Tonight's Sox win could have been a tale of two bullpens.
First, the Sox pen. To shamelessly mar the chorus of one famous teenybopper -- oops, they did it again. The team's band of superheroes puilled in another heroic performance, throwing 4 1/3 innings of one hit relief, only three days after masterfully throwing ten shutout innings in defeat.
Second, the Royals pen. Kansas City manager Tony Muser called upon Royal retread reliever Andy Larkin to keep the score tied, and two hits and a walk later, the score was quickly untied. The second hit, a majestic Brian Daubach solo homer leading off the eighth gave the Sox their first lead. A lead the Sox relief corps did not relinquish.
These are the Red Sox, however, and every Sox win has to come with a silver lining. Today's edition was sponsored by Jeff Fassero, as he struggled in his second straight start, yielding a 4-0 lead to the Royals before Jimy Williams mercifully sent him to the showers. Fassero survived the first two innings, but gave up a third-inning run on a long single by Royal righfielder Jermaine Dye, and imploded in the fifth, allowing five of seven batters to reach and three more runs to score.
But the combination of Hipo Pichardo, Rich Garces and Derek Lowe kryptonited the Royals bats and ignited the Sox offense, as the Sox Empire struck back with three runs of their own in the bottom of the inning. Newly acquired first sacker Rico Brogna collected his first American League ribbie in nine years with a groundout, and outfielders Darren Lewis and Trot Nixon provided timely run scoring singles. Then, a seemingly harmless 6th-inning, two-out single by Nomar Garciaparra (single, double, 2-4, .394) off ex-Sox prospect Jeff Suppan turned into the tying run of the game as MIA leftfielder Troy O'Leary laced a deep triple to score Garciaparra.
You almost knew Daubach would go yard when Rich Garces struck out pinch-hitter Todd Dunwoody to end of top of the eighth. With the trade of John Wasdin to the University of Colorado Hospital Whiplash Unit, Garces has fallen into the enviable role of bullpen vulture. Garces is now 7-0 on the season. The Derek Lowe of old followed his act in the ninth, inducing three ground balls to notch his 24th save of the season.
Again tonight, the Sox bullpen heroes rescued the drowning Sox offense from the abyss of Fassero and mayhem. Tomorrow, we can expect the first half's real hero, Carl Everett back on the field. Better days are here again, thanks to those seed-and-dip spitters hanging out in right field.