BOSOX OUTLAST HALOS, IMPROVE TO 21-3
Millar, Garciaprra, Nixon Homer
ANAHEIM, Cal., Apr. 26 (AP) - The Boston Red Sox extended their winning streak
to three games with a 10-6 victory over the Anaheim Angels at Edison
Field. The win improved Boston's record to 21-3 on the season, easily the
best mark in major league baseball. The Red Sox are now nine full games in
front of the second place New York Yankees in the American League East.
The Angels drew first blood, pushing a run across in the second inning on Bengie
Molina's RBI fielder's choice.
But the Red Sox roared back with a five-run top of the third thanks to a key
mistake by the Angels. Trot Nixon led off the inning with a single and,
one out later, moved to second when Eric Owens dropped Johnny Damon's fly ball
for an error. Todd Walker popped out, but Nomar Garciaparra started the
merry-go-round with a single to left, scoring Nixon and moving Damon to
second. Manny Ramirez followed with a single to right, plating Damon,
giving Boston a 2-1 lead, and chasing Garciappara to third. Kevin Millar
then emptied the bases with a three-run home run into the left field seats,
putting the Red Sox on top, 5-1. All five runs were unearned, thanks to
the Owens miscue.
The Angels came right back to tie the game in the bottom of the inning, chasing
Red Sox starter John Burkett in the process. Darren Eckstein opened the
frame with a single to right and scored when Adam Kennedy followed by lining a
double into right-center field. Tim Salmon then grounded a single through
the box, scoring Kennedy and cutting the deficit to 5-3. Garrett Anderson
singled to center, putting runners at first and second and Brad Fullmer became
the fifth straight Angel to reach safely when he singled to right, loading the
bases. With action ongoing in the bullpen, Burkett induced Scott Spezio to
lift a foul pop to the left side, but third baseman Shea Hillenbrand muffed
it. The error gave Spezio new life and he took advantage, grounding a
single into left field, plating Salmon to make the score 5-4, and keeping the
bases loaded. Six straight hits for the Angels ended Burkett's day; he was
replaced on the mound by Steve Woodard. Woodard struck out Gary Johnson
for the first out, but then surrendered a sacrifice fly to Molina to tie the
game at five. Owens fanned to finally end the inning.
The Red Sox took the lead for good in the fourth when Trot Nixon drove a Scott
Shields' fastball into the right field seats for a solo home run and a 6-5
Boston advantage. The gap increased to two runs in the sixth, on David
Ortiz's solo home run off the right field foul pole.
In the eighth, the Red Sox took firm control of the game. Facing reliever
Derrick Turnbow, Ramirez singled with one out and moved to second on Millar's
infield hit. Left-hander Rich Rodriguez replaced Turnbow, but Ortiz foiled
the strategy by ripping a double into the right field corner, scoring Ramirez
and advancing Millar to third. Hillenbrand then singled to right-center,
scoring both runners and increasing the lead to 10-5.
The Angels picked up a run in the ninth on Fullmer's sacrifice fly, but it was
too little, too late as Anaheim dropped its second game in a row following a
five-game winning streak.
The 10-run outburst marked the seventh time this season that Boston has scored
in double digits in just 24 games. The Red Sox are scoring just under
seven runs per contest this season, the top mark in major league baseball.
4/26/2003, Bos03-Ana03, Edison Field 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP 2003 Red Sox 0 0 5 1 0 1 0 3 0 10 12 1 2 0 2003 Angels 0 1 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 6 14 1 10 2 Red Sox AB R H BI AVG Angels AB R H BI AVG Damon cf 5 1 1 0 .275 Eckstein ss 5 1 3 0 .211 Walker,T 2b 5 0 0 0 .411 Kennedy,A 2b 5 1 1 1 .241 Garciaparra ss 5 1 2 1 .337 Salmon dh 4 2 3 1 .306 Ramirez,M dh 4 2 2 1 .367 Anderson,G lf 5 1 2 0 .323 Millar lf 4 2 2 3 .296 Fullmer 1b 3 1 1 1 .250 Ortiz,D 1b 4 2 2 2 .271 Spiezio 3b 4 0 3 1 .299 Hillenbrand 3b 4 0 1 2 .379 Johnson,G rf 5 0 1 0 .200 Nixon rf 3 2 2 1 .382 Molina,B c 3 0 0 2 .209 Varitek c 4 0 0 0 .258 Owens cf 4 0 0 0 .300 38 10 12 10 38 6 14 6 Red Sox INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA Burkett 2.0 8 5 3 1 0 61 38 4.13 Woodard W 1-0 3.0 3 0 0 0 3 45 32 3.65 Mendoza H 3 2.0 2 0 0 0 0 34 24 5.56 Lyon 2.0 1 1 1 1 0 27 15 5.91 9.0 14 6 4 2 3 167 109 Angels INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA Shields L 0-1 5.1 8 7 2 0 3 79 54 2.65 Turnbow 2.0 2 2 2 0 0 28 17 3.86 Rodriguez,Rich 1.2 2 1 1 1 1 26 16 6.00 9.0 12 10 5 1 4 133 87 E-Hillenbrand, Owens. 2B-Ortiz,D(3), Kennedy,A(5), Salmon(11), Anderson,G(12), Johnson,G(1). HR-Millar(5), Ortiz,D(5), Nixon(4). RBI-Garciaparra(22), Ramirez,M(20), Millar 3(23), Ortiz,D 2(11), Hillenbrand 2(17), Nixon(16), Kennedy,A(3), Salmon(7), Fullmer(10), Spiezio(12), Molina,B 2(10). SB-Damon(3). CS-Johnson,G. K-Damon, Ortiz,D, Varitek 2, Fullmer, Johnson,G, Owens. BB-Nixon, Fullmer, Spiezio. SF-Fullmer, Molina,B. HBP-Salmon. HB-Mendoza. GWRBI: Nixon Temperature: 57, Sky: clear, Wind: out to center at 18 MPH. Attendance: 45,239 Game Time: 3:03