In the first inning the Royals jumped all over Pedro scoring five runs on six hits. After the Sox got one back in the second, Mike Sweeney hit a solo shot off Pedro to put the lead back at five for KC. But that would be all the Royals would do to Pedro, as he shut the door the rest of the way and retired fifteen of the last sixteen batters he faced. After the dust had settled Pedro's ERA climbed to 1.77 for the year. Climbed to 1.77, I bet alot of pitchers wish they could say that.

With the five ruin deficite the Sox had their work cut-out for them as the leagues third best pitcher in terms of ERA (he was going into the game anyway) was on the mound for the Royals, Makoto Suzuki. A combination of zero control and some actual patience on the part of the Red Sox hitters later, Suzuki had walked seven in three innings, and allowed the Sox to tie the score up by the end of the fourth.

Leading the charge back was Brain Daubach and of all people Manny Alexander who was again in for the injured Nomar Garciaparra. Daubach got things going again in the third inning as he hit an absolute bomb over the fence and into the fountain in right field. Then in the fourth he broke up a potetial double-play ball, which would have ended the inning, to allow the tieing run to score. If you saw the hit he put on the Royals short stop, you know that guy is going to feel it this morning.

Also amidst the comeback and behind the eventual win was Manny Alexander. Now this guy hasn't done much to help at all this year, and i'm sure he'll receive alot more criticism before the season is out, but last night he filled in for Nomar almost better than Nomar himself could have done. Many went 3-4 with two runs, an RBI, a walk (of which he's only done six time this year) and his first stolen base of the year.

After the Sox tied it in the fourth the score would remian that way thru nine. Pedro passed the torch to Hipolito Pichardo after the eight and left things in the hand of the Sox steady bull-pen.

In the top of the tenth, after getting a quick out, the Royals bull-pen did a very bad thing, they walked the light hitting (even though he was 3-4 at the time) Manny Alexander. Next up was Jose Offerman, who after Alexander had stole second without a throw, couldn't get the job done as he popped out to the infield. Next was Trot Nixon, but after the count went 3-0 the Royals opted to intentionally walk him to get to Rico Brogna, who had come in as a pinch runner for Daubach earlier in the game.

So here it was, yet another two-out clutch situation for the Red Sox, and yet another for Rico Brogna to boot. Could we do it again? Yep, Bronga line a single the other way scoring Alexander from second to make the score 7-6. The Sox ended up padding the lead a little (which they would need) on a RBI double from Carl Everett and an RBI infield single, by Lou Merloni to make the count 9-6.

Derek Lowe came on to finish things off, and after getting a quick two-outs and a run, he made things interesting, allowing the potential winning run come to the plate in the form of Jermaine Dye. I have no idea how he got Dye out, as FOX TV died in my area just as Lowe was going into his wind-up. But I turned the radio on and there were the announcers going over the recap of another Sox last at-bat victory. Whew!

Tonight the ball falls to Jeff Fassero who looked great his last time out, but only for four innings. We need to get a good start from Jeff, i'll be looking for a six inning stint for it to be considered helpful. Game time 8:05pm EST.