Sox 11, Milwaukee 7
WP: Beckett (5-3)
LP: Villanueva (2-5)
SV: None
HRs: BOS-Ortiz, 2 (10), Pedroia (2), Youk (9); MIL-Braun, 2 (13), Hardy (2), Fielder (6)
SUMMARY:
The Sox winning ways continued in another sloppy contest as the teams combined to blast 8 home runs, the most longballs hit in a game at Fenway in six years. Josh Beckett, who gave up four dingers, got the win, and coupled with a Rays loss Boston reclaimed sole possession of first place in the East.
SUPERSTAR(S): Papi, Pedroia & Youk 9-14, 7R, 8BI, 2B, 4HRs
We always talk about the dynamic duo of Manny & Papi, but how about the eye-popping stats from this terrific trio. The threesome single handedly had as many runs and hits as the entire Brewer's team, and every time Boston needed a big hit one of these guys provided it.
THE BIGGEST LOSER: Beckett 7IP, 6H, 6ER, 1BB, 9K, 4HRs
I know he got the win and fanned nine batters, but he also allowed four homers to a slumping Milwaukee club and raised his ERA by nearly a half a run. As a result the Nation is still waiting for the 2007 version of Beckett to emerge.
RECAP:
It wasn't easy, it wasn't pretty and it wasn't a game you'd want to use as a primer for a pitching clinic.
Today's series finale with the Brewers at Fenway was entertaining, exciting, and ultimately fulfilling, mainly because the Sox hung on for the win and jumped back into first place in the AL East for the first time in about a week.
But with bad weather looming on the horizon, the Celtics Game 7 with the Cavaliers getting ready to start across town, and baseballs flying out of the park at an average rate of about 1 per inning, it's safe to say everyone was just happy to close this series out and get this friggin game over with.
No one on the Red Sox was probably more glad to see this one end than starter Josh Beckett, who had a forgettable performance on a day where all the signs pointed to a potential vintage Beckett outing, despite his shaky (0-2/9.53) career record vs. Milwaukee.
It was vintage Beckett alright. Unfortunately the vintage was mid-2006.
Things began badly for Beckett and Boston when he allowed a pair of runs to score in the first inning on a 1-0 out double by Mike Cameron followed by a 2-run Monster shot by Ryan Braun five pitches later.
It was the first time in five games Boston failed to score at least the first three runs of the game, although they did extend their streak of scoring in the first inning to six straight games.
After Dustin Pedroia (3-4, 3R, 2BI) drew a one-out walk in the bottom of the first off Milwaukee starter Carlos Villanueva (4IP, 5H, 6R, 5ER, 3BB, 3K, 2HRs), Ortiz sliced a double to deep right center field to score Pedroia all the way from first -thanks to Francona having the hit and run on - and the Brewers lead was cut in half, 2-1.
Beckett faced the minimum six batters over the next two innings before the blazing Boston bats struck for two quick runs with two outs in the bottom of the third when Pedroia and Papi went back to back off Villanueva to give Boston and Beckett a 3-2 lead.
Time for Beckett to plow through this Brewers lineup like Brett Michaels through groupies and bring this baby home in time to catch the second half of the Cs game, right?
Uh, not quite.
No sooner did Boston retake the lead then Beckett gave it right back when he surrendered a two-run bomb to JJ Hardy with two outs in the 4th, and just as we were about to put this one on the PIP the Brews had to make sure no one in the Nation could afford to switch this one off.
Like an MLB version of pong, Boston grabbed the lead right back in the bottom of the 4th when the Brewers fell apart in the field and on the mound.
Portly Prince Fielder started the Sox rally when he dropped a simple throw on a routine grounder by Mike Lowell to lead off the inning, and Villanueva collapsed from there. He allowed a single to Youk, a walk to Tek to load the bases, and after Coco Crisp struck out in a 10-pitch at bat, he walked Julio Lugo to tie the game at four and then surrendered a two-run single by Jacoby Ellsbury that gave Boston a 6-4lead.
