Toronto 6, Sox 5
WP: Marcum (5-3)
LP: Snyder (1-2)
SV: Accardo (12)
HRs: BOS-Manny (12)
SUMMARY
Boston survived another shaky start by Julian Tavarez and overcame an early two-run deficit to take a one-run lead after three innings.
But after Julie left the game Kyle Snyder couldn't hold the lead, surrendering two runs with two outs in the sixth and the Jays would hang on for the win.
#1 STUNNER Alex Rios 3-4, 2-2B, R, GW RBI
Talk about riding an All Star high.
The HR Derby runner up continued to feast on Boston pitching, notching his second three-hit game in a row including a double that knocked in the go-ahead run in the sixth, and with two of the hits coming off Julian Tavarez, who he absolutely owns (see bleow.).
PAN's FAUN Snyder 1.2IP, 2H, 2ER, 1BB
Things started out okay for Kyle when he retired the first four batters he faced in relief of Tavarez, but Toronto scored two runs with two outs in the sixth to turn what looked like a nice Sox win into a tough-luck loss.
RECAP
I got one thing to say about this game:
What the hell happened?
I spent the day getting toasted at the beach, in more ways than one of course, and after I got home, grilled the wife & I some dinner and plopped down on the couch for the game, I was more than a little bit spent.
So I was thrilled to see the Sox take another early lead when Manny followed a two-out single single by Ortiz by ripping an offering from Jays starter Shaun Marcum (6IP, 7H, 3ER, 1BB, 6K) over the Monster for a two-run jack and a quick 2-0 Boston lead.
And I was still coherent enough to remember Tavarez, who allowed at least two base runners in each of the first four innings, coughing up the lead in the third when Toronto strung together four hits, a hit batter and a walk to plate four runs and grab the lead back from Boston.
The damage could have been worse, but the Sox cut down a run at the plate when Manny & Lugo sent perfect relay throws to Tek on a double by Gregg Zaun to nail Aaron Hill trying to score, keeping the game at 4-2.
But it was in the bottom half of the inning that I started to get a little drowsy from a devastating combo of sun, beer and my big comfy couch, so I was happy to see Boston slap three runs on the board to take a 5-4 lead before I completely nodded off.
J. D. Drew got the inning started with a hustle double to left on a ball that got between Troy Glaus and the bag at third and trickled into the outfield. Unfortunately Drew would leave the game later after re aggravating his balky hammy on the play. Figures.
Anyway, Dustin Pedroia did his duty by grounding out and getting Drew to third, and with Papi coming up it looked like a run in the books for sure for Boston.
Except this David Ortiz isn't the same Ortiz that would capitalize on a situation like this time and time again over the past few seasons thanks to his myriad ailments, and when Marcum got him to line out to short on a check swing it looked like the scoring chance would be wasted.
It was up to Manny, who like Rios is another member of the All Star team riding high since his return to action, to pull out a clutch two-out hit. He had already driven in five runs in the series, and with first base open you would think Marcum would be careful with him.
Nope. Manny (2-5, R, 3BI) roped Marcum's third pitch for a solid single to left center, scoring Drew for his third RBI of the game and slashing the Sox deficit to 4-3. Still, there were two outs and a man on first, so it looked like they'd have to settle for just the one run.
Not so fast my friend.
The Sox got a gift when Troy Glaus butchered Kevin Youkilis' grounder for an inning-extending error, and Mike Lowell, the Sox other hot All Star and leading RBI man went to work on erasing the deficit completely.
Lowell, he of the team-leading 64 ribbies, worked the count to 3-1 before uncorking a towering drive to straightaway center that bounced high off the wall, along with center fielder Vernon Wells, scoring Ramirez & Youk easily on the veteran's 2nd three bagger of the season.
Okay, his name change is now official: Mike Lowell, Professional Hitter/RBI Guy.
Although Tek would fan to end the inning, the damage was done, the Sox had a 5-4 lead, and now I could start to relax a little bit more.
This is when I started to fade in & out of consciousness. I remember Julie working into and out of trouble in the fourth, the Sox go down meekly in the bottom of the frame, and then Tavarez get pulled after allowing a leadoff single to Glaus (2-4, R, RBI, BB) in the fifth.
