Sox 5, Cleveland 3
WP: Aardsma (1-1)
LP: Lewis (0-1)
SV: Okajima (1)
HRs: BOS-Tek (3)
SUMMARY:
Jason Varitek slammed a pinch hit home in the 9th inning off Jensen Lewis to break a 3-3 tie, and Boston tacked on an insurance run to continue its streak of come-from-behind wins against Cleveland, dating back to last year's American League Championship Series.
**On a side note, my mom called me with the news that my sister had to be taken in for an emergency C-section just as Tek's homer was sailing over the fence. She and the baby are fine now, so I know her and Paul will take the timing as a sign that little Luke is destined to be a slugger for the Sox someday. Be well Sis and I love you.**
Superstar: Tek 1-1, R, BI, HR
This distinction could have gone to a number of players, such as rookie Jed Lowrie, who had three ribbies in his ML debut, but when the team captain comes off the bench to hit a game-winning homer, well the honor is all his.
The Biggest Loser: Lewis 1.2IP, 5H, 2ER, 2BB, HR
With Cleveland placing closer and yesterday's Loser Joe Borowski on the DL today, it's nice to see they have someone capable of filling his shoes.
It's to be expected though, because the only thing worse than a guy with two first names is a dude with two LAST names.
RECAP:
Wow, are these Indians expert chokers or what?
First the Tribe blew a 3-1 series lead in last year's ALCS by getting bludgeoned in the final 3 contests by a combined score of 30-5, permanently etching their names in the All Time Chokers almanac.
Then yesterday the misery trickled into this season as Cleveland gagged away a late 4-1 lead and lost when Boston scored three times in the 9th, highlighted by a 2-run homer by Manny Ramirez.
And then came tonight's game.
If the playoff losses were gut punches, and last night's was a sucker shot, then this one must have been the kick to the groin.
You know how the song goes: kick 'em when they're up, kick 'em when they're down.
But for a little while it looked as if Cleveland was going to exact a small measure of revenge for all these demoralizing losses Boston has inflicted on them the last 7 months.
They grabbed a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fifth, on a 2-run single by Victor Martinez off Tim Wakefield (6IP, 7H, 2ER, 4BB, 4K), which came just minutes after the Sox scored the first run of the game on a fielder's choice groundout by callup Jed Lowrie.
Then after Lowrie (1-4, 3BI) drove in a couple more runs the conventional way with a soild single past the shortstop to score Youk and Ellsbury, who had both been walked by reliever Jorge Julio (0IP, 2H, 2ER, 2BB) in the 7th, Cleveland tied the game right up in the bottom of the inning, thanks to another awful relief effort by Manny Delcarmen.
People, Cleveland announcers included, love to point out that Delcarmen has "closer's stuff", but might not have the mental makeup to perform well in that high pressure role. Games like tonight, and most of his appearances this year, are proving that axiom to be true.
After Javier Lopez got the first two outs in relief of Wake to start the 7th, he allowed a pair of base runners on a single and hit by pitch, and Delcarmen was called in to put out the fire and keep the lead at 3-2.
Fat chance.
He promptly walked Jhonny Peralta on 5 pitches to load the bases, then hit Ryan Garko on the hand on a 1-0 count to force in the tying run. He got the next batter to end the threat, but the damage was done, and at that point it seemed like momentum had swung in Cleveland's favor.
Maybe, just maybe, this would be their night to stage a miraculous comeback.
Yeah, right.
Boston nearly staged the comeback as they loaded the bases in the 8th when Manny was hit by a pitch (anyone say 'payback'?), Youk (2-4, R, BI, 2B, BB) doubled and Jacoby Ellsbury was intentionally walked. But Jensen got Julio Lugo, who was 3-3 up to this point, to ground into a soul-killing double play, and the stage was set for Cleveland to pull it out.
Except Delcarmen and David Aardsma kept the Tribe off the board in the bottom of the inning, setting the stage for Tek's heroics in the 9th.
As is the captain's homer wasn't enough of a back-breaker, Boston padded the lead when Coco singled to center, Pedroia followed with a double that was misplayed by rightfielder Franklin Guiterriez, and two batter later Youk singled in Coco for a totally unnecessary insurance run.
Didn't even matter that Pedroia got tagged out at the plate, because Hideki Okajima set the Tribe down in order in the 9th, two by strikeout, and the Sox have a 4 game winning streak heading into the 2-game set with the Stanks tomorrow.
If only they could play Cleveland every night.
NOTES:
-Big Jed: how sweet it must have been for the kid who was called up to replace injured World Series MVP Mike Lowell to get his first hit and RBI (3, in fact) in his first major league start?
-Big Papi: he's not completely back yet, as evidenced by his GIDP in the first, but he did add another hit to his season total and drove a ball deep to the warning track in the 8th. His average is now up to .113 (6-53). Baby steps.
-Lineup changes: with Wake pitching Kevin Cash got the start, and with JD Drew getting the night off, Ellsbury moved to righfield and batted 6th with Lugo hitting 7th. Ellsbury reached base 3 times (2BB, 2B) and scored twice, while Lugo went 3-4 to raise his average to .280
-Payback: anyone who doesn't think Manny being hit with no outs in the 8th is crazy. The Indians have been pissed at him since he Cadillac'd on that meaningless homer in Game 4 of the ALCS, and with two Indians batters getting plunked the previous inning, payback was in order. Manny knew it, too, and smiled it off, as usual.
RECORD: 9-6
STREAK: W4
AL EAST: Up 1/2 game
UP NEXT: Wed @ NYY 7PM, ESPN Buchholz vs. Wang
4.15.2008
Comeback kings crown Cleveland in 9th again
Game preview: Sox @ Cleveland GM 2
Wakefield (1-0, 3.27) vs. Byrd (0-2, 11.05)
7PM Progressive Field
The Sox will try to take both games of this micro series when two crafty old vets, 41-year-old Tim Wakefield and 37-year-old Paul Byrd, he of the whirly bird delivery and HGH rumors, take the mound tonight at the stadium previously known as the Jake.
The matchup will be a rematch of Game 4 of the 2007 ALCS, when Wakefield gave up five runs in the 5th inning to get tagged for the loss while Byrd threw 5 innings of 6-hit, 2-run ball to get the win.
But it was just before that game that a report surfaced about Byrd's possible involvement with performance enhancing drugs, and it cast a shadow over his start and career that still has not lifted.
Neither pitcher has thrown well this year, with Byrd getting tagged for 11 runs and 13 hits in 7.1 innings over 2 starts, while Wake has given up 9 hits and 8 walks in his two starts but only 4 earned runs.
Speaking of shitty pitching, last night's goat, Tribe closer Joe Borowski, said he will probably have his arm examined to see why he had no velocity in the 9th inning, causing him to cough up a 1-run lead. On the moonshot that Manny hit off him to win the game, the 2007 saves leader said "It's like I'm stuck in one gear. I had no extra gear. Not only that, I couldn't locate."
It wasn't hard to locate the pitch he threw to Manny, though.
With Papi rapping 2 hits to raise his average over .100, Manny, Youk, Coco and Drew aall in a groove and Byrd on the mound, tonight would be a good win to get as the Sox head to the Bronx tomorrow.
If Borowski pitches again, that win might be guaranteed.
