Sox 11, Royals 8
WP: Matsuzaka (8-0)
LP: Bannister (4-6)
SV: Papelbon (14)
HRs: BOS-Drew (4), Lowell (6); KC-Guillen (6), Olivo (6)
SUMMARY:
The Red Sox had a lot to celebrate this afternoon - grand slams by JD Drew and Mike Lowell, Daisuke Matsuzaka picking up his AL-leading 8th victory, extending their winning streak to a season-high 7 games - but nearly as many things to lament, such as another shoddy job by the bully and 6 more walks from Dice-K.
Still a win is a win is a win, and now the Sox will head West as owners of the best record in baseball.
SUPERSTAR(s): Drew & Lowell 5-8, 5R, 2B, 2GS, 8BI
Talk about a 1-2 punch.
THE BIGGEST LOSER: Brian Bannister 5.1IP, 12H, 7ER, 1BB, 4K, 1HR
So much for that day/night differential.
(Dis)Honarable mention: Boston bullpen 3.1IP, 7H, 5ER, 2BB, 3K, 2HR
Yet another uninspiring performance from the weakest link on an awesome team
RECAP:
This afternoon's victory over the reeling Royals wasn't pretty, it wasn't easy, and it sure as hell wasn't impressive, at least not pitching-wise.
But in the major leagues the end result is all that matters, and the end result of this one means the Sox now own the best record in baseball, the longest team winning streak in two years, the starter with the most wins in the American League, and an offense that appears to be as unstoppable as any assembled in recent memory.
And it's a good thing that offense is so potent, because the team needed every ounce of its power this afternoon.
Because despite ringing up 11 runs and 14 hits including two grand slams Boston nearly blew this game thanks to what has become the Achilles heel of this club, the unreliable bullpen.
Daisuke Matsuzaka (5.2IP, 6H, 3ER, 6BB, 7K, 118P) had another mezza mezza game en route to his 8th victory, and he continues to be the team's most puzzling piece; is he the decisive #1 starter who has the best winning percentage and 2nd lowest ERA in the AL? Or is he an implosion waiting to happen, as evidence by his league-leading walk total and inordinately high number of pitches thrown per start?
Right now the answer appears to be a little bit of both.
He keeps walking batters at an alarming rate (6 more today, 42 in 65 1/3 inn on the year) and has yet to pitch into the 8th inning so far this season, mainly because he throws a minimum of 100 pitches each time out. (He threw a season-high 118 today)
But he still hasn't lost this season and has been the backbone of a staff that has been riddled with injuries and inconsistencies at times.
Go figure.
Today he was not on top of his game from the get-go, as he allowed a run in the first inning on a walk, wild pitch and RBI single by Jose Guillen (4-5, 3R, 3BI, 2B, HR), and after issuing another walk he finally got Miguel Olivo to strike out to end the frame.
But not before he tossed an ungodly 34 pitches, with a 50/50 split of balls and strikes.
Yikes.
Good thing for him his offense was on top of its game, and it didn't take long for the Boston batters to penetrate the unbeatable daytime version of Brian Bannister, who had been 4-0 with a sub-1.00 ERA in afternoon starts this season.
After retiring the Sox in order in the first inning, Bannister collapsed in the second as Boston loaded the bases with no outs on an infield single by Manny Ramirez, a bleeder through the shortstop hole by Lowell and a seeing eye single by Youk.
Then JD Drew, who missed yesterday's game with a sore knee, worked the count to 2-2 before sending a pitch high to the opposite field for a Monster grand slam, his first home run since April 11th against the Stanks and a blast that reminded everyone of his monumental granny in Game 6 of the ALCS last year.
Staked to a 4-1 lead Dice still appeared as if he was going to cough it up at any time, with baserunners reaching in every inning against him, so it was nice when Youk (2-4, R, BI) singled in Lowell, who had doubled, in the 3rd to give Boston a 5-1 lead.
