Five-star win

By Bob Hohler, Globe Staff, 10/07/2003

OAKLAND, Calif. - Heaven can wait. This will do just fine for now.

The angel of unrequited baseball dreams smiled last night on the Red Sox as their Dominican superstars - Pedro Martinez and Manny Ramirez - provided the pitching and the power to cap an improbable comeback from a two-game deficit in the best-of-five American League Division Series and eliminate the A's in a 4-3 thriller before 49,397 at Network Associates Coliseum.

Next stop: Fort Steinbrenner, the Bronx, where the Sox and Yankees will open the best-of-seven AL Championship Series tomorrow for a berth in the World Series.

Don't mothball the creaky relic on Yawkey Way just yet. The sun will continue to rise on Boston's pursuit of its first world title in 85 years as the Sox return home this weekend for Games 3 and 4 of the ALCS thanks largely to Martinez, who limited the desperate A's to three runs over seven-plus innings, and Ramirez, whose three-run shot in the sixth inning off reigning Cy Young Award winner Barry Zito provided the margin of victory.

The stars got plenty of help, particularly from Jason Varitek, whose solo blast off Zito accounted for the Sox' first run, and from Boston's long-maligned bullpen. When Martinez ran out of steam after surrendering two hits for a run to open the eighth inning, Alan Embree and Mike Timlin combined to complete the frame. Scott Williamson - the closer the Sox have sought since spring training - started the ninth but walked the first two batters.

Grady Little turned to Derek Lowe to nail it down. After a sacrifice bunt moved the runners to second and third, Lowe fanned Adam Melhuse - looking - for the second out. Chris Singleton walked to load the bases, but Lowe got pinch hitter Terrence Long on strikes - again, looking - to complete the drama.

The victory brought the Sox their first invitation to the ALCS since 1999, while the A's squandered their ninth straight chance to clinch a postseason season series since 2000. The A's, who last advanced to the ALCS in 1992, failed this time by allowing the Sox to become only the fourth team to dig themselves out of a 2-0 deficit since the Division Series was inaugurated in 1995.

Boston's triumph came with a price, however, as Johnny Damon was rushed away by ambulance after he suffered a concussion when his head violently collided with Damian Jackson's head as they chased a fly to shallow center in the seventh inning. Damon, who was bleeding near his right eye, lay for nearly 10 minutes on the field before he was taken to Highland Hospital for evaluation. As he was lifted into the ambulance, he raised his hand as if to say he would be OK. But it was doubtful that Damon, the team's catalyst, would be ready to play in tomorrow's series opener.

Martinez, whose next outing could come against Roger Clemens Saturday in the Fens, was just nasty enough to beat the A's without his untouchable stuff. He prevailed by scattering seven hits, walking one, and hitting a batter before he departed amid Oakland's rally in the eighth. The A's gambled that Zito could match the Sox ace despite pitching on three days' rest for the first time in his career. And though Zito was nearly unhittable in the early innings, the Sox wore him out by the sixth, when Varitek and Ramirez went deep.

As a measure of Zito's dominance in the early innings, he ended the first by striking out Todd Walker, the hardest batter in the American League to fan during the regular season (once per 12 plate appearances). Walker, who had yet to whiff in the postseason, went down on three pitches, flailing at a curve as Zito retired the side in order.

Zito needed only eight pitches to sail through the first inning and eight more to complete the second as the Sox tried in vain to capitalize on first-pitch fastballs rather than wait for the deadly curve. No one looked worse against Zito at the start than Ramirez, who was frozen by a curve that dropped across the outside corner for a third strike in the second inning and whiffed again when he had a chance to stake Martinez to a lead in the fourth.

Damon created the scoring opportunity in the fourth inning by leading off with the first hit off Zito, a bouncer up the middle that second baseman Mark Ellis managed to keep in the infield. A batter later, Damon stole second on a 3-and-1 pitch to Walker, who flied out before Ramirez strode to the plate with two down. Zito wasted no time backing Ramirez into a 1-and-2 corner before he caught him waving weakly at a 90-m.p.h. fastball to strand Damon.

