Sox 13, Baltimore 4
WP: Lopez (1-0)
LP: Leicester(0-1)
HRs: none
SUMMARY:
I didn't see a minute of this game because if the reasons mentioned earlier, but it doesn't even matter to me that the Sox compiled 13 hits and scored 13 runs in a 9-run pasting of the Orioles.
That's because my son's Little League team won both games today and ended the early rounds with a perfect 3-0 record, enabling us to qualify for the semi-finals on Monday night. Two of the wins were 9-2 blowouts, but the final game was a back & forth nail biter that we won in the bottom of the last inning, 7-6. It was quite an emotional day.
Speaking of quite a day, it looks like the Sox had one also. I mean from what I could tell, because I barely even caught the highlights. The teams were knotted at 4 apiece after 6 1/2 innings, with Boston starter Curt Schilling only lasting for 5 1/3, allowing four runs and nine hits in that time, but the white-hot bat of Kevin Youkilis bailed his team out of a tricky spot again.
Youk's 6th inning RBI single scored Cap'n Tek with the go-ahead run, and that combined with horrid Baltimore relief pitching spurred the Sox to score eight runs over the next two innings, turning a topsy-turvy nailbiter into another Sox blowout.
Big games were had by many Sox players, including the aforementioned Youk, who had another multi-hit game and added a run, RBI and a walk; Mike Lowell continued his smoldering May with a 2-3, 2RBI day; Julio Lugo finally broke through his doldrums with a stellar 4-hit afternoon; and Manny & Papi combined to go 3-6 with two doubles, five runs scored and three ribbies. Alex Cora even came in as a pinch hitter and went 2-2.
The Sox tallied 15 hits and eight players contributed to that total, enabling Javier Lopez to pick up the victory just two days after being recalled from Pawuckett.
All in all it seemed like it was an awesome game at Fenway.
But I think I might have watched a couple of better ones down here in Tampa Bay.
UP NEXT: SUN vs. BAL, 2P
5.12.2007
Sox bounce back with another blowout victory
Game Preview: Baltimore @ Sox Gm 2
Traschel (1-3, 3.70) vs. Schilling (4-1, 3.28)
1PM Fenway
Unfortunately I won't get to see today's game for two very good reasons:
1.)It's blacked out on Extra Innings because it's a day game and FOX owns exclusive broadcast rights on Saturday afternoons, and
2.)I will be at my son's LL Tourney; they already won a game this morning and must play another at 1:00.
So I'll have to rely on highlights and the Internet to see if Curt Schilling can stop the one game-losing streak- and silence his critics who say he should shut his blog and just worry about pitching- today when he squares off against Baltimore's Steve Traschel.
Traschel has pitched decently but has had little to show for it; his ERA is a respectable 3.70, but his 1-3 record is a reflection of bad relief and little run support. He has really had only one bad game out of his seven starts, when he allowed six hits and six runs in 3 2/3 at Tampa Bay on April 17th; he has allowed three runs or less in the other six.
Schill meanwhile is on a roll, having won four in a row since starting 0-1, and he has allowed three runs or less in his last three starts, dropping his ERA from 3.81 to 3.28.
All signs point to a Sox win.
But right now I've got to be concerned with the Little Leaguers.
G0 Sox!
And Go G.L.L.L.Yankees (I know, the name sucks, but it's Little League and this ain't Mass)!
5.11.2007
Birds best Boston to break streak
Baltimore 6, Sox 3
WP: Burres (1-0)
LP: Tavarez (1-4)
SV: Ray (8)
HRs: none
SUMMARY:
The Red Sox four-game winning streak came to a grinding halt back home at Fenway as the Baltimore Orioles rapped 13 base hits while fresh-faced youngster Brian Burres outpitched ancient leatherfaced veteran Julian Tavarez for his first major league win.
HERO(s): Markakis & Mora 8-9, 4-2Bs, 4R, RBI
Talk about pests, these guys were like a couple of giant friggin' horseflies, especially Mora to Tavarez; the veteran third baseman was 3-4 career vs. Julie coming in, then laid a 3-3 on him in the first five innings tonight. Markakis was just as pesky, and these two caused headaches for Boston all night.
GOAT: Tavarez 5IP, 10H, 5R, 4ER, 0BB, 2K
He didn't pitch horribly, but wouldn't you know as soon as I start to give Julie a little dap, he goes and pulls a mini-Gascan on me. My fault for falling for the Tavarez hype (never thought I'd type those words together.)
RECAP:
The scene was set and the time was ripe. Boston was coming back home from a 5-2 roadie including a three game massacre of a nest of helpless Blue Jays, and beginning a 10-game homestand against another flock of AL East wannabes, the Orioles, a team Boston has recently owned, winning 22 of the last 25 meetings between them.
Oh, and the kid starting was making just his second career major league start. Nice.
But wouldn't you know nothing like this ever goes according to script, especially when you've got Julian Tavarez holding the pen, and the Sox looked a little flat in blowing numerous scoring opportunities while the Birds appeared little bit sharper by making 4 or 5 terrific defensive plays and the end result was Boston suffered a disheartening loss.
It began to look bad early for the Sox as B-More grabbed a quick 2-0 lead after one inning thanks to doubles by Markakis and Ramon Hernandez and a single by Audrey Huff. Mora followed with an infield single, but was Tavarez got jay Gibbons to fly out to end the inning. Boston had a chance to answer right back, but Lowell struck out on a low pitch to leave the bases full in the bottom of the inning.
However, just like they always do, the Boston batters got their pitcher off the hook almost immediately, as the Sox responded with a 2-spot of their own in the second. Cap'n Tek got things started with a leadoff double, but looked as if he'd be stranded there when Willy Mo & Pedroia got out. But wouldn't you know the team's iciest hitter, Julio Lugo (3-5, R, RBI), spanked a clutch 2-out double to left to score Tek, and the gap was cut to 2-1.
