Game 28: May 6, 1999 (L: 3-2)
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Commentary (by me)

Boy, does Fenway Park really play a part in the games played there.  The stadium itself really changes the impact on the game played.  There was a ball that would have been a home run in any other park except this one, a few doubles (possibly home runs) that were just singles here.  Forced plays at second...   Yeesh!

I always like playing the Red Sox, because the games themselves always seem to be good games.  And this was.  It was a good game that the Rangers came out on the short end of.  And I'm getting tired of saying that.   I want to win these things, not lose them.

I thought Sele was pitching well, but again the wheels fell apart in the middle innings.  We just can't seem to get by the middle innings.   I only watched this game in pieces as I was flipping between the game and the regular NBC Thursday night TV stuff.  :)

I also wanted to say that I agree with Jim below about Mark McLemore.

Commentary (by Jim Meeks)

The Rangers just can't seem to win back-to-back games anymore.

Since the Rangers swept the Twins (that last game of that series being April 25th), the Rangers have swapped wins and losses and are 4-5.

After winning Wednesday, Thursday became no exception to the recent win-loss rule. Aaron Sele pitched like it was May instead of April. He wasn't terrible, but he wasn't effective either. He gave up 3 runs in 5.1 innings against his old mates - and it could have been much worse. He allowed 12 base runners during that span - not including a couple of base runners who reached on Ranger errors.

Offensively, the Rangers didn't do a whole lot. After I touted Gonzalez yesterday, he woefully struck out 3 times Thursday. The Rangers managed 10 hits and even a small rally in the 9th inning, but they just couldn't get the job done and lost 3-2.

Something should be said about the play of Mark McLemore. Although he made an error Thursday, he has played pretty well in the field and has been decent with the bat. McLemore was a guy I thought would retire after last season yet he keeps surprising me with his health and talent.

Game Recap

BOSTON (TICKER) -- Knuckleballer Tim Wakefield's first major league save capped a superb performance by the bullpen in relief of injured starter Bret Saberhagen as the Boston Red Sox snapped a three-game losing streak with a 3-2 victory over the Texas Rangers.

Troy O'Leary had RBI singles in the third and fifth innings, staking Boston to a 2-0 lead. In between, Saberhagen departed with tightness in his right shoulder after working three scoreless innings with five strikeouts.

Saberhagen underwent reconstructive surgery in 1996 on the shoulder and did not return from that procedure until May 1997.

"I don't think its torn. It's just a strain," said Saberhagen, who is winless in his last three starts. "I just need to get my strength back. Its the same thing that happened the last time out (on April 24 against Cleveland)."

Righthander Derek Lowe struck out the side in the fourth and worked out of a jam in the fifth before encountering trouble in the sixth. Mark McLemore opened with a double and scored on a single by Rusty Greer, who moved to second on a comebacker by Juan Gonzalez.

Lefthander Rheal Cormier came on and got Rafael Palmeiro on a foulout as catcher Jason Varitek made a sliding catch near the box seats. That began a string of seven batters in a row set down by Cormier (1-0), who was awarded the win by the official scorer.

"When you come out of the pen, wins and losses don't matter; just do the job," Cormier said. "I'm just glad we won. It's been a rough six or seven games, especially when Sabes came out."

With a 3-1 lead, Cormier began the ninth by getting Palmeiro to line out before Ivan Rodriguez singled. Todd Zeile hit a liner to right-center that right fielder Trot Nixon dove for and missed. Nixon ran down the hit but bobbled it as he picked it up and was charged with an error as Rodriguez scored.

Rodriguez stopped at second and stayed there as Wakefield, who entered this season with 13 career relief outings, got Lee Stevens to bounce out to third. He retired pinch-hitter Luis Alicea on a fly to right for his first save since 1989, when he was at Welland of the Class A New York-Penn League.

"It's my first save since little league," joked Wakefield, who will make his scheduled start Saturday. "I've always told (Red Sox manager) Jimy Williams that I'm available in between starts."

"Just trying to win a game, I brought Wakefield in," Williams said. "He's pitched in relief before. It's not a novelty bringing him out of the bullpen."

