Seattle 8, Sox 7
WP: O'Flaherty (5-0)
LP: Lopez (1-1)
SV: Putz (22)
HRs: BOS- Hinske (3); SEA- Bloomquist (2), Sexson (15)
SUMMARY:
How the hell do you summarize a game like this?
Boston battled back from an early three-run deficit (thanks to ineffective Kason Gabbard) to tie the game at four, but previously unscored-upon Manny Delcarmen let Seattle take a two-run lead, 6-4, in the fifth.
When Boston tied it again in the sixth on a clutch single by Big Papi, Javier Lopez came on and gave up his first longball of the season, a two-run bomb to Richie Sexson, then J.J. Putz came in and struck out the side to slam the door on this wild West victory for Seattle.
I guess that's it in a nutshell.
HERO(es):
- Seattle bullpen-- four relievers combined to stop the bleeding by allowing just one earned run in 3 1/3 while fanning six Sox batters
- Papi 3-4, R, RBI, BB--although he whiffed with a man on third in the eigth, Papi had already knocked in the tying run earlier and reached base four times; what more do you want from the guy?
- Timlin & Oki-- the only two out of five Boston hurlers that did not allow a run-kudos!
- Seattle's 9-1-2-3 hitters-- the table setters (Bloomquist, Ichiro, Vidro, Lopez) not only set the table they made the damn thing, combining to go 8-14 with 4 runs scored, 3 RBIs, a homer and a huge defensive play
- Gabbard 3.1IP, 6H, 4ER, 6BB, 2K, HR, HBP-- to say Gabbard didn't fill Schill' sizable shoes very well would be a massive understatement; unless we're talking about the Schill of the last few months, and then you would be spot on
- Lopez & Delcarmen-- the two normally reliable relievers pitched three innings and allowed five hits, two walks and four runs, and both surrendered leads or ties-ugh!
- F. Hernandez 5.2IP, 11H, 5ER, 2BB, 5K, HR-- the man who pitched like a King in Fenway in April was a mere pauper tonight; in April Felix allowed one hit in 8 innings, tonight he gave up his first hit to his first batter
Go figure: a nice Irish boy named O'Flaherty, a local kid from Drew Bledoe's hometown no less, beats Boston despite allowing a game-tying hit to Big Papi, and runs his record to 5-0 as a middle reliever despite pitching only 26 innings.
He's got to have a fucking horeshoe in his back pocket and a four-leaf clover up his ass!
RECAP:
I've already expended so much time and words just doling out the awards above that I barely have anything left to summarize the whole game.
But I think you get the gist with all the crazy linescores and events that took place that the contest last night was like something out of a Stephen King nightmare.
The Globe's Gordon Edes put it best this morning when he wrote "the sound of TV sets shutting off all over New England could be heard 2,500 miles away" after Gabbard walked three batters and hit another in a about as disastrous a first inning as a spot starter could have.
Unfortunately for myself and many other members of the Nation, some of us stuck around to the bitter end.
Those poor souls who did stay awake witnessed another night of atrocious Boston pitching, which in two games in the Pacific Northwest has deteriorated faster than Tom Sizemore at an all-you-can-snort buffet.
Want proof? In two games the Sox hurlers have allowed 22 hits, 17 runs (14ER), 14 walks and four home runs in 16 innings, for an ERA of 7.88. Yikes!
As I said Gabbard, in his first start since being recalled to take Schill's spot in the roatation, could not find the strike zone after Boston batters had staked him to a 1-0 lead after one. As usual though, the Sox failure to capitalize on scoring opps would come back to haunt them yet again for the first of many times this night.
The Sox did something they didn't do at all the last time they faced Hernandez-got two hits off him, in the first on a leadoff single by Coco and a single by Pedroia. Ortiz walked to load em up, yet even Manny having the night off didn't matter as Youk (2-3, 3BI) lined the first of his two run-scoring singles to right for a quick 1-0 lead.
But then Drew struck out and Lowell (1-5, 2BI) grounded into a double play, and what could have been a big inning turned into another letdown; they could've had King Felix on the ropes, but they let him dance around and shake off the big blow.
Gabbard then alllowed Seattle to have that big inning when he started the bottom of the frame like this: Ichiro-K; Lopez-walk; Vidro-single; Sexson-walk; Johjima-HBP; Guillen-walk; Beltre-walk.
Suddenly it was 3-1 and Gabbard was in danger of not making it out of the first inning. Some spot starter.
Luckily he induced Yuniesky Betancourt into grounding into a double play to end the carnage, but the Sox would have to play catch up from there on out in order to even the series.