4.14.2008
Sox steal one in Cleveland thanks to Manny's late bomb
Sox 6, Cleveland 4
WP: Timlin (1-1)
LP: Borowski (0-2)
SV: Papelbon (5)
HRs: BOS-Youk (1), Manny (3); CLE: None
SUMMARY:
The Red Sox practiced what us coaches preach to our Little Leaguers every week: it ain't over till it's over. Down 4-1 after six innings, Boston scored 1 in the 7th, 1 in the 8th and 3 in the 9th, the big blow a 2-run homer by Manny Ramirez off closer Joe Borowski that helped beat his former team in a rematch of the 2007 ALCS.
Superstar: Manny 2-5, R, 2BI
He hadn't had the best game up until that point- striking out looking twice, once with the bases loaded to end the 7th- but another thing we always teach the kids is you're always gonna get another chance to redeem yourself, and Manny sure did tonight.
The Biggest Loser: Borowski 2/3IP, 4H, 3ER, HR, BS, L
No sooner had the announcers made a point of Borowski's tendency to give up a lot of base runners and runs, noting his plus-5.00 ERA last year despite 45 saves, did the 37-year-old closer allow plenty of both in turning what seemed like a sure fire Cleveland win into a heartbreaking loss in a matter of minutes.
RECAP:
It was another near 4-hour game, but at least it was worth waiting for the outcome of this one.
Down by 3 runs with just three innings to play, Boston scratched away for solo runs in the 7th off starter Jake Westbrook and the 8th against lights out reliever Rafael Betancourt before breaking the game open with a trio of runs in the 9th inning to earn its third straight victory and send Cleveland to its 4th loss in the last 5 games.
But the game had a couple of twists to it before we even got to that point.
Boston took a 1-0 lead in the first when Pedroia walked, David Ortiz broke his 0-17 skid with a bloop single to the opposite field, and after Ramirez struck out, kevin Youkilis hit a clutch 2-out double to right to give the the Sox the early lead.
With Jon Lester (4.1IP, 5H, 4ER, 5BB, 3K) cruising through the first three innings without allowing a hit, Westbrook struggling early, and Papi primed to break out of his slump, it looked as if Boston would win this one going away.
Then, like the weather across the country this spring, things changed in a hurry.
In the 4th inning Lester lost all semblance of control, and his shot at another win at the scene of his return to baseball after beating cancer went along with it. He walked the leadoff batter and then surrendered a single to Travis Hafner, then followed that with an RBI single to Victor Martinez, and after striking out Jhonny Peralta, gave up an RBI single to Ryan Garko that put Cleveland ahead 2-1.
Meanwhile Westbrook (6.1IP, 7H, 2R, 1ER, 3BB, 5K) settled down, retiring the Sox in order in the fifth, including Papi swinging to end the frame. But in the bottom of the inning Hafner (2-5, R, 2BI) laced a 2-run single to right that chased Lester from the game and brought Julian Tavarez in from the pen, eliciting gulps and "oh wells" from the Nation
Surprisingly, though, Tavarez (2.2IP, 2H, 4K) pitched effectively, striking out Garko and David Delucci to end the threat, and then breezed through the 6th, prompting Steve Phillips to insinuate that he may be doctoring the ball because it had so much movement on it.
Hey, when Julie pitches as well as that, one can't help but wonder if he's cheating to do so.
Anyway, Tavarez' solid relief work helped his teammates get back in the game. Pedroia knocked in Lugo with an infield hit to cut the deficit to 4-2 in the 7th, but when Betancourt relieved Westbrook and fanned Papi and Manny with the bases loaded to squelch the rally, it didn't look like a comeback was in the works.
Or was it.
Youk's solo shot to lead off the 8th off the fireballing reliever, who was so good in the ALCS, suddenly brought the Sox to within one, 4-3, and if they could just mount a rally against Borowski they could pull this one out.
Which of course you know by now, they did.
Lugo started the winning rally with a double to left to lead off the 9th, and then Coco, who is playing his best ball now that he is injury free and not under pressure to be the man, sacrificed him to third. Pedroia lofted a sac fly to left to tie the game and bring the Faithful back to the edge of their seats, and wouldn't you know Papi blooped another single to the outfield to keep hope alive.
Sometimes it's the little things from the big fella.
What came next was not little, though, as Manny crushed the first pitch he saw from Borowski over the wall in left center for a momentous game-winning blast, and as his smiling teammate Ortiz greeted him at home plate you got the feeling that this will be Manny's year to bask in the accolades that come from delivering the clutch, game-0winning hits for a pennant contending club.
No problem here.
As long as those hits keep coming, we don't care who's delivering them.
RECORD: 8-6
STREAK: W3
AL EAST: 1/2 GB
UP NEXT: Tue @ CLE 7P Wakefield vs. Byrd
Series preview: Sox @ Cleveland
Red Sox (7-6) at Cleveland Indians (5-7)
2 game series at Progressive Field
Game 1 Monday 7PM ESPN
Lester (1-2, 4.50) vs. Westbrook (1-1, 2.76)
Game 2 Tuesday 7PM
Wakefield (1-0, 3.27) vs. Byrd (0-2, 11.05)
What to watch for: Sox return to the scene of 2007 ALCS
Bitter Cleveland fans will be booing in full force tonight as the Red Sox make their first trip back to the Jake by the Lake, now renamed Progressive Field, for the first time since staging their miraculous comeback from a 3-1 deficit in the 2007 American League Championship Series.
Who to watch for: DH Travis Hafner
The slugger known as Pronk has yet to get off this season (2HR, 8BI), so you know it's just a matter of time before he starts mashing. Hopefully that time won't be this series.
Preview:
The name of the ballpark may have changed, but the Sox hope the good feelings they have from the last time they played here are still lingering as they take on the Indians tonight in a rematch of the ALCS.
Every Nation member worth his membership card knows that the Sox came back from a 3 games to 1 deficit to win the series last fall, using that emotional win as a spring board to a World Series sweep of the over matched Rockies. But the odd thing about that is that despite the outcome of the postseason for both clubs, neither team made many significant changes in the offseason.
That lack of turnover will make this series all the more interesting, as basically the same cast of characters will face each other in this mini 2-game set. Of course Mike Lowell will not participate, and unfortunately Boston won't face CC Sabathia or Fausto Carmona, whom they treated like human pinatas in their four ALCS starts.
The Sox will have to face Jake Westbrook, the righty who did pitch well against them in Cleveland's Game 3 victory and pitched pretty decently but took the loss in the Gme 7, series-clinching triumph. So you can bet revenge will be on his mind when he takes the hill tonight.
Meanwhile Boston starter Jon Lester will return to the site of one of his most memorable professional moments. It was here last July 23rd that Lester returned to the majors after battling cancer and missing the better part of a year while receiving treatments, and he pitched a gem (6IP, 5H, 2ER, 3BB, 5K) in front of his parents and fans, becoming an inspiration for millions of cancer survivors world wide.
But all that won't matter tonight. All that matters is both teams, who shared the ML lead with 96 victories last season, are struggling to find their footing this early in the season, mired in mediocrity and riddles with slumping superstars (Ortiz & Sabathia) and more questions than answers.
Of course not all the answers will be found in this micro series, the only 2 games Boston is scheduled to play in Cleveland this season.
But they know they'd better get their acts together if the want to meet again here in October.
7.26.2007
Sox hang on for wild win at the Jake
Sox 14, Cleveland 9
WP: Tavarez (6-8)
LP: Lee (5-8)
HRs: BOS-Manny, 2 (17), Wily Mo (5); CLE-Garko (13), Gutierrez (6)
SUMMARY
One night after the teams completed back-to-back 1-o games the two clubs combined for 23 hits and 23 runs in a wild & wacky series finale in Cleveland.