The inning did end on a sour note, though, as Lugo was picked off second on Ellsbury's hit and then stolen bases streak Jacoby had compiled came to a screeching halt when Milwaukee pitched out and catcher Jason Kendall caught the rookie red handed, ending the run at 25 straight thefts.
Boston appeared to put the game away when Ortiz homered again to right field off 31-year-old Milwaukee rookie Mark DeFelice, who was making his major league debut and had the misfortune of doing so against the likes of this lineup, and the Boston lead was now a healthy four, 8-4.
Okay, so now it was time for Beckett to take it to the house, right?
Well, ummm, ahhh, not exactly.
In the 6th the Brew crew evoked unpleasant memories of Harvey's Wallbangers when Braun and Fielder went back-to-back with one out in the inning, and suddenly the lead was 8-6 and no one in the building nor the national TBS audience quite knew what to make of this awkward Sunday afternoon contest.
Was the focus of the game the sheer relentless determination of the potent Boston offense, or the grave inability for Beckett to close an inferior team out when his teammates gave him plenty of chances to do so?
Granted a couple of the homers were off breaking balls, so it wasn't quite like '06 when he was throwing strictly fastballs and daring batters to hit them out, which they did, 36 times. But he has allowed 8 homers in his last 37.2 innings, so something ain't quite kosher there.
The point became moot when Boston tacked on three more runs in the next two innings, the final two coming on a Monster shot by Youk (3-5, 2R, 2BI) that made the score 11-6, and after Manny Delcarmen gave up a run (as usual) to keep the game somewhat close, Francona went straight for his horse, Jonathan Papelbon, to put this game to rest with a scoreless 9th.
So a sweep is a sweep is a sweep, even if these games were ugly enough make baseball purists gag on their sacred stats, and now the team is back where it belongs, in first place, with a four game series with the Royals on tap before they head out on another 10 game road trip on Friday.
Maybe that series will be a little more aesthetically pleasing for the purists.
RECORD: 27-19
AL EAST: Up 1gm
STREAK: W3
LAST 10: 5-5
UP NEXT: Mon vs. Royals 705 Hochevar vs. Lester
5.18.2008
Sox complete sweep in HR derby finale at Fenway
5.17.2008
Sox back in 1st after doubleheader sweep of Brewers
Sox 7, Milwaukee 6
WP: Hansen (1-2)
LP: Torres (3-1)
SV: Timlin (1)
HRs: BOS-Lowell (5); MIL-Hart (2)
SUMMARY:
The comeback kings returned tonight as the Sox mounted a late-game rally after the bullpen gagged again in a sloppy nightcap at Fenway. Tim Wakefield bounced back from an awful start to give the team 5+ quality innings, but after Aardsma and Hansen blew a 5-1 lead, Boston scored two in the bottom of the 8th to pull out the win.
SUPERSTAR: Mike Lowell 2-4, R, 4BI, 2B, HR
The third baseman continued his recent torrid streak by clubbing a two-run double in the first inning and crushing a two-run homer out of the ballpark in the fourth.
Over his last 11 games Mikey is batting .367 (18-49) with 4 doubles, 5 homers and 15 ribbies. Ssssssssmokin!
THE BIGGEST LOSER: Bill Hall 0-4, R, K, 2Es
Remember when this guy was the talk of MLB after he hit a game-winning home run with a pink bat on Mother's Day a few years ago? Now he's batting under the Mendoza line and regularly butchering balls at third base.
Mr. Hall, your 15 minutes are officially up.
RECAP:
Boston and Milwaukee combined to play 6 hours and 15 minutes of baseball over a span of just over eight hours today.
That could explain why the finale of the teams' split doubleheader was such an abomination of baseball by the middle of the game tonight.
How bad was it? The teams combined for seven 'actual' errors in the game, although there were 2 or 3 other borderline plays that were ruled hits, and both teams committed two errors in one inning.
