Nixon's the One

Wade Miller got his second start for the Red Sox and paid the price for a prolific pitch count, weakening in the sixth inning to allow consecutive 'taters' to Richie Sexson and Raul Ibanez to give the Mariners a 3-1 lead. Earlier, Manny Ramirez had cranked career homer 399 to tie the game at 1.

In the top of the seventh, after J.J. Putz, doing his best Goose Gossage imitation had fanned Manny with high gas, Trot Nixon launched an 0-1 97 mph fastball into the rightcenterfield bleachers for his eighth career grand slam.

At the time of publication/exhaustion, the Sox lead the Ms 6-3 headed to the bottom of the eighth.

Meanwhile, the 'hated Yankees' won their seventh game in a row, hammering the A's 15-6, moving to within a game of the Tony Mazzarotti Fortune .500 line (they make a fortune a play .500). The Orioles remain on top in the AL East at 23-13, beating the White Sox 9-6. B.J. Ryan got his tenth save and has 32 strikeouts in 20 1/3 innings since taking over the closer job this season for Jorge Julio.

Farming for dollars. The PawSox got scratched again by the Mud Hens, losing a 12-11 decision as DiNardo and Malaska got abused for 12 runs in 4 1/3 innings. Kelly Shoppach had HR number 9 and Chip Ambres (.372) had a hit and 2 walks.

Portland was rained out.

Wilmington beat Salem 4-2, behind 7 innings of one-run ball from Luis Mendoza (3-0, 2.84). Wilmington is lead by Anibal Sanchez (3-1), with 55 strikeouts and six walks in 37 innings, a 2.19 ERA.