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“DIARY OF A WINNER”
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THE ALL STARS
& PEDRO'S HISTORIC YEAR May 10, 1999 ... Nomar Garciaparra, playing in a town that understands that his tales of youth and promise, hope and glory, will shimmer long after he leaves the antiquated stage that is Fenway Park. But for all he already has done that seems touched by myth, the 25-year-old Garciaparra did something last night he had never done before. On a night that must have sent even 80-year-old Ted Williams to dancing, his reconstructed hip be damned, Nomar hit three home runs, including two grand slams, and drove in 10 runs in a 12-4 win over the pitching-deficient Seattle Mariners, equaling a raft of records while enjoying a night he never thought possible. Nomar became the fourth Sox player, and first since outfielder Fred Lynn on June 18, 1975, to have 10 RBIs in a game. The others were first basemen Norm Zauchin (1955) and Rudy York (1946). He is the third Sox player to hit two grand slams in a game, joining third baseman Jim Tabor (1939) and York ('46). Nomar etched his name in history on the first pitch to him from Seattle rookie Eric Weaver with the bases loaded in the eighth inning, driving a ball through a 14 mile-per-hour northwest wind into the left-field screen. Nomar's first two home runs of the night came off another rookie righthander, Brett Hinchliffe, who was brought up from the minors for just this occasion but did nothing to ease the pain of a staff that has the worst earned run average in the major leagues (6.54). The Sox shortstop hit a grand slam into the visitors' bullpen in the first inning and followed that two innings later with a two-run home run just inside the Pesky Pole. The home runs gave Nomar five in a stretch of 21 at-bats, and powered the Red Sox to their fifth straight win and eighth against the Mariners in their last nine games here. Not only was it the first three-homer game of his career, but it was the first multihomer game by a Sox player this season. Troy O'Leary gave the Sox another first when he followed Nomar's third-inning shot with his eighth home run, which gave the Sox an 8-2 lead and marked the first time this season Boston has had back-to-back home runs. In the first inning, Jeff Frye and John Valentin singled and Brian Daubach was hit by a pitch before Nomar drove a 1-and-1 pitch into the Mariners' bullpen for his first slam. In the third, Daubach doubled high off the left-center field wall before Nomar went the opposite way again, this time curling an 0-and-1 pitch just inside the right-field foul pole, 310 feet away. Darren Lewis led off the eighth with a single, and after Frye bounced into a force play, Valentin and Daubach walked, setting the stage for Nomar's second slam, which led him to come out for a rare curtain call. The Sox' show of power should have made it an easy night for starter Pat Rapp, who was looking for his first win in home polyesters. Instead, Rapp, who was knocked out of his last start one out into the game, made another early exit, departing in the third to the boos of a crowd of 21,660. Rapp gave up five hits and walked four while registering just six outs. Rapp, whose spot in the rotation is in jeopardy after he failed to make it through four innings for the fourth time in six starts, was bailed out by John Wasdin, who entered with the bases loaded in the third and the score 4-1. Wasdin allowed a run on John Mabry's forceout but escaped further damage when Russ Davis struck out and Scott Hatteberg cut down Mabry stealing. He pitched 6 1/3 strong innings before giving way to Kip Gross for the last two outs of the night and was the winning pitcher, but he knew where to send his love. |
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