But Matsuzaka finally fell off the tightrope in the 5th when KC scored a pair of runs on a walk to Alex Gordon and back-to-back doubles by Guillen and Olivo (3-5, R, 5BI), and suddenly what seemed like a potential Boston blow out had turned into a nail biter.
Well at least for an inning.
The Sox chased Bannister in the 6th when Drew led off with a single, Kevin Cash, getting a rare non-Wakefield start, followed with a single and Julio Lugo drove Drew home with a sac fly to make the score 6-3 Boston.
Jimmy Gobble entered the game and promptly walked Jacoby Ellsbury, surrendered a deep double to left by Dustin Pedroia that scored Cash, and after David Ortiz popped out for the second out of the inning, KC manager Trey Hillman elected to walk the ice cold Manny Ramirez to load the bases for Lowell.
Not only that, but Hillman chose to leave the lefthander Gobble in to pitch to the righthanded Lowell.
Both moves backfired like a 76 'Nova when Lowell crushed a 1-0 pitch into the Monster seasts for the Sox second grand slam of the game, the first time Boston had accomplished that feat since Billy Mueller did it himself in Texas in 2003, and what had quickly turned into a close game just as quickly turned into a rout at 11-3 Boston.
Or so we thought.
With Matsuzaka having been replaced by Javier Lopez to get the final out of the 6th, Francona called on Craig Hansen to work the 7th. Evidently the Nova was still parked on the concourse because Hansen was horrid, allowing a leadoff homer to Guillen, a walk to Mark Teahen and then a booming double to Olivo to slice the Sox lead to 11-5.
As bad as Hansen was (his ERA is now a robust 7.56), David Aardsma was worse. Although two of the hits he allowed in the 8th were of the infield variety, the homer he gave up to Olivo was anything but cheap as it cleared the Wall with room to spare, and now the lead was back to a minuscule three runs, 11-8.
Gulp.
Even Tito's safety net, closer Jonathan Papelbon, nearly fell victim to the shitty bullpen flu as he allowed two hits after recording the first two outs in the 9th.
But sanity prevailed as Paps got Gordon to fly out harmlessly to left to end the wild affair, and the Sox had the longest winning streak since the summer of 2006 just as they head out to the West Coast for yet another 10 game road trip.
While the homestand was impressive, as the Sox won all seven games and improved to an ML-best 21-5 in the cozy confines of their home park, the real test will come when they take their sub-.500 record to Oakland, Seattle and Baltimore.
If they can come close to duplicating the magic the offense and starting pitching provided during this streak, they'll be in great shape.
You think 10 consecutive complete games would be too much to ask for?
RECORD: 31-19
AL EAST: Up 2.5 gms
STREAK: W7
LAST 10: 7-3
UP NEXT: Fri @ OAK 10:05 Wakefield vs. Harden
5.22.2008
Sox sweep Royals in grand style
5.18.2008
Sox complete sweep in HR derby finale at Fenway
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
5.04.2008
How sweep it is! Sox broom Rays out of town
Sox 7, Tampa Bay 3
WP: Lester (2-2)
LP: Kazmir (0-1)
SV: Papelbon (9)
HRs: BOS-Youk (3); TB-Pena (7)
SUMMARY:
The Red Sox jumped out to a 4-0 lead against Scott Kazmir, who was making his season debut, before Tampa Bay closed to within one run. But Kevin Youkilis drove in the final three runs to put the game away, and Boston completed the payback sweep against the Rays.
SUPERSTAR: Youk 3-4, 2R, 4BI, 2-2B, HR
He drove in the first run of the game with a sac fly, the 5th run with a homer to straightaway center, and the 6th & 7th runs with his second double of the day in the 8th, single handedly collecting more RBI than the entire Rays team.
THE BIGGEST LOSER: Carlos Pena 1-4, R, BI,HR, 3Ks
He did provide the Rays first run of the game with a homer in the 6th inning, but he also fanned three times, including twice with men on base and twice to end innings.
Classic case of all or nothing.
RECAP:
If payback's a bitch, then Boston just sicced one nasty, rabid, Cujo on the Chihuahua's known as the Tampa Bay Rays.
