Sunday, April 18, 2004
Alex Rodriguez's early-season struggles continued. He's hitting just .171.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
BOSTON -- Curt Schilling jumped into the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry with some flair.
Schilling overpowered New York and shut down Alex Rodriguez, leading Boston to its second straight win over the Yankees, 5-2 Saturday.
Rodriguez went 0-for-4 for the second straight day and grounded into a double play with two on in the seventh. The AL MVP, nearly traded to Boston last December before Texas sent him to New York, is hitting just .171.
Schilling (2-0), acquired by the Red Sox in November, struck out eight and allowed six hits and four walks.
Mike Mussina (1-3) also struggled in the second game of the four-game series, forcing in Boston's first two runs with a bases-loaded walk and hit batter. Mussina, previously 10-5 in Fenway Park, allowed four runs -- three earned -- seven hits and four walks in just five innings.
The Yankees (5-6) have four runs and 12 hits in the first two games of the four-game series, Rodriguez, nearly acquired by Boston from Texas last November, is 0-for-8 with three strikeouts. Derek Jeter is 2-for-10 with three strikeouts and two errors.
"I'm just trying to find a groove where I feel comfortable," said Rodriguez, whose batting average dropped to .171. "Ups and downs are a part of it."
Boston took a 3-0 lead in the first three innings and went up 4-1 in the fifth on Manny Ramirez's second homer of the series and 350th of his career. Tony Clark's fifth-inning homer was New York's only run until Jeter's RBI single in the ninth.
Schilling struck out eight and allowed six hits and four walks in 6 1/3 innings. After retiring Jeter on a called third strike on his 121st pitch, Schilling watched manager Terry Francona walk from the dugout.
When Francona pointed to the bullpen from around the first-base line, Schilling punched the air.
"I was less than pleased," said Schilling, who understood why Francona made the early signal. "Conversation is not the smartest thing when I'm in the game."
Mike Mussina (1-3) struggled, forcing in Boston's first two runs with a bases-loaded walk and hit batter. Mussina, who had been 10-5 in Fenway Park, allowed four runs -- three earned -- seven hits and four walks in just five innings.
New York's offense has sputtered, with Bernie Williams (.207), Hideki Matsui (.211), Jason Giambi (.214), Gary Sheffield (.237), Jeter (.239) and Jorge Posada (.257) all struggling.
NEW YORKBOSTON
abrhbiabrhbi
Jeter ss5011Damon cf4022
BWllms cf4010Mueller 3b4011
ARdrgz 3b4000DOrtiz dh4010
JaGbi dh3000MRmrz lf4121
Shffield rf3000Millar 1b3100
Matsui lf3020McCty 1b0000
Posada c3010Varitek c3120
TClark 1b4111Bllhorn 2b2110
EWilsn 2b3010Kapler rf4011
Sierra ph1110Reese ss4100
Totals33282Totals325105
New York000010001--2
Boston02101001x--5
E--Jeter (2), Posada (2). DP--New York 3, Boston 2. LOB--New York 9, Boston 9. 2B--BWilliams (1), Posada (1), Damon (2). HR--TClark (2), MRamirez (3). SB--MRamirez (1), Bellhorn (2).
IPHRERBBSO
New York
Mussina L,1-3574342
Osborne331104
Boston
Schilling W,2-06 1-361148
Timlin1 2-300010
Foulke121101
HBP--by Osborne (Bellhorn), by Mussina (Mueller). Umpires--Home, Mark Wegner; First, Jerry Crawford; Second, Angel Hernandez; Third, Mike Everitt. T--3:05. A--35,023.
Orioles 5, Blue Jays 3
TORONTO -- Larry Bigbie hit a go-ahead homer in the ninth off Justin Speir (1-1), giving Baltimore its third straight win. Brian Roberts followed with a double and scored on a single by Miguel Tejada.
B.J. Ryan (1-0) pitched the eighth, and Jorge Julio completed the six-hitter for his first save.
Toronto's Josh Towers, who hadn't pitched since spring training, gave up three runs and eight hits in 4 2-3 innings.
The Blue Jays fell to 0-5 at home and 3-8 overall. Toronto also started the 1978 and 1981 seasons 3-8.
