The one player spared Williams's wrath was rookie pitcher Paxton Crawford, who did a creditable job filling in for the best pitcher in baseball, the injured Pedro Martinez, in a debut that was big league in name only. Alcantara, who also played Jose Valentin's single into a run-scoring double for the second White Sox run, later was charged with an error when he picked up Chris Singleton's leadoff single in the sixth, then dropped it as he prepared to throw, allowing Singleton to take second. New third baseman Ed Sprague, who somehow was not charged with a throwing error on the first ball hit his way, followed with a two-base error when Carlos Lee's ground ball clanked off his glove. The White Sox went on to score four runs in the inning, three on Valentin's bases-loaded triple off Rich Garces. Any manager would be upset.
Guys are upset.
The Red Sox were held to four hits in eight innings by lefty Mike Sirotka, all singles. Brian Daubach singled home Boston's only run off Sirotka, but even that play wound up tainted, as Garciaparra was erased at the plate trying to score from second on a terrific throw by Singleton. We've always had a club where everybody knew the demeanor of the club, how you've got to play. Everybody picked each other up. We're not doing that now.