Boston's offensive attack featured 10 hits, including nine and all three runs off former Red Sox pitcher Aaron Sele (3-3), who walked three and struck out seven in 5 1/3 innings.

"It's always fun to come back to Boston," said Sele, who won 19 games last season, his first with the Rangers.

The Red Sox broke through in the third. John Valentin walked and was forced at second by Brian Daubach. Nomar Garciaparra doubled and Daubach scored on a single by O'Leary. Sele escaped further damage by striking out Mike Stanley and getting Varitek on a fly to right.

In the fifth, Valentin opened with a double and was still at second two outs later when O'Leary singled to right for his 19th RBI.

After Texas scored in the sixth, Boston responded in the bottom half, chasing Sele. With one out, Damon Buford doubled and took third on right fielder Gonzalez's misplay. Trot Nixon and Jose Offerman followed with singles to make it 3-1 and put runners at first and second. But Danny Patterson got Valentin on a fly to deep left and struck out Daubach.

Palmeiro's single in the second extended his hitting streak to seven games.

Photos
(Click on any of them for a larger image

Mac bobbles a ball for an error	Pudge is out trying to get to second	Tag, you're it!	The battery celebrates the win

I know this shot isn't about this game, but hey, you can't help but like shots of "Mr. Twinkie".

Box Score

Line Score
AL  FINAL
                    1  2  3   4  5  6   7  8  9     R  H  E
                    -  -  -   -  -  -   -  -  -     -  -  -
TEXAS               0  0  0   0  0  1   0  0  1     2 10  3
BOSTON              0  0  1   0  1  1   0  0  x     3 10  1   (FINAL)

BATTERIES:  TEX - AARON SELE, DANNY PATTERSON (6TH), MIKE MUNOZ
                  (8TH), TIM CRABTREE (8TH) AND IVAN RODRIGUEZ
            BOS - BRET SABERHAGEN, DEREK LOWE (4TH), RHEAL
                  CORMIER (6TH), TIM WAKEFIELD (9TH) AND JASON
                  VARITEK

             WP - RHEAL CORMIER (1-0)
             LP - AARON SELE (3-3)
           SAVE - TIM WAKEFIELD (1)

HOME RUNS:  TEX - NONE
            BOS - NONE

     TIME:  2:59     ATT:  21,412

PROBABLES:  TEX - MARK CLARK (2-2, 7.36)
            TOR - PAT HENTGEN (1-1, 4.41)

            ANA - OMAR OLIVARES (3-2, 3.24)
            BOS - PEDRO MARTINEZ (5-1, 2.06)



Box Score
TEXAS (2) AT BOSTON (3) - FINAL

TEXAS                  ab  r  h rbi bb so lob   avg
T Goodwin cf            3  0  0  0   0  2   3  .220
 a-R Kelly ph-cf        1  0  0  0   0  0   0  .469
Mclemore 2b             4  1  2  0   0  0   1  .277
Greer lf                4  0  2  1   0  1   1  .318
J Gonzalez rf           4  0  0  0   0  3   2  .291
R Palmeiro dh           4  0  1  0   0  0   1  .348
I Rodriguez c           4  1  1  0   0  1   2  .292
Zeile 3b                4  0  2  0   0  0   1  .253
L Stevens 1b            4  0  2  0   0  0   1  .333
Dransfeldt ss           3  0  0  0   0  1   3  .176
 b-Alicea ph            1  0  0  0   0  0   1  .189

Totals                 36  2 10  1   0  8  16

a-grounded to third for T Goodwin in the 8th; b-flied to right
for Dransfeldt in the 9th.

BATTING: 2B - L Stevens (7, Saberhagen); Mclemore (5, D Lowe);
Zeile (8, R Cormier). RBI - Greer (19). Runners left in scoring
position, 2 out - Mclemore 1, T Goodwin 1, I Rodriguez 1, Alicea 1.
Team LOB - 7.

FIELDING: E - Mclemore (3, ground ball); J Gonzalez (2, bobble);
Zeile (4, ground ball).