But this is where missed opportunities haunted Boston again. Coco (2-5) followed Lugo's double with a single and then he stole second. That forced Burres to walk Papi to load the bases, and things were looking good when Manny walked to force in the trying run. But Youk flied out to end the threat and three men were left stranded, a dubious feat Boston would accomplish three times in the game.
The O's would break the tie in the 5th, thanks to some poor pitching and shoddy defense from Willy Mo Pena. Markakis (that pest again) and Miguel Tejada (1-4, R) singled to open the frame, and Hernandez picked up his second RBI of the game on a groundout to Lowell. After Huff flied out, Mora (pest #2) doubled in Tejada on a ball that WMP played like a 10-year-old on my son's LL team, and the next batter, Gibbons, tested Pena again, and again Pena came up empty, flubbing a sinking liner that allowed Mora to score and pushed the Orioles lead to 5-2.
With the way Burres (5IP, 7H, 2ER, 5BB, 3K) was keeping the Sox from scoring and then the bullpen shutting them down, another come-from-behind victory was not in the cards for Boston tonight. That became abundantly clear in the bottom of the 5th, when friggin Markakis made a spectacular catch on a Varitek shot to right, and in the 6th, when after Lugo singled with two outs, John Parrish came in from the pen and picked him off first without having to throw one pitch, leaving Papi standing at the plate in disbelief. Yikes.
So the Sox will look to put this one behind them and start a new streak tomorrow, and with Schilling facing Steve Traschel, I like Boston's chances.
NOTES:
-Selective hitting: when Manny walked with the bases loaded in the 2nd, it marked Boston's 6th run scored that way this season, tied for the ML lead; when Tek did the same in the 7th, they took the lead outright
-The top two Sox hitters, Lugo & Coco, combined to go 5-10 with 2 doubles, a run, an RBI and a stolen base
-Youk (2-5) continued his hot streak; he's now had 11 hits in his last five games (.524)
-Missed Opportunities: the Sox left a season-high 13 men on base
-Papi had a strange night- he was 0-2 with three walks and two strikeouts, another one on a check swing (can some stat hound please look up how many of those he has had this year please?)
-The Sox sent Devern Hansack back to Pawtuckett before the game and recalled sidearming lefty Javier Lopez. Lopez was immediately thrown into the fire, and after allowing a single to Corey Patterson on his first pitch, he retired the O's quickly with a double play and a groundout
-Kyle Snyder pitched well in 2 innings of relief; although he did allow a run after Mora doubled in the 8th, he struck out three and had a good curveball working. Romero pitched the 9th again
-Manny (1-3, R, RBI, 2BB) extended his hitting streak to 10 games (16-42, .380), raising his average from .202 to .252 in that time. Heee's (almost) baaaack!
-J.D.Drew had the night off, a move I'm sure Francona wishes he didn't make after Pena's circus show basically cost Boston the game. Drew did pich hit in the 7th and had a chance to tie the game, but Tejada snared his liner and nearly turned a miraculous double play, and when pinch hitter Alex Cora flied out, another rally was squelched
QUOTES:
-"We had our chances earlier in the game and we didn't take advantage."-Cora, summing things up nicely
-"His first big-league win; it'll be one he remembers, I'm sure. This is one of the Meccas of sports."- reliever Jamie Walker on Burres' victory
RECORD: 23-11
AL EAST: Up 6 gms on BAL
UP NEXT: SAT vs. BAL, 1P
Series Preview: Baltimore @ Sox
Baltimore Orioles (17-18)
AL EAST: 7 GB (t2nd) STREAK: WON 3
AVG: .262 (7th in AL) ERA: 4.36 (8th)
Pitching Matchups:
GM1 FRI,7:Burres (0-1, 3.71) vs. Tavarez (1-3, 6.48)
GM2 SAT,1:Traschel (1-3, 3.70) vs. Schilling (4-1, 3.28)
GM3 SUN,2:Guthrie (2-1, 4.64) vs. Beckett (7-0, 2.51)
KEY PLAYERS:
- Miguel Tejada: .329, 2HR, 17 RBI- even though his power numbers are down (hmm, is he smaller, too?), Miggy is still leading the team in batting and is always a dangerous out
- Melvin Mora: .246/5/20- this steady vet leads the Birds in homers and RBI
- Nick Markakis: .235/4/20- this promising young player is experiencing a sophomre slump at the plate but is still tied for team lead in RBI & 2nd in homers
- Aubrey Huff: .269/4/16-the D-Rays castoff may have found a home in the Inner Harbor, but he is still a mediocre major league player
- Erik Bedard: 3-2, 4.79, 56 Ks- young ace leads the team in wins and strikeouts despite high ERA; won't face Sox this weekend
OLD SOX:
- Kevin Millar: .247/3/12- one of the original idiots, Millah is in his second season in B-More and is still is usual self- that is contributing occasional big hits, providing a veteran prescense, and keeping the clubhouse loose & supplied with Grey Goose
- Scott Williamson: 1-0, 1.80 ERA in 5IP- the 8-year vet of the championship team is currently on the DL with a triceps injury
- Chad Bradford: 0-1, 2.90, 6 holds- sidearming member of the 2005 team has appeared in 20 of the O's 35 games
The Birds come to Fenway riding a 3-game mini-streak; all three wins came against the D-Rays, at home, so take that for what it's worth. But the "streak" has vaulted the O's into second place, seven games behind the Sox and tied with the Stankees in the .500 free-for-all that is taking place below Boston.
Meanwhile the Sox are one of the hottest teams in the league, winners of 7 of 8 and 11 of 14, and they are doing it with both offense and pitching. The Boston staff currently owns the second-best ERA in the AL (3.17) and the second-most quality starts in the majors (21), and the team is second in the league in batting average (.275). They are coming off a three-game dismantling of the Blue Jays, and have proven to be getting better as the season progresses, plus they've already taken a pair from Baltimore, outscoring the Birds 11-3.