How crazy was it? Kason Gabbard had a 9-1 lead after four innings and didn't get the win, and Julian Tavarez gave up four runs including a three-run homer in 2 1/3 of relief and did.
#1 STUNNER(s)
- Manny 3-4, 4R, 4RBI, BB, 2B, 2HRs--the former Indian started the scoring with a monster homer that was the 3rd longest ever at the Jake, then ended the barrage with a blast that barely cleared the center field wall
- Wily Mo 4-5, 2R, 4RBI, 2-2B, HR--Whiffy Mo was in the zone tonight, jumping on the first pitch in 4 of his 5 at bats, with terrific results; can you say 'showcase game?'
For the third straight start Lee surrendered seven earned runs, but at least this time he didn't fight with a teammate on the field over his performance; I guess they decided to save their fireworks for the clubhouse this time.
RECAP
Holy shit!
That's all I can think of to say after witnessing one of the wildest games of the season, one made all the more incredible coming on the heels of consecutive pitcher's duels in which only two runs were scored in the last two games combined
Talk about providing contrast.
I'm not really sure where to begin with this recap, either, because my notebook looks like the demented scribblings of a retarded junkie, but I'm going to try and sift through the rubble and figure out what the hell happened tonight.
And I know my posts are wordy enough already, so just bear with me as I try to keep this under 1000 words.
Like a small crack in a large dam, the scoring stared as a slow drip before turning into a torrent of hits, runs and relief pitchers. After both Gabbard (4.2IP, 4H, 5ER, 3BB, 3K, HR) and Lee notched 1-2-3 first innings, Manny got the festivities started with a momentous longball in the top of the second.
On the first pitch of the inning from Lee, Ramirez launched a mammoth shot to straightaway center field that soared over the wall and eventually disappeared into a thicket of trees nestled above the lower section of the wall and landed in a patio area beyond the brush.
At the time I knew it was a drive of epic proportions, but it wasn't until later in the game when the Cleveland announcers (damn Extra Innings) reported that at an estimated 481 feet it was the third longest drive in Jacobs Field history did I realize how epic it really was.
After Gabbard retired the Tribe in order in the bottom of the frame, Boston dripped another run onto the board when Dustin Pedroia's double play grounder scored Wily Mo, who had singled and went to third on a single by Lugo, in the top of the third.
My first thought: hey, two runs by one team in one game--yeah!
In the bottom of the third we all got a little sense of deja vu when pesky Franklin Gutierrez blasted a solo shot to left that put Cleveland on the board, a drive that went to nearly the exact place at nearly the exact same time as his homer last night, which ended up being the winning run.
Freaky, I know.
Only this time that wouldn't be the only run for the Tribe on the night--just the only one for the moment.
Boston would string two runs together in the fourth inning when Lee walked Manny & Youk to open the inning, Lowell (3-5, 2BI) followed with a single to right to load the bases, and Cap'n Tek lined a single to left that scored Manny & Youk and gave Boston a seemingly insurmountable (with the way Cleveland has been hitting) 4-1 lead.
But that was just the tip of the iceberg, as the fifth inning would blow the lid off the scoring drought for both teams and catapult this contest into the crazy category.
The Sox seemed to slip the noose around the Tribe's necks when they sent nine batters to the plate, ripped four hits and scored five times in the frame.
Pedroia (1-6, R) started the fireworks off with a harmless single to left, then Ortiz (1-3, R, 2BB)worked a 1-2 count into a walk. Manny slammed the next pitch from Lee for a double down the left field line that plated Pedroia, and after Youk reached on shortstop Jhonny Peralta's fielding error, Lowell lined a single to right center that scored Ortiz & Ramirez to make the score 7-1 Boston and chased Lee from the game.
On his way off the field, Lee sarcastically tipped his cap to the thousands of booing fans. Ah, good times in C-Town.
Reliever Jason Stanford apparently ended the onslaught when he got Tek to ground into a double play, but Coco (2-5, 2R, RBI) followed with an RBI single to center and then Wily Mo launched a double to deep right center that scored the fleet-footed Crisp all the way from first, and at 9-1 it was time to put this one in the books, right?
Wrong.
Pitching for the first time in his home state of Ohio, all Gabbard had to do was get through the bottom of the fifth and he would own his first road victory of the season.
Easier said than done.
The inning began and ended the same way--with Ryan Garko flying out to right field. In between the Tribe would score four runs on three hits and three walks, the big blow a two-run double by Josh Barfield that cut the lead to 9-3 and gave the Indians hope, and the most painful being a first pitch ball that nailed slumping Travis Hafner on the elbow, forcing in Cleveland's fifth run and earning Gabby an unwanted early shower.
Handed a 9-1 lead, the wildness that plagued the young lefty in his earlier starts came back and cost him a shot at his fifth win of the season.
Julian Tavarez came on for his first relief appearance since his demotion from the rotation and got Garko to end the inning, and things remained quiet--for one inning.
Then in the seventh Wily Mo turned Thomas Mastny's first pitch (sensing a theme here?) into a tracer that cleared rightfield wall in about 1.2 seconds and scored Tek and Coco, who had both singled, and once again Boston had some breathing room with the score now 12-5.
Then Tavarez (2.1IP, 2H, 4R, 0ER, 1BB, 3K, HR) reminded RSN that it doesn't matter where he's pitching from, the bully or the rotation, he's always highly flammable.
Even though Lugo's error on a grounder by Barfield paved the way for the rest of the inning, after Hafner drove in Barfield in with a solid single to center it was Julie's horrid pitch to Garko that he cranked for a two-run homer that made the game a game again.
12-9 Boston, and still two more innings to get through.
Manny made sure there would be no more thoughts of a miraculous Cleveland comeback when he followed another walk to Ortiz with a mere conventional homer to center, one that barely cleared the wall and a leaping Grady Sizemore's glove, and finally, with the score 14-9 and just six outs remaining, RSN could relish the thought of taking 3 of 4 from the reeling Tribe.
After Okajima and Lopez finsihed the night off without incident. it was off to my new hometown for the Sox for a tasty three game set with the really reeling Rays.
Hope they saved some of that scoring for the Trop.
NOTES
- The start of the game was delayed 34 minutes by rain
- Boston racked up 17 hits, and here's the breakdown: every player except Youk (0-4, 2R) had at least one hit; five players had at least two knocks; two had three hits; and Wily Mo led the pack with four hits, three for extra bases
- How 'bout runs you say? seven of the starting nine scored one run, four players scored a pair, and Manny came home four times
- Pena's four hits doubled his total for the month of July and happened to occur when he is being mentioned in numerous trade scenarios. Hmmm...
- Swing early: that was the obvious game plan for tonight; in 47 PAs Sox batters put the ball in play on the first pitch an astounding nine times. More proof? Six times they hit the second offering from the Cleveland hurlers. In other words out of 47 trips to the plate, Boston hitters saw two pitches or less 15 times. Wow.
- Manny's drive is being called the third longest in the 13 year history of the Jake. The owners of the top two are Jim Thome (511') and Mark McGwire (485'). It was his 250th as a member of the Sox, and the twin blasts gave him 49 career multi-homer games, tied for 12th all-time
- Hafner's seventh inning single broke an 0-21 drought for the slumping slugger
- Barfield made two excellent plays at second, snagging a liner by Ortiz in the third and robbing Lugo of a hit with a diving stop and throw in the fourth
- Not to be outdone, Pedroia matched Barfield on a bullet by Casey Blake to open the bottom of the frame
"It was a bomb. I don't know how they measure it, but he crushed it."--Youk on Manny's blast
"That was one of the hardest balls I've seen go out. I thought it might go through it (the wall)."--Tito on Wily Mo's laser-guided missile
"It's kind of embarrassing to have a 9-1 lead and have that happen."--Gabbard
RECORD: 62-40
AL EAST: Up 7.5 on NYY (Royals blanked the Stanks!)