BOSTON                 ab  r  h rbi bb so lob   avg
Offerman 2b             5  0  3  0   0  1   3  .351
John Valentin 3b        3  1  1  0   2  0   4  .212
Daubach dh              4  1  0  0   0  2   5  .281
N Garciaparra ss        4  0  1  0   0  1   2  .317
Oleary lf               4  0  2  2   0  1   0  .272
Stanley 1b              4  0  1  0   0  2   3  .307
Varitek c               3  0  0  0   1  0   2  .227
Buford cf               4  1  1  0   0  1   3  .317
T Nixon rf              4  0  1  1   0  2   2  .148

Totals                 35  3 10  3   3 10  24

BATTING: 2B - N Garciaparra (7, Sele); John Valentin (7, Sele);
Buford (5, Sele); Offerman (14, M Munoz). RBI - Oleary 2 (19),
T Nixon (5). 2-out RBI - Oleary. Runners left in scoring position,
2 out - Offerman 2, Varitek 1, Daubach 1, John Valentin 2.
Team LOB - 11.

BASERUNNING: CS - Offerman (3, 2nd base by Sele/I Rodriguez).

FIELDING: E - T Nixon (1, bobble). Outfield assists - Buford
(I Rodriguez at 2nd base). DP: 1 (Buford-Offerman).

TEXAS                        ip       h   r  er  bb  so  hr    era
Sele (L, 3-3)                 5 1/3   9   3   3   3   7   0   4.54
D Patterson                   2       0   0   0   0   2   0   6.10
M Munoz                         1/3   1   0   0   0   1   0   3.86
Crabtree                        1/3   0   0   0   0   0   0   5.40

BOSTON                       ip       h   r  er  bb  so  hr    era
Saberhagen                    3       3   0   0   0   5   0   1.75
D Lowe                        2 1/3   4   1   1   0   2   0   5.89
R Cormier (W, 1-0)            3       3   1   0   0   1   0   3.18
Wakefield (S, 1)                2/3   0   0   0   0   0   0   7.77

Pitches-strikes: Saberhagen 43-31; D Lowe 34-21; R Cormier 42-24;
Wakefield 7-4; Sele 102-62; D Patterson 25-17; M Munoz 6-6;
Crabtree 2-2.  Ground balls-fly balls: Saberhagen 1-2; D Lowe 5-0;
R Cormier 5-3; Wakefield 1-1; Sele 3-5; D Patterson 1-3; M Munoz 0-0;
Crabtree 1-0.  Batters faced: Saberhagen 11; D Lowe 11; R Cormier 12;
Wakefield 2; Sele 28; D Patterson 7; M Munoz 2; Crabtree 1.

UMPIRES: HP--Rick Reed. 1B--Fieldin Culbreth. 2B--Larry Young.
3B--Tim Tschida.
T--2:59.  Att--21,412.   Weather: 58 degrees, overcast.   Wind: 9 mph,
right to left.

AL       TEXAS AT BOSTON
         NOTE:  BOSTON'S BRET SABERHAGEN LEFT THE GAME AFTER THREE
                INNINGS DUE TO AN UNDISCLOSED INJURY.

AL       TEXAS AT BOSTON
         NOTE:  BOSTON PITCHER BRET SABERHAGEN LEFT THE GAME AFTER THREE
                INNINGS WITH TIGHTNESS IN HIS RIGHT SHOULDER.

Game Log

Texas Starting Lineups -- Tom Goodwin CF, Mark Mclemore 2B, Rusty Greer LF, Juan Gonzalez RF, Rafael Palmeiro DH, Ivan Rodriguez C, Todd Zeile 3B, Lee Stevens 1B, Kelly Dransfeldt SS, Aaron Sele RHP.

Boston Starting Lineups -- Jose Offerman 2B, John Valentin 3B, Brian Daubach DH, Nomar Garciaparra SS, Troy Oleary LF, Mike Stanley 1B, Jason Varitek C, Damon Buford CF, Trot Nixon RF, Bret Saberhagen RHP.

Umpires -- Reed (HP), Culbreth (1B), Young (2B), Tschida (3B).

Gametime Weather: 58 degrees, Overcast, wind right to left at 9 mph.

TEXAS 1ST: T Goodwin struck out looking. Mclemore singled to left. Greer struck out swinging. J Gonzalez struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TEXAS 0, BOSTON 0.

