Sox 99 – Booming Bats

Booming bats and adequate pitching pushed the Red Sox ahead in the wild card race. They first went to Kansas City and emerged with a two-game sweep. The first was a 9-6 seesaw contest which saw Boston rally form a 3-1 deficit to go ahead 5-3 entering the ninth. In a strange set of events, closer Tim Wakefield fanned 4 hitters but, with his knuckler presenting problems for Jason Varitek, surrendered two runs. On the third K and with the contest apparently over, future hero Johnny Damon reached on a passed ball. Rookie Carlos Febles then tied the contest with a homer. Wake also fanned the next batter, but the damage was done. Fortunately, Sox hitters came right back with 4 on 5 hits in the tenth, paced by Brian Daubach’s two-run double. Another passed ball put one over in the bottom half, but Rich Garces nailed down the last out to cop the save. Daubach and Darren Lewis were both 3-for-5, leading a 16-hit attack.

The Sox continued their onslaught on KC pitching the next day with an easy 9-3 victory. Bret Saberhagen ran his record to 8-3, going 8 strong innings. Butch Huskey got the offense going with a two-run homer in the second and Boston broke it open with 4 more in the fourth. Starter Jose Rosado hurt his cause by walking 3 in the inning, which was climaxed by Jose Offerman’s two-run double. The Sox pounded 12 hits, led by 3 from Offerman.

The Townies then returned from a 5-2 trip to face the pitching-poor Mariners, and continued to pound the ball in an 11-6 triumph. The home squad had to rally from 3-1 and 5-4 deficits, and broke a 6-6 tie with Troy O’Leary’s base-clearing triple off future Sox Jeff Fassero. The sizzling Daubach had 3 hits and 5 rbi’s to lead a 10-hit attack. Sox starter Pat Rapp lasted only 2 2/3, but Derek Lowe went 3 strong frames to capture the win.

One of the stranger incidents in Pedro Martinez’ career overshadowed another Sox blowout the following night. Manager Jimy Williams scratched Martinez from the start because the starter had been 15 minutes late. Pedro, who claimed he had been undergoing some personal therapy, was incensed. “If I’m a bad influence on the team, maybe they should get rid of me, ” he was quoted as saying. Bryce Florie started, but was pulled after 4 2/3 and, in a rather bizarre move, Williams put Martinez in the game in the sixth with his team ahead 7-1. Pedey went the final 4 innings to pick up the win, his 17th. The final was 13-2 as the Bosox pounded Jon Halama and 4 relievers for 19 hits, with 5 by Daubach for 6 ribbies. The visitors did salvage game 3 by a 4-3 margin behind rookie Gil Meche, who went 7, allowing 3 hits, walking 3 and fanning 4. Alex Rodriguez contributed his second homer of the series.

The Sox would go on to take 2 of the next 3 from Oakland to take a two-game lead in the wild card. Details on those games will come later. The whole offense was in high gear, with Nomar Garciaparra leading the league at .361, Daubach at .341 and Huskey .362 since joining the team. O’Leary, Offerman, and Reggie Jefferson were all at .285-plus. It was in ERA, however, that the Sox were near the top of the AL, with a 4.28 second only to the Yankees. Much of this success was due to the exploits of Pedro, whose 2.46 was 38 points better than no. 2 David Cone and an amazing 114 above no. 3 Chris Carpenter. But some credit should be given to Williams’ handling of relievers Lowe, Florie, Wakefield, Cormier, Garces and John Wasdin. With the season-ending injury to Tom Gordon, Williams was juggling these men well enough to keep the Sox winning.