The way I see it, the first game is basically a toss-up. Tavarez has pitched well, almost good enough to shed his "Gascan" label, and he is being opposed by B-More greenhorn, Brian Burres. The rookie lefty took Adam Loewen's spot in the rotation a week ago and allowed 5 runs in 2 2/3 vs. Cleveland in his first ML start on Sunday; like I said, this one could go either way, but I'll take Julie over the rook.
Game 2 looks to be another one in Boston's pocket as the suddenly streaking Schill, who's allowed three runs or less in each of his last three starts. He'll face veteran Steve Traschel, who has pitched well despite his record (1-3, 3.70) in his first season in Baltimore, but has gotten little run support. I like my fellow blogger in this one.
Sunday's game 3 is a no-brainer, right? Major League wins leader versus Jeremy Don't call me Arlo Guthrie, a 3rd-year righty with a career 2-1 record in 24 appearances. On paper that spells blowout, but Beckett's gotta falter sometime this year, and maybe the youngster has icewater in his veins and pulls the...
...yeah right. Becks will tie the Sox mark of 8-straight wins to open the season, and the Sox will put Baltimore in its place and add another series sweep to the season collection.
Sox Sweep!
Read More......Series Recap: Sox @ Toronto
Sox win series, 3-0
GM1: BOS, 9-2
GM2: BOS, 9-3
GM3: BOS, 8-0
STATS: BOS/TOR
RUNS: 26/5
HITS: 38/19
AVG: .333/.196
HRs: 9/3
SP ERA: o.86/13.14
The main thing you can say about Boston's impressive three-game Toronto sweep is that it was an awesome display of both powerful & timely hitting and humiliatingly dominant pitching.
Coming off the series in Minnesota where the lineup struggled to produce runs or compile hits, the Boston batters took advantage of a thin Toronto staff and a struggling Roy Halladay to crank out an average of 8 1/2 runs and 12 1/2 hits per game.
More you say? Eleven times a Sox batter had at least two hits, three batters had 3-hit games, and Tek & Papi each racked up 4-hit nights. Oh yeah, and two guys had a hit in each game (Manny & Lowell), seven different Sox hit home runs, and one guy homered in all three games (that would be Mr. Mike Lowell, Professional Hitter & Fielder.)
Here's a look at the composite box for the series. I'm including the change in batting average for each player from before the series to now, because it's fun to do after a pounding series like this:
- Lugo: 3-15, 2R, 2B, HR (+6 pts)
- Youk: 6-8, 3R, 3RBI, 2-2Bs, HR (+32 pts)
- Papi: 5-12, 2R, 5RBI, 2BBs, 2-2Bs, HR (+12 pts)
- Manny: 4-14, 3R, 3RBI, HR (+5 pts)
- Drew: 2-11, 2R, 3BBs (-9 pts)
- Lowell: 5-13, 2B, BB, 3-HRs (+9 pts)
- Tek: 4-8, 3R, RBI, 2BBs, HR (+22 pts)
- Coco: 2-12, 3R, 2BBs, 2B (-8 pts)
- Pedroia: 4-8, 3R, 3RBI, HR (+28 pts)
- Cora: 2-4, R, 2B (+10 pts)
- Hinske: 0-5, R, BB, 2K (-40 pts)
- WMP: 0-0
As you can see, many players enjoyed anywhere from a small to significant bump in batting averages, while only a couple of slumpers saw theirs drop (in all fairness to Hinske, when you've got just 30 ABs for the season, an 0-4 only appears catastrophic).
Cora remains the team's top hitter at .415 despite his brief layoff, while Lugo (.227) continues to occupy the BA basement. Pedroia is coming on strong, registering four straight multi-hit games before sitting out yesterday, while Coco (8-36, .222 in last 10 games), Lugo (8-47, .170) and Drew (5-35, .143) remain mired in prolonged droughts.
On the lighter side the pitching in Toronto was as it has been all season-nothing short of spectacular. All three Boston starters recorded wins in the series, and neither allowed more than one run in seven innings of work- fucking phenomenal.
As a result, Boston's Fantastic Foursome of Schill, Becks, Dice and Wake became the first rotation in the majors with four starters having at least four victories each, and thanks to a stellar bullpen, the staff has the 3rd best ERA in the majors at 3.17; I repeat, fucking phenomenal.
Here's a quick look at the pitching linescores, and by quick I mean there's not a lot of numbers up there:
- Beckett: 7IP, 5H, 1ER, 1BB, 5K, HR, W
- Dice-K: 7IP, 5H, 1ER, 3BB, 8K, HR, W
- Wake: 7IP, 3H, 0R, BB, 5K, W
- Oki: 1IP, 2K
- Donnelly: 1IP, 1K
- Romero: 1.1IP, 2H, K
- Snyder: 1IP, zeroes
- Hansack: 2/3IP, H, R, 3BB, K
- Piniero: 1IP, 3H, 2ER, 2K, HR
Like I said, it was just a total domination on both sides of the field. The Sox hitters bashed the brains out of the sorry Jays hurlers, while the mind-boggling pitching staff (save for sorry-ass Pineiro) used its Jedi mid tricks to turn the Jays bats into vapors right in front of our eyes.
Having dispatched with the team that was supposed to give the Sox a scare in the east this year, Boston heads home for a 10-game stand that begins with new division challenger Baltimore.
All that matters is if the bats stay hot and the pitching remains this steady, by the end of this next series there could be one less challenger left in the East race.
Go Sox!