Upset and embarrassed over the three game sweep Tampa Bay inflicted on them last weekend at the Trop, the Sox wasted no time making sure any thoughts of a repeat performance were quickly dispatched from the minds of the Rays and all the Nation haters out there.
Beginning with a solid 7-3 victory on Friday night, Boston proceeded to trounce the Rays, 12-4, on Saturday, and they completed the sweep today on a dismal afternoon at Fenway when the majority of the Commonwealth was watching the Celtics defeat the Hawks in Game 7 of their first round playoff series at the new Garden.
But it didn't matter to the Red Sox that Fenway was not quite filled to capacity, or that most Boston sports fans had the Cs on the main screen while the beloved Sox were relegated to the PIP window.
All that mattered to them was showing the Rays and the rest of the division that last weekend's sweep was a result of combination of them facing tough pitching while their offense was struggling, and now after scoring 26 runs and rapping 39 hits in three games, it's safe to say that things are back to normal.
For the second game in a row, Boston set the tone early by scoring in the first inning. Jacoby Ellsbury led off the game with an infield single to second, and Dustin Pedroia, the hero of last night's game drew aa walk off the rusty and erratic Kazmir (4IP, 6H, 4R, 3ER, 3BB, 5K).
But despite a rare double steal that put runners on second & third with no outs, Boston could only manage to plate one run in the inning, on a sac fly to center by Youk, batting in the three hole in place of David Ortiz, who got the day off due to his balky knee (plus the fact that it was a shitty day and he is only 7-37 career against Kazmir.
The missed opportunities didn't hurt Boston though as they quickly added to their lead when they plated two more runs in the third inning. Once again the first two batters reached base (Pedroia single, Youk double), and then Kaz hurt his cause by tossing a wild pitch that allowed Pedroia to scoot home with the second run of the game.
On the next pitch Manny Ramirez, who had rough series (2-13, 5Ks), doubled down the left field line to score Youk, and for the third straight game Boston had jumped out in front by a score of at least 3-0.
After adding another run on an RBI groundout by Pedroia (1-4, R, BI, BB) in the fourth, the new and improved Rays did what they've done all year long - fought back to make a potential blowout game interesting.
Through five innings Jon Lester (6IP, 4H, 1ER, 3BB, 5K, HR) had been cruising along, allowing the occasional base runner here and there but not having to face any real threat or jam.
But in the 6th Carlos Pena touched him for a solo shot to right that put the Rays on the board and gave them the opening they needed to get back into the game.
And get right back in it they would, against none other than Manny the anti closer Delcarmen.
Delcarmen, who has allowed 21 base runners and 10 earned runs in 12 1/3 innings of work this season, retired the first batter of the inning before surrendering a single to slpa hitter Jason Bartlett and then a triple to Sox killer Aki Iwamura, slicing the Boston lead to 4-2.
That disgusting display brought Hideki Okajima into the game, and even though he allowed an RBI single to Carl Crawford, he then struck out BJ Upton and Pena to end the inning and the threat.
Suddenly faced with a 1-run game Boston responded immediately in the bottom of the 7th when Youk took reliever Kent Birkins deep to the tarp in straightaway center to push the lead to 5-3, and in the 8th Youk extinguished any thought of a Rays comeback when he doubled in Lugo and Ellsbury for the final 7-3 margin.
Just to be sure none of his crappy relievers blew this one, and because he was already warming when the margin was just two runs, Francona brought in Papelbon to close it out. And the closer did just that, retiring the final three batters on three consecutive groundouts, and the re-sweep was complete.
So the Celts knocked off the pesky hawks and the Sox swept the pesky Rays on the same miserable day in the Hub.
I'd say order has been officially restored to the sports world.
