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Boston still red hot coming out of the All-Star break
Just one loss in eight games
The Boston Globe * July 23, 2004
When Anaheim held the Red Sox to just one run and six hits in the teams’ first game back from the All-Star break, folks thought it a sign that Boston’s offense was cooling.
Think again.
While the Red Sox lost that game 6-1 to the Angels, they’ve reeled off seven straight wins since then – three against Anaheim and two each against Seattle and Baltimore. In many ways, Boston seems stronger than before the break, surging to a 69-25 heading into this weekend’s series with the Yankees at Fenway.
Here are some highlights
Anaheim Series – July 15-18 (away)
1) Anaheim 6, Boston 1: Josh Beckett gives up five runs in his first loss as a member of the Sox. This is the only speed bump since the break.
2) Boston 3, Anaheim 0: A three-hit complete game win for pitcher Derek Lowe. It’s his eighth straight win and improves his record to 13-2. He walks two and needs just one strikeout. Home runs by Bill Mueller and Ellis Burks are all the Sox need to support him.
3) Boston 8, Anaheim 1: Not to be outdone by Lowe, Curt Schilling earns his 14th win of the season (against two losses). He throws a five hitter over 6.1 innings. That’s 11 straight wins. Kevin Millar goes 4-for-4 with a homer.
4) Boston 3, Anaheim 1: Brad Penny gets his first “W” with the Sox even though the offense simmers in this one. Even though he isn’t a regular starter Ellis Burks remains in the top two in the AL in RBIs, driving in two (80 total).
Seattle Series – July 19-20 (home)
1) Boston 9, Seattle 3: Aaron Sele, the fifth starter in the rotation and a mid-season pickup, throws a complete game to improve to 2-0. He gets out of a bases loaded jam in the second inning and recovers despite giving up a three-run homer to Bret Boone in the third.
2) Boston 10, Seattle 6: Jason Varitek’s 454-foot homer run is the offensive highlight. Josh Beckett gets the win. The game really isn’t that close but reliever Colter Bean makes it interesting, giving up four runs in the ninth. That may be the kiss of death to his dream to stay up when Bronson Arroyo comes off the DL in a few days.
Baltimore Series – July 21-22 (home)
1) Boston 7, Baltimore 0: Derek Lowe is masterful again, throwing a three-hitter over 6.1 innings. The bullpen keeps the shutout for him. Jason Varitek leads an 11-hit attack with three hits.
2) Boston 8, Baltimore 6: The Sox come to the aid of Curt Schilling, who gets roughed up early by scoring five runs in the bottom of the first. Schilling leaves after only four frames so he doesn’t factor into the decision (ending his steak of 11 straight wins in 11 starts). Scott Williamson gets the W and Nomar gets named MVP for his 3-for-4 performance…
Next up: the Yankees come to Fenway, but they are reeling a bit from the loss of P Mike Mussina… But, you can throw the records out, right?
In other news: No one in the AL Central has a winning record. The Twins lead with a 47-49 mark… KC’s Juan Gonzalez and New York’s Todd Zeile collect their 2000th hit two days apart…
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