Things didn't get much better in the second for Gabbard as light-hitting substitute outfielder Willie Bloomquist led off with a homer to left, then Ichiro and Lopez follwed with base hits. But once again Gabbard got a huge DP, then fanned Sexson to reduce the damage and keep the score at a respectable 4-1.
It just felt like 8-1.
The Sox started to scratch back when Youk knocked in Coco, who reached on Sexson's error to start the third, to cut the deficit to 4-2, but once again Boston was bitten by the devil dog of wasted chances.
With Papi, who singled, at second and Youk at first, Drew (1-5, R) hit a chopper to the left side (of course) that took a funky hop on Sexson, yet he stayed with it and made a nice play to get Youk at second on a nice scoop by Betancourt.
Lowell stepped up and had a chance to slice the margin to one and nearly did, but second baseman Lopez made a terrific diving grab of his liner that was earmarked for right that awed the crowd and squelched the rally in its tracks. FUCK!
When Gabbard got into another round of trouble in the fourth, allowing a single to Ichiro (2-3, RBI, BB), a double to Lopez and a walk to Vidro, Tito brought in Delcarmen, who hadn't allowed a hit or run since being called up three weeks ago.
Mattapan Manny immediately fanned Sexson on a wicked 98 mph heater, then got Johjima to ground into a fielder's choice, adn it looked like the next bullpen star had been born.
Appreciatative of Delcarmen's effort Boston scraped back to tie the game in the top of the fifth when Papi and Drew singled and Lowell launched a towering drive to right center that bounced off the wall and past Ichiso for a bases-clearing triple that tied the game at four. YES!
Ah but as quickly as the baseball gods giveth, they taketh away, especially when it comes to Boston playing in Seattle, where it has now lost seven straight.
Delcarmen's scoreless streak came to a crashing halt in the bottom of the fifth, though, when the Ms touched him up for a pair of runs on two hits, a hit by pitch and a sac fly, and once again Boston would have to go into comeback mode.
That short journey began the next inning when Hinske (2-3, R, BI) led off the sixth with a rocket that banged off a banner in the right field stands that cut the lead to one, and when Cora follwed with a double, Mike Hargrove let Hernandez have Coco sacrifice and retire Pedroia before going to his excellent bully to face Ortiz.
Except the strategy backfired as Papi dropped a single to left center that plated Cora with the tying run, and once again the resilient Boston batters had made a game out of what could have been a blowout.
But on this teeter-totter evening, the feeling of accomplishment lasted only a brief time as Seattle took the lead once and for all in the bottom of the sixth.
Lopez came in for Delcarmen and got Lopez to fly out to center, but Vidro (2-4, 2R) reached on a single to right. Before you could even realize what was happening (the whole game seems pretty hazy-lucky I took notes), Sexson took the second pitch he saw from Lopez and blasted it into the stratopshere for a back-breaking two run homer, and just like that all the hitter's hard work was for naught. FUCK!!@
Now trailing for the third time, 8-6, with three innings left, Boston mounted one more comeback attempt that fell uinfortunately came up just short.
Coco (1-3, BB, 3R) led off the 8th with a single and Pedroia followed with a single off Brandon Morrow, George Sherrill relieved Morrow and got Papi to whiff on a six pitch battle, then Grover brought in AL saves leader JJ Putz to finish the Sox off.
Youk battled Putz for a clutch sac fly (he needs to be in the lineup every night, interleague or not), but the fireman got Drew to-you guessed it-ground out to the left side to end the threat.
There would be no more rallies on this night as Putz mowed down the Boston batters like so many of the felled trees that dominate the region, fanning Lowell, Tek, and then pinch-hitter Manny Ramirez on three pitches to cap off a fantastic finish for the Ms.
Now it's up to Dice-K to stopp the slide as he takes the mound against Seattle greenhorn Ryaan Frierabrand, a kid who's allowed 8 homers in 8 career appearances and has an ERA of 8.20.
The best thing about that contest? It tips off in a few hours so everyone can get some friggin sleep tonight!
NOTES: Too spent!
QUOTES:
"It's never a pleasant sight looking on deck and seeing Manny waiting for you. I was able to get ahead of him and get him to chase pitches."--Putz, being respectful of Ramirez although he blew him away like a paper airplane in a tornado
"He's one of the best. We'd rather have a situation where he's not coming in."--Tito, being respectful of Putz
"They were cold that day (when he one-hit the Sox in April.) That lineup, it's unbelievable."--Hernandez, being respectful of the Boston lineup
RECORD: 48-28
AL EAST: Up 10 on TOR
STREAK: L-2
LAST 10: 6-4
UP NEXT: Wed @ SEA, 4:30EST
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