RECORD: 20-13
AL EAST: Up 3 gms
STREAK: W3
LAST 10: 5-5
UP NEXT: Mon @ Detroit 705 Matsuzaka vs. Bonderman
4.21.2008
No comeback necessary: Sox trounce Texas
Sox 8, Texas 3
WP: Buchholz (1-1)
LP: Nippert (1-2)
SV: None
HRs: None
SUMMARY:
The Red Sox didn't need to stage another come-from-behind thriller this afternoon at Fenway - a run-of-the-mill blowout was on the menu for this Patriot's Day affair; Boston scored all 8 runs off Texas reliever Dustin Nippert in the 4th & 5th innings and cruised to the 4-game series sweep.
Superstar: Clay Buchholz 6IP, 5H, 0ER, 2BB, 6K
The young righty had his best start of the season, giving Tito six quality innings of shutout ball while lowering his ERA nearly two full runs in the process (6.75-4.79) in leading his team to the sweep.
The Biggest Loser: Nippert 2.1IP, 9H, 8ER, 4BB, 2K
The Rangers bullpen was atrocious all series, but this performance takes the cake.
RECAP:
Well that was nice for a change.
For the first time in what seems like forever Boston did not need to rely on late-inning heroics to pull out a miraculous victory as the Sox manhandled the Texas bullpen for the 4th consecutive game.
The only reason Texas had to go to the bully so soon was because starter Kason Gabbard had to exit the contest after the second inning when a slip on the mound caused his back to stiffen up.
Thus the expected matchup of two former PawSox starters, Gabbard and Buchholz, did not come to be, and my half-joking prediction that Gabbard would probably throw a no-hitter today went down the tubes.
Which was just fine because Buchholz pitched as well as he had since his no-no last September.
After battling to a scoreless tie through 3 1/2, including both teams leaving the bases loaded in the second, Boston broke it open in the bottom of the 4th shortly after Dustin "Don't call me Al" Nippert came in to replace Gabbard.
That 4th inning played out like a Little League game, complete with bloopers, blunders and very few hard hit balls.
Instead of describing what happened, let me run it down for you, blog style:
-JD Drew leads off with a walk, Nippert balks him to 2B
-Jed Lowrie pops up a bunt to SS, he's safe at 1st, Drew to 3B
-Lugo singles just past Nippert's hand, Drew scores Boston's 1st run
-Kevin Cash, playing for Tek, hits a soft liner to Ian Kinsler at 2nd, he throws to 1st to double off a leaning Lugo, but the ball goes down the line and Lowrie scores, Lugo to 2B (2-0 BOS)
-Thurston pops out to short
-Ellsbury hits an infield single to SS as Lugo hops over the bounding ball; Ellsbury then steals 2B uncontested
-Pedroia laces a double to right center field, the hardest hit ball of the inning, to drive in both Lugo and Ellsbury (4-0 BOS)
-Big Papi skies a ball to deep left that appears playable for Milton Bradley, until he ducks for cover at the last minute as he loses it in the bright sunlight. It falls in for a double as Pedroia scampers home with run #5
-Youk walks
-Drew walks to load the bases
-Lowrie strikes out just as the marathoners enter Kenmore Square
When the carnage was over Boston had scored 5 runs on 5 hits, 3 walks, an error, a balk and a highlight reel worthy blooper in an 1/2 inning that saw Nippert throw 41 pitches and took 29 minutes to complete.
In case the game didn't appear to be over at that point, Boston tacked on three more runs in the 5th, with one run coming in on a double by Ellsbury (2-4, 2R, BI, BB) and the other two scoring on a legitimate double by Ortiz, marking his 11 ribbies of the series.
I'd say he's out of his slump.
Then again the Rangers pitchers can get anyone out of a slump. Boston racked up a dozen hits in this game and also walked 11 times. In fact every Boston batter reached base at least twice except Thurston, and five batters reached at least 3 times.
By the time Texas struck for a pair of runs off David Aardsma and Javier Lopez in the 7th it was much too little, way too late, and even an RBI double by Josh Hamilton off Manny Delcarmen in the 9th couldn't dampen the spirits of the Nation who had just witnessed a sweet, rare 4-game sweep at home on Marathon Monday.