The A's, meanwhile, had little luck driving out Martinez prematurely with a high pitch count, as they did Aug. 12 when they forced him to throw 101 pitches over five innings. Still, Oakland managed to put a runner in scoring position in the third inning when Guillen laced a 93-m.p.h. heater up the middle for a single - the first A's hit - before Martinez drilled Ramon Hernandez on the left hand with a 1-and-2 fastball to force Guillen to second. The mini-threat fizzled when Jermaine Dye grounded into an inning-ending forceout.

But Martinez was less fortunate in the fourth. With two outs, he made the mistake of walking his former catcher, Scott Hatteberg, on a 3-and-1 fastball, high and wide. At that, Guillen scorched a 92-m.p.h. fastball into the gap in right-center, knocking in Hatteberg with the game's first run. The Sox got a break when Guillen tried to stretch the hit to a triple and was gunned out on Nomar Garciaparra's relay from Trot Nixon.

But when Kevin Millar had a chance to help recoup the run in the fifth, he flubbed it. With one out, Millar lashed a single to center and tried to leg it into a double when the ball caromed away from Chris Singleton. But Singleton recovered quickly and erased Millar diving into the bag, leaving the embarrassed cowboy to toss a handful of dirt in frustration.

The gaffe quickly was forgotten, though, when the Sox broke through in the sixth. First, Varitek homered leading off, ripping a 3-and-2 fastball over the wall in left field, to tie it. Then, as Zito seemed to begin tiring, Damon wore him down by waging a nine-pitch battle to emerge from an 0-and-2 hole and draw a walk. A batter later, Zito plunked Walker with a 2-and-1 pitch, pushing Damon to second and bringing up Ramirez.

As bad as Ramirez looked earlier against Zito, all he needed was for the lefty to leave an 89-m.p.h. fastball over the plate on a 2-and-2 count. Ramirez seized the moment, launching his shot high over the left-field wall to propel the Sox into a 4-1 lead.

Martinez responded by surrendering a run in the bottom of the sixth on doubles by Erubiel Durazo and Miguel Tejada, leaving the A's a glimmer of hope.