The teams combined for 13 runs, 15 hits, 9 walks and 326 total pitches thrown.
Throw in three hit batters (2 in one inning by Boston), three wild pitches, four double plays and assorted missed calls and errant balls and what you had was the equivalent of the Cavs/Celts series played on a baseball diamond.
Okay, so maybe it wasn't that bad, but it was pretty damn close.
For the 5th straight game including today's matinee the Boston offense grabbed at least a 3-0 lead for its starter, but has been the case so many times in recent weeks, if the starter doesn't gag the hard-earned advantage the bullpen surely will.
This afternoon the big blow was David Ortiz' 3-run homer in the second inning that gave the Sox a 3-0 lead. Tonight, with Manny having the nightcap off and Papi having already done his work for the day, it was Mike Lowell's turn to carry the club.
Boston seemed to have Milwaukee starter Dave (sorry I called you Mike earlier) Bush on the ropes from the get go tonight, and in two of the first three innings, Lowell made him pay for his mistakes.
In the opening frame Bush (6IP, 5H, 5R, 4ER, 2BB, 2K, HR) quickly got the first two outs before Ortiz drew a walk, Youk doubled to deep center, and Lowell knocked them both in when he sliced a double down the left field line.
In the third inning Dustin Pedroia singled to lead off the inning and two outs later Mike launched a 1-1 pitch from Bush over the Wall, over the Monster seats and onto Lansdowne St. for a momentum-building two run shot, and with a 4-0 lead and Wake's knuckler dancing better than it did in Minny, it looked like smooth sailing for the home team.
Of course it couldn't be that easy, right.
While Wakefield (5.1IP, 6H, 3ER, 3BB, 5K, HR) had been escaping jams all night he did manage to make it to the 6th inning without allowing a run, but he stumbled in the sixth and needed the bullpen to bail him out.
It didn't.
Staked to a 5-0 lead to start the 6th Wake allowed a one-out homer to Corey Hart (that one left the ballpark, also) and then a single to Gabe Kapler, who made his return to Fenway after two years and received a hearty ovation from the Faithful in his first at bat. Then a wild pitch and a hit batter told Tito it was time to yank his veteran before things got out of hand.
He probably should have taken his chances with the knuckler.
David Aardsma came in throwing gas (98mph) and caught catcher Mike Rivera looking at a ball inside for strike three, but it was all downhill from there.
As the Brewers batters either fouled off his heater or watched as he missed his spots with his breaking stuff, Aardsma fell apart and ended up hitting Craig Counsell with a pitch, allowed a single by Ricky Weeks to cut the lead to 5-3 and walked Mike Cameron before getting Ryan Braun (0-5) to foul out to first with the bases loaded to end it.
With that bullet dodged and the lead still intact Francona brought in 7th inning in training man Craig Hansen, but this time it was the Boston defense that let the team and the pitcher down.
A leadoff single by Prince Fielder (2-4, R) and errors by Lowell and Alex Cora (on a questionable call) loaded the bases with one out, and after an RBI groundout cut the score to 5-4, former World Series hero Craig Counsell hit a clutch 2-out double to clear the bases and give Milwaukee its first lead of the night, 6-5.
Needless to say the boo birds, especially the ones who had been there all day, let the team hear it after that mess of an inning.
But the Boston batters quickly silenced the boos and bailed out their bumbling mates by scoring a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame off Solomon Torres. Milwaukee committed two errors to open the inning, allowing Ellsbury and Pedroia to reach base with no outs, a groundout by Ortiz scored Ellsbury to tie the game, and a blooper by Youk to righ field fell in to score Pedroia for what turned out to be the game winning run, and so wrapped up a long, odd, yet fruitful day of baseball for the Bososx.
Coupled with the extra inning loss by the Rays in St. Louis Boston's sweep sent them into a tie with Tampa Bay atop the AL East.
And just think in a mere 17 hours or so from now the Sox could be alone in first again.
Get some rest.
