GaryMrMets
05-06-2003, 12:04 AM
Royals Remain Perfect at Home With Comeback Win
Red Sox Lose on Nomar's Error in Ninth
By DOUG TUCKER
.c The Associated Press
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (May 5) -- The Kansas City Royals became the first team in 92 years to win its first 11 home games, rallying for two runs in the ninth inning to beat the Boston Red Sox 7-6 Monday night.
Mike Sweeney scored the winning run on shortstop Nomar Garciaparra's second error of the game.
Garciaparra, whose two-run homer tied it at 5 in the eighth, let Brent Mayne's two-out grounder go under his glove. A moment earlier, Brandon Lyon (1-1) hit Desi Relaford with a pitch to force in the tying run.
Garciaparra has eight errors this season; last week he had the first three-error game of his career.
Albie Lopez (4-0) got the win despite allowing Jason Varitek's tiebreaking homer in the top of the ninth.
With a victory Tuesday night the Royals would tie the 1911 Detroit Tigers, who won their first 12 home games to set the modern major league record. Kansas City is 9-9 on the road.
Varitek's two-out homer in the ninth put the Red Sox on top 6-5.
Lyon gave up a single to Michael Tucker, then a walk and a single to Raul Ibanez to load the bases. Lyon struck out Ken Harvey for the second out before hitting Relaford.
The Royals, who were swept in a three-game series in Boston last week, blew a 5-0 lead.
Darrell May, looking for his first win since last Sept. 11, got a standing ovation when he handed a 5-3 lead to Jason Grimsley with one on and one out in the eighth following Todd Walker's single.
But Garciaparra hit a 2-1 pitch over the fence in center for his fifth home run. Varitek then hit a 1-0 pitch from Lopez, who started the ninth.
Boston starter Derek Lowe lasted only 3 2/3 innings. He gave up five runs -- four earned -- on seven hits, with three walks and three strikeouts.
May retired 12 of the first 14 batters he faced, but on his first five pitches of the fifth inning Shea Hillenbrand doubled, Bill Mueller homered and Varitek doubled. With two outs, Walker hit the third double of the inning to drive in Varitek and make it 5-3.
Relaford and Tucker each hit two-run shots off Lowe in the fourth to give the Royals a 5-0 lead. Harvey singled ahead of Relaford's shot and Dee Brown singled before Tucker lifted an opposite-field homer over the fence in left.
Tucker singled leading off the first and went to third when Garciaparra fielded Joe Randa's grounder and threw the ball into right field for Boston's sixth error in its last four games.
Sweeney's infield out then scored Tucker with an unearned run. May was charged with four runs on seven hits.
Notes
... Harvey was back after coming out of Saturday's game with back spasms.
... Boston OF Trot Nixon was held out after irritating his eye the day before, and was listed as day-to-day.
... Mueller and Garciaparra stretched their hitting streaks to eight games.
... Lowe threw 81 pitches, 52 for strikes.
05/05/03 23:18 EDT
Copyright 2003 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
Red Sox Lose on Nomar's Error in Ninth
By DOUG TUCKER
.c The Associated Press
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (May 5) -- The Kansas City Royals became the first team in 92 years to win its first 11 home games, rallying for two runs in the ninth inning to beat the Boston Red Sox 7-6 Monday night.
Mike Sweeney scored the winning run on shortstop Nomar Garciaparra's second error of the game.
Garciaparra, whose two-run homer tied it at 5 in the eighth, let Brent Mayne's two-out grounder go under his glove. A moment earlier, Brandon Lyon (1-1) hit Desi Relaford with a pitch to force in the tying run.
Garciaparra has eight errors this season; last week he had the first three-error game of his career.
Albie Lopez (4-0) got the win despite allowing Jason Varitek's tiebreaking homer in the top of the ninth.
With a victory Tuesday night the Royals would tie the 1911 Detroit Tigers, who won their first 12 home games to set the modern major league record. Kansas City is 9-9 on the road.
Varitek's two-out homer in the ninth put the Red Sox on top 6-5.
Lyon gave up a single to Michael Tucker, then a walk and a single to Raul Ibanez to load the bases. Lyon struck out Ken Harvey for the second out before hitting Relaford.
The Royals, who were swept in a three-game series in Boston last week, blew a 5-0 lead.
Darrell May, looking for his first win since last Sept. 11, got a standing ovation when he handed a 5-3 lead to Jason Grimsley with one on and one out in the eighth following Todd Walker's single.
But Garciaparra hit a 2-1 pitch over the fence in center for his fifth home run. Varitek then hit a 1-0 pitch from Lopez, who started the ninth.
Boston starter Derek Lowe lasted only 3 2/3 innings. He gave up five runs -- four earned -- on seven hits, with three walks and three strikeouts.
May retired 12 of the first 14 batters he faced, but on his first five pitches of the fifth inning Shea Hillenbrand doubled, Bill Mueller homered and Varitek doubled. With two outs, Walker hit the third double of the inning to drive in Varitek and make it 5-3.
Relaford and Tucker each hit two-run shots off Lowe in the fourth to give the Royals a 5-0 lead. Harvey singled ahead of Relaford's shot and Dee Brown singled before Tucker lifted an opposite-field homer over the fence in left.
Tucker singled leading off the first and went to third when Garciaparra fielded Joe Randa's grounder and threw the ball into right field for Boston's sixth error in its last four games.
Sweeney's infield out then scored Tucker with an unearned run. May was charged with four runs on seven hits.
Notes
... Harvey was back after coming out of Saturday's game with back spasms.
... Boston OF Trot Nixon was held out after irritating his eye the day before, and was listed as day-to-day.
... Mueller and Garciaparra stretched their hitting streaks to eight games.
... Lowe threw 81 pitches, 52 for strikes.
05/05/03 23:18 EDT
Copyright 2003 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.