Read More......5.10.2007
Sox pummel Jays to gain Toronto trifecta
Sox 8, Toronto 0
WP: Wakefield (4-3)
LP: Halladay (4-2)
HRs: BOS- Lowell (7)
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Sorry if the broom hit you Jays on the way out! (comic by the great Frank Glasso)
SUMMARY:
For the third consecutive game the Sox combined an awesome offensive attack with a stellar pitching performance to earn a three game sweep of the sinking Jays. Boston scored at least eight runs, smashed at least 12 hits and held Toronto to three runs or less in each contest.
Total. Domination.
HERO: Kevin Youkilis 3-5, 2-2Bs, 2R, 2RBI
Two days after being struck in the leg by a pitch while enjoying a 3-3 night and one night after sitting out a game to let the injury calm down, Youk took his hot bat and sprayed the ball all over SkyDome and was instrumental in the Sox win.
He doubled in the first and scored the first run, singled in Alex Cora with Boston's 2nd run in the 3rd inning, and then doubled in the 4th to cap the scoring with the eighth and final run; Youk is now on a 9-16 tear and is batting .316.
GOAT: Roy Halladay 5IP, 11H, 7ER, 0BB, 2K, HR
You know things are going bad for your team when your staff ace and resident Cy Young owner takes the mound and fares no better than his piddling predecessors, Victor Zambrano and Tomo Ohka.
RECAP:
I'm not sure where to start with this one. Maybe that's because I missed the start of the game due to the fact that I was at my son's Little League post-season tournament and was busy watching his team destroy its first-round opponent by a score of 9-2.
Looks like it was the same kind of game in Toronto.
Once again the Red Sox pounded a Blue Jays pitcher early and often, jumping up to a quick 1-0 lead after two innings before breaking a 6-run chunk over their heads in the 3rd, enabling Boston to reach the 8-run plateau for the third straight game here.
The shocking thing about this onslaught wasn't that the blazing Boston bats remained white hot, but that the damage was done against one of the best pitchers in the game, Roy Halladay. The former Cy Young winner allowed 11 hits and all eight runs (seven earned) in just five innings of work; it was the most runs Halladay had allowed in a home start since 2003.
Boston got on the board in the first inning (for the 3rd straight game) thanks to a double by Youk, a foolhardy pickoff attempt by Halladay, and an RBI groundout by Ortiz.
In the third the Sox would plant one of those comeback-proof avalanche of runs on the hapless Jays, and once again Youk was right in the middle of it. Alex Cora (2-4, R) singled to center with one out and moved to second on a groundout by Lugo. Youk singled in Cora, and then Papi (1-4, R, 2BI) doubled him home for his second RBI of the game to make the score 3-0.
Continuing the two-out tidal wave, Manny (2-4, R, RBI) laced a single to right that scored Ortiz (who had taken third on the throw-in on his double), and after J.D.Drew followed with a single, Mike Lowell continued his power surge when he launched a 3-run blast to left that brought the curtain down on another Jays loss; Lowell homered in all three games of the series.
And tonight's beneficiary of another Sox scorefest was the man who now owns the American League's best ERA, Tim Wakefield. Wake, who hasn't allowed a run in his last 14 innings of work and lowered his ERA from 2.57 to 1.79, had his knuckler dancing again; the ageless wonder kept the Jays hitters at bay all day, allowing just three singles and one walk while striking out five in seven shutout innings.
The only time Wake got into trouble he helped turn a rally-killing double play that took the wind out of Toronto's sails. In the first inning Toronto loaded the bases with one out on singles by Adam Lind & Vernon Wells and a walk to Troy Glaus. With Big Frank Thomas up and the bases loaded, the game was primed to swing in the Jays favor.
Then again, what am I thinking, these are the May 2007 Jays, the Keystone Cops of MLB, a team that's been in "the sky is falling" mode for almost two weeks now. Thus Wake got Frank to strike out swinging on a nasty knuckler, and Mirabelli smartly snapped the ball down to first base to nab Glaus, who got caught napping on the hit & run. End of inning, end of threat, end of Jays.
The Sox now own the second-best record in the majors, a half game behind flash-in-the-pan Milwaukee (that's right, Brewers fans, I said it), and own a 7-game division lead over the Stanks and its next opponent, the Orioles.
But the way this team is playing, it doesn't matter what team lines up on the opposite side of the field right now-the Sox are capable of defeating any & all comers.
It's good to be the kings.
NOTES:
-Boston tallied 13 hits for the second game in a row, including five doubles and a homer; Mirabelli (0-4) was the only starter who didn't record a hit.
-"We're just playing good baseball, man. We're pitching, we're hitting, we're playing defense. We're clicking right now."- Lowell, summing it all up nicely
RECORD: 23-10
AL EAST: Up 7 gms on NYY (who got crushed by TEX, 14-2!) & BAL
UP NEXT: FRI vs. BAL 7P
CurtBeingCurt is the new MannyBeingManny
Another week, another full-blown Curt Schilling. v. "The Media" mini-controversy.
Actually, this week there's a 2-for-1 in that department.
Schill warmed up for a week full of word warfare when he weighed in on the Stankees' signing of Rocket-for-hire Roger Clemens last Sunday. "We don't need him," was the quote attributed to Curt the next day, and it was replayed ad naseum on all the ESPN networks and sports websites, as if him saying the Sox don't need to add an aging, ego-maniacal, pampered, professional baseball mercenary to this already playoff-caliber club was actual news.
But Schill the Blogger took to his site, 38 Pitches, and excoriated the media wags, one Boston Globe writer in particular (not naming any names, ahem, danshaughnessy) for once again taking a quote, you guessed it, out of context, distorting what Schilling actually meant.
What he meant to say was the Sox don't need to add an aging, ego-maniacal, pampered professional baseball mercenary to their already playoff-caliber club, only in a nicer way.