STREAK: W-1
LAST 10: 6-4
UP NEXT: Fri vs. the Rays @ the Trop Read More......
Game Preview: Sox @ Cleveland GM4
Gabbard (4-0, 2.97) vs. Lee (5-7, 5.95)
Jacobs Field 705
Currently there is rain soaking the greater Cleveland area and the game will be delayed for god knows how long, but hopefully this game will get underway tonight.
I mean I really want them to play this one, because I have tix to Sunday's game at the Trop and my son & I were looking forward to watching Dice-K pitch, up close & personal like from third base box seats.
But of course Motherfucking Nature has to screw with my happiness and throw one of life's annoying little curveballs my way yet again.
Okay, enough bellyaching and on to my game preview, assuming there IS a game to preview.
The Sox will attempt to put the bitter memories of last night's heartbreaking 1-0 loss behind them tonight in the series finale with the Indians, and right now there may be no better pitcher on the staff to accomplish such a feat.
Kason Gabbard has emerged as one of the most promising young pitchers in the league, lefty or righty, as his perfect record and sparkling ERA attest to. In his last two starts the 25-year-old lefty has allowed just six hits and one earned run while walking two and striking out nine in 16 innings of work.
Since his 6-hit, 4-run, 6-walk debacle in Seattle on June 26th, Gabbard is 3-0 with a 1.93 ERA, and he's walked just eight while fanning 17 in 28 innings. In other words, he's smokin' hot right now.
His mound opponent is hot right now, too--as in he's steaming mad at his teammates and himself over some of his recent performances.
Not only has Cliff Lee been atrocious on the mound of late--23 hits and 19 earned runs allowed in his last three starts covering 16 innings (10.69ERA)--but after giving up five earned runs in the first inning of his last start at Texas on Saturday, he and catcher Victor Martinez got into a confrontation on the field over his play.
Nice.
Oh yeah, he also beaned Sammy Sosa in the head in that game, too.
Let's just say control issues might be a problem with this guy.
So IF this game gets underway it looks on paper like a Red Sox win, especially since the last two games have gone according to form.
Let's hope this one follows suit--providing they play ball at all at the Jake tonight.
Go Sox!
**UPDATE: The game is indeed on, 45 minutes after the original start time. Who cares--it's Dice-K for me & my boy on Sunday!!**
7.25.2007
Fausto's revenge: Carmona blanks BoSox
Cleveland 1, Sox 0
WP: Carmona (13-4)
LP: Beckett (13-4)
SV: Borowski (29)
HR: Gutierrez (6)
SUMMARY
The Tribe turned the tables on the red-hot Sox, bookending yesterday's 1-0 Boston win with one of their own.
Franklin Gutierrez hit a leadoff home run off Josh Beckett in the third, and that wound up being the only run of the game as Boston had almost as many runners thrown out on the base paths (3) as hits (4)
#1 STUNNER Fausto Carmona 8IP, 4H, 2BB, 6K
With last year's two-game humiliation by Boston still fresh in his mind, the rotten-reliever-turned-stellar-starter avenged his matching meltdowns at Fenway last summer with a magnificent eight inning performance that tied him for the league lead in wins.
PAN's FAUN Beckett 8IP, 4H, 1ER, 0BB, 7K, HR
Tough to hang this dubious honor on a guy with that linescore, but when the only run of the game comes via a moonshot by a mediocre outfielder platoon outfielder with 11 career home runs, well that's a good enough reason for me.
RECAP
So I was wrong.
My pregame prediction that Carmona would flashback to his pair of epic blown saves last July/August at Fenway and collapse under the crushing weight of trying to exorcise those demons couldn't have been more off.
Instead of listening to my whacked logic I should have done what everyone else did tonight and the night before: looked at the incredible seasons both starting pitchers were having and predicted another pitcher's duel.
But it's rare enough one one of those matchups pans out, never mind two in a row.
Only that's exactly what happened tonight as both starting pitchers threw gems, and the end result left Boston's ace tied for the AL lead in wins--with tonight and last night's starters for Cleveland.
To say both Beckett and Carmona were on top of their games would be a major understatement. Beckett went all eight innings and threw 114 pitches, a staggering 80 of which were strikes, while Carmona's 113/71 totals were nearly as spectacular.
Beckett escaped a mini-jam in the second by inducing Ryan Garko to ground into a double play after Travis Hafner had reached on an error, but he made his only mistake of the night in the third inning when Gutierrez grooved a Beckett fastball high and deep into the left field concourse area for a leadoff home run.
One out later Grady Sizemore singled to right but was caught stealing on a strike 'em out/throw 'em out double play that ended the inning, and from that point Beckett would retire 13 consecutive batters until Trot Nixon reached on a single with one out in the eighth.
Pretty dam good, huh?
Unfortunately Fausto was even better. The beefy young righty did not allow a hit until Coco Crisp beat out an infield single with one out in the sixth, and up until that point Boston's only baserunners came on a walks to Manny in the second and Varitek in the fifth and when Carmona nailed Dustin Pedroia with a pitch in the fourth.
The Sox had a chance to put a run on the board after the Pedroia incident when he took second on a wild pitch and the Sox had the Dynamic Duo, Papi & Manny, coming up. But Ortiz, in his first game back after a four game layoff with that balky shoulder, fanned on three straight pitches after getting the count to 0-2, and Manny followed suit when he stared at strike three to end the threat.
After Crisp's single in the sixth the Sox had another golden opportunity to tie the game, but the first of a trio of baserunning blunders by Boston on the night would stall the rally in its tracks.
Pedroia's groundout moved Coco into scoring position with two outs, but once again the big bopppers were due up, and all it would take was a base hit to the right place and the game would be tied.
Good news: Papi got the hit, a hard grounder up the middle of the infield and away from the Papi Shift. Bad news: it wasn't in the right place. After holding the ball because he saw he had no play on Ortiz at first, second baseman Josh Barfield saw Coco breaking for home and chucked the ball in to catcher Victor Martinez.
Martinez deftly blocked the plate...with his ass by sitting on it, leaving Coco no target to slide into or attempt to touch. After Martinez' glove caught him on the knee, Crisp tried in vain to try to elude the tag and grab the plate, but to no avail.
His calculated gamble had not paid off, and I'll bet I wasn't the only member of RSN who thought "that might have been our only chance to score tonight, and he just threw it away."
Boston would get another decent opportunity after Carmona began to tire in the eighth, but that's when the other two baserunning blunders would come back to bite them in the ass.
The Captain started the inning off with another clutch hit, a single to right on Carmona's second pitch of the inning. After Eric Hinske lined out to center, the Sox had to try something to get Tek into scoring position with time running out on their chance to get this game tied.
That's when Tito put the hit & run on for Alex Cora, who was playing for Julio Lugo.
Good news: Tek got the sign, and took off for second base.
Bad news: Cora didn't pick up the signal, and as he half-heartedly swung after the ball was in Martinez' mitt, all the catcher had to do was throw down to second and Tek, who attempted to scramble back to first, was easily tagged out.
