The division-leading Sox stayed strong as May drew to a close, but could not seem to shake the Yankees. A trip to the Big Apple got only one win, as Orlando Hernandez and Roger Clemens captured games 2 and 3.
Local boy Brian Rose continued to shine, as the Townies took the opener 5-2. The righty went 6 innings, allowing only 3 hits and a run. Boston broke a 1-1 tie with 3 in the sixth on a Mike Stanley homer. Nomar Garciaparra connected in the seventh for a 5-1 cushion as Rheal Cormier, Derek Lowe, Mark Guthrie and Tom Gordon (save 8) held the lead. The Sox pounded 15 hits off Hidecki Irabu and three relievers, as the advantage jumped to 2 1/2 games.
Hernandez then got his second win over Boston in 6 days in an 8-3 lacing. The Yanks jumped to a 6-0 lead with 5 in the fifth and the Bosox never really threatened. Mark Portugal, who had won just once in 7 starts, continued to struggle, allowing 6 hits, 5 runs and 4 walks in 4-plus frames. El Duque went 7, permitting just 3 hits. The visitors did not score until the ninth, when they put up 3 on Ramiro Mendoza.
The Clemens contest was summed up by Gordon Edes: “Once more with feeling, Roger Clemens reduced his former teammates to an exercise in frustration, mastering the Red Sox with the same alacrity with which he fled Yawkey Way 29 months ago.” The final was 4-1, as the Yankees teed off on shaky Pat Rapp, Guthrie, and Jim Corsi. The Rocket limited the Sox to 2 hits in 7 innings while fanning 7. The lead dwindled to half a game.
The Townies rebounded quickly, however, moving to Cleveland and sweeping the 32-13 Indians. In a strange contest, the Sox survived 5 passed balls thrown by Tim Wakefield to pound out a 12-5 victory. Despite Jason Varitek’s problems with the knucklers, the visitors triumphed with a season-high 18 hits off Jaret Wright and the bullpen. Boston broke open a 4-3 game with 6 in the fourth, featuring consecutive homers by Brian Daubach and Garciaparra. Wakefield was replaced after 5 frames by Lowe, who went 4 hitless innings. Pedro Martinez then went 8 in a 4-2 victory on Saturday to become the first 10-game winner in the majors. Pedro and the Sox trailed 1-0 entering the eighth, but tied it with hits by Darren Lewis (3 for 4) and Jose Offerman. Nomar then connected for a 400-foot shot off reliever Paul Shuey for the winning runs. Gordon got his 52nd straight save, despite some shaky moments in the ninth.
Boston then completed the sweep behind another sterling effort from Rose. The pride of South Dartmouth had a perfect game for 5 innings before David Justice broke it. Garciaparra again came through, slamming a 3-run homer off Doc Gooden in the third as the Sox took it 4-2. Both runs off Rose were unearned. He left after 6 and Guthrie, Cormier, Corsi and Gordon were nearly perfect in relief.
As May drew to a close, the Sox had won 18 of 23 but still led the Bombers by only half a game. With a 30-19 record, however, they were already setting up for a strong playoff run
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