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ROCCO BALDELLI |
THE "IDIOTS" REVERSE THE CURSE
The Devil Rays come back to sting the Sox
August 4, 2004 ... Bronson Arroyo worked into the
seventh inning with a 4-1 lead against the Devil Rays. Arroyo twice shook off signs from catcher Jason Varitek to fire pitches low and away to Toby Hall on a 1-2 count with no outs and the bases loaded. Arroyo insisted on throwing a sinking fastball, and he paid the price as Hall crushed the misplaced heater for a decisive
grand slam as the Rays stunned the Red Sox, 5-4, before 18,133 at Tropicana Field.
Hall's shot, which snapped an 0-for-18 slump, prevented the Sox from sweeping their first three-game road series since April 23-25 in the Bronx.
Dropping to 4-4 on their 11-game road trip, the longest of the season, the Sox lurched toward trouble when Arroyo allowed a single to Jose Cruz leading off the seventh and walked Tino Martinez on a 3- 2 pitch. With no outs, Julio Lugo hit a potential double-play ball toward third baseman
Kevin Youkilis, but the ball took a bad hop, allowing Lugo to reach on an error and clearing the way for Hall's jolt.
Still, the Sox had a couple of prime chances in the ninth. The first went for naught when Dave Roberts, running for Kevin Millar, tried to score from second base with no outs after Doug Mientkiewicz lined a single to center. The fleet Roberts was gunned down easily on a one-hop strike by
Rocco Baldelli.
Even after Baldelli's throw, the Sox had a chance. But they also stranded Mientkiewicz, who took second on the throw to the plate, as Bill Mueller moved him to third with a ground out and - after Gabe Kapler was hit with a pitch - Johnny Damon popped out to first baseman Martinez to end the
game.
The Sox were paced at the plate by Mueller, who launched a solo homer and doubled home a run. Manny Ramirez also doubled in a run before Millar knocked him in with a sacrifice fly. |
