Lowrie’s First Big League HR Helps Power Sox Over Twins, 5-2
By Administrator | May 11, 2008
Red Sox batters hit four solo home runs tonight to support Daisuke Matsuzaka’s seven-inning, two-run effort as The Olde Towne Team beat the Twins 5-2 last night in Minneapolis.
Kevin Youkilis gave the Sox a 1-0 lead in the second inning with his eighth homer of the season (fifth since last Saturday)… but the lead was short-lived as Minnesota tied the game in the bottom of the inning on a bases-loaded walk (one of three walks issued by the Sox righty in the game). The Twins took the lead in the fifth on a Justin Morneau single before the late-inning home run barrage.
In the top of the seventh inning, Coco Crisp led off with his first home run of the season to tie the game… the next batter, Lowrie, then put the Sox ahead with his homer. Mike Lowell hit his third home run of the season in the eight inning to extend the lead to 4-2… Dustin Pedroia’s rbi-single in the ninth inning gave provided an insurance run.
Matsuzaka improved to 6-0… he went seven innings, allowing two runs on six hits and three walks. Hideki Okajima pitched a perfect eighth inning. Jonathan Papelbon earned his eleventh save.
——————————-
The baseball slipped out of Daisuke’s hand in the third inning as he prepared to deliver a pitch… it landed fifteen feet from the mound. After the game, Terry Francona joked that Matsuzaka had finally unveiled his famed gyroball.
——————————-
Curt Schilling threw from 60 feet as he continues his rehabilitation from a shoulder injury… he said he felt good and will throw again on Monday.
——————————-
Minnesota starter Glen Perkins made his first major league start. He suffereed the loss, allowing three runs on nine hits in six innings.
——————————-
Bartolo Colon made a rehab start for Triple-A Pawtucket… he allowed one run on four hits in three innings, registering two strikeouts.
——————————-
The Sox and Twins play the penultimate game of the series this evening — it is the ESPN Sunday Night Game… Tim Wakefield (3-1) will pitch against Nick Blackburn (2-2)… it will be broadcast on WRKO radio (680 AM)
Topics: Sox Games, Sox Players | No Comments »
This Day in Baseball History: May 11th
By Administrator | May 11, 2008
In 1904, Cy Young’s streak of pitching no-hit baseball ended at 23-innings… the stretch included two innings on April 25th, six innings on April 30th, a perfect game on May 5th, and six innings on this date.
In 1946, the Boston Braves lost to the Giants, 5-1, in the first night game played at Braves Field… the 37,407 fans in attendance were surprised as their hometown heroes took the field wearing shiny satin uniforms designed to reflect the light generated by electricity used for the evening contest.
In 1950, Ted Williams made an inappropriate gesture to Red Sox fans sitting in the outfield stands after they booed when he misplayed a ball in the outfield. He made the gesture three separate times — once to the left field stands, once to center, and once to right. During his next at bat, as the booing continued prompting Williams to step out of the box to spit at fans to show his displeasure.
In 1963, Sandy Koufax no-hit the Giants, 8-0… the second of four career no-hitters… the feat coming on the day he returned to the rotation after being out with a circulatory ailment in his left index finger.
In 1972, the Giants traded Willie Mays to the Mets for right-hander Charlie Williams and $50000 cash… the trade returned the ‘Say-Hey Kid’ to the city where he began his Hall of Fame career.
In 1977, with the Braves mired in a 16-game losing streak, team owner Ted Turner took over as field manager… but the Braves lost again anyway, 2-1. Turner was relieved of his new job by N.L. president Chub Feeney due to a league rule which prohibits a manager from owning a financial interest in his club.
In 1984, the Detroit Tigers improved their record to 26-4 with an 8-2 win over the Angels… the Tigers established a new record for the best 30-game start in major league history, eclipsing the 25-5 mark set by the Dodgers in 1955.
In 1991, Indians outfielder Albert Belle responded to a heckler by picking up a foul ball and hitting the offender in chest from 15 feet away… Belle was fined and suspended for one week.
