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A SAD END TO A
RECORD SEASON ...
Devern Hansack throws a no-hitter (sorta)
October 1, 2006 ...
Trot Nixon's final appearance in a Red Sox cap may well have come
during today's rain-shortened 9-0 victory over the Baltimore Orioles
in a season finale that started after a 3-hour-23-minute delay and
was finally brought to a halt at 7:46 p.m. after five innings and
another 41-minute delay.
In an
unscripted moment, manager Terry Francona, afraid the weather might rob him of
his chance to offer a proper goodbye, sent rookie David Murphy to right field to
take Nixon's place with two outs in the top of the fifth inning. While Nixon
jogged back to the dugout, the hardy remnants of a sellout crowd of 35,826 gave
him a stirring send-off after 14 seasons in the Sox organization, the last eight
in a big league uniform.
For the same
reason, Francona had batted Nixon leadoff yesterday. With his wife, Kathryn, and
two sons, 4-year-old Chase and 2-year- old Luke (who didn't know his birthday
yesterday was such a bittersweet occasion), sitting behind home plate instead of
in the family section, Nixon on his first at-bat stepped out of the batter's
box, lifted his helmet, and waved it toward the fans on both foul lines as they
demonstrated their affection.
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DEVERN HANSACK |
In this, the
final damp hours of the Sox finishing with an 86-76 record, it was a time for
partings, some that may only be temporary. Mark Loretta, the second baseman
imported from San Diego whose late-season slump while battling a quadriceps
injury cost him a .300 season, homered over the Monster in the fourth inning,
hastily pointing heavenward as he crossed the plate in good-natured parody of
David Ortiz, who fouled out and walked twice to bring a quiet end to his season
of superb slugging. Loretta, like Nixon a free agent, said that despite
speculation he will be replaced next season by Dustin Pedroia, there's a 50-50
chance he'll be back in 2007.
Devern
Hansack, who has been here barely long enough for anyone to know his name his
contract was purchased Sept. 19 from Double A Portland lent drama to the soggy
proceedings by holding the Orioles without a hit in his first big league win. In
1991, Major League Baseball changed its rules and mandated that a no-hitter must
go at least nine innings, so the 28-year-old Nicaraguan did not get credit for a
no-no. But it did go into the books as a complete-game shutout, the first by a
Sox pitcher since Pedro Martinez blanked Tampa Bay Aug. 12, 2004. |
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