Alas it's no rest for the weary as the AL West-leading Angels come to town tomorrow night.
But at least this Patriots Day was worth celebrating, even though the festivities started early instead of late.
NOTES:
-No Manny: Despite his 2nd inning ejection yesterday, Francona decided to rest Manny anyway as previously planned. His replacement, Joe Thurston, was the only member of the team not to record a hit (0-5). Sean Casey also got the day off, as Youk moved back to 1B and Lowrie manned the hot corner
-Tek sick: for just the second time this season Jason Varitek did not catch when someone other than Tim Wakefield was on the mound. he reportedly was feeling under the weather. NESN broadcaster Jerry Remy was also ailing, prompting a stint in the booth by former As skipper Ken "paint dry" Macha
-Lugo on fire: the shortstop went 4-4 with a walk and is batting .346 (17-49) over his last 13 games, raising his average from .238 to .314
RECORD: 14-7
STREAK: W5
LST 10: 9-1
AL EAST: Up 2 gms
UP NEXT: Tue vs. LAA 7PM Weaver vs. Beckett
8.26.2007
Double digit delight: Sox set record with 4th straight rout
Boston 11, Chicago 1
WP: Tavarezx (7-9)
LP: Vazquez (11-7)
HRs: BOS-Drew (7), Ortiz (24), Kielty (1); CHI-Dye (25)
SUMMARY
In another stunning display of timely and merciless hitting, the Boston Red Sox did something that hadn't been accomplished by an American League team since 1922: score 10 or more runs in all four games of a series.
#1 STUNNER Boston offense 11R, 9H
Although no one had a monster game like in the first three contests, any time you get a squad that sets modern day records and does something that no team has done in over a decade, well they are all heroes for that.
PAN's FAUN Javy Vazquez 6IP, 6H, 7ER, 3BB, 10K
Much like teammate Mark Buehrle the day before, Vazquez was cruising in the early going, allowing just 3 baserunners through the first four innings. Then the Bosox hung a 4-spot up in the 5th, and from that point on it was goodbye Javy, hello record books.
RECAP
In honor of ESPN's Greatest Home Runs of All Time gimmick, I think I'll quote the late, great Jack Buck in describing the finale of this fantastic series with Chicago:
"I don't belive what I just saw."
For the fourth consecutive game the Red Sox treated the host White Sox more rudely than Leona Helmsley at a tax audit, shredding the horrid Chicago pitching staff for another 11 runs en route to a record-setting series in which Boston outscored Chicago 46-7, outhit the Chisox 52-23, and outclassed the sorry-ass South Siders in every facet of the game.
Coupled with New York losing 2-of-3 to Detroit so far in their series Boston's East lead has swelled back to 7 1/2 games as they head to the Bronx for a three game set beginning Tuesday.
Suffice it to say that life is good in the Nation right now.
Nothing like four straight games of dragging a team through the mud to pick up one's spirits, ey?
The ironic thing about the series is how much damage Boston did to Chicago late in games, a byproduct of an absolutely horrendous White Sox bullpen.
The Bosox scored 35 of their 46 runs in the 5th inning or later, and an incredible 21 of those runs came in the 7th, 8th & 9th innings, the equivalent of a boxer going for the knockout blow in the latter rounds of a prize fight.
Just like yesterday's game this one was a pitchers duel for the first four innings, the only blemish for each starter coming on solo homers in the second inning.
Julian Tavarez (6IP, 2H, 1ER, 3BB, 7K), making his second spot start since returning to the pen, pitched his best game in over two months, allowing just two hits in six innings, his only mistake an opposite field home run by Jermaine Dye with one out in the 2nd inning that tied the game at one.
That shot offset a home run by J.D. Drew in the top of the inning, also an opposite field blast that was Drew's first longball in 51 games which was also, ironically, the last time Tavarez won a game, June 20th in Atlanta.
Other than that both starters were stingier than a wino with a bottle of Cristal as each hurler allowed a hit here or a walk there but never faced any serious scoring threats...