In 1998, Cubs pitcher Kerry Wood struck out 13 Diamnondbacks to set the major league record for strikeouts in consecutive starts (33).
In 2004, Pittsfield, MA, city officials and historians release a copy of a 1791 bylaw which they believe is the earliest written reference to baseball… the 213-year-old ordinance was enacted to protect the windows in town’s new meeting house by prohibiting anyone from playing baseball within 80 yards of the building. The document was uncovered by baseball historian John Thorn who was doing research on the origins of baseball.
Also in 2004, after missing the previous day’s game in order to become to become an American citizen, Red Sox left fielder Manny Ramirez led his teammates out of the dugout waving an American flag to celebrate his first day as a citizen of the United States — much to the delight of the sellout crowd at Fenway Park. As the 31-year native of the Dominican Republic came to bat, Neil Diamond’s song “America” was played over the PA system.
In 2005, the Boston Red Sox ended a game for the second consecutive day by hitting a walk-off home run off the same pitcher — a feat accomplished only five previous times in major league history… A’s closer Octavio Dotel was the victim both times… Kevin Millar hit the decisive blast on May 10th, Jason Varitek hit the game-winner on this date.
In 2006, Yankees outfielder Hideki Matsui saw his consecutive games streak (begun when he came to the States in 2003) end at 518 games when he broke his left wrist attempting to make a diving catch.
Born Today: Charlie Gehringer (1903), Milt Pappas (1939), Bobby Witt (1964)
Topics: MLB History | No Comments »
Lester, Pappy Can’t Make Offense Stand Up; Twins Rally For 7-6 Win
By Administrator | May 10, 2008
Jon Lester was lousy… Julio Lugo committed ANOTHER costly error (his eleventh error in six weeks) and Jonathan Papelbon blew his second consecutive save opportunity as the Red Sox fell to the Twins, 7-6, at the Hubert H Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis.
In spite of Lester’s unworthy effort and Lugo’s continuing struggles with the glove, the Sox offense put Papelbon in position to secure the team’s twenty-fourth win of the year (and to put them 10-games-over-.500 for the first time this season)… but on this night, on this RARE occasion, he just wasn’t up to the task. Unlike the blown save in Detroit a couple of night’s ago, a game in which he was more a victim of some horrible luck, last night he BLEW it… he screwed up… he wasn’t up to the challenge.
It wasn’t the leadoff hit that ultimately hurt him, although that baserunner would eventually score the game-tying run… rather it was his inattention to that runner, and a subsequent baserunner, that was more egregious. Hey, batters get hits… it happens. But pitchers don’t have to pitch to subsequent batters with nary a check on the baserunners. Both runners in the inning stole a base on HIM — Jason Varitek had NOTHING to do with the steals. NOTHING! Delmon Young (the batter who stroked the leadoff single) stole third base after being sacrificed to second base, and Carlos Gomez (who walked with two outs and scored the eventual game-winning run) stole second base. On Pappy.
Of course, in my opinion, Jason Varitek is somewhat culpable in the ninth-inning debacle from this standpoint: what the h-e-double-hockey-sticks was he doing calling a split-fingered fastball on the last pitch of the game? Mike Lamb had NO CHANCE of hitting Pappy’s fastball. NONE. ZERO. ZILCH. NADA. He was as over-matched as “over-matched” gets. He was lucky to even get his bat on the previous pitch.
I was thinking to myself, ’stay with the fastball - don’t speed up his bat’ just before the final pitch was thrown… the ball wasn’t even to home plate yet and I was thinking: WHAT?!?!
Lester allowed two runs in the first inning on three singles and a ground out. After the Red Sox tied the game in the top of the second, Lester allowed two more runs in the second — the Twins cause being abetted by Lugo’s error — but nonetheless it was Lester who threw the (bad) pitch that Brendan Harris lined into left-center field to drive in the runners.
