Sox 4, Cleveland 2
WP: Beckett (8-0)
LP: Sowers (1-5)
SV: Okajima (4)
HRs: BOS- Youk (8), Tek (5)
SUMMARY:
Josh Beckett made his return from the DL a successful one, tossing 7 solid innings allowing just three hits and two runs while fanning seven, and Kevin Youkilis extended two hitting streaks with a homer and a double and the good just times keep on rollin' for the Sox, who have now won five in a row.
HERO: Youk 2-4, 1R, 2RBI, 2B, HR
21-game hitting streak, 9 consecutive multi-hit games, .358 batting average...I know Beckett had a great game coming off the DL, but until this guy either stops getting hits or at least pares it down to a single hit per game, he's getting this award from here on out.
GOAT: Grady Sizemore 0-4, 3Ks
Cleveland's leadoff hitter is the spark that lights their offense, so when he whiffed his first three times up and then grounded out with two men on in a 2-run game to end the 8th, well there's not much of a spark to light a flame now is there?
RECAP:
Like I said the other night regarding the exploits of Kevin Youkilis, I'm quickly running out of superlatives to describe the incredible goings on surrounding our beloved Boston ballclub.
All right, now I'm so fucked up I'm writing in putrid prose.
But as the wins pile up and quality teams get discarded like Paris Hilton boytoys, the analytical blogger in me wants to say "why so surprised, you called it yourself, dumbass?", and after looking at the lineup and rotation this club was going to have, plus Paps at the back end, who in the Nation didn't?
Only analysis and explanations start to go out the window when a team starts playing baseball like this, stringing together magical moments and memorable wins like so many sweet rings on a candy necklace, and the unique feelings associated with a team, no, a Boston team, playing head & shoulders above the competition can bring normally critical, analytical people to the brink of babbling bliss.
I will stop now and try to analyze the events of tonight's ballgame, minus the pathetic poetry.
Becks came straight off the DL and picked right up where he left off: he fanned the first batter he had faced since May 13th, then after giving up a single to Jhonny Peralta (3-4, BB), got to Travis Hafner to fly out to Coco, who then alertly fired back to first to catch a napping Peralta, who took off for second base, for an unconventional inning-ending double play.
As has been the case all year when Beckett pitches, the Sox wasted no time getting him a lead to work with (one big reason he is undefeated is he has been the beneficiary of mega run support, as in 8 1/2 runs per start, tops in the majors), putting a run on the board in the bottom of the first. And wouldn't you know, the man to put his team ahead is the one who has been driving this runaway train for the past month, Kevin Youkilis.
Julio Lugo led off with a bunt single and Coco tried to duplicate him but ended up flying out to center. Youk then wasted no time extending his hitting streak to 21, taking the third pitch he saw from Jeremy Sowers and slashing into left for an RBI double, and just like that the crowd was in full throat, with the calls of "Yooooookkkkkk" showering down on Fenway with a little extra gusto in appreciation for all this man has been doing for this team the past few weeks.
The score would remain 1-0 til the 5th, with Beckett mowing down Indians (he set down 8 straight before walking nemesis Peralta in the 4th) and Sowers settling down to retire 9 straight Sox. The the Captain led off the fifth with a shot over the Monster that if you weren't paying attention you would have thought it was hit by Manny or Wily Mo.
By the time the ball landed across Lansdowne, Tek was being congratulated in the dugout, and the good times were indeed rolling at the ballpark again.
So you can imagine how festive the atmosphere got when Youk blasted a Sowers offering into the Monster seats for a leadoff homer in the 6th, his 8th of the season and second in two nights, although this one was the more conventional variety; that hit gave him at leat two knocks hits in nine straight games, a feat last accomplished by Magglio Ordonez in 2002.
Boston would chase Sowers (5.2IP, 6H, 4ER, BB, K, 2HRs) from the game after Lowell doubled, and reliever Fernando Cabrera walked three straight batters, including Dustin Pedroia with the bases loaded, to force in run #4.
With Beckett cruising it seemed like the four runs would be as good as his usual eight, but in the 7th, quicker than you can say "right back in it", Cleveland strung together a single by Peralta (!) a triple by Hafner that eluded Drew's lunge and rolled around the right field corner, and an RBI ground out by Victor Martinez to cut the lead in half.
That development-plus the fact that he had thrown 91 pitches already-brought Donnelly into the game to start the 8th, and he immediately hit Ryan Garko and after registering a couple of big outs gave up a single to pinch hitter Casey Blake. On came 1-man lefty specialist Javier Lopez, who induced Sizemore to ground out with just two pitches, and just like that the game was all but over.
Well, not before some 9th inning teeth-gnashing courtesy of Okajima. With Papelbon unavailable, Oki took over the closing duties and retired Peralta (finally) to lead off the 9th but walked Hafner after a couple of questionable calls. The Sox let him take second, but Oki bore down and got Martinez to strike out, then (fittingly) K'd Trot to end the game.
And so another chapter was written in the storybook-like season for the Sox. The team keeps getting better & better, finding ways to win despite or because of injuries, ineffective hitters, inconsistent pitching from certain starters (ahem,Schill), and individual accomplishments.
The Sox will head into the month of June with the best record in baseball, the biggest lead in any division, the best pitcher, hottest hitter, and most complete team the game has seen in a long time.
If that doesn't drive someone to write crappy & cliched cornball commentaries I don't know what will.
NOTES:
- In all the excitement I neglected to mention that Papi sat for the third straight game with a sore hammy/groin; he should return tomorrow
- After two solid games in a row, Drew went back to his usual 0-4, grounding out to the left side of the infield 3 of his 4 at bats. He also took a ball off the face on Peralta's 7th- inning single
- Manny (1-3) notched his 9th double and has now hit in 7 of the last 8 games (12-24, .545)
- Beckett became the first Sox starter to win his first 8 decisions since the Rocket (booo!) started 14-0 in 1986; the last Sox pitcher to win his first 8 decisions? None other than El Guapo, Rich Garces, in 2000.
- Pedroia's 5th inning single extended his hitting streak to 9 games (13-29, .448) and he has raised his average all the way up to .302; guess Tito knew what he was talking about
- The last Boston player to record multi-hit games in 9 consecutive outings? Jim Ed in 1978
"We don't need Papi." --a joking Youk on the team's success (3-0) without him
"He looks like a guy who hadn't missed a game." --Eric Wedge on Beckett's performance
"They basically don't have a flaw in their lineup, so your margin of error is small."--Sowers; I told you this kid would be overwhelmed by the situation
RECORD: 36-15
AL EAST: Up 11.5 on BALUP NEXT: Wed vs. CLE 7P ESPN HD
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