...until the 5th inning.
That fateful frame for Vazquez began with a strikeout of Jason Varitek but ended with Boston scoring four runs on four hits to effectively put the game out of reach.
Following the strikeout Bobby Kielty (2-4, 2R, 2BI), who has become a full-fledged Nation favorite this week, laid down a bunt that hugged the 3rd base line and shocked Vazquez so much he had no play on the slow roller.
Kinda reminiscent of Pedroia's innocuous infield hit that opened the floodgates in yesterday's game.
Coco Crisp then lined a single to right field, but when Julio Lugo forced Crisp out at second on a fielder's choice, it looked as if the rally was going to come to an end.
Not even close.
Lugo added his 28th stolen base of the season despite a couple of pickoff attempts by Vazquez, and then Pedroia (1-5, R, 2BI) laced a solid single to center that brought Kielty & Lugo home with the tie-breaking runs, and the rout was on with Ortiz coming up.
That's when One Pitch Papi launched the very next offering from Vazquez to nearly the identical spot he hit his second homer yesterday, over the wall in left center for a 2-run opposite-field shot that made the score 5-1 Sox and signaled the beginning of the end for Chicago's hopes of salvaging a game in this series.
Tavarez answered that output with his best inning of the day, striking out all three Chisox batters in the bottom of the inning on just 12 pitches, and before anyone knew what happened Boston was putting more runs on the board.
After Drew worked a leadoff walk to start the 6th, two outs later Kielty blasted a deep home run to right, his first as a member of the Sox and first since September 29th of last season when he was with the As.
7-1 now, and every Nation member was now on the edge of their seats hoping the Sox would do something most of us had never seen our team do before--hit the magic double-digit mark for the fourth straight game.
The chances of that happening looked slim for a bit as reliever Ryan Bukvich, who had been hammered in a couple games this series (then again, who hasn't in that pen?), tossed two shutout innings in the 7th & 8th to hold the scoring machine at bay and dampen the chances of us seeing history made.
But then came the 9th, an inning that has not featured a lot of Boston runs this season, until this series that is.
After the first two batters reached base on a single by Tek and an infield hit by Kielty, Ozzie removed Bukvich in favor of former Bosox Mike Myers, and it was like the plantes aligned and history was destined to be made.
A fielders chioce by Crisp forced Kielty at second, but Lugo followed with a sharp single to left to score Tek with run #8, and suddenly the Sox could smell the blood in the water.
Pedroia lined out to second for the second out of the inning, and then Papi lofted a high fly ball to left that Josh Fields camped under, then swerved, stabbed, and missed the ball as it fell harmlessly next to him for a two-run, two-base error, and Boston had the modern mark on, appropriately, another blunder by the South Siders.
Mike Lowell then added his obligatory RBI on a hard single to left, and when Drew popped out to end the inning, Boston had 11 runs on the board and had swept the reeling White Sox in an historic four-game fun fest.
And now Boston will enjoy a much-needed day off in the Big Apple as the Stanks battle the Tigers on Monday in Detroit, waiting patiently for a chance to unleash this new-found firepower on their hated archenemy.
Who's got the best offense between the two? Hard to say. But on the heels of this wild weekend in Chitown, I wouldn't bet against the boys from Benatown.
Bring on the Stanks!