That piddling brush fire had barely been squelched when the next wave of attacks on my fellow blogger began. It started after Schill was on the "Dale & Holley" show on EEI Tuesday and ripped a certain huge-headed slugger from San Francisco and the chance that Bonds could break Aaron's all-time home run record when the Giants visit Fenway in mid-June. Among the verbal grenades launched by Schill, this classic blast is the one that will be remembered and replayed for years to come:
"I mean, he admitted that he used steroids. I mean, there's no gray area. He admitted to cheating on his wife, cheating on his taxes and cheating on the game, so I think the reaction around the league, the game, being what it is, in the case of what people think. Hank Aaron not being there. The Commissioner [Bud Selig] trying to figure out where to be. It's sad."Needless to say that extremely un-PC (but deadly accurate) statement went over like a strip club-ban on Pacman Jones, as reactions poured in throughout the league and in Curt's own clubhouse, and the resulting firestorm forced the normally defensive Tito Francona to admit to everyone that his superstar with the super-sized mouth had gone too far. "I just think he should zip it a little" was the not-so-subtle advice from Schill's manager, and from the look of today's "Public Apology" backtrack job on 38 Pitches, the tactic worked.
All I have to say is all this shit is just icing on the cake. Schilling is a Hall of Fame pitcher who has set records, won awards, struck out a lot of batters, and most importantly, brought a championship to New England, just like he said he would when he signed. That stuff is great.
But a guy like that, with Hall of Fame talent & credentials, who isn't afraid to be different, to stir things up, to speak his mind, to have opinions and express them to the public in the form of a blog, they don't come around very often.
So every once in a while he calls out a slug like Bonds or an overrated, intimidating manager like "the great" Lou Pinella, so what?
It's all part of Curt Being Curt, so let's sit back and enjoy the ride.
Because when he's gone (next year?), we're certainly going to miss this shit! Read More......
5.09.2007
Four more homers = another Sox blowout
Sox 9, Toronto 3
WP: Matsuzaka (4-2)
LP: Ohka (2-4)
HRs: BOS: Lugo (2), Ortiz (9), Manny (6), Lowell (6); TOR: Overbay, 2 (5)
SUMMARY:
For the second consecutive game the Red Sox amassed 9 runs and more than 10 hits, had a player collect four base hits, hit four home runs and absolutely beat the life out of the wounded dog that is the the Toronto Blue Jay team.
Daisuke Matsuzaka was the beneficiary of the offensive explosion tonight, and he supplied seven innings of 1-run ball to earn his fourth win and the team's sixth in the last seven games.
HERO: Big Papi 4-5, R, 2B, HR, 3RBI
By the time Big Papi connected on his 9th homer run of the year, a 2-run blast in the 8th, the score was already 6-1. But it was Papi's ability to get on base all night that set the tempo for a ruthless Boston attack, one that racked up 12 hits, half of them for extra bases.
By the way, the big man is back up to .311 after his performance
GOAT(s): Scott Downs & Josh Towers 4IP, 6H, 6ER, 4HRs
These two jokers took a close ballgame- it was 3-0 Sox when Downs entered in the 6th- and turned it into a rout; Downs surrendered three hits including two homers to run the score to 6-1, and his partner in arson, Towers, matched that horrid effort, albeit in three innings, not one.
RECAP:
The fourth ever matchup of Japanese starting pitchers took a back seat as the Sox put on an offensive fireworks display for the second consecutive night.
After two games north of the border the Boston batters have shaken off that Minnesota mini-slump and gone into full-blown "clicking on all cylinders" mode. Seriously, the offensive numbers from the last two games have been downright gaudy, to the point that members of RSN are becoming somewhat giddy:
RUNS: 18
HITS: 26
AVG: .333
2Bs: 3
HRs: 8
The amazing thing about the homer barrage is that of the eight, seven have been hit by different players: Manny, Papi, Lugo, Pedroia, Tek, Youk and Lowell hit two.
You want more? Six players have tallied at least two hits in a game, and Pedroia has done it twice; two players had 3-hit games (Youk & Lowell); and two players had 4-hit games (Papi & Tek).
In other words, it's been total annihilation of the Blue Jays and its beleaguered pitching staff by the Boston hitters.
On the contrary to Toronto's shoddy pitching, Boston just keeps getting quality start after quality start. Tonight Dice-K reverted to his early-season form, dominating the Toronto lineup, allowing five hits and just one run in seven innings, walking three while striking out eight in his best outing since his last appearance here on April 19th.
And just like his fellow starter Josh Beckett the night before, Dice was given an early lead to take off any pressure of having to pitch from behind.
Boston got a run in the first when Coco walked, Papi singled and Manny got an RBI groundout. In the second inning the Sox would pad the lead by two after a couple of bad plays from Tomo Ohka (4.2, 6H, 3R, 5BB, 2K). First he walked Hinske, in for Youk, who is day-to-day after being hit yesterday, and after Pedroia bunted back to the pitcher, Ohka wheeled and tossed the ball into centerfield, moving the runners to 2nd & 3rd; both would come around to score on a groundout by Lugo and a double by Papi.
The score would stay that way until the aforementioned "relief" work by Toronto's hapless pen. Before you could say "I'll have another LaBatts", Downs turned a 3-run game into a six-run bulge by giving up a 2-run blast to Lugo and a solo job to Manny in the span of four batters, and Towers made sure any Jays comeback would fall short when he gave up Papi's 2-run blast and Lowell's 9th inning icer.
So for one night Dice-K knew what it felt like to be Josh Beckett: eight-plus runs of support, a struggling lineup in front of him, and the chance to sit back and enjoy an easy victory from the dugout.
Oh, and not to throw a wet blanket on the festivities, but the fireworks may be over soon: Doc Halladay will try to salvage a game-and some dignity-for his Jays tomorrow night.