BALTIMORETORONTO
abrhbiabrhbi
BRbrts 2b5220Ctlnotto lf2002
Mora 3b3022Berg ph1000
Tejada ss4012Hrmns lf0000
RPlmo 1b3010Hinske 3b3000
Raines pr0000Gomez 3b1010
Surhoff 1b1000VWells cf3111
JvLopz c4010CDlgdo 1b3000
Gbbons rf3010JPhlps dh4010
Segui dh4010GMyrs c4000
Matos cf4110Jhnson rf4120
Bigbie lf4221OHudsn 2b3110
Wdwrd ss2000
Totals355125Totals30363
Baltimore002010002--5
Toronto001110000--3
DP--Baltimore 1, Toronto 1. LOB--Baltimore 9, Toronto 5. 2B--BRoberts 2 (3), Mora (3), OHudson (3). HR--Bigbie (3), VWells (1). SB--Mora (1), Bigbie (1). CS--Raines Jr. (1). S--Mora 2, Woodward. SF--Tejada, Catalanotto.
IPHRERBBSO
Baltimore
Ainsworth743307
BRyan W,1-0110012
Julio S,1110000
Toronto
Towers4 2-383314
Kershner1 2-300000
Ligtenberg1 1-300011
Adams1-310011
Speier L,1-1132201
HBP--by Ainsworth (OHudson), by Ainsworth (CDelgado). Umpires--Home, Phil Cuzzi; First, James Hoye; Second, Jerry Crawford; Third, Brian O'Nora. T--2:42. A--20,177.
White Sox 4, Devil Rays 1
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Scott Schoeneweis allowed an unearned run and five hits in 6 2/3 innings. Schoeneweis (1-1) made his second start of the season. The left-hander had made 98 consecutive relief appearances since June 25, 2002, before his start for the White Sox April 8.
Damaso Marte threw two scoreless innings for his first save, completing a six-hitter.
CHICAGOTAMPA BAY
abrhbiabrhbi
WHarrs 2b5010Crwfrd lf5010
Vlentin ss4000Rolls 3b3010
MOrdz rf5010Baldelli cf2000
Thmas dh2200Huff dh3100
CaLee lf4120JoCruz rf4000
Gload 1b2110EduPrz 1b3000
TPerez cf3011Lugo ss4020
Uribe 3b4022Frdyce c3000
SAlmr c4020Blum 2b1010
RSnchz 2b2010
Fick c0000
Rmano ph1000
Totals334103Totals31160
Chicago010200010--4
Tampa Bay000000100--1
E--Valentin (4). DP--Chicago 2, Tampa Bay 2. LOB--Chicago 10, Tampa Bay 9. CS--Crawford (3). SF--TPerez.
IPHRERBBSO
Chicago
Schnws W,1-16 2-351023
Politte1-300021
Marte S,1210012
Tampa Bay
Zambrano L,3-1763355
LCarter1 1-331101
JoSosa2-310001
Politte pitched to 2 batters in the 8th. HBP--by Politte (Baldelli), by Zambrano (Gload 2). Umpires--Home, Bill Welke; First, John Hirschbeck; Second, Wally Bell; Third, Laz Diaz. T--2:39. A--14,302.
Twins 8, Royals 4
MINNEAPOLIS -- Henry Blanco had a two-run double and an RBI single and Lew Ford added two RBIs to lead Minnesota to its fourth straight victory.
Carlos Beltran homered for the fourth straight game and Mike Sweeney hit a three-run shot for Kansas City, which has lost five in a row despite setting a club record with 16 homers during that span.
Kyle Lohse (1-2) allowed six hits and four runs in six innings. He struck out five and walked four.
KANSAS CITYMINNESOTA
abrhbiabrhbi
Guiel lf4000ShStewart lf4000
Harvey ph1000Punto 2b3100
Thompson lf0000Mntkiewicz 1b3111
Beltran cf3211Koskie 3b2100
MiSweeney 1b4133Offerman dh4110
JGonzalez rf4000JJones rf4220
Stairs dh5010Ford cf2212
Randa 3b4020Blanco c4023
BSantiago c4010CGuzman ss4000
Graffanino 2b4130
Blanco ss3000
MLopez ss1000
Totals374114Totals30876
Kansas City103000000--4
Minnesota03401000x--8
E--Blanco (1). DP--Minnesota 1. LOB--Kansas City 10, Minnesota 4. 2B--MiSweeney (2), Blanco (4). HR--Beltran (6), MiSweeney (4). SB--JJones 2 (3). SF--Ford.
IPHRERBBSO
Kansas City
Appier L,0-1367532
DReyes411123
Carrasco100000
Minnesota
Lohse W,1-2664445
Mulholland1 1-340001
Romero S,11 2-310000
WP--Appier 2. Umpires--Home, Tony Randazzo; First, Rob Drake; Second, Fieldin Culbreth; Third, Tim McClelland. T--2:52. A--25,420.