The Twins scored another run in the fourth inning that never should have scored. Matt Tolbert hit a single into left field that was played into a double by the lolly-gagging Manny Ramirez. Lester then wild-pitched the runner to third base before Gomez singled him home. Hey Manny, smarten up!
But the Sox scored four runs in the fifth inning — their last runs of the night, as it turned out — to take the lead and set up the ninth inning fold. The big blow was struck by the rampaging Mike Lowell, who drove a two-run double into left field (scoring Dustin Pedroia and David Ortiz)… and he eventually scored the lead run on a wild pitch by reliever Juan Rincon. The Sox third baseman is 10-for-24 in his last five games, with two HR and seven ribbies.
David Aardsma (2/3 IP) and Hideki Okajima (2 IP) provided near-perfect relief before the game was turned over to Papelbon in the ninth inning. Pedroia, Lowell and Kevin Youkilis each had two hits… Jacoby Ellsbury had a hit and a walk (raising his OBP to nearly .400) and stole his 14th base of the season without being caught. He is now 23-for-23 in his brief career and closing in on the MLB record for most steals at the beginning of a career without being caught (27, Tim Raines).
——————————–
Ellsbury and Pedroia combined on a nice relay play in the sixth inning to throw out Delmon Young, trying to score from first base on a double, on a bang-bang play at home plate.
——————————–
Youkilis and Lugo stole bases to extend the team’s streak of consecutive successful attempts to twenty-two, a team record. The streak ended later in the game when J.D. Drew was thrown out trying to steal second by Joe Mauer.
———————————
Has NESN ever had a more attractive reporter working for them than Heidi Watney? She is a ‘honey-limbed lovely’. (”Beautiful Girls” reference for you movie fans)
It remains to be seen if she knows the game of baseball or has any talent as a reporter, but she doesn’t have to do very much to be an improvement on her predecessor — Tina Cervasio didn’t set the bar very high. Cervasio doesn’t know the game of baseball very well, oftentimes asked insipid questions, and couldn’t utter a sentence without stumbling over her words. I am convinced she was related to someone.
Here’s hoping Watney has even a little bit of talent… cuz her blonde hair, blue eyes and cover-girl-good-looks are quite pleasing to my sensibilities. Welcome aboard, Heidi.
———————————-
The teams play the second game of this four-game series tonight at 7 PM… Daisuke Matsuzaka (5-0) will be opposed by rookie Glen Perkins, making his first career start for the Twins… the game will be broadcast on NESN and WRKO (680 AM).
Topics: Sox Games, Sox Players | 2 Comments »
This Day in Baseball History: May 9th
By Administrator | May 9, 2008
In 1871, Esteban Enrique Bellán became the first Hispanic player in major league baseball.
In 1961, Orioles 1B Jim Gentile became the first player in major leaguer history to hit consecutive grand slams in the same game… the O’s beat the Twins, 13-5.
In 1967, Cardinals’ outfielder Roger Maris hits his first National League home run… #9 hit the dinger on the ninth day of the month… it landed in seat 9 of section 9.
In 1968, Oakland’s Catfish Hunter pitched a perfect game against the Twins… Oakland won the game 3-0. It was the first regular season perfecto in the American League in 46 years. Hunter also drove in all three Oakland runs.
In 1977, the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Seattle Mariners, 12-4, in the first meeting of the American League’s two newest teams.
In 1979, substitute umpire David Pallone ejected the entire Cardinal bench during a game between St Louis and Houston at The Astrodome. The action came as a result of Cardinals’ players throwing helmets and bats onto the field to protest a call. The minor league arbitrator was pressed into duty due to the major league umpire strike.
In 1999, Mike Stanton started his first major league game after making 552 relief appearances… breaking Gary Lavelle’s record for most appearances prior to starting a game.
In 2006, minor league outfielder Delmon Young (Tampa Bay) was suspended for 50 games by the International League for throwing a bat which hit a replacement umpire in the chest.