Cora tried to make up for his blunder (I guess technically it wasn't a baserunning mistake, but still...) by legging out an infield hit, and Lugo pinch ran for him. Everyone watching the game knew he was going to steal, so Martinez waited and then nailed Lugo trying to steal to end the inning and effectively end the game.
Carmona gave way to closer Joe Borowski for the ninth and the former D-Rays castoff retired Coco (strikeout), Pedroia (strikeout) and Ortiz (lazy pop up to third) to end the game and secure Cleveland's second 1-0 win out of five such contests this season.
Lesson learned: don't ever underestimate a reliever turned starter who was treated like a human doormat by a team earlier in his career.
He might just come back and nearly no-hit your club.
NOTES
- Although he did get that hit to beat the shift, Papi's return to the lineup could hardly be considered a success. He struck out swinging twice and ended the game on that weak pop up, and according to an ESPN chart the former king of walkoffs and clutch hits is batting .200 with no homers or RBI in the seventh inning and later this season.
- After racking up 10+ hits for seven straight games, Boston has 10 in its last two contests combined
- Last night's 1-0 victory snapped a string of seven consecutive 1-run losses for the Sox, who then started a new streak tonight
- J.D. Drew's 0-3 puts him in a 1-16 skid that has dropped his average to .247
- One of Drew's outs was a nice snag of a hard liner to third by Casey Blake, who made two such plays in the game
- Beckett's loss was his first on the road this season; he had been 6-0
- Lowell and Lugo both got the night off; Youk moved to third while Hinske took first base, and Manny was back in left with Papi returning to his DH spot
- Borowski, with his seventh team in 10 years, is now tied for the AL lead in saves with Seattle's JJ Putz
QUOTES
"I had some hard times against them last year. I didn't want that to happen again."--Carmona.
"All the results were good except for one pitch," he said. "It was a fucking fastball down the middle."--Beckett.
RECORD: 61-40
AL EAST: Up 6 1/2 on NYY
STREAK: L-1
LAST 10: 5-5
UP NEXT: Thu @ CLE 705 Read More......
Game Preview: Sox @ Cleveland GM3
Beckett (13-3, 3.41) vs. Carmona (12-4, 3.44)
Jacobs Field 705
While last night's matchup between two of the best starters in the league had 'pitcher's duel' written all over it, and ultimately delivered on that promise, conversely tonight's game looks like a mismatch.
How than be, you say, when both teams are throwing another pair of excellent starters out there, Boston's Josh Beckett, who leads the majors in wins and is 9th in the AL in ERA, and Cleveland's Fausto Carmona, who ranks 2nd in the league in wins and 10th in ERA?
Simple, because the Sox are so far inside Carmona's head they can tell him what he's thinking.
Sure Carmona is a quality starter this year, but RSN cannot forget what he was last season--namely an atrocious reliever who got lit up like a Macanudo nearly every time he tried to close a game, a streak that began when David Ortiz hit a three-run homer off him in the 9th inning of a game on July 31st that won the game for Boston, 9-8.
Two nights later Fausto allowed a bases loaded double to Mark Loretta to blow a 5-4 Cleveland lead as the Sox won 6-5, a demoralizing defeat for Carmona and the Tribe; it was his second of three consecutive blown saves that dropped his record to 1-6.
By the end of the season Carmona's record had fallen to 1-10, and in the offseason the Indians pulled a Julian Tavarez with him, flipping the flammable reliever into a starter.
To his credit Carmona has responded much better than Julie did, but something tells me that in the back of his mind lingers a little gremlin whispering "this is the team that crushed your spirit last season, and they want to do it again", and it will be up to Fausto to overcome those demons and defeat the team that hastened his demise as a closer.
With Beckett a modest 2-2 with a 4.68 ERA in his last four starts, he should be plenty motivated to put the alternate win/loss string behind him and start heading towards 20-something victories that will get him a shot at winning his first Cy Young.
Carmona will be motivated, too.
But those little mind gremlins are tough to ignore.
Go Sox!
7.24.2007
Let the good times roll: Sox take pitcher's duel for 5th straight win
Sox 1, Cleveland 0
WP: Matsuzaka (12-7)
LP: Sabathia (13-5)
SV: Papelbon (23)
HRs: None
SUMMARY
Everyone was expecting a pitcher's duel between two of the top hurlers in the AL, and like a gift from the Baseball Gods, the two did not disappoint.
Daisuke Matsuzaka bested AL wins co-leader C.C. Sabathia thanks to Mike Lowell's 4th inning blooper, and after he threw eight solid innings, Hideki Okajima and Jonathan Papelbon closed out the Sox fifth straight win.
#1 STUNNER Dice-K 7IP, 4H, 3BB, 5K
Matsuzaka shook of a couple of recent bouts of wildness in his best outing since a July 3rd blanking of the D-Rays as the rookie shut down one of the most potent and patient lineups in the league.
PAN'S FAUN J.D. Drew 0-3, 3Ks
This Silver Sombrero performance comes as the once revitalized but now reviled right fielder is in the midst of a 7-41 (.171) stretch that has dropped his average from .262 to .249 in his last 10 games.
For $70 million bucks.
RECAP
Ask and ye shall receive.
Before this game I, and every other semi-intelligent baseball fan out there, predicted a low-scoring pitcher's duel tonight when two of the top starters in the American League hooked up for a midsummer night's showdown at the Jake by the lake.
But how often does something that looks like a no-brainer on paper actually come to fruition?
In sports very rarely. Which as the old saying goes, is why they play the games.
Tonight was the exception to the rule, or maybe it was the rule, or...oh what the fuck, the game went according to plan as the two teams combined for a mere 10 hits and a single run, and the way the run scored was not exactly a work of offensive art.
And of course holding that slim lead for a the rest of the game was no easy task.
Since when do the Red Sox do anything the easy way?
The way the game started it certainly didn't look like the Tribe was going to be shut out for the fourth time this season when Cleveland put five runners on base in the first inning but didn't score.
Grady Sizemore began the odd inning with a single to center and then stole second four pitches later. But the Tribe would make the first of many mistakes on the evening when Sizemore inexplicably tried to take third on a grounder by Casey Blake to Lugo at short and Julio flipped to Lowell at third to easily nail the Cleveland center fielder.
Victor Martinez then drew a walk, and after Dice-K snatched a hot shot by Travis Hafner and turned it into a fielder's choice grounder that forced Martinez at second, Matsuzaka hit first baseman Ryan Garko to load the bases with two outs.
That's when Dice-K buckled down and fanned Jhonny Peralta to escape the inning unscathed.
The two teams traded uneventful 2nd and 3rd innings, then the fourth inning brought more action than the rest of the game combined.
Well, if you want to call a bunch of bloops, bleeders and miscues action.
The inning started innocently enough when Dustin Pedroia tapped a harmless grounder to second base for the first out. Things got decidedly unconventional from there.
Youk (2-4, R) skied a shot to shallow right field that brought former Dirt Dog Trot Nixon racing in from his position, but despite a great effort and an apparent shoestring catch, Trotman had actually trapped the ball, and Youk was on board with a bloop base hit.
I should say the first one of the inning.
Three pitches later Manny lined a solid single to left off Sabathia (7IP, 5H, 1ER, 0BB, 7K), and Coco Crisp, the club's hottest hitter who was starting in the five spot for the first time all year, stepped up with a chance to put some runs on the board.
Unfortunately Crisp could not get it done when he struck out on a questionable check swing, but following him was the leading RBI man on the team, Mike Lowell, and if anyone could drive home a big two-out run, Mike is the guy.