RECORD: 26-19
AL EAST: Tied for 1st
STREAK: W2
LAST 10: 4-6
UP NEXT: Sun vs. MIL 1:35 TBS vs. Beckett
Dice goes to 7-0 thanks to Big Papi's big blast
Sox 5, Milwaukee 3
WP: Matsuzaka (7-0)
LP: Suppan (2-3)
SV: Papelbon (12)
HRs: BOS-Ortiz (8); MIL-Cameron (4), Braun (11)
SUMMARY:
Daisuke Matsuzaka had one of his best outings of the year, limiting the Brewers to 7 hits and a pair of runs in 6 2/3 innings of work, and David Ortiz provided all the run support Boston would need when he slammed a 3-run, opposite field homer over the Monster in the second inning to propel the Sox to the win.
SUPERSTAR: Ortiz 2-2, 2R, 3BI, 2BB, HR
Ortiz' early blast set the tempo for the day and got the team off on the right foot following 2 1/2 days of inactivity. Papi was on base four times, raising his average to .244 and OBP to .353, and knocked in his 30th, 31st and 32nd runs of the year.
In other words, Here. Comes. Papi.
THE BIGGEST LOSER: Jeff Suppan 6IP, 9H, 4ER, 2BB, 1K, HR
The former Sox draft pick settled down after a rocky first couple of innings, but unfortunately it was the runs he gave up in those couple of innings that cost his team the game.
RECAP:
Game 1 is done and thankfully the boys started the day out in style.
Because the last thing you want is a lousy loss in the opener of a doubleheader, especially when the team has to turn right back around and play the next game in an hour and a half.
Actually the last thing you would want is extra innings in the opener, but thankfully the baseball gods decided not to subject us to that.
We in the Nation can also be thankful for the combo of Daisuke Matsuzaka and David Ortiz, as it was those two studs who led the team out of the doldrums of a 4-game losing skid and back to the promised land of a potential winning streak.
After the Sox handed him a 4-0 lead after two innings, the first run scoring on a bases loaded walk to JD Drew in the 1st and the next three on Papi's Monster shot in the 2nd, Matsuzaka made it hold up despite facing a couple of game-changing situations in the next few innings.
In the 5th inning the Brewers loaded the bases with two outs on a single, hit batter and a walk, but Dice got Mike Cameron to fly out to center to end the threat. And in the 6th inning Ryan Braun (3-5, 1R, 1BI) led off with a single and then Prince Fielder moved him to third with a double before Matsuzaka retired the next three hitters, two by strikeout, to nip that bid in the bud.
But in the 7th Dice-K finally cracked and allowed a pair of runs, both scoring after two were out when Ricky Weeks reached on an error by Kevin Youkilis at third (yes, you read that right) and then Cameron belted a two-run bomb to cut the Sox lead to 4-2.
It was Youk's first error at any position since last July 25th, but his errorless streak at first base still stands at 222 games.
That would be all for Dice-K, but luckily the Boston bully made the lead hold up, and when Jacoby Ellsbury (2-5, R, BI) doubled in Jason Varitek, who had also doubled, in the 8th inning to push the lead to 5-2 it gave Papelbon one more run to work with for the save.
Good thing, too, because Paps gave the run right back when with two outs Braun turned on a fastball and launched it into the Monster seats to give the Brewers hope for a comeback, but Paps got some help when Alex Cora made a nice over the shoulder catch of a popper by Fielder to end the game, and Boston came away with a much-needed win.
Now it's time to catch a bite to eat, maybe a quick catnap, do a few stretches and get right back out there for game number two.
It's the kind of day that can only make Ernie Banks happy.
And maybe Little Leaguers.
RECORD: 25-19
AL EAST: 1GB
STREAK: W1
LAST 10: 4-6
UP NEXT: Tonight vs. MIL 8:30 Bush vs. Wakefield
Game Preview(s): Brewers at Sox - let's play 2!