NOTES:
-Why we're glad Piniero isn't the closer: appearing in what can only be classified as mop-up duty (9-1 in the 9th), the Deer in the Headlights allowed a home run to Overbay on his first pitch, a double to Aaron Hill four pitches later, and an RBI single to Alex Rios two batter after that. Way to slam the door, Pineiro!
-Speaking of Rios, the Toronto rightfielder enjoyed a 4-4 night himself and is now batting .336 in 43 career games vs. Boston
-Pedroia (2-4, 2R) recorded his 4th straight 2-hit game and has raised his average 87 points in five games (.180- .267). Plus he made two stellar defensive plays in the field.
-Lowell's 3 ribbies put him just three behind team leader Ortiz, 28-25; not bad for a guy who was "washed up" two years ago
-the only regular to play both games and not record a hit? You guessed it, J.D. Drew, who went 0-7 and whose slump has reached epic proportions (5-45 in last 12 games, down to .248)
QUOTES:
-"He wasn't forcing the issue, he was trusting his ability and his command. He worked hard this week and it paid off."- Tito on Matsuzaka, referring to the extra bullpen sessions the pitcher threw this week
-"He actually gets a lot of hits taken away with that big shift, but you can't shift someone into the stands."-Lowell on Ortiz
-"This is about as low as it can get."-Overbay, summing up the state of the Jays
RECORD: 22-10
AL EAST: Up 6 gms on NYY
UP NEXT: WED @ TOR, 7P
Game Preview: Sox @ Jays GM2
Matsuzaka (3-2, 5.45) vs. Ohka (2-3, 5.02)
5.08.2007
Beckett gets win #7 as Sox club 4 homers
Sox 9, Toronto 2
WP: Beckett (7-0)
LP: V. Zambrano (0-2)
HRs: BOS: Pedroia (1), Youk (3), Lowell (5), Tek (3); TOR: Rios (6)
SUMMARY:
Josh Beckett allowed a home run on his first pitch of the night, and then he didn't allow anything else after that.
Beckett became the majors' first seven-game winner thanks to another eight runs of support from his teammates, and he is now 1 win away from matching the team record for consecutive wins to begin a season.
HERO: Beckett 7IP, 5H, 1ER, 1BB, 5K, HR
What else is there to say- the guy has been friggin' phenomenal.
GOAT: Victor Zambrano 2.2IP, 8H, 8ER, 2BB, 4HRs
Forget goat, this clown was more like a giant horse's ass. 
Get a load of that linescore- he allowed four home runs & eight hits out of the 16 batters he faced, and by the time he exited the game after allowing back-to-back jacks by Lowell & Tek in the 3rd, the score was 8-1 Boston and the game was over.
The Z-Man's career should be, too.
RECAP:
For an inning or so it really looked like this could be the night that Josh Beckett suffered his first loss of 2007.
Then things got back to normal.
Staked to a 1-0 lead thanks to a Kevin Youkilis solo shot in the top of the 1st, Beckett reverted back to the Josh Beckett circa Aug-Sept 2006 and served up the game-tying shot to Alex Rios on his first pitch of the game. Okay, you can brush that one off by saying it's early, but when Adam Lind roped a double to right center two pitches later, most members of RSN will have to admit they were a bit concerned.
Turns out there was no need to worry because this is Josh Beckett, 2007 edition, the one who doesn't rely solely on his blazing heater and keeps the ball down, had only allowed one homer all season, and who is the proud beneficiary of 8.2 runs/game of support from his pals on offense.
Before the sun had set on a glorious open-air night at SkyDome the Sox tagged Jays starter Victor Zambrano for four homers, including a pair of 3-run jobs by Pedroia and Lowell and by the end of the 5th inning Boston had compiled eight runs, 10 hits and 4 homers en route to a rout of the sliding Jays, who have now lost seven straight.
In the 2nd, with the score tied at one and two outs already recorded, the fun really began for Sox fans. Cap'n Tek (4-4, 3R, RBI) got things started with a single, the first of his four hits, and Coco followed with a walk after taking a couple of borderline pitches. The mistake with Crisp came back to haunt them as the suddenly red-hot Dustin Pedroia deposited a 1-1 offering from Zambrano over the centerfield wall to give Boston a 4-1 lead, and Boston would never look back from there.
Ironically it was Pedroia's 3rd career longball, and two of them have come in this building.
After that the game quickly turned into a laffer when in the 3rd inning the Sox did some more 2-out damage. After Youk (3-3) led off with a single, Papi lined out to second and Youk was doubled off first. Now worries again, as this time Manny singled, Drew walked and Lowell launched his 3-run bomb to make it 7-1 Sox with seven innings to go.
When Tek followed Lowell by going yard on Zambrano's next pitch, the game crossed the threshold from the sublime to the ridiculous, and even though Psycho Gibbons then yanked his human pitching machine of a starter, the scoreboard and mental damage was done, resulting in 7 1/2 more innings of utterly meaningless baseball.
Well, I shouldn't say meaningless. Because the Beckett of old might have lost his focus in a game like this and he might have gone and done something foolish, like, say, allow three gopher balls of his own to a Mr. Vernon Wells, just like he did last year.
Turns out Becks is determined to prove to everyone that the Josh Beckett of 2006 is long gone, replaced with an efficient and confident pitcher who by following the instructions of his new pitching coach, John Farrell, and his mentor, Schilling, has transformed himself into the best pitcher in the bigs and transported himself to the doorstep of Red Sox history.
NOTES:
-The Sox had 13 hits on the game; six players had at least 1 hit, four had at least 2, and two had three or more- another solid all-around offensive showing
-Pedroia is as hot as a truckload of Tony Soprano's Makitas: over the last 4 games the second sacker is 8-13 with 3 doubles, a homer and 5 RBIs and has raised his average from .172 to .256. Looks like Tito's faith in him has paid off
-Another blazing bat belongs to Cap'n Tek, who has now hit in 5 straight games (9-17, .529) and with his 4-hit performance tonight raised his average to a more Tek-like .289. Welcome back, Captain.