7.06.2007
Series Recap: Tampa Bay vs. Sox
| Game | SCORE | WP | LP |
| GM1 | BOS 4-1 | Dice-K | Kazmir |
| GM2 | BOS 7-5 | Wake | Jackson |
| GM3 | BOS 15-4 | Beckett | Howell |
STAT | TB | BOS |
WINS | 0 | 3 |
HITS | 25 | 37 |
RUNS | 10 | 26 |
HRs | 2 | 3 |
AVG | .194 | .363 |
ERA | 9.38 | 3.33 |
Batter's Composite Box
| PLAYER | SERIES STATS | COMMENT |
| Coco | 4-12, 2R, 2-2B, GS, 2BB, 6RBI | ripping the ball, + great 'D' |
| Pedroia | 4-13, 2R, 2B, 2BB, 2K, 2BI | settled in nicely to 2-spot |
| Papi | 4-12, 5R, 2B, BB, 2K, 0BI | hammys must be real bad... |
| Manny | 4-10, 5R, 2-2B, 3BB, 2K, 2BI | ...but what's his excuse? |
| Drew | 4-8, 2R, 2-2B, 3K, RBI | avg. up to .265 |
| Lowell | 8-13, 6R, BB, 2K, 2HRs, 7RBI | fountain of youth ? |
| Tek | 3-5, 2R, 2BB, 1K, 3RBI | avg. steadily climbing (.277) |
| Lugo | 3-10, BB, K, SB, 2CS, 4RBI | as many hits this series as in last 3 wks |
| Youk | 1-3, 2R, 2BB, K | played 1 gm (bad quad) |
| Hinske | 0-5, 4BB, 4K | all-or-nothing |
| Belli | 1-4, 3RBI, 3BB, 2K | snapped a 1-15 skid; BL walk |
| Cora | 1-4, 2B, R, RBI | down to .281 |
| Wily Mo | 0-6, 4K | Whiffy Mo Pena |
| Ellsbury | 1-4, 2B, R, RBI | impressive kid |
Pitcher's Composite Box
PITCHER | SERIES STATS/COMMENT |
Dice-K | 8IP, 4H, 0R, 1BB, 9K; win #10 in GM1 |
Wake | 6.1IP, 7H, 4ER, 2BB, 2K, HR; win # 8 in GM2 |
Beckett | 6IP, 9H, 3ER, 1BB, 9K; win #12 in GM3 |
Paps | 2IP, 1H, 1R, 0BB, 3K, HR; save #20 in GM1 |
Manny D | 1,1IP, 0H, 0R, 1BB, 3K; he's been huge lately |
Snyder | 1IP, 1H, 1R, 2BB, 1K; not a good job in GM2 |
Timlin | 2IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 0K; nice work in GM3 |
Lopez | 1/3IP, 2H, 1R, 1K; all'd 3 runs to score in GM2 |
RECAP:
It's always fun doing the composites for these series--it's like keeping track of stats from a video game or something (not that I've ever done that, well, at least not since the days of ColecoVision.)
The ailing Boston batters got dose of just what the doctor ordered--a visit from the recently decent and now utterly pathetic D-Rays, and like a potent antivenin, the Sox suddenly started slamming the ball all around the yard, cranking the pathetic 2-run/game average it brought into the series over the past eight games up to a more Bosox-like 8.6RPG.
Now that's what I call a miracle cure.
The series, as most often happens when these two clubs hook up, featured plenty of offensive fireworks including a total of 62 hits, 36 runs and a week's worth of clutch hits and multi-run innings, a nice change of pace from the 2-1 paint-drying nail biters RSN had been saddled with for the last month or so.
Yesterday's mashathon featured a number of eye-popping moments, including J.D. Drew tying a major league record with two hits in the first inning, Mike Lowell ringing up a career high five-hit, five-RBI night, and Coco Crisp crushing a first inning grand slam and then reeling in yet another gorgeous basket catch in the eigth.
My adopted hometown Tampa Bay was swept in its third consecutive series and has been anemic at the plate (outscored 70-30 in the current 11-game losing streak) and horrendous on the mound.
Thankfully my real hometown Sox are headed in the exact opposite direction, winners of four straight and five of its last seven and showing no signs of relinquishing the huge division lead it has enjoyed for most of this fantastic first half.
As for the Rays, well the Sox will be down here in three weeks for the first time this season, and by the time I'm in the standsat the Trop for Game 3 cheering on the Sox with the rest of RSN South, Boston could be 30 games up on Tampa Bay because the Rays still may not have won a game by then.
Seriously, thanks for coming guys!
Next up: Detroit
Sweep the Tigers and then on to the break!
Read More......5.11.2007
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
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