BOSTON COMES FROM BEHIND, WINS

BOSTON -- The Red Sox won in walk-off fashion tonight, surmounting a one-run deficit and beating Oakland 5-4 in their last at-bat.  Billy Koch was summoned to pitch the bottom of the 9th.  He did not record an out.  He allowed a double to Johnny Damon and then a sharp single to Shea Hillenbrand.  Hillenbrand was mobbed at 1st base. 

Manny Ramirez was recently placed on the DL and was not in uniform.  Regardless, the Red Sox were able to pound out 13 hits, including a 4-for-5 performance by Shea Hillenbrand.

Eric Chavez smashed a huge, game-tying home run in 6th that lifted Oakland's hopes, but the fun didn't last as Boston rebounded in the 2nd half of the inning.  The victory improves Boston's record to 8-1 in one-run games.

"Tough, just tough," said Maty McNeil.  "Boston just found a way.  I am, however, becoming truly concerned about Miguel Tejada.  Yet another 0-for performance.  His average now stands at .232. -- and it's mid-May."

Around the League: • Cleveland's Ellis Burks has 6 home runs with 14 RBI's over the past 10 days.  • The Boston Red Sox are a perfect 5-0 in extra inning games.  They are the only team in the majors to remain perfect in extra frames. • Jimmy Rollins' 12 errors lead the Major Leagues.  Rollins has muffed 6% of his total chances this year.  His X-play percentage still remains at a respectable 70.7%.  Clearly, Rollins is missing some routine plays. • Kansas City catcher Brett Mayne has thrown out 64.3% of would-be base-runners, tops in the AL. • Relievers are hitting .308 with 13 HR's off Oakland's bullpen.  Only Detroit and Texas have worse bullpens.

BOXSCORE: 2002 Oakland Athletics At 2002 Boston Red Sox             5/14/2002

  Athletics          AB  R  H RBI AVG     Red Sox            AB  R  H RBI AVG
  S.Hatteberg 1B      3  1  0  0 .289     J.Damon CF          5  1  1  0 .236 
  M.Tejada SS         4  0  0  0 .232     S.Hillenbrand 3B    5  1  4  1 .331 
  J.Dye RF            4  1  1  1 .258     N.Garciaparra SS    4  0  1  1 .351 
  E.Chavez 3B         4  1  1  3 .286     B.Daubach RF        4  1  2  0 .271 
  J.Giambi LF         4  0  0  0 .265     R.Henderson LF      3  1  1  0 .179 
  G.Myers C           4  0  1  0 .194     J.Varitek C         4  0  1  0 .265 
  T.Long CF           3  0  0  0 .163     C.Baerga 2B         4  1  2  3 .455 
  C.Pena DH           2  0  0  0 .187     J.Offerman DH       3  0  1  0 .379 
  F.Menechino 2B      3  1  1  0 .178     L.Merloni 1B        4  0  0  0 .139 
                     -- -- -- ---                            -- -- -- ---     
         Totals      31  4  4  4                 Totals      36  5 13  5


Athletics....... 1 0 0  0 0 3  0 0 0  -  4  4  0
Red Sox......... 0 1 1  1 0 1  0 0 1  -  5 13  0

Athletics (19-19)        IP       H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR  PC    ERA  SCORESHEET
C.Lidle                   5 2/3   7   4   4   1   4   1  92   3.83  A1 C6
M.Magnante BS(1st)        0       1   0   0   1   0   0   7   3.72  C7 C8
C.Bradford                2 1/3   3   0   0   0   1   0  35   5.40  C9 D9
B.Koch LOSS(1-2)          0       2   1   1   0   0   0   5   5.09  E1
Totals                    8      13   5   5   2   5   1

Red Sox (29-6)           IP       H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR  PC    ERA  SCORESHEET
J.Burkett                 5       3   2   2   0   4   1  50   8.61  A1 B9
T.Wakefield W(5-0)B(1st)  4       1   2   2   1   4   1  59   1.76  C1
Totals                    9       4   4   4   1   8   2

ATTENDANCE- 32,902 DATE- Tuesday, May 14th 2002 TIME- Night WEATHER- Bad
UMPIRES- Alfonzo Marquez, Scott Packard, Jeff Nelson, Derryl Cousins
T- 2:50
LEFT ON BASE- Athletics: 2  Red Sox: 8
DOUBLE PLAYS- Athletics: 1  Red Sox: 0
DOUBLES- J.Damon(11th), S.Hillenbrand-2(10th)
HOME RUNS- J.Dye(3rd), E.Chavez(6th), C.Baerga(2nd)
STOLEN BASES- R.Henderson(3rd)
WALKS- S.Hatteberg, R.Henderson, J.Offerman
HIT BY PITCH- C.Pena
STRIKE OUTS- M.Tejada-2, J.Dye, E.Chavez-2, G.Myers, T.Long, F.Menechino,
             J.Damon-2, R.Henderson-2, L.Merloni
GIDP- N.Garciaparra