Hatteberg Goes From Goat to Hero in Grand Fashion

Boston’s Scott Hatteberg performed the ultimate baseball opposite.

Hatteberg hit a grand slam one at-bat after lining into a triple play Monday night, powering the Red Sox over the Texas Rangers, 10-7, to cap a four-game sweep at Boston.

Hatteberg lined into a triple play in the fourth inning. In the sixth, he hit his second career grand slam to move Boston ahead for good.

“That’s from the outhouse to the penthouse right there,” he said. “I was trying to get the ball in the air, trying to stay out of the double play. It was a great feeling going around the bases.”

The Red Sox moved within 2 1/2 games of American League East-leading New York with their first four-game sweep of Texas since July 10-13, 1975. Boston improved its wild-card lead to two games over Cleveland.

“A good comeback win,” Red Sox Manager Jimy Williams said. “We hit the ball hard. Certainly Hatteberg’s hit was big.”

The Rangers turned their third triple play in club history in the fourth inning when Hatteberg lined to shortstop with the runners on first and second moving on the pitch. Alex Rodriguez flipped to second baseman Randy Velarde, who forced the first runner and tagged the second.

The Red Sox rallied from a 7-5 deficit in the sixth. Carl Everett reached on an infield hit that knocked out Texas starter Rob Bell.

Troy O’Leary singled off reliever Juan Moreno (2-2) and Brian Daubach walked to load the bases. After Chris Stynes’ single made it a one-run game, Hatteberg hit a 2-and-1 pitch into the Red Sox bullpen.

“How many times you see a guy hit into a triple play and [hit] a grand slam in the same game?” Ranger Manager Jerry Narron said. “It’s probably never happened before.”

Seattle 8, Cleveland 6--This time, the Mariners didn’t let a lead slip away as Paul Abbott won his 10th consecutive decision and Ichiro Suzuki had three hits at Cleveland.

One day after the Indians became the third team to rally from a 12-run deficit to win a game, the Mariners took the lead in the first inning and never gave it up.

Bret Boone hit his 26th home run, off Charles Nagy (4-5), and the Mariners scored at least once in each of the first five innings to win for the ninth time in 11 games.

Jim Thome hit his AL-leading 37th home run and Marty Cordova homered for the Indians, who couldn’t quite duplicate their improbable rally on Sunday, when they trailed 12-0 after three innings and 14-2 in the seventh.

Boone became the fourth AL second baseman to hit more than 25 homers in a season, joining Bobby Grich, Bobby Doerr and Joe Gordon.

Oakland 6, Detroit 3--Johnny Damon hit a tiebreaking three-run home run in the ninth inning to give the Athletics their first four-game sweep in Detroit in 46 years.

The Athletics hadn’t swept a four-game series in Detroit since July 1955, their first season in Kansas City. Oakland has won five in a row and 21 of 28 to move into wild-card contention, 2 1/2 games behind Boston.

Chicago 5, Tampa Bay 2--Dan Wright took a no-hitter into the seventh inning of his second career start, leading the White Sox at Chicago.

Wright (2-0) was effectively wild, walking seven and allowing no runs before being replaced after Chris Gomez’s double with one out in the seventh broke up the no-hit bid.

Baltimore 9, Kansas City 6--Cal Ripken Jr. kicked off his final trip to Kansas City in style, capping a five-run fifth inning with a two-run double.

Melvin Mora and Mike Kinkade each had three three hits for Baltimore.