|
RECAP
|
BOX SCORE
|
GAME LOG
BOSTON (AP) – As cold as Troy O'Leary was to start the season,
that's how hot he is right now.
The Red Sox outfielder went 3-for-4 with four RBI Thursday
to lead Boston to an 8-2 victory over the Baltimore Orioles. The
performance came a night after he went 3-for-5.
|
Garciaparra puts
in an appearance
|
|
BOSTON – Red Sox shortstop Nomar Garciaparra was back in
Boston on Thursday to visit his teammates and get a progress report
from the doctor who operated on his wrist.
"I'm doing all right," the two-time American League batting champion said
after Boston beat Baltimore 8-2 for its fifth victory in six games.
"Our team's playing well right now, which is good. That makes it a
little bit easier."
Garciaparra had surgery on his right wrist on Opening Day. He is
expected to miss at least 2½ months.
He was greeted warmly by his teammates when he arrived before
the game, shaking hands with his left hand instead of his right,
which is in a cast.
Garciaparra said Dr. Bill Morgan took off the cast for a few
minutes to check the swelling, then replaced it with a new one
about five minutes later.
"He said enjoy your freedom," Garciaparra said.
– The Associated Press
|
"I'm not in a zone," said O'Leary, who was hitless in his
first 20 at-bats of the season. "You've got to ask some superstars
like Manny (Ramirez) or Nomar (Garciaparra) about that. Me, I just
try to swing the bat."
Tomo Ohka (1-0) allowed runs in the first two innings but struck
out the side in the third and retired 12 of his last 14 batters. He
gave up two runs, five hits and three walks while striking out five
before Rolando Arrojo pitched the final three innings for his first
career save.
In Ohka's previous outing -- another cold and wet night -- he
allowed all three of his runs in the first inning.
"It's kind of raw out there," Boston manager Jimy Williams
said. "From that standpoint, I think he pitched good."
Shea Hillenbrand singled in a run in the fourth inning to extend
his season-opening hitting streak to nine games. Only Ted Williams,
who hit in 10 in a row to start his career in 1939, has a longer
season-opening hitting streak for the Red Sox, though he sat out a
game in the middle.
Jose Mercedes (0-2) was perfect through three innings, but then
gave up six runs in the fourth and two more before he was pulled in
the fifth. He made an obscene gesture at the fans as he exited,
then took out his anger on a couple of dugout water coolers,
flinging one of them near a Boston policeman.
He was charged with eight runs and 10 hits while striking out
six.
"Normally, I don't do that," he said in the clubhouse.
"Afterward, you think about it and you can't explain it."
After slumping through the season's first six games -- striking
out nine times in 20 at-bats, O'Leary singled Tuesday night. A
night later, he went 3-for-5, but hit into a bases-loaded groundout
that ended as Boston lost 5-4.
But he was right back at it Thursday, driving in two runs with a
bases-loaded single in the fourth and then bringing two more home
with a double in the fifth. In two days, he raised his batting
average from .048 to .233.
Game notes
Orioles manager Mike Hargrove needs one victory for No.
800. The first 721 were at Cleveland. ... Orioles starters did not
record a victory in their first nine games despite a 3.95 ERA. The
starters are 0-4 and the bullpen 4-1. ... Cal Ripken, who did not
play, has 4,999 total bases. Only 14 players in major league
history have reached 5,000.... Hillenbrand's
hitting streak is the longest for a Red Sox rookie since
Garciaparra went 30 games in 1997. ... Boston University sports
information director Ed Carpenter was hit in the elbow with a foul
ball. He did not appear injured. ... Boston failed to sell out for
the third consecutive game after a streak of 61 consecutive
sellouts dating to May 31.
 Send this story to a friend
| |
RECAPS
Seattle 7
Oakland 3
Boston 8
Baltimore 2
Cleveland 5
Detroit 3
Kansas City 0
Toronto 0
Anaheim 13
Texas 3
Colorado 6
St. Louis 4
Milwaukee 12
Houston 4
San Diego 8
San Francisco 3
Cincinnati 11
Pittsburgh 6
NY Mets 1
Atlanta 0
Los Angeles 5
Arizona 4
|
