Red Sox tune-up for Yankees with SkyDome sweep
April 20-22
Game 1: Boston 11, Toronto 1
Game 2: Boston 5, Toronto 1
Game 3: Boston 5, Toronto 0
Just about everything goes right for the Red Sox in this series. The team improves to 11-6 and remains two games up in the AL East over New York and Tampa Bay (what?). Here are some details:
1) Pedro Martinez improves to 4-0, throwing a four-hitter over seven innings... Manny Ramirez hits a grand slam in the eighth inning -- that travels 459 feet. Gee, why can't he do this when it counts? (it was 6-1 at the time)... David Ortiz homers for the third game in a row... Jason Varitek goes 4-for-5... Nomar Garciaparra finished 3-for-4 with a HR... Kevin Millar gets a start at first and homers as well...
2) This is the gem of the set. Curt Schilling vs. Roy Halladay... After three innings, Toronto has one hit and Boston has none... Johnny Damon finally breaks the ice for the Sox in the fourth, extending his hitting streak to 13 games...
Finally in the seventh inning, a team actually scores. That would be Boston, who loads the bases and gets a run on a Nomar RBI before Toronto turns a DP... Manny sits out for this one (he's batting a robust .160
) but comes in as a pinch hitter in the top of the ninth (after Halladay is gone) and hits a three-run homer. A new role for him? $14 million pinch hitter...
3) Tim Wakefield earns back some favor with his teammates (after getting chased way early vs. the Yankees). He fans nine (wow!) and only allows two hits over seven innings... It's going to be a roller coaster season with him on the hill... Damon extends his hitting streak to 14 games...
David Ortiz homers again -- the fourth time in five games... In all, Boston only gives up four hits for the game... The Sox are tops in the majors in home runs for the season...
Next up: Get ready for the Red Sox's first trip to Gotham, er, Yankee Stadium... The Boss is waiting...