-On the flip side, Lugo continues to struggle, and despite adding a couple of hits late, the slumping SS is still batting just .229. J.D. Drew is also still struggling with whatever ails him; his 0-4 night dropped him down to .255- yikes!
-Youk had to leave the game after getting hit with a Casey Janssen fastball above his right knee in the 6th, and he was not too pleased about it, seeing as he was already hit on the same leg Sunday and he was off to a 3-3 start in the game. Hinske replaced Youk, who is day-to-day with a bruise
- Devern Hansack made his first appearance of the year in the 8th and promptly allowed a run on a hit and three walks in 2/3 of an inning, a far cry from his shortened, season-ending no-hitter last year. Romero & Snyder finished it up with 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
-The Jays broadcasters were nice enough to inform us watching on Extra Innings that the 6-game lead Boston enjoys in the East is their widest margin ever after 30 games of the season
-Vernon Wells, who absolutely owns Beckett in his career (.467, 4 HRs in 15 ABs), went just 1-3 with a single off him tonight
QUOTES:
-"His off-speed stuff is the key to his success. A lot of power pitchers want to throw it by guys. He's finally understanding that off-speed is the key to being a power pitcher."- Youk explaining the secret to Beckett's success
-"I've been working a lot and it's paying off now. I always had confidence in my ability, it's just a matter of showing it. It's tough starting off slow, but once you get going it's fun to come out if it like this."-Pedroia
-"We're struggling and that was not what the doctor ordered."- the Big Hurt on the Sox homer barrage
RECORD: 21-10
AL EAST: Up 6 gms
UP NEXT: Wed @ TOR 7P
Series Preview: Sox @ Toronto
Toronto Blue Jays (13-18)
AL EAST: 7.5 GB STRK: lost 6 in a row
AVG: .265 (4th in AL) ERA: 4.63 (10th)
Pitching Matchups:
GM1 TUE 7P Beckett (6-0, 2.72) vs. V. Zambrano (0-1, 5.63)
GM2 WED 7P Matsuzaka (3-2, 5.45) vs. McGowan (0-0, 9.00)
GM3 THU 7P Wakefield (3-3, 2.11) vs. Ohka (2-3, 5.50)
KEY PLAYERS:
- Vernon Wells-.279/4HR/17RBI: although his numbers are down this year- a byproduct of signing that fat contract no doubt- this guy is still one of the most dangerous hitters in the game, plus he kills Boston pitching (.289/22/69 in 97 games)
- Frank Thomas- .259/4/15: another guy who murders Boston pitching (.316/37/108 in 142 gms); 2 of his 4 homers this year have come vs. Boston
- Alex Rios- .266/5/18: yet another big bat that has yet to get hot, Rios is always capable of having a big night, but isn't consistent enough on a daily basis
- Aaron Hill-.277/6/22: the dependable second basemen is an overlooked cog in this brawny lineup, but the little guy is leading the team in homers and RBIs
Not these guys again!
That's what Boston players have to be saying as they head north of the border again to take on the Blue Jays for the third time in 12 series this season; by comparison, the Sox have yet to play fellow AL East brethren Tampa Bay even once this year.
Combine the frequency of the matchups with the familiarity of the foe and the fact that Boston traditionally just does not play well in SkyDome, and you must have a teamfull of pretty unhappy players up there, eh?
The good thing about this series is that Boston is hot, while the Jays are ice cold. Toronto is coming off a winless roadie where it dropped three in Texas and three in Cleveland. Another positive for Boston has to do with the pitching matchups; the Sox have the best pitcher in baseball going for them in the opener, and in turn they won't have to face Toronto's ace, Roy Halladay, for the third time this season. Never mind the fact that Toronto was Josh Beckett's personal house of horrors last year (0-1, 9.00 ERA, 7 HRs all'd), because the Jays will counter in Game 1 with D-Ray castoff Victor Zambrano.
Zambrano is making his second start for Toronto (he was shelled in the first one, of course) in place of the injured Gustavo Chacin, but the veteran righty may forever be known for being the man traded by Tampa Bay to the Mets for Scott Kazmir. The oft-injured and always erratic Zambrano was a bust in the Big Apple, and if Kaz ever turns into the ace the Rays think he will be, that deal could go down as one of the worst of all time.
Therefore, I'm giving the edge to Becks over his personal demons & Victor-yless Zambrano.
Game 2 will be interesting because Dice-K returns to the scene of perhaps his best outing of the season; he allowed just two runs on three hits in six innings while fanning 10 Jays in a 2-1 Boston loss on April 17th, a game in which Chacin shut down the Sox lineup for six innings himself.
Matsuzaka will oppose young righty Dustin McGowan, making his second start of the season. In his other outing last Thursday he allowed five runs and five walks in five innings in blowing a 4-0 lead versus Cleveland.
Advantage, Dice.
In Gm 3 Tim Wakefield takes his stellar 2.11 ERA, 2nd in the AL, to the hill to face former Sox hurler Tomo Ohka. In two previous outings against each other this year, Ohka has allowed 10 hits and six earned runs in 11.1 innings, while Wake has allowed 4 earned and 12 hits in 13 innings. Both went 1-1.
Advantage, Wake, because, well, there is no need to go into it.
Okay, now I'm as tired of writing about Toronto as Boston must be of playing them. But by my calculations, the Sox should sweep the reeling Jays and head back to Beantown for a 10 game home stand with their substantial division lead in tact.
And they can bid adieu to Toronto for another couple of months.
