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GABE KAPLER |
THE "IDIOTS" REVERSE THE CURSE
Gabe Kapler helps the Sox win again
September 7, 2004 ... The Sox seized a second
straight game from the playoff-hungry A's to maintain their four-game lead over the Angels in the wild-card race and stay within 2 1/2 games of the division-leading Yankees with 25 games to play.
The surging Sox provided the latest excitement as they turned a solid outing from Derek Lowe and plenty of pop from their Johnny Damon-led lineup into a 7-1 cakewalk over the A's before 29,659 at Network Associates Coliseum. With their 19th victory in 21 games, the Sox clinched this
three-game series.
Lowe, who improved to 14-10, propelled the Sox to their ninth victory in their last 10 road games by rationing the A's their lone run on five hits and four walks over 6 1/3 innings before he departed - without a gesture - to a cascade of boos from the frustrated legions from the Bay area.
The A's have lost seven of eight this year to the Sox, who came back from a two-game deficit last October to steal the best-of-five Division Series from them. Lowe, who finished off the A's last year in the playoffs, improved to 7-1 over his last 10 starts in his comeback from a subpar first
half.
Johnny Damon, returning from a four-game absence (sprained right pinkie), sparked the Sox attack by smacking a home run leading off the game. The last person Oakland starter Mark Redman likely wanted to face at that point was Damon, who was batting .588 (10 for 17) with a home run against
him. Damon whacked Redman's second pitch for his 15th homer of the season and the 15th of his career leading off a game. Kapler followed Damon's lead by clubbing a two-run homer in the second inning and adding an RBI single in a game-breaking, three- run sixth inning. Orlando Cabrera
provided the other big hit in the sixth, a two-run double.
On a night when the slugging tandem of Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz went a combined 1 for 8, Kevin Millar chipped in as he singled, doubled, homered, and walked, scoring three times. Jason Varitek doubled to extend his hitting streak to 13 games and scored on Cabrera's double.
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