Born Today: Ron Jackson (1953), John Stuper (1957), Tony Gwynn (1960)
Topics: MLB History | No Comments »
In The Silo: May 8th — Another Good Day On The Farm As Pawtucket, Portland And Lancaster All Win
By Administrator | May 9, 2008
In Pawtucket, David Pauley rebounded from a rough outing in his last start (7 ER in 4 IP) to lead the PawSox to a 3-2 win over the Durham Bulls in the final game of a four-game series, salvaging a split of the series against the Tampa Bay affiliate.
Pauley surrendered two runs in six innings, allowing five hits, walking two and striking out five. He was relieved by Chris Smith and Bryan Corey, who combined for three innings of hitless relief.
The offense was led by Jeff Bailey and Dusty Brown, who had two hits apiece. Red Sox 1B Sean Casey, in Pawtucket on a rehab assignment, also had two hits in his first game with the PawSox. Alex Cora, in game #3 of his rehab assignment, had one hit in four at-bats.
———————————–
In Portland, Kris Johnson pitched five innings of three-hit shutout baseball as the Sea Dogs prevailed over New Hampshire (Toronto), 5-1. He walked three and struck out four in improving his record to 3-1 (3.41).
Miguel Asencio, Mike James and Jose Vaquedano combined four innings of hitless relief (issuing four walks and recording four strikeouts).
Right fielder Zach Daeges went 4-for-5 to lead the offense, raising his batting average to .333. Bubba Bell and Iggy Suarez had two hits apiece, while Jeff Corsaletti and John Otness drove in two runs each.
The Sea Dogs scored two runs in the first inning. Bubba Bell singled and Iggy Suarez doubled to put runners in scoring position with no one out… Bell scored on a Corsaletti ground out and Suarez came across on Daeges’ first hit of the game.
The score stayed that way until the top of the seventh, when Miguel Asencio retired the first two men, walked center fielder Aaron Matthews, and then wild pitched him around the bases.
Portland added three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to put the game out of reach. They led off the inning with a pair of singles… after a pair of strikeouts, Iggy Suarez singled to load the bases, Corsaletti walked to force in the third run, and Otness singled in a pair of runs to extend the lead to 5-1.
———————————–
In Lancaster, CA, the JetHawks hit seven home runs en route to scoring sixteen runs (on eighteen hits) in beating the High Desert Mavericks, 16-3.
Right fielder Josh Reddick and DH Daniel Nava each went 4-for-4 with a pair of home runs and three rbi. Left fielder had two hits — both home runs — and four rbi.
Adam Mills allowed two runs in 5 1/3 innings to improve his record to 4-2. Josh Papelbon, Jonathan’s younger brother, pitched 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief.
Topics: Around Baseball, Sox Players | No Comments »
Smokin’ Hot Youkilis Homers Again As Sox Beat Tigers Again, 5-1… Next Stop, Minnesota!
By Administrator | May 9, 2008
Over the last six days, Kevin Youkilis has been smokin’ aces. No, I don’t mean hanging out in Reno with Jeremy Piven, I mean battering opposing pitchers.
After a ten day period at the end of April when his bat fell uncharacteristically silent, ‘Youk’ began swinging the bat better last weekend and is now smokin’ hot. Since Saturday, he is 10-for-23 (.435) with 5 HR and 11 RBI. Can anyone say “AL Offensive Player of the Week”?
The weeklong rampage has put him nearly halfway to his career high in home runs (16, last year) and we are only six weeks into the season. He hit four HR in four games this week in Detroit and now has eight home runs in his career at spacious Comerica Park (NOTE: he hasn’t hit more than two home runs in any other road ballpark).
Last night, he hit his seventh home run of the season off Detroit ace Justin Verlander — a two-run shot in the fifth inning that extended the Red Sox lead to 5-1. And that is how the game ended.
Red Sox ace Josh Beckett made certain the score stood up — allowing only one run on six hits over seven innings while fanning eight Tigers (including the 1,000th K of his career). He was relieved by Craig Hansen and Manny Delcarmen, who each pitched a scoreless inning.
