|
THE "IDIOTS" REVERSE THE CURSE
The Red Sox keep on rolling
and sweep Chicago
August 22, 2004 ... Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz, made all the difference when they rescued a
tail-spinning Derek Lowe from defeat by cracking dramatic back-to-back home runs in the eighth inning to overcome a 5-4 deficit and lift the Sox to a sweeping 6-5 victory before 34,355 at US Cellular Field.
But the box score won't reflect the scare the Sox endured in the bottom of the eighth when Ramirez, who for an instant appeared safely stationed under a routine fly to left field by Ben Davis, slipped and fell on his hands, allowing Davis to reach on a one-out double. The slipup sent Roberto
Alomar, who was running for Carl Everett, to third and put the Sox in dire straits.
Fate left it to Mike Timlin to address the situation. And so he did, first prevailing in a nine-pitch struggle with Ross Gload, who popped out, then winning an eight-pitch showdown by getting Timo Perez to fly to center. It was one rescue effort after another for the Sox as they won their
sixth straight game and the 12th of their last 15. After Timlin's rescue effort, Keith Foulke closed the deal in the ninth inning for his 22d save.
Good thing Ramirez and Ortiz delivered, as did Doug Mientkiewicz, who slugged his first homer in a Sox uniform, a solo shot off Garcia in the second inning. Mientkiewicz's jack came after the Sox scored three runs in the first inning, with Ramirez, Ortiz, and Jason Varitek knocking in one
run apiece. Mientkiewicz also made a sensational diving stab of a shot down the first base line by Everett to flip to Lowe for the third out of the first inning, sparing Lowe from toiling further in a 31-pitch ordeal.
The shots by Ramirez and Ortiz helped Lowe avoid a loss, with a major assist from the Sox pen, including Curtis Leskanic (2-5) and Mike Myers, who helped to hold off Chicago before Timlin and Foulke stepped up. Ramirez was in a groove all weekend, knocking in 12 runs in the sweep. But Ortiz
(2 for 3 with a double, homer, and two RBIs) entered the game in an 0-for-17 slump.
Which the White Sox did, to Lowe's benefit. The plain fact for Lowe was that the home run pitches to Lee and Konerko made an otherwise decent outing appear subpar. In all, Lowe allowed the five runs on seven hits and two walks over 6 2/3 innings as his ERA rose to 5.32 from 5.24. |
.jpg)