Read More......5.07.2007
Series Recap: BOS @ MIN
Sox win series, 2 games to 1
GM 1: BOS, 2-0
GM 2: MIN, 2-1
GM 3: BOS, 4-3
STATS: BOS/MIN:
HITS: 24/18
RUNS: 7/5
AVG: .240/.194
HRs: 1/0
This one had to be considered another successful series for the Sox. Minnesota was the best hitting team in the majors coming in, but the stellar Boston pitching staff held the depleted Twins offense in check and the bats did just enough to earn a couple of wins, although many players left the Twin Cities with averages considerably lower than when they arrived.
And who woulda thunk that Dustin Pedroia would be the hitting hero of the series? The put-upon young second baseman carried a .180 BA like an albatross around his neck into the weekend, but with the backing of his manager he shed that weight and turned in a sparkling series.
Let's take a look at the composite box for the batters, but beware, some of these figures are not pretty:
- Lugo: 0-10, 2K- his .221 avg. got him Sunday off
- Youk: 2-12, R, RBI, 2K- what, no walks?
- Papi: 1-10, R, RBI, HR, 4BB, 3K- dipped under .300
- Manny: 3-8, 2-2B, BB, K- raised avg 57 pts in a week
- Drew: 2-10, 2B, R, 2BI, 2BB, 2K- .266 and falling fast
- Lowell: 0-11, BB, K- talk about a no-show at the plate
- Coco: 2-9, RBI, 2K- he was heating up
- Cora: 5-8, 3B, 2R- scorching no matter where he plays
- 'Tek: 2-5, RBI, BB, K- has a modest 4-gm hit streak
- Pedroia: 5-6, 3-2B, R, RBI- raised avg 59 pts in 2 games
- WMP: 1-4, R, 2K, E-
- Hinske: 0-4, 2K
As you see by those bleak stats it wasn't exactly a hitting clinic being conducted at the Metrodome.
Not that the Twins batters fared much better. Torii Hunter was the only member of the Minnesota lineup to have a decent series (5-10, extended hitting streak to 20 games), but MVP Justin Morneau (2-9) and batting champ Joe Mauer (1-3 before heading to the DL w/ a quad injury) were no-shows. Combine that with Michael Cuddyer being unavailable for the last few games and it added up to very little offense over the three games.
On the flip side the batters will tell you that the poor stats are a reflection of quality pitching. Either way, let's shine some light on the performances by the pitchers, where low numbers are good numbers:
- Schilling: 6.2IP, 8H, 3ER, 2BB, 7K, W- the ace is looking solid at 4-1
- Tavarez: 6IP, 4H, 2ER, 3BB, 7K, L- he's pitched better than 1-3 indicates
- Wake: 7IP, 3H, 0R, 3BB, 2K, W- he's like the Energizer Bunny; ERA: 2.11
- Papelbon: 2IP, K, 2SV- what shoulder problem?
- Okajima: 1.1IP, 2H- finally allowed a run to score, but still
- Donnelly: 1/3, nothing allowed
- Romero: 2/3, H, K
- Pineiro: 2IP, nothing allowed
Yep, if there's one thing this series reiterated to everyone it's that the pitching staff still rules the roost for Boston. But as long as these guys to continue to pitch like they have, it doesn't matter if the high-priced shortstop is batting .220 and the high-priced right fielder's average has plummeted 109 points in 2 1/2 weeks.
Nope, the Sox are sitting pretty in first place by 5 1/2 games, owners of the second-best record in baseball, and oblivious to all the hubbub going on in the Bronx.
After all, when you've got an explosive staff like this, who needs to add any rocket fuel to it?
Read More......Rocket: Good luck & good riddance
Roger Clemens signs a contract with the Stanks that will pay him $4.5 million/month so he can retire (again) with the Bronx Bummers
...and the Red Sox Nation says "fuck you very much, Roger!"
I think our pal Curt Schilling summed it up best when word came down yesterday that Roger Clemens would return this season and pitch with New York, spurning potential deals with Boston & Houston:
"We don't need him."
Aptly put, but there's more to it than that. Not only do we not need him, but we really didn't want him, either.
Would it be nice to add a legendary, sure fire Hall of Fame pitcher who could finish his career where it started to a team already loaded for a title run?
For the right price, of course.
But the question isn't 'would it be nice', but would it be necessary to add a high-profile prima donna pitcher to a team that obviously has a great, unified clubhouse?
And that answer is clearly "no."
Let's face facts, 2007 style: the New York Stankees pitching staff is in complete shambles, and that's not even counting Carl Pavano most likely being done for the year, because Pavano doesn't count, while Boston's staff owns the 3rd best ERA in the majors. Therefore the Stanks desperately needed Clemens for his arm, aura and attitude. For Boston he would merely be a luxury, an insurance policy, and a guy in the twilight of his career trying to coattail his way to another championship.
So New York did what the Sox did for Daisuke Matsuzaka in the offseason- they overbid for someone they felt would put their team over the top.
The problem is there is no guarantee such a high-priced chip will fit the bill as team savior. Look at what's happened with Matsuzaka. If it weren't for the success of the rest of the Boston's staff, his struggles (3-2, 5.45 ERA) would be a lot more amplified & magnified than they have been.
So Clemens will ride into the Big Apple on his high horse, talking about winning another title in the Bronx and ending his career on a high note.
The reality is even with Clemens' presence the Sox still have a better staff, not to mention superior bullpen, and if it comes down to a 4-game series (which it will), I'll take my chances with Schill-Becks-Dice-Wake against Clemens-Mussina-Pettitte-Wang.
Next thing you know they'll bring back Wade Boggs and sign Johnny Drama's horse, King, to play the part of the police horse.
That's the problem with the Stanks today- always living in the past.
The present says Boston has the better, more cohesive team, one that is completely unified in bringing a championship back to the Hub and very capable of doing so, with or without one of the greatest, and greediest, pitchers of all time.
Only time will tell.
But until then I know one thing- the remaining 12 games vs. New York just got a whole lot more interesting-if that's possible.
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