The Sox thirteen-hit attack was led by Youkilis and Coco Criso, who had three hits (all singles) and raised his average to .315 (while continuing to play excellent defense). Jason Varitek added a two-run single and Jacoby Ellsbury had twi hits, an rbi and a run scored.
—————————————————–
Of his recent power surge, Youkilis said: “I just play. I just try to get hits. It’s not like I’m trying to hit home runs, trying to do this or that. I’m just trying to take a good swing at the ball. It’s just happening”.
—————————————————–
Curtis Granderson struck out four times last night and has now whiffed seven times in his last ten at-bats.
—————————————————–
Curt Schilling played long toss before yesterday’s game as he continues to rehab from a shoulder injury. He threw 25 balls from 60 feet away.
Writing on his blog on Tuesday, Schill said: “I think we are all very happy with where I have come and how much improvement I’ve made, but at the end of the day we really are at the bottom of the mountain at this point”.
——————————————————
Tonight, Jon Lester (2-2, 3.94) faces Boof Bonser (2-4, 4.29) in the opener of a four-game series at the Metrodome in Minneapolis, MN. The game starts at 8:05 PM on NESN and WRKO (680 AM).
Topics: Sox Games, Sox Players | No Comments »
This Day in Baseball History: May 8th
By Administrator | May 8, 2008
In 1878, Providence Grays outfielder Paul Hines became the first player in history to execute an unassisted triple play after making a shoestring catch in left center field and stepping on third retiring both runners who had passed the base (the runners were out due to rules used at the time).
In 1926, a three-alarm blaze burned down Fenway Park’s grandstand roof and left field bleachers… the Red Sox, desperately in need of cash, used most of the insurance proceeds to pay for operations and left a vacant lot where the bleachers once stood.
In 1929, Giants’ hurler Carl Hubbell became the first left-hander in 13 seasons to throw a no-hitter as he beat the Pirates, 11-0.
In 1961, the New York Metropolitan Baseball Club, Inc. announced the New York National League franchise’s team nickname would be the Mets.
In 1966, Orioles’ outfielder Frank Robinson hit the first ball ever completely out of Baltimore’s Memorial Stadium… the 541-foot shot was hit off Indians hurler Luis Tiant.
In 1968, in front of only 6,298 Oakland fans, Jim Catfish Hunter hurled the first perfect game in the AL in forty-six years as the A’s defeated the usually heavy hitting Twins, 4-0.
In 1984, Twins’ rookie Kirby Puckett hit four singles in his first major league game helping Minnesota beat the Angels, 5-0.
In 1998, Cardinals 1B Mark McGwire reached the 400 career home run mark… the historic milestone came in 4,727 at-bats (127 less at-bats than Babe Ruth) — the fewest plate appearances ever needed to reach the mark.
Topics: MLB History | No Comments »
In The Silo (Down On The Farm): May 7th — PawSox, Sea Dogs And JetHawks All Win
By Administrator | May 8, 2008
In Pawtucket, the PawSox jumped out to a 5-1 lead after three innings and added seven runs in the seventh inning en route to a 12-7 win over the Durham Bulls (Tampa Bay).
But the game wasn’t even that close — Durham scored five runs in the ninth inning just to make the score respectable.
Kyle Snyder started for the Sox and went six innings, allowing two runs on three hits and a walk while striking out six batters. Edgar Martinez provided two innings of scoreless relief before Abe Alvarez and Eric Hull finished off the Bulls in the ninth inning — or should I say, Hull finished off the Bulls. (Alvarez didn’t retire any of the four batters he faced, allowing three hits while the other batter reached on an error… Hull struck out three while surrendering two hits and a run).
PawSox batters feasted on Kevin Lynn and three Bulls relievers. DH Sandy Madera, called up from Portland less than two weeks ago, had three hits (including his third home run), drove in two runs and scored three times… outfielder Chris Carter had two hits (including his first home run) and four rbi… and catcher George Kottaras hit his seventh home run and knocked in three runs.
