A TEAM "FIT TO BE TIED"
Ninth inning rally pushes the Sox past Tampa

August 30, 2005 ... Despite falling behind, 5-0, after two innings, the Sox surged back, scoring two in the eighth to tie it and winning, 7-6, in the ninth on Trot Nixon's two-out, bases-loaded, curtain-lowering single. Nixon's hit a liner to right that plated David Ortiz and brought the team out to meet him at the first base bag, where commenced much bouncing and whooping, all in celebration of the club's 22d win in 31 games dating to that seminal evening of July 26^th when Matt Clement was hit. Nixon's hit was appropriate in its drama, a fitting ending to a very eventful tale spun before the 206th consecutive full house on Yawkey Way.

This game included warnings for both dugouts in the first inning (after Scott Kazmir hit a batter with his first pitch of the night).

Curt Schilling allowing five runs on seven hits through two innings, then no runs on two hits over his closing four innings, with his 97th and final pitch registering at 94 miles per hour.

There was a key play at the plate when Trot Nixon erased Toby Hall to end the Tampa Bay eighth.

Nixon's throw to the plate is a good place to begin, given that it was as important as his single that would win it. Tampa Bay was ahead, 6-4. Hall, the catcher, was at second when Carl Crawford singled to right. Nixon unleashed a one-hopper, just up the third- base line. Jason Varitek gloved it, swung, and swept at Hall.

Piniella, who made several trips out of the dugout to engage umpires last night, wasn't pleased. And in the bottom of the inning, he'd have even less reason to be.

Kevin Millar the man responsible for the bleach blond hair on not only his head but Schilling's was scheduled to lead off. Instead, Damon walked to the on-deck circle. Damon led off against reliever Joe Borowski, the ex-Cub who since joining Tampa Bay had 20 consecutive scoreless appearances (21 innings) leading into tonight. Damon battled him for a seven-pitch walk, the last pitch extremely close and probably a strike.

Nixon then doubled just over Crawford's head in left, moving Damon to third. Bill Mueller followed with an RBI ground out, which gave Damon his 100th run (he's had at least 100 runs and 30 doubles for eight consecutive seasons). And John Olerud, previously 1 for 8 as a pinch hitter this season, hit for Gabe Kapler and lined a run-scoring single to right, tying the game at 6-6 through eight.

Tampa Bay went 1-2-3 in the top of the ninth, and it seemed the game was going to end in the Sox' favor; it was only a question of how. And that impending doom, coupled with the call on Damon's walk, and on Hall, had the Tampa Bay dugout fuming. Tampa Bay bench coach John McLaren began yapping with home plate umpire Ed Montague near the visiting dugout.

He wouldn't be around for the Sox' 17th win in their last 18 games at Fenway. David Ortiz, with one out in the ninth, walked. Piniella relieved Borowski with closer Danys Baez, who came in to face Manny Ramirez. Ramirez singled to right, and Ortiz chugged around second and flopped into third. Varitek then walked, loading the bases with one out. Damon, up next, lined to right, too shallow for Ortiz to tag up. But up came Nixon, and down went Tampa Bay.

And the team was fortunate to get a win. As Schilling said, the Sox won not because of him but because they scored seven runs, a feat they've accomplished in each of their last dozen games at Fenway, a prime reason they will enter September leading the AL East.