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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
BOSTON -- The game already seemed insignificant in the wake
of Boston's big series with the rival New York Yankees.
|  | | John Valentin of the Red Sox falls to the ground in pain as umpire Mike DiMuro calls for a timeout at Fenway Park Tuesday night. |
And when Red Sox third baseman John Valentin crumpled to the
dirt in agony, the 8-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals became
almost irrelevant.
"When I saw him go down, it looked pretty ugly," said second
baseman Jeff Frye, who has torn ligaments in both knees, missing a
full season each time. "I kind of had a flashback when I heard him
say he felt it pop."
Trot Nixon, Carl Everett and Mike Stanley homered, and Jeff
Fassero won his fifth consecutive decision. But the Red Sox were in
no mood to celebrate after seeing Valentin's left leg crumpled
under him when he went to field Carlos Beltran's ground ball in the
second inning.
Trainers rushed to help Valentin, and he was taken off the field
on the back of a groundskeeper's cart. The 33-year-old infielder
was taken to a hospital for tests; the Red Sox said no additional
information would be forthcoming Tuesday.
"You know that he's seriously injured," manager Jimy Williams
said. "They had to take him off on a cart. Can't get up and walk.
Not good."
Beltran was credited with a single. He scored on Brian Johnson's
fielder's choice to make it 2-1 before Boston put the game away in
the third.
Nixon, who homered with two outs in the ninth inning to beat the
Yankees on Sunday night, received a 20-second standing ovation
before his first at-bat on Tuesday. He hit a 3-1 pitch over the
Green Monster in left field to give Boston a lead it never
relinquished.
Jeff Fassero (6-1) allowed two runs and eight hits in 6 2/3
innings, striking out four to win his fifth consecutive decision.
Nomar Garciaparra was 3-for-4 with his first stolen base of the
season.
Jeff Suppan (2-5) lasted just 2 2/3 innings, allowing six runs
and eight hits and four walks. He has allowed 15 homers in 70
innings this season.
"I really pitched terribly," the former Red Sox farmhand said.
"There's nothing else I can say."
Everett and Stanley hit back-to-back homers in the third to make
it 5-1. Troy O'Leary walked, took third on Jason Varitek's double
and scored on Suppan's wild pitch to make it 6-1.
Valentin, the longest-tenured Red Sox player, had surgery on his
left knee during the offseason to clean out scar tissue behind his
kneecap. He was ready by opening day, but he went on the disabled
list with tendinitis in his left knee and missed 35 games.
Valentin played in just nine games this season, hitting .257
with two homers and two RBIs in 35 at-bats. He is a career .283
hitter with 120 homers and 523 RBIs in an eight-year-career, all
with the Red Sox.
"I think if you go through something like that, when is it ever
going to be 100 percent?" Williams said. "But he's worked awfully
hard to come back. It's too bad, as hard as this kid's worked."
Game
notes
Carlos Febles broke an 0-for-10 slump with a first-inning
single. ... The Red Sox lead the major leagues with seven shutouts.
.... Boston won the season series 8-2 last year. ... The Royals are
17-7 at home and 8-18 on the road. ... The outing was Suppan's
shortest of the year, and it matched the most runs he has allowed.
... Fassero won only five games all of last year.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Kansas City Clubhouse
Boston Clubhouse
RECAPS
Boston 8
Kansas City 2
Cleveland 6
Anaheim 1
Detroit 7
Texas 4
Oakland 7
NY Yankees 4
Minnesota 4
Toronto 1
Baltimore 8
Tampa Bay 7
Chi. White Sox 2
Seattle 1
Pittsburgh 3
Florida 2
Cincinnati 4
Montreal 2
Atlanta 5
Chicago Cubs 2
Colorado 10
Houston 7
St. Louis 6
Arizona 1
San Diego 6
Milwaukee 3
NY Mets 10
Los Angeles 5
San Francisco 7
Philadelphia 3
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