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ON THIS DATE (April 17, 1998) ... With
two runs in the bottom of the ninth and the game winner on Darren
Bragg's bases-loaded single in the 10th, the Red Sox won their
seventh in a row, all at home, and fifth in their last at-bat,
beating the Cleveland Indians, 3-2, before 26,924 fans in Fenway
Park. As a result, they climbed into a first-place tie with the
Orioles in the American League East.
The winning
run was scored by pitcher Steve Avery, who ran for Mo Vaughn in the 10th after
Vaughn singled and motored to third on a base hit by Troy O'Leary off the glove
of second baseman Shawon Dunston. If the ball doesn't hit Dunston's glove,
Vaughn doesn't go to third.
Indians
reliever Paul Assenmacher loaded the bases by intentionally walking Scott
Hatteberg, whose single started the ninth-inning rally capped by Reggie
Jefferson's tying sacrifice fly. The next hitter was Bragg, who had bounced to
the pitcher on his first at-bat and struck out his next three times up against
Cleveland starter Charles Nagy, who matched Pedro Martinez pitch for pitch, shutting
out the Red Sox on seven hits through eight innings. Bragg then shot a ground
ball through the right side.
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