Game 1 355 on FOX
Suppan (2-2, 4.88) vs. Matsuzaka (6-0, 2.22)
Game 2 835
Bush (1-4, 6.06) vs. Wakefield (3-2, 4.25)
With the rainout last night, amazingly the first of 2008 despite the rotten spring conditions, the Sox are forced to spend a long day and night at the ballpark today thanks to the decision to play a two games basically back-to-back.
Since the original Saturday game was already scheduled as the national FOX game and tomorrow the teams will play the TBS national game at 1:30, it was either squeeze the makeup game in tonight or find a mutual off day later in the season they could agree on, something two teams from different leagues that hope to be in pennant races obviously wanted no part of.
So here we are, staring at the Sox playing 3 games of baseball in the next 24 hours after spending the last 2 1/2 days doing absolutely nothing.
And I thought my son's Little league schedule was bad.
In the opener Dice-K will take his perfect record to the hill and try to go 7-0; he will be opposed by original Sox drafteee Jeff Suppan. In the nightcap Tim Wakefield will try to shake off the memories of his last start (7H, 7R in 2.2inn) against someone named Mike Bush.
In Matsuzaka's last start he allowed 6 hits and 2 runs in seven innings of a 6-2 win against Minnesota a week ago today, and although he is second in the league in wins and 5th in ERA, his lack of control at times which has led him to the 3rd highest walk total (30) in the AL has been cause for concern throughout the Nation.
In other words, when is this high priced import gonna wow us with his stuff.
As for Wake he has been hot and cold this season, as most knuckleballers tend to be. On top of that last atrocious start he has allowed at least 3 earned runs in 5 of his 8 starts, but in his other three he has allowed 0, 1 and 2 runs, including his brilliant 8-inning, 2-hit shutout at Detroit 11 days ago.
In other words it's a toss up as to how this double dip is going to turn out for Boston. Dice-K could come out and toss a no-no, or he could give up a dozen walks and lose the opener. And Wake might baffle those NL hitters who aren't used to seeing a knuckler en route to a complete game gem, or Braun, Fielder, Cameron et al could pound him like chop meat before the night is over at Fenway.
But if the Rays were to lose their game at St. Louis, and the Sox could sweep today...
...then it's say hello to 1st place again time in the Hub.
5.16.2008
Brewers at Sox GM1 PPD
The good news to come from this cancellation is it gives the club an extra day of rest coming on the heels of playing for 17 days straight.
The bad news is the team already got a day and a half off and were plenty rested and ready to go for this series, and now they will be forced to play a doubleheader on Saturday to make up for the rain out.
The worse news is that tomorrow's game was scheduled for 3:55 as the FOX Game of the Week, so instead of the traditional 1:05/7:05 split doubleheader the teams will play in a decidedly non-traditional 3:55/8:35 double dip.
How the fuck Sox/Brewers got the national spotlight game over the vaunted Subway Series is another story entirely.
Anyway, get all your activities done during the day, RSN, because beginning at 3:30 we will have roughly 9 consecutive hours of Red Sox/Brewers baseball to 'enjoy'.
And I do use that term loosely.
RECORD: 24-19
AL EAST: 1 1/2 GB
STREAK: L4
LAST 10: 4-6
UP NEXT: Sat vs. MIL 3:55 & 8:35 (pitching matchups TBD)
Series Preview: Brewers at Bosox
Milwaukee Brewers (20-21) 
NL Central: 5 GB
Streak: L2
Last 10: 4-6
BA: .241 (14th in NL)
RS: 177 (12)
HR: 39 (8)
ERA: 4.54 (12)
RA: 198 (6)
3 game Interleague Series at Fenway Park
Game 1 Friday 705
Suppan (2-2, 4.63; 3-3, 4.78 vs. BOS) vs. Matsuzaka (6-0, 2.45; NR vs. MIL)
Game 2 Saturday 355 FOX
Bush (1-4, 6.06; 0-3, 9.00 vs. BOS) vs. Wakefield (3-2, 4.25; 5-2, 3.19 vs. MIL)
Game 3 Sunday 135 TBS
Villanueva (2-4, 6.00; NR vs. BOS) vs. Beckett (4-3, 4.21; 0-2, 9.53 vs. MIL)
Key Brewers:
-LF Ryan Braun .286/21R/10HR/30BI/.316OBP Last year's Rookie of the Year has proved to be no fluke by picking up right where he left off, and he just inked a monster contract (8yr/45mil) to validate his efforts
-1B Prince Fielder .255/5HR/23BI/.362OBP/.411SLG% The big bopper (literally) decided to turn vegan in the off season, and sausage-loving Brewer's fans are livid, noting the subsequent lack of meat in his diet has left his game mighty thin
-C Jason Kendall .283/16R/10 2B/12BI/.366OBP Who could imagine that a catcher whose foot was dislodged from his ankle a few years ago would be leading a team in on base percentage?
