The Wright Stuff!

(August 6)

Short take:  Rough edges on this gem

Get away day.  The last day of a homestand is usually spent with all the second-stringers getting a start, the weakest pitcher on the staff starting the game, and anxious umpires counting the minutes, and called strikes, before they catch a plane out of town.  Nothing much comes out of such games, at least not usually.  So we Sox Fans were doubly-impressed with the turn of events from this one, a 5-2 victory over Tampa Bay.  Dan Wright showed the Wright Stuff!

The rookie pitched 6.1 innings, carrying a no-hitter into the seventh inning and did it while walking seven hitters.  It was the ugliest no-hitter any Sox Fan has ever seen.  It was so bad, Matt Ginter was warming up in the Sox bullpen before Wright had recorded the game's first out.

Big deal.  Nobody was deducting style points.  Wright pitched out of that jam with a double-play grounder and a strikeout.  He pitched out of jams in the third, fourth, and sixth innings, too.  He made maximum use of his four strikeouts and two double-plays.  A sensational catch at the wall by centerfielder Aaron Rowand came in handy, too.  

Wright finally reached the end of the line when Chris Gomez doubled with one out in the seventh.  Jerry Manuel took him out to a standing ovation.  

Meanwhile the Sox hitters were giving Wright the breathing room he needed.  A first inning smash by Jose Canseco staked Wright the lead 2-0 in the first inning.  Paul Konerko repeated the feat in the third inning.  Tony Graffanino's rbi-single in the fifth inning made it 5-0.

Gary Glover got touched for a pair of unearned runs in the eighth and Keith Foulke finished things with a perfect ninth.  The Sox are back at .500 and travel west for six games starting with Anaheim Tuesday night.  Here's yet another team the Sox "must beat" for the wild-card.  

With guys like Danny Wright showing progress, is it too early to dream about 2002?