.
But despite having the worst record in the American League West, the Mariners, who knocked out 18 hits and stole a franchise-record six bases, five with Doug Mirabelli behind the plate, did not cease and desist until the end.
Nomar Garciaparra, who was limping at times, was supposed to have the day off, according to Francona, but with Reese not available, that obviously changed things. Garciaparra had two hits, including a double in the team's eight-run fourth. Francona said the Sox remain mindful that
Garciaparra needs some time off to rest his right Achilles' tendon. |