Only this time Lowell didn't club one of his monster homers, or even one of his patented doubles off that tall Jacobs Field leftfield wall. Instead he skied a routine pop up to left field that hung up long enough to get a scenic view of the Cavs' Quicken Loans Arena and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame before it came down.
Trouble was Ben Francisco, Cleveland's rookie left fielder, got a late jump on the ball, and by the time he recovered the ball landed inches in front of his outstretched glove for another apparent catch that wasn't, and Youk hustled around from second with what turned out to be the only run of the game.
I know, it looked like he was doing his best Whiffy Mo imitation.
In the bottom half of the inning it looked as if Cleveland would tie the game right up when they got two men on with one out, but once again Dice-K buckled down and got Francisco and Josh Barfield to strike out on just eight pitches, throwing high fastballs by both baffled batters.
By the latter stages of the game the only question became 'would Dice-K be allowed to complete his near-masterpiece?'
The answer was obviously 'no' when fellow countryman Hideki Okajima came out for the eighth, but with a 1-2 combo like Oki & Paps, Tito would be foolish not to use them when the situation was warranted.
And a 1-0 game against an explosive offense like Cleveland's is that type of situation.
After a lengthy 8-pitch at bat by Martinez, Oki needed just six more to dispatch Hafner and Garko, and then it was time for the close to earn his salary.
Following his last rocky outing (2 hits and a walk against the White Sox on Sunday), RSN had to be a little unsure whether or not the tough-as-nails Paps would show up for this one.
Those doubts were quickly laid to rest when he mowed down three Tribe hitters, including Trot swinging and Francisco looking to end the game out with a flourish, and the surging Sox had their fifth consecutive win and eighth shutout of the season.
I love it when a good plan comes together.
NOTES
- Papi missed his fourth straight game with his shoulder injury but is expected to return tomorrow night.
- Julio Lugo returned to the leadoff spot and extended his hitting streak to a career-high 14 games with an eighth inning double high off the leftfield wall; he has raised his average from .189 to .226 during the streak
- Boston's string of seven straight games with at least 10 hits came to an end as Sabathia and reliever Rafael Betancourt held the sox to six hits including two each by Manny & Youk
- Whiffy Mo got the start in left field (perhaps as a trade showcase) and went 0-3 with another K, although he did make a nice running catch of a deep drive by Blake in the fifth. He is now 2 for 25 in July with 14 strikeouts
- In addition to Pena's catch, Pedroia made an excellent play on a grounder to shallow right by Hafner to nail the DH at first to end the fifth
- Coco (0-4) had his seven game streak come to an end, as did Pedroia with his 0-4
QUOTES
"I thought it would be a tight game. In a game like that one run can beat you. It turns out we couldn't push a run across."--Sabathia
AL EAST: Up 7 1/2 gms on NYY
STREAK: W-5
LAST 10: 6-4
UP NEXT: Wed @ CLE 705 Read More......
Game Preview: Sox @ Cleveland GM2
Matsuzaka (11-7, 3.99) vs. Sabathia (13-4, 3.81)
Jacobs Field 705
After the drama and emotion involved with last night's return of Jon Lester, Boson will have to crank up the adrenaline again tonight as they face one of the best starting pitchers in the American League, C.C. Sabathia.
Luckily they have another one of the AL's best on the hill wearing a road uniform, Daisuke Matsuzaka.
The red-hot Red Sox will ride a four game winning streak and the emotional high of Lester's return into tonight's contest at the Jake, but unlike last night they won't be facing a struggling hurler with a bloated ERA.
Sabathia is in the top 10 in the AL in wins (tied for 1st with Josh Beckett), strikeouts (127-t5), and innings pitched (146.1-2nd) and just misses the top 10 in ERA (3.81-17th) and WHIP (1.22-15th), and playing for a potential playoff team puts him smack dab in the running for the AL Cy Young.
But the man opposing him tonight is having a pretty decent season himself, as Dice-K ranks 5th in the league in wins and 3rd in strikeouts (131) despite some maddening inconsistent stretches when he'll walk three batters in a row or allow three or four runs in an inning after shutting down a team for most of a game.
Dice was guilty of both transgressions in his last start when he walked six batters in five innings in a 4-2 loss to the ChiSox on Thursday, but since that time the Sox have reeled off four straight wins while compiling at least 10 hits in each of its last seven games.
So following the hype and drama of last night's game we get to witness a bona fide pitcher's duel tonight, and with both teams possessing patient and talented offenses, any mistakes should be greatly magnified in this one.
In other words, don't walk another half a dozen, Dice!
GO Sox!
7.23.2007
Lester's return a rousing success as Sox smoke Tribe
Sox 6, Cleveland 2
WP: Lester (1-0)
LP: Westbrook (1-6)
SV: Delcarmen (1)
HRs: CLE-Sizemore (18)
SUMMARY
The storybook return of Sox hurler Jon Lester got a Disney-like ending when the 23-year-old lefty pitched six solid innings and got the win in his first start in the majors since being diagnosed with cancer last August.
Welcome back, Jon.
HERO Lester 6IP, 5H, 2ER, 2BB, 6K, HR, W
The performance, though far from perfect, was positive. The stats, though stellar, are insignificant. The decision, a well-earned win, icing on the cake.
The mere fact that a young kid who wasn't even sure if he'd live, never mind pitch again, has made it all the way back to the major leagues after going through everything Jon Lester has gone through in the last 11 months makes him a living example of the word 'hero.'
RECAP
Could it have gone any better than this tonight?
Not only did Jon Lester make it all the way back to the majors after a yearlong battle with the Big 'C', but he pitched effectively for six innings and his teammates got him all the run support he would need in the very first inning.
Knowing how much Lester has gone through to make it back and not wanting to put the kid through any more unnecessary duress, the blazing Boston batters took the field tonight determined to do everything in their power to help their courageous teammate have as easy an outing as possible.
Which meant as little stress as possible. And for a baseball pitcher there is no bigger stress reliever than having your club hang up a four-spot in the first inning.
Coco, who continued his white-hot streak with his second 4-hit game of the season, started the slaughter off against troubled Indians starter Jake Westbrook (6IP, 10H, 5ER, 4BB, K) with an opposite field single to left. Dustin Pedroia followed with a single to right, and then Youk worked a walk to load the bases with nobody out for Manny.
The former Tribe slugger received a mix reaction from the (mixed) crowd, then four pitches later Ramirez nonchalantly ripped a double down the third base line that scored Crisp and Pedroia, and the Sox had a 2-0 lead before anyone even had a chance to clear the foam off their beers.
J.D. Drew kept the ball rolling with a single right past Westbrook's glove to plate Youk with run #3, and only the run-scoring double play grounder by Lowell kept the score from being worse than 4-0 after one.
With his parents as well as a large contingent of RSN cheering him on in the stands, Jon Lester took the mound at Jacobs Field tonight for the bottom of the first inning for his first pitch in 11 months; surely he was surely, but you have to believe he was a little bit more relaxed with a nice four-run cushion to work with.
The layoff didn't appear to effect the lefty at all as his first pitch to Grady Sizemore was a strike, and he went on to retire the side on 15 pitches despite allowing a single to Casey Blake with two outs.
Not content to rest on their laurels, Boston went right back at Jake in the second inning, and once again the man with the flaming stick was the catalyst of the rally.
After Lugo grounded out to open the frame, Coco, who has now hit safely in seven straight games and nine of the last 10, notched his second hit of the night on the first pitch from Westbrook, a slicing opposite-field smash that bounced off the base of the wall in left for an easy two-bagger for the speedster.