And then I blacked out.
When I awoke I was wondering what day & time it was, then I looked at the set and saw that it was the bottom of the sixth and Toronto had pulled ahead, 6-5.
What the hell happened?
Thankfully (or not) through the magic that is the DVR I was able to find out what happened, and as you can surmise, it wasn't good for Boston.
Snyder came in to relieve Julie in the fifth and induced a fly out and then a line-out double play to escape the inning unscathed, then he retired the first two batters in the sixth before allowing a two-out walk to Vernon Wells (0-4, R,BB.)
No biggie, right?
Wrong again. Pesky Reed Johnson (2-4, 2R, BI) sizzled a 2-2 pitch from Snyder into right for an RBI double, and suddenly the game was tied, the go-ahead run was in scoring position and Toronto's hottest hitter, Rios, was at the plate.
Three pitches later Rios had his third hit of the evening, a wall-scraper double that plated Johnson with the lead run, and Snyder was out of the game, one batter too late and not able to get that elusive final out.
Mike Timlin did, though, when he got Frank Thomas to fly out to deep center to end the inning, and the Sox had to feel confident about their chances to score one run over the next four innings.
Wrong again.
A combination of relievers Scott Downs and Casey Janssen shit down the Sox in the 7th and 8th, and when Janssen allowed a two-out double to Cap'n Tek in the 8th, Jays manager John Gibbons brought in closer Jeremy Accardo to get the increasingly common four-out save.
Accardo, who has filled in nicely with high-priced bust BJ Ryan on the DL again, got Coco to pop out harmlessly to short to end the threat, then all he had to do was set down the Sox in the 9th to preserve the win.
That wasn't as easy as it sounds. Wait, that doesn't even sound easy. Ah fuck it...
Julio Lugo (1-4) led off the ninth with a sharp single to right to get the tying run on board, and after Wily Mo, who replaced Hinske who replaced Drew, whiffed (of course), Lugo stole second and Pedroia followed with a gritty 3-2 walk.
So the scene was set. The potential tying run was in scoring position, the potential winning run (in the form of pinch runner Alex Cora) was on first, and the Big Boppers were coming to the plate--a golden opportunity for a seldom seen (this year) walk-off win for the Sox.
Only it wasn't meant to be.
Papi, who must be hurting from the way he missed this pitch, flied out harmlessly to center, and once again it was up to Manny to come through with two outs to save the day.
Although he did hit a solid drive to right the ball was easily caught by Rios (appropriately), and the Sox still cannot seem to put together a decent winning streak unless they are playing the D-Rays.
Speaking of, the Rays knocked off the Stanks and his highness Roidger Clemens tonight down at the Trop.
So we got that going for us.
NOTES
- The Sox tallied 10 hits while the Jays had 12 base knocks
- Drew was replaced by Eric Hinske in the fourth, went 0-1, and was then replaced for pinch hitter Wily Mo in the seventh; Pena singled in that at bat, his first pinch hit in 11 tries this season
- Timlin had another terrific outing (2.1IP, 0H, 0R, K) and has not allowed a run in his last seven appearances
- Joel Pineiro came off the DL and pitched the ninth; he got two quick outs before allowing a double to Thomas and a walk to Glaus, giving way to Javier Lopez, who struck out Overbay to end the inning
- Manny's homer was #582 of his career and 54th against the Jays, his most vs. any team
- As I mentioned above, Rios absolutely owns Tavarez. The slugger is 10-14 lifetime against Julie with two doubles, a triple and a homer. Yikes.
"He may take it to a new level now that he's played in that All-Star game. I think he probably enjoyed that."--Gibbons on Rios
"I'm seeing the ball good. The first couple games I've felt great."--Rios. Thanks Captain Understatement!
"We've seen David [win games] so often. Then Manny rifles the ball to right but it didn't find the outfield grass. It was a great swing."--Tito on the disappointing ending
RECORD: 54-35
AL EAST: Up 10 on TOR, NYY
STREAK: L-1
LAST 10: 5-5
UP NEXT: Sat v TOR 7:o5
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