Home > Sports > Baseball > Red Sox Five-star win By Bob Hohler, Globe Staff, 10/07/2003 OAKLAND, Calif. - Heaven can wait. This will do just fine for now. The angel of unrequited baseball dreams smiled last night on the Red Sox as their Dominican superstars - Pedro Martinez and Manny Ramirez - provided the pitching and the power to cap an improbable comeback from a two-game deficit in the best-of-five American League Division Series and eliminate the A's in a 4-3 thriller before 49,397 at Network Associates Coliseum. Next stop: Fort Steinbrenner, the Bronx, where the Sox and Yankees will open the best-of-seven AL Championship Series tomorrow for a berth in the World Series. Don't mothball the creaky relic on Yawkey Way just yet. The sun will continue to rise on Boston's pursuit of its first world title in 85 years as the Sox return home this weekend for Games 3 and 4 of the ALCS thanks largely to Martinez, who limited the desperate A's to three runs over seven-plus innings, and Ramirez, whose three-run shot in the sixth inning off reigning Cy Young Award winner Barry Zito provided the margin of victory. The stars got plenty of help, particularly from Jason Varitek, whose solo blast off Zito accounted for the Sox' first run, and from Boston's long-maligned bullpen. When Martinez ran out of steam after surrendering two hits for a run to open the eighth inning, Alan Embree and Mike Timlin combined to complete the frame. Scott Williamson - the closer the Sox have sought since spring training - started the ninth but walked the first two batters. Grady Little turned to Derek Lowe to nail it down. After a sacrifice bunt moved the runners to second and third, Lowe fanned Adam Melhuse - looking - for the second out. Chris Singleton walked to load the bases, but Lowe got pinch hitter Terrence Long on strikes - again, looking - to complete the drama. The victory brought the Sox their first invitation to the ALCS since 1999, while the A's squandered their ninth straight chance to clinch a postseason season series since 2000. The A's, who last advanced to the ALCS in 1992, failed this time by allowing the Sox to become only the fourth team to dig themselves out of a 2-0 deficit since the Division Series was inaugurated in 1995. Boston's triumph came with a price, however, as Johnny Damon was rushed away by ambulance after he suffered a concussion when his head violently collided with Damian Jackson's head as they chased a fly to shallow center in the seventh inning. Damon, who was bleeding near his right eye, lay for nearly 10 minutes on the field before he was taken to Highland Hospital for evaluation. As he was lifted into the ambulance, he raised his hand as if to say he would be OK. But it was doubtful that Damon, the team's catalyst, would be ready to play in tomorrow's series opener. Martinez, whose next outing could come against Roger Clemens Saturday in the Fens, was just nasty enough to beat the A's without his untouchable stuff. He prevailed by scattering seven hits, walking one, and hitting a batter before he departed amid Oakland's rally in the eighth. The A's gambled that Zito could match the Sox ace despite pitching on three days' rest for the first time in his career. And though Zito was nearly unhittable in the early innings, the Sox wore him out by the sixth, when Varitek and Ramirez went deep. As a measure of Zito's dominance in the early innings, he ended the first by striking out Todd Walker, the hardest batter in the American League to fan during the regular season (once per 12 plate appearances). Walker, who had yet to whiff in the postseason, went down on three pitches, flailing at a curve as Zito retired the side in order. Zito needed only eight pitches to sail through the first inning and eight more to complete the second as the Sox tried in vain to capitalize on first-pitch fastballs rather than wait for the deadly curve. No one looked worse against Zito at the start than Ramirez, who was frozen by a curve that dropped across the outside corner for a third strike in the second inning and whiffed again when he had a chance to stake Martinez to a lead in the fourth. Damon created the scoring opportunity in the fourth inning by leading off with the first hit off Zito, a bouncer up the middle that second baseman Mark Ellis managed to keep in the infield. A batter later, Damon stole second on a 3-and-1 pitch to Walker, who flied out before Ramirez strode to the plate with two down. Zito wasted no time backing Ramirez into a 1-and-2 corner before he caught him waving weakly at a 90-m.p.h. fastball to strand Damon. The A's, meanwhile, had little luck driving out Martinez prematurely with a high pitch count, as they did Aug. 12 when they forced him to throw 101 pitches over five innings. Still, Oakland managed to put a runner in scoring position in the third inning when Guillen laced a 93-m.p.h. heater up the middle for a single - the first A's hit - before Martinez drilled Ramon Hernandez on the left hand with a 1-and-2 fastball to force Guillen to second. The mini-threat fizzled when Jermaine Dye grounded into an inning-ending forceout. But Martinez was less fortunate in the fourth. With two outs, he made the mistake of walking his former catcher, Scott Hatteberg, on a 3-and-1 fastball, high and wide. At that, Guillen scorched a 92-m.p.h. fastball into the gap in right-center, knocking in Hatteberg with the game's first run. The Sox got a break when Guillen tried to stretch the hit to a triple and was gunned out on Nomar Garciaparra's relay from Trot Nixon. But when Kevin Millar had a chance to help recoup the run in the fifth, he flubbed it. With one out, Millar lashed a single to center and tried to leg it into a double when the ball caromed away from Chris Singleton. But Singleton recovered quickly and erased Millar diving into the bag, leaving the embarrassed cowboy to toss a handful of dirt in frustration. The gaffe quickly was forgotten, though, when the Sox broke through in the sixth. First, Varitek homered leading off, ripping a 3-and-2 fastball over the wall in left field, to tie it. Then, as Zito seemed to begin tiring, Damon wore him down by waging a nine-pitch battle to emerge from an 0-and-2 hole and draw a walk. A batter later, Zito plunked Walker with a 2-and-1 pitch, pushing Damon to second and bringing up Ramirez. As bad as Ramirez looked earlier against Zito, all he needed was for the lefty to leave an 89-m.p.h. fastball over the plate on a 2-and-2 count. Ramirez seized the moment, launching his shot high over the left-field wall to propel the Sox into a 4-1 lead. Martinez responded by surrendering a run in the bottom of the sixth on doubles by Erubiel Durazo and Miguel Tejada, leaving the A's a glimmer of hope.