The shortstop singles in his first at-bat of the season.
By Associated Press
Published June 10, 2004
BOSTON - Nomar Garciaparra returned to the Boston lineup with a flourish, answering a standing ovation with a hit in his first at-bat of the season on Wednesday night.
The All-Star shortstop, who missed the first 57 games with Achilles' tendinitis, twice touched the bill of his cap and waved to the cheering crowd when he took his position in the first inning. In the second, he fielded a one-hopper to start a double play.
He came to bat to a standing ovation in the bottom of the second and hit the first pitch foul down the third-base line. He swatted the next pitch from Brian Lawrence through the left side for a hit, giving the two-time AL batting champ a temporary batting average of 1.000.
He took third on Kevin Millar's double and was stranded there.
Pokey Reese, who had been impressive filling in for Garciaparra, was not in the lineup, with Mark Bellhorn at second and Kevin Youkilis at third.
"We're going to play a few games and mix in a few days off," Garciaparra said before the game, which wasn't over at press time. Go to sptimes.com for the result. "I don't know when those will be just yet."
Garciaparra was 0-for-8 in spring training before he was hit in the right heel by a ball in March. Though the team originally hoped he would be back for opening day, he was placed on the disabled list and did not resume playing until he went on a rehab assignment last week.
Garciaparra went 5-for-18 with one homer on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Pawtucket and returned to Boston over the weekend. But after testing his heel before the Red Sox game on Tuesday, he decided to play one more game in Pawtucket; he went 0-for-3.
"The way I felt Saturday, I felt pretty good, They said let's have one more day," Garciaparra said Wednesday. Asked if he was 100 percent, he said: "I don't think I'll be 100 percent for a long time."
First baseman Brian Daubach was sent outright to Triple-A Pawtucket to make room for Garciaparra. The Red Sox also optioned right-hander Jamie Brown to Pawtucket and recalled left-hander Mark Malaska.
