JOHNNY DAMON

THE "IDIOTS" REVERSE THE CURSE
Johnny Damon continues hot streak

September 1, 2004 ...  Curtis Leskanic recorded the final three outs of the Sox' eighth straight victory, a 12-7 win over Anaheim that widened the Sox' lead to 3 1/2 games over the Angels in the wild-card race, which also is the margin by which they continue to trail the New York Yankees in the American League East.

On back-to-back nights of double-digit Sox runs (10 on Tuesday, a dozen last night), 16 hits each night, and an additional 14 fly balls that were run down last night by Jose Guillen, Garret Anderson, and Vlad Guerrero, the moving targets among a steady stream of Sox rockets launched to every nook and cranny of Fenway Park.

This mash unit was led by Johnny Damon, who had four hits, was on base five times, and for the second straight game touched off a four-run salvo in the first, and Kevin Millar, who bashed a three-run home run in the sixth, but had hits from everyone in the starting lineup, duplicating the top-to-bottom contributions from the night before. Mark Bellhorn doubled home two runs and scored twice and Orlando Cabrera (.379 in his last 16 games) tripled and doubled as the Sox faltered briefly, allowing the Angels to forge a 5-all tie in the third, before scoring seven runs in the middle innings.

Advance reports had suggested the Angels were just as hot as the Sox coming into this series, but after two straight nights in which their starting pitchers were able to register just 10 outs before leaving - former Sox spinner Aaron Sele last night, John Lackey the night before - the 35,076 in attendance last night would hardly be blamed for believing the field was tilted in one direction.

Red Sox manager Terry Francona had much better results from his bullpen after Bronson Arroyo was KO'd in the third, his shortest start of the season. His first call went to Mike Myers. Yes, that Mike Myers, the one who had faced four batters last night and seen all of them score on a grand slam by flyweight Angel Alfredo Amezaga. Myers pitched his way out of the jam.

The rusting Terry Adams, who hadn't pitched in a week, also found himself needed last night, especially with Ramiro Mendoza unavailable because of a groin problem, according to Francona. Adams came in for Myers after he walked Jose Guillen with two outs in the fourth, retired Troy Glaus on a fly ball, then pitched two more scoreless innings, allowing the Sox time to rev up their bats again.

The Sox are now 25 games over .500 and assured of winning the series against the Angels.

The Red Sox scheduled their annual team photo for 4 o'clock this afternoon in front of the Green Monster, and at 4:11 p.m. a head full of jerri curls sprouted out of the Sox dugout. "Hold on, I'm coming, wait for me," Pedro Martinez yelled to his teammates, pulling on his stirrups before jogging to join his teammates. "For the first time in five years I'm going to make one," Martinez, a notorious absentee from the photo shoot, had said upon entering the clubhouse, arms lifted like a champion prize fighter. The Red Sox take a more relaxed view of such absences than other teams, like the Yankees, for whom being AWOL would be practically a capital offense. This year's photo shoot had perfect attendance.

Trot Nixon is scheduled to play today for Triple A Pawtucket after taking another round of batting practice here yesterday, and Pokey Reese, who also hit, may not be far behind.  Reliever Scott Williamson, still hoping to pitch again this season, threw a bullpen session for pitching coach Dave Wallace. Fellow relievers Keith Foulke and Mike Timlin strolled over to watch.