BOSTON 1ST: Offerman singled to shallow left. Offerman caught stealing, catcher to second. John Valentin walked. Daubach struck out looking. N Garciaparra struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TEXAS 0, BOSTON 0.

TEXAS 2ND: R Palmeiro singled to right. I Rodriguez grounded into fielder's choice to second, R Palmeiro out at second. Zeile flied out to deep center, I Rodriguez thrown out at second. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TEXAS 0, BOSTON 0.

BOSTON 2ND: Oleary struck out looking. Stanley singled to right. Varitek walked, Stanley to second. Buford flied out to right. T Nixon safe at first on 2nd baseman Mclemore's fielding error, Stanley to third, Varitek to second. Offerman grounded into fielder's choice to second, T Nixon out at second. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 1 Error) TEXAS 0, BOSTON 0.

TEXAS 3RD: L Stevens doubled to deep left center. Dransfeldt struck out swinging. T Goodwin struck out looking. Mclemore flied out to center. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TEXAS 0, BOSTON 0.

BOSTON 3RD: John Valentin walked. Daubach grounded into fielder's choice to first, John Valentin out at second. N Garciaparra doubled to right, Daubach to third. Oleary singled to right, Daubach scored, N Garciaparra to third. Stanley struck out swinging. Varitek flied out to right. (1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 0, BOSTON 1.

TEXAS 4TH: Derek Lowe relieved Bret Saberhagen. Greer grounded out to first. J Gonzalez struck out swinging. R Palmeiro grounded out to second. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 0, BOSTON 1.

BOSTON 4TH: Buford struck out swinging. T Nixon struck out looking. Offerman struck out looking. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 0, BOSTON 1.

TEXAS 5TH: I Rodriguez struck out swinging. Zeile reached on infield single. L Stevens singled to deep left, Zeile to second. Dransfeldt grounded into fielder's choice to third, Zeile to third, L Stevens out at second. T Goodwin grounded out to first. (0 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 0, BOSTON 1.

BOSTON 5TH: John Valentin doubled to deep left. Daubach flied out to right. N Garciaparra grounded out to third. Oleary singled to right, John Valentin scored. Stanley popped out to shallow left center. (1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 0, BOSTON 2.

TEXAS 6TH: Mclemore doubled to right center. Greer singled to center, Mclemore scored. J Gonzalez grounded out to pitcher, Greer to second. Rheal Cormier relieved Derek Lowe. R Palmeiro fouled out to catcher. I Rodriguez grounded out to third. (1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 1, BOSTON 2.

BOSTON 6TH: Varitek flied out to right. Buford doubled to right. Buford to third on right fielder J Gonzalez's fielding error. T Nixon singled to left, Buford scored. Offerman singled to deep left, T Nixon to second. Danny Patterson relieved Aaron Sele. John Valentin flied out to deep left. Daubach struck out swinging. (1 Run, 3 Hits, 1 Error) TEXAS 1, BOSTON 3.

TEXAS 7TH: Zeile grounded out to third. L Stevens grounded out to third. Dransfeldt flied out to center. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 1, BOSTON 3.

BOSTON 7TH: N Garciaparra grounded out to pitcher. Oleary lined out to second. Stanley struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 1, BOSTON 3.

TEXAS 8TH: R Kelly hit for T Goodwin. R Kelly grounded out to third. Mclemore grounded out to third. Greer singled to left. J Gonzalez struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TEXAS 1, BOSTON 3.

BOSTON 8TH: R Kelly in center. Varitek flied out to deep center. Buford safe at first on 3rd baseman Zeile's fielding error. Mike Munoz relieved Danny Patterson. T Nixon struck out swinging. Offerman doubled to right center, Buford to third. Tim Crabtree relieved Mike Munoz. John Valentin grounded out to shortstop. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 1 Error) TEXAS 1, BOSTON 3.

TEXAS 9TH: R Palmeiro lined out to shortstop. I Rodriguez singled to deep left. Zeile doubled to right center, I Rodriguez to third. I Rodriguez scored on right fielder T Nixon's fielding error. Tim Wakefield relieved Rheal Cormier. L Stevens grounded out to third. Alicea hit for Dransfeldt. Alicea flied out to right. (1 Run, 2 Hits, 1 Error) TEXAS 2, BOSTON 3.