Pedroia's groundout to the left side couldn't advance Crisp, but three pitches later Youk lined a single to right that scored the Coco from second without a throw, and Boston's lead was now 5-0 just 12 batters into the game.
Lester opened the second inning by hitting Ryan Garko with a pitch but followed that faux pas by inducing Jhonny Peralta to ground into a double play, but the Sox missed a golden chance to add to the lead when Mike Lowell was caught stealing with one out in the third, thwarting what could have been a bases loaded situation.
The missed opp would come back to haunt them in the bottom of the inning when Lester made his biggest mistake of the night: an 0-2 pitch to Sizemore that the talented center fielder crushed into the right field seats for a momentum-breaking two-run homer.
After that reality check and with Lester's durability in question, the true mettle of the young pitcher was tested in the fourth inning when Cleveland loaded the bases with one out on a double by Garko and walks to Peralta and Kelly Shoppach.
Gut check time.
But for a man who has been tested by one of life's worst situations, a little bit of baseball drama must have seemed like a walk in the park.
At least that's the way it appeared when the calm & cool 23-year-old who was making just his 17th career start got Josh Barfield to tap right back to him for a force at the plate, then icily fanned Sizemore swinging to end the inning with a fist-pumping flourish.
Had the kid left the game right then he would have been hailed as a hero, and no one would have questioned the move.
Except Lester figured he'd waited so long to get back here, so why leave early?
He pitched the next two innings, facing the minimum six batters thanks to another double play, and things were going so good for Boston that no one really cared when Manny hot-dogged his way out of a double after he thought he had hit a homer in the fifth.
By the time Mike Timlin took over in the seventh the Boston dugout was full of congratulatory hugs for the determined youngster, who had overcome so much just to be able to do something many of them take for granted, that everyone in the building knew the Sox weren't going to let this win slip away for him.
So when Manny Delcarmen got Shoppach to ground out to Lowell to end the game, it didn't take a Rhodes scholar to figure out who was going to get the game ball.
After all, Jon Lester earned it.
NOTES
- Coco extra crispy: the move back to the top of the lineup didn't faze Coco at all as he logged his second 4-hit game of the season (the other was that 4-4, 2HR game at Atlanta June 18th); he is batting a sizzling .447 (17-38) in his last 10 games with a double, four triples, 9 runs scored and 10 batted in. Can you say "en fuego?"
- Papi was not in the lineup again with the bad shoulder, and according to Tito he is not expected to return until at least Wednesday; Manny was the DH again and Hinske took left, and it's obvious management has seen enough of Wily Mo
- This was Lester's 17th career start, and he now owns a nice 8-2 career mark
- After garrulous Gary Thorne stated that Lester might have lost his strikeout touch, the lefty fanned six from the most disciplined lineup in the league
- Hit show: Boston racked up 14 hits (plus 5 walks), the seventh straight game the team has gone over double digits in that department
- The only starters not to get a hit were Tek (0-2, 2BB) and Hinske (0-3, BB), who saw his six game streak snapped
- Delcarmen (1 1/3IP, 1K) bounced back from a rocky outing yesterday to record his first career save
- Boston scored its final run in the ninth when Coco singled, went to second on Blake's error, to third on a passed ball and scored on an excuse-me single by Pedroia
- Timlin continued his recent rejuvenation with another inning and a third of scoreless work; the vet has not allowed a run since his 2HR, 3run debacle in Seattle on June 25th, the game he almost got decapitated by a splintered bat, a play that he says changed his perspective on pitching
- Old friend Trot Nixon didn't start against the lefty but did pinch hit in the ninth; he flied out to left
- Home plate umpire C.B. Bucknor angered many a player on both sides with his ever-changing strike zone. Youk was especially perturbed by a called strike three in the ninth that was about 6" outside
- For what it's worth: the win made Boston the first team in MLB to record 60 victories this season
"It was supposed to be his night." --Tito on Lester
"That eases any pitcher's mind getting four in the first. It makes it a little easier to go out there and throw strikes."--Lester. (see, I called it!)
"This isn't even about baseball. It just doesn't get any better the way a guy like that comes back to us.--Schill on Lester. Well said, Curt.
RECORD: 60-39
AL EAST: Up 7.5 gms on NYY
STREAK: W-4
LAST 10: 6-4
UP NEXT: Tue @ CLE 705 Read More......
Series Preview: Sox @ Indians
GM1: Lester (NR) vs. Westbrook (1-5)
5.31.2007
Series recap: Cleveland @ Sox
Sox win series, 2 games to 1
Game Results:
GM1: BOS 5-3 W-Schilling SV-Paps
GM2: BOS 4-2 W-Beckett SV-Oki
GM3: CLE 8-4 L-Matsuzaka
STATS:CLE/BOS
RUNS: 13/13
HITS: 31/27
AVG: .292/.267
HRs: 2/5
ERA: 4.68/4.33
COMPOSITE BATTERS BOX:
- Lugo: 3-9, R, 2BI, 2B, K-- got the night off in Gm3
- Youk: 5-14, 3R, 3RBI, 2-2Bs, 2HRs, K--extended hit streak to 22 games
- Papi: 1-4 in Gm3, sat 1st two games with hammy issues
- Manny: 3-10, 2R, RBI, 2-2Bs, HR, 2BBs--hard to believe the big kid turned 35
- Drew: 1-10, 3R, 2RBI, 2B, 2BBs, K--what slump busting? still sucking
- Lowell: 4-12, 2R, 3RBI, 3-2Bs, HR--continues to be consistently productive
- Tek: 3-10, R, 2RBI, 2B, HR, BB, 2Ks--5 of last 8 hits have been for xtra bases
- Coco: 0-12, 2 awesome catches--dropped avg. from .245 to .229
- Pedroia: 6-9, R, RBI, 2-2Bs, 2BBs--raised avg. from .279 to .308
- Cora: 1-4 in Gm3; has only played twice in last 9 games (see above)
- WMP: 0-7, BB, 3Ks--oh Wily Mo, will you ever be a productive pro?
- Belli: DNP--no Wake, no 'Belli
- Hinske: DNP--surprising with the way Drew's playing
- Schilling: 7IP, 6H, 1ER, 0BB, 10Ks, W--Schill's best start of '07
- Beckett: 7IP, 3H, 2ER, BB, 7Ks, W--welcome back, Becks!
- Matsuzaka: 5.2IP, 12H, 6ER, 0BB, 4Ks, 2HRs, L--Bad sushi? No. Bad pitching? Yes
- Romero: 1IP, 2H, 3ER, 3BBs, K, HR--not a great series for J.C.
- Lopez: 1IP, 1H, 0R, 1K--continues to be a 1-out wonder
- Donnelly: 1IP, 1H, 0R--"living on the edge, you can have yourself a ball..."
- Snyder: 1.1IP, 2H, 0R, BB, 2K--ERA now down to 1.53
- Pineiro: 1IP, 2H, 0R--continues to show improvement
- Okajima: 1IP, 0R, BB, 2Ks, SV--shaky lately but still solid
- Papelbon: 1IP, 2H, ER, BB, 2Ks, SV--ditto
RECAP:
It was a fun, eventful, and nostalgic series in Fenway as Trot Nixon returned to his old haunts for the first time this season, Josh Beckett returned from the disabled list to pitch a gem for his 8th win against no losses, and Kevin Youkilis provided the highlight of the season with his inside-the-park homerun in Game 1.