Madera is now hitting .341 with Pawtucket, after hitting .421 with the Sea Dogs.
Alex Cora, in the second game of his injury rehab assignment, went 2-for-4 with a run scored (he is now 3-for-8 with two runs scored with the PawSox).
—————————–
In Portland, Michael Bowden finally earned his second win of the season in the Sea Dogs 10-0 win over the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Toronto). The twenty-one year old, who has encountered quite a bit of hard luck this season, pitched 6 2/3 innings of one-hit, shutout baseball… he walked one and struck out three. He is now 2-3, with an ever-improving 2.68 ERA, in 2008.
Hunter Jones (1 1/3 IP) and Beau Vaughan (1 IP) each pitched hitless, scoreless relief to finish off the one-hitter.
A leadoff double by Kyle Phillips in the third inning was the only hit for the Fisher Cats.
On offense, the Sea Dogs racked up 13 hits and 6 walks. Catcher Mark Wagner led the assault with three hits, including his second home run, and five rbi… center fielder Bubba Bell also had three hits, including his fifth home run, and scored three runs… right fielder Mickey Hall added his third home run of the season.
—————————–
At Clear Channel Stadium, Lancaster enjoyed some home cooking, winning their fourth game in their last five outings with a 6-4 triumph over High Desert (Seattle).
The JetHawks trailed the Mavericks 4-2 entering the bottom of the eighth inning, but they scored four runs after two were out in the frame to pull out the come-from-behind win. They benefited from two Mavericks errors in the inning.
The rally made a winner of relief pitcher Jason Blackley. Closer T J Large earned his fourth save with a scoreless ninth inning.
The offense was led by shortstop Aaron Reza, who had three hits (including two doubles and a triple), drove in one run and scored two others. Reza hit .353 through sixteen games with Greenville (South Atlantic Lg) prior to being promoted to Lancaster… since starting play in the California Lg he is hitting an eye-popping .448 in nine games.
Topics: Around Baseball, Sox Players | No Comments »
Sox Lose Ugly In Detroit, 10-9
By Administrator | May 8, 2008
It doesn’t get much uglier than this one.
This one was U-G-L-Y from the outset… starting when Clay Buchholz slipped and inadvertently kicked a slow dribbler that was heading for foul territory and ending when Placido Polanco’s bat exploded while connecting with a Jonathan Papelbon fastball — turning his Big Stick into kindling on a play that drove in the game-winning run for the Tigers at the end of the 10-9 debacle.
Buchholz, who allowed five runs on ten hits in just four innings, pitched in bad luck all night… that, combined with two bad changeups, was enough to doom his outing. Of the ten hits he surrendered, one was a check-swing dribbler to shortstop, one was the kicked dribbler, one was a broken bat fister and another was a bloop doen the right-field line. If it wasn’t for bad luck, he’d have had no luck at all in The Motor City.
Ditto Papelbon. His bad-luck ninth inning started with an ‘excuse me’ check swing single off the bat of rookie designated hitter Matt Joyce and continued when Julio Lugo bungled a slow roller off the bat of Edgar Renteria to put two me on with no one out. After a sac bunt and a ground out (which tied the game), hed fell behind Polanco 3-0, but battled back to 3-2 when he busted a fastball in on the second baseman’s hands — shattering his bat into kindling. But almost as if scripted, the swing produced a weak little bloop that just evaded the outstretched glove of a diving Julio Lugo — producing Polanco’s fifth hit of the game and a 10-9 Detroit victory.
The Tigers slapped eighteen hits (only two extra base hits) around Comerica Park in snapping their five-game losing streak… an assortment of line drives, ground balls, check-swing dribblers, bloops, and broken-bat quails that gave you a sense that this would be the Tigers day.