- RF Corey Hart .302/17R/9 2B19BI/.356OBP This is the Corey Hart who plays right field for the Brewers, not the one who sang "(I wear my) Sunglasses at Night", right?
Ex-Sox:
-RP Eric Gagne 1-2, 6.27, 1.88WHIP, 10SV, 5BS Worst GM of the Year award has to go to Doug Melvin for signing this washed-up mental case to a $10 million dollar deal in the off season. Amazing.
-RP David Riske 0-1, 4.71, 6H, 1SV Appeared in 8 games for the Sox in '06 before they traded him to the Chisox for Javier Lopez
-SP Jeff Suppan he appeared in 27 games for Boston from 1995-97 and 2003, compiling a 12-10 record with a 5.87ERA. Most known in the Nation for being traded for Freddy Sanchez at the trading deadline in 2003. You know Freddy Sanchez, the phenom who plays shortstop for the Pirates?
-CF Gabe Kapler .284/13R/4HR/13RBI/.522SLG% I'm sure the Faithful will be happy to welcome back Kapler in his first return to Fenway since retiring after the 2006 season, before deciding to come back to manage and ultimately play again
PREVIEW:
It's the beginning of Interleague play 2008; can I get a "hip hip, hooray!" from everyone.
(crickets chirping)
You all know about interleague play by now, the novelty invented by MLB to bring different teams and unseen superstars to ballparks in the opposite leagues.
Instead what we get are uninspired mismatches like this one, where a team that no once outside of Racine follows comes to the Hub of the sports universe touting a team full of uninteresting, underachieving players who are embroiled in a division playoff race from a league nobody cares about.
Nearly brings a tear to my eye.
Although I have to admit it is nice every once in a while to get away from the same AL foes and drub a club from "the senior circuit", just for a change of pace.
But I'll have to say as far as must-see series at Fenway go, this one is a definite 'give away your season tickets to the buddy who's been buggin you for months' weekend.
As we all know, Boston comes into this series on a down note, losers of four straight games and six of its last eight contests. JD Drew is ailing (again); Clay Buchholz is disabled (whew); and the offense, and the pitching staff cannot seem to hold a lead no matter how many runs the offense scores.
To top it all off, there's rain in the forecast tonight so the first game of the series has a good chance of being delayed.
But there is a silver lining for Boston. Bartolo Colon had another impressive performance in the minors yesterday and will most likely make his Red Sox debut next week.
Wait, guys, come back...
Fact of the matter is Boston had better either sweep or at the least take 2-of-3 from the disappointing Brewers, who will be making the first trip to Fenway since joining the NL in 1998.
The pitching matchups are certainly in Boston's favor, with the Sox top three throwing in the series while Milwaukee ace Ben Sheets will miss the set, and lord knows how awesome it will be when and if Eric Gagme takes the Fenway mound for the first time since last year.
So with an off day under their belts, home cooking in their tummies and a scrub team invading their turf, this had better be a productive series for the second place Sox.
I mean how much longer can we stand hearing "trailing the first place Devil Rays" before the madness kicks in?
.jpg)