We were treated to three (well, 2 1/2) well-played, well-pitched and hard-fought contests between the two best teams in the American League, and although the games weren't high- scoring, there was plenty of excitement surging through the ballyard over the past few days.
Coco made two spectacular grabs, Jason Varitek blasted a home run over the Green Monster and onto the pavement beyond, Curt Schilling turned in his most dominant performance of the season, and our boy Youk extended his hitting streak to an awesome 22 games.
Add to that the return of one of Boston's most beloved former players, the original Dirt Dog himself, Trotter, and it made for a terrific three games played in excellent conditions (for a change) and once again Boston came away with a series victory over a quality opponent.
Now its time face the Feeble Empire again for a 3-game weekend set in Fenway, and with a 13 1/2 game lead over the Stanks, if the Sox should happen to pull the sweep it could mean lights out for the New York playoff hopes this year.
5.30.2007
Tribe tramples Matsuzaka, ends Sox win streak
Cleveland 8, Sox 4
WP: Byrd (6-1)
LP: Matsuzaka (7-3)
HRs: BOS-Lowell (10); CLE- Sizemore (9), Shoppach (2)
SUMMARY
The Indians pulled the E-brake on the Red Sox express, belting out 18 hits and running Dice-K from the game with a 4-run 6th.
Paul Byrd shut down the Boston lineup, Matsuzaka lost his first game since mid-April, and J.D. Drew racked up another 0-4...
...but at least Youk extended his hitting streak to 22 games.
HERO: Byrd 6IP, 9H, 2R, 1ER, 0BB, 1K, W
He wasn't spectacular-he rarely is-but Paul you old Byrd did something not many hurlers have been able to do lately: shut down the potent and usually patient Boston offense.
GOAT: Dice-K 5.2IP, 12H, 6ER, 0BB, 4Ks, HR, L
In his last two starts he has allowed 19 hits and 11 earned runs in 10.2 innings of work.
Somebody call Mr. Miyagi, please.
RECAP
What started out looking like another chapter for the 2007 Championship Season DVD turned into a major buzzkill for the Sox and its Nation as Cleveland came out with sticks swinging and gave Boston a taste of its own medicine in the form of a come-from-behind win.
More troubling than the loss itself, though, was the way Daisuke Matsuzaka got battered around like an origami swan in a tsunami. For the second straight outing he had one particularly bad inning that severely shifted the momentum of the game; last time the Boston batters were able to bail him out of that potential disaster, this time they could not.
Last week against the Rangers it was a sudden bout of stomach flu that caused Dice to give up the cycle +1 homer while allowing five runs in the 4th inning in Arlington. Tonight there were no convenient excuses as to why Cleveland was able to string together four consecutive hits and five total in the 6th off Dice-K, the big blow being a 2-run homer by Grady Sizemore (2-5, 3R, 2RBI) that bulged what started as a 2-2 tie to a 6-2 Tribe edge.
Okay, granted his record is a very respectable 7-3, but with tonight's debacle thrown in, Matsuzaka has now had four games where he has allowed five or more earned runs in his 11 starts, not so great for a $103 million dollar investment who has a veritable Tank Johnson-like arsenal of pitches and a supposed rubber arm.
But let me get off the Dice-K ragfest (I'll leave that to the Boston writers/EEI shows) and explain how the good times came to a emphatic finish tonight at Fenway.
The Sox hitters got Matsuzaka a quick lead when they brought a run across in the 2nd inning on an error by Josh Barfield that allowed Drew to reach, a double by Mike Lowell (2-4, R, 2BI) and an RBI ground out by Tek.
They would add a second run in the 4th, when birthday boy Manny Ramirez (1-3) led off the inning with a double to deep right, then moved to third on a wild pitch by Byrd. Drew grounded out (of course), but at least he got the RBI as Manny scooted home with run #2.
You knew it wouldn't last though because Dice was wriggling out of jams from the first inning on, when he loaded the bases before inducing an inning-ending DP by Trot (1-5, R). In the 5th all that dancing finally caught up with him when Cleveland tied the score on a single by Kelly Shoppach (4-5, 3R, RBI), a double by Sizemore, an RBI ground out by Casey Blake and an RBI double by Travis Hafner.
Before anyone could even get settled into the fact that it was a new game again the Tribe laid the beatdown on Dice in the 6th, and it was all over but the thwarted comeback.
Trot started the onslaught (of course) with a ground rule double into the stands in right. After Peralta flied out deep to Coco, Dave Delucci doubled to score Trot, then Barfield singled to score Deluccci and make the score 4-2 Cleveland.
Not content to let up there, Shoppach lined a single to left, and it didn't even matter that Manny picked Barfield off rounding second, because Sizemore then drilled a belt-high splitter over Drew's head and into the bullpen, sounding the death blow for the Boston winning streak.
Boston would have a great shot at getting back in the game in the bottom of the 7th, but when that platinum-plated opp fell by the wayside, you could tell it just wasn't meant to be.
The Sox loaded the bases on consecutive singles by Tek, Cora and Pedroia, chasing Byrd from the game, but Coco quickly fouled out to third, Youk fanned, and after nearly wrapping one around Pesky's Pole, Papi lined out to meekly end the threat.
J.C. Romero would make sure Lowell's 2-run homer in the bottom of the 8th was meaningless when he came in and allowed two runs in the top of the inning, including a home run to Shoppach on the first pitch he threw.
And so the 5-game winning streak ended, as well as Youk's consecutive multi-hit game streak and Dice-K's streak of wins in his last six decisions.
As they say, all good things must come to an end.
As long as the Stankee's run of 10 straight division titles falls as well.
NOTES:
- Papi returned after a three game hiatus and went 1-4 with single, but still appears hampered by his myriad of minor ailments
- The Sox did manage 10 hits themselves, 2 each by Lowell, Tek & Pedroia, but the team that leads the league in walks on drew only one base-on-balls beacuse...
- ...Byrd has not allowed a walk in 43 innings spanning six games
- Ramirez celebrated his 35th birthday by getting his 10th double and has now had a hit in 8 of the last 9 games
- Sizemore does matter: after beginning the series 0-9 with 6 Ks, Grady went on a rampage, reaching on a double, homer and walk before grounding out in the 8th
- Former Sox property Shoppach also went ballistic, ripping off half as many hits and the same number of runs tonight as he'd had all month
- Pedroia's pair of hits extended his streak to 10 consecutive games and his aveage climbed to .308
- Drew had a bead on Sizemore's homer, but appeared to ease up when he got near the low bully wall where he cracked his spine earlier this season
- No relief: for once the Sox pen was shaky, too; three relievers (Snyder, Romero & Pineiro) combined to allow 6 hits, 2 walks and 2 runs in 3 1/3
- Lugo got the night off; Coco was 0-4 in his leadoff spot, although he did have a sac bunt and another nice diving catch (not quite a CoCoCatch, though)
- Lowell took over the team lead with his 10 homer; Papi, who has 9, hasn't homered in 16 games & 56 ABs, longest drought of his career
- Matsuzaka threw 106 pitches and his ERA rose to 4.83 (okay, I'm done with him!)
"Not only my fastball, but, overall, I think I had problems with my control."--Dice-K; how do you say 'Captain Obvious' in Japanese?
"We knew coming in he is not going to walk anybody. You have to hit
him to beat him."--Tito on Byrd
"I take a lot of pride in making them earn their way to first base."--Byrd
RECORD: 36-16
AL EAST: Up 11 gms on BAL
UP NEXT: Thu-off; Fri vs. NYY 7P Read More......
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