But the never-say-die Red Sox roared back from a pair of four-run deficits to take the lead after eight innings. For their part, the Red Sox offense pounded a dozen hits around the ballpark, including a pair of home runs by Kevin Youkilis and another three-run, game-tying bomb by Mike Lowell… in all, seven of the Red Sox twelve hits were extra-base hits.
But their efforts were done-in by Julio Lugo’s tenth error of the season and a broken-bat quail.
Some games are destined to go that way, I guess.
After Buchholz’ bad-luck outing, manager Terry Francona brought Julian Tavarez into the game… he surrendered three runs on four hits in one inning of work — raising his ERA to 7.15. David Aardsma, Javier Lopez and Hideki Okajima each then provided an inning of scoreless relief to allow the offense the opportunity to get back into the game — before the disastrous ninth inning.
The Sox offense was led by Lowell (three hits and three rbi) and Youkilis (two home runs, three rbi) and Jacoby Ellsbury (two hits, two runs, two stolen bases)… but on this night, not even nine runs was sufficient to put the game in the win column. So the Sox and Tigers will go at it one more time this evening, with Josh Beckett opposing Justin Verlander at 7 PM… the game will be broadcast on NESN and WRKO (680 AM).
——————————–
The blown save was Papelbon’s first in eleven save opportunities this season.
——————————–
Curt Schilling will play catch again today (on flat ground) in the next step of his shoulder rehab program.
——————————–
Ellsbury is now 22-for-22 in stolen bases for his career. The Red Sox, as a team, are perfect in their last twenty stolen base attempts.
Topics: Sox Games, Sox Players | No Comments »
It’s A Wild, Wild, Wild, Wild, Wild, Wild, Wild, Wild World In Detroit, But Sox Prevail, 6-3
By Administrator | May 6, 2008
I was trying to think of a title for this post and I kept coming back to Stanley Kramer’s 1963 classic comedy caper: Its a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.
Well, to capture the madness of last night’s game at Comerica Park, I needed to use the word ‘Wild’ eight times in my caption — one for each of the walks issued by Red Sox starter Daisuke Matsuzaka during the course of his five-inning outing. The fact that he allowed only two hits in the game might suggest that he was in fine form… the fact that he threw 109 pitches and walked eight batters in five innings suggests something else all together…
He issued a free pass in each of the innings he pitched, but because he allowed only two hits he was able to limit the damage. Four of the eight walks came with two outs in the inning, as did both of his hits, so the amount of wriggling he had to do was kept at a minimum.
But still, EIGHT walks.
Craig Hansen, re-called from Pawtucket earlier in the day to take Brandon Moss’ spot on the roster, allowed two runs in an inning of work. He left the game with the bases loaded and two outs without having surrendered a run, but Hideki Okajima allowed a two-run single to pinch-hitter Marcus Thames before retiring Edgar Renteria for the final out. Jonathan Papelbon pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning to earn his 10th save.
On offense, Mike Lowell (three hits) and Kevin Youkilis hit a pair of early two-run home runs to give the Red Sox a 4-0 lead… and David Ortiz finished the scoring in the ninth inning with his sixth home run of the season. THe Red Sox had eleven hits in the game… only Jacoby Ellsbury and Jason Varitek went hitless.
———————————-
Matsuzaka, who was suffering from a cold all day, didn’t allow a hit until Curtis Granderson’s rbi-single with two outs in the fourth inning. Manager Terry Francona said afterwards that he only intended to use Dice-K for five innings last night regardless of the situation.
———————————-
The home run by Lowell was his first of the season… his two rbi were also his first runs batted in since last year.
———————————-
Curt Schilling, on the 60-day disabled list with a tired shoulder, is scheduled to throw 25 pitches from 60 feet on Tuesday. If that goes well, he will begin a regular throwing program.
———————————-
The four-game series continues tonight… Tim Wakefield will face Nate Robertson at 7 PM… the game will be broadcast on NESN and WRKO (680 AM)
Topics: Sox Games, Sox Players | No Comments »
