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Boston begins July on rough note
Atlanta takes two of three from BoSox at Turner Field
Interleague Series • July 2-4
Game 1: Atlanta 9, Boston 7. Brad Penny’s debut with the Red Sox is a disaster. Boston takes a 4-0 lead in the top of the first and adds one more score in the top of the second for a 5-0 advantage. Then the bottom falls out as Penny surrenders NINE RUNS in the second inning!! Acck!!
The Sox do rally with a couple more runs late but can’t come all the way back. John Smoltz strikes out two in the eighth and two in the ninth as Atlanta holds on. WP: Russ Ortiz (8-7).
On a good note, Boston reliever Bronson Arroyo only gives up two hits in five innings of relief.
Game 2: Boston 13, Atlanta 2. Trot Nixon hits a three-run homer and Nomar Garciiparra drills a two-run shot as the BoSox bomb the Braves. Derek Lowe improves to 11-2 from the hill.
Atlanta’s bullpen is absolutely fried, and the Braves leave Smoltz in from the sixth inning on. In a kind of funny move, Smoltz gets a hit in the seventh, then tries to steal (!!) a base, maybe out of frustration at having no bullpen help. He gets gunned down as do the Braves. LP: Paul Byrd (5-6). MVP: Nomar, who is 2-for-5 with four RBIs.
Game 3: Atlanta 7, Boston 6. This game is a lot like the third game of the Yankees series. Atlanta wins on a walkoff RBI single that gets passed Ellis Burks in the outfield.
Aaron Sele does OK in his second start for Boston. He gives up four earned runs over five innings. He doesn’t get the decision however as the score is tied when he exits. Brendan Donnelly is the loser.
Right now Boston is 1-3 in July… The Beckett-Penny trade isn’t looking so good right now… BK Kim throws a one-hitter for Florida on July 4 as the Marlins beat the Indians in Interleague action…
In other news, Cincy’s Ken Griffey sets off Fourth of July fireworks with his 500th career home run… Good job, Junior…
Next up: The BoSox welcome the Oakland A’s to Fenway. If the season were to end right now, this would be one of the divisional playoff match-ups in the AL. Boston is 57-23 and Oakland is 50-30… Should be fun
Probable pitching match-ups: Game 1: Schilling (11-2) vs. Tim Hudson (11-6)… Game 2: Beckett (10-4) vs. Zito (7-6)… Game 3: Penny (4-11) vs. Mulder (6-8)…
John Smoltz pitched lights out in the opener for Atlanta — but he's not much of a base-stealer as evidenced by game two
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