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Sox Battle Back, Move to 3-0
April 1, 2007 Astros 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 3 5 4 Red Sox 1 1 0 0 0 0 2 4 5 3 WP- Gardner (1-0) LP- Klock (0-1) Waddell HS-----The Charlotte Red Sox improved their record to 3-0 Sunday night with a hard-fought 4-3 victory over the Charlotte Astros at Waddell HS. It was the third straight 1-run decision between the two teams, who seem to play close no matter the situation. Rain fell for most of the night and made it a struggle for both otherwise sure-handed defenses under the wet conditions. It didn't appear to the starting pitchers were affected one bit however, as the Astros Charlie Pflum and Red Sox Wes Hepler both showed up ready to deal. They each turned in spectacular performances despite the bad weather. Hepler sat down the side in order in the first before watching his Sox take an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the inning. A lead off double by J.D. Vidal would set the table for a 2 out RBI single off the bat of Dowd Maye. Hepler worked a scoreless second and allowed his team to tack on another in the bottom of the 2nd. A Joe Maione single followed by an Astros error would lead to him being driven in on a productive Mike Marconi groundout. The Astros did all their damage in the top of the 3rd, scoring 3 unearned runs and taking a 3-2 lead. Back to back 1 out walks, 2 Sox errors, and a Joe Kissler single accounted for the runs and the lead. Pflum and Hepler were lights out for the next several innings. Pflum only allowed 1 more hit before being lifted after facing one batter in the 7th. Hepler matched him pitch for pitch, also allowing 1 more hit before leaving with 1 out in the 6th. The Red Sox relied on Shawn Gardner out of the pen, who came in with runners on 1st and 2nd and shut down the threat. He worked the final 1 and 2/3 innings, allowing only a bunt single, while striking out 2, and gave his team a chance to make up the 1-run defecit heading into the bottom of the final inning. An error and walk put runners on 1st and 2nd with no outs, and a beauty of a sac bunt moved them each up a base. The runner at third slipped on the play due to the wet grass and despite getting caught in a rundown, scored on a wild throw to the plate to knot the game up. 3 batters later with 2 outs and the winning run still 90 feet away, Vidal laced a single between short and third for the game-winner. Hepler(1-0, 2.10) went 5 and 1/3 solid innings for the Sox, holding a strong Astros attack to 4 hits, struck out 4, didn't allow an earned run, but got a no-decision for his efforts. Gardner(1-0, 0.00) took the win, striking out 2 and allowing 1 hit in his 1 and 2/3 innings. Vidal led the offense with a 2-4 night and the game-winning RBI. Maye and Marconi each chipped in an RBI and a single while Maione had the other hit and scored 2 runs, including the game-winner. Pflum worked 6+ strong innings for the Astros, holding a potent Sox offense to 1 earned run on 4 hits while striking out 8, but also didn't factor in the decision. Kissler(2-3, 2B) and Atsushi Suyama(2-3, 2SB) led the Astros at the plate with Dan Weber tacking on the other hit. The Red Sox are back at it Tuesday at Waddell, dipping into division play for the first time in 07' with their matchup against the Charlotte Royals.
