Drew Comes Through, Again!

10.17.2008

RED SOX STORM BACK AGAINST RAYS TO WIN 8-7; RAYS LEAD SERIES 3-2

J.D. Drew prolongs Red Sox season with Game-Winning base hit to right to cap off an 8-7 win

(October 16, 2008) – Remember when your teachers would tell you even if you forget your homework one day just turn it in the next because it is “better late than never.” Well that is apparently the philosophy the Red Sox live by in the ALCS.

J.D. Drew is quickly become a Red Sox folk hero. After coming through with a two-run homerun earlier in the game to bring the Sox within one in the bottom of the eighth, Drew drove in Kevin Youkilis with a line drive base hit over Gabe Gross’s head to prolong the Sox season. Before Drew’s at-bat, Youkilis singled to third and advanced to second on Evan Longoria’s throwing error. The Rays would intentionally walk Jason Bay for the lefty-lefty match-up between Drew and J.P Howell, a decision that Tampa Bay would later regret.

When Joe Maddon pushed Big Game James Shields back a day and gave the ball to the Southpaw Scott Kazmir, the Tampa Bay manager also gave Sox fans an early Christmas present. All season the Red Sox have killed Kazmir pitching so it was almost assured the series would be going back to St. Petersburg with the Rays leading the series 3-2.

But the man who once dominated the Red Sox return to his old form and shut out the Sox for six innings on 110 pitches. In those six innings, he scattered two hits while walking three and striking out seven Boston hitters and it looked like the Tampa Bay was on the road to their first World Series appearance in franchise history. But what was so dependable for the Rays during the season and in the playoffs, the bullpen coughed up the lead like the Patriots defense did in the Super Bowl.

Facing elimination for the second time in two years in the ALCS, the Red Sox had the man they wanted taking the hill against the Tampa Bay Rays. Ironically in the 2008 ALCS, Daisuke Matsuzaka was the only Sox starter that had success against the raging Rays. In Game One Matsuzaka took a no-hitter into the sixth inning and ended up shutting out the AL East Champions to put Boston up in series 1-0. Now, three games later, Matsuzaka was called upon to keep the Red Sox season alive for another day.

It took Tampa Bay six innings to get their first hit off of Matsuzaka in Game One but in Game Five it took Akinori Iwamura just six pitches before he lined a single into right field. Sox fans were out in full force, hoping for another magical come-from behind series victory but with one swing of the bat B.J. Upton, once again, let the air out of crowd with a two run on a 1-1 fastball giving the Rays the early 2-0 lead.

A one-out single up the middle in the top of the third inning by Upton put the “P” in MVP of the ALCS to bring the Rays first baseman, Carlos Pena, to the dish with a man on base. Against Matsuzaka, the Northeastern Alum hit a towering fly ball over Pesky’s Pole and when it came down Tampa Bay had a four-run advantage. The Rays continued their power surge when Evan Longoria went back-to-back with Pena, by depositing a 3-2 offering into the second row of the Monster seats and the collective growns of Red Sox Nation “oh here we go again” could be heard in Framingham.

Matsuzaka retired the next five Ray batters before walking Iwamura in the top of the fifth and turning the ball over to fellow country-man Hideki Okajima. Between the two Japanese pitchers, they retired eight out of 10 Tampa Bay batters since Longoria’s long ball back in the third inning.

Manny Delcarmen came in to begin the seventh inning but did not last long. He was quickly was pulled after walking both Jason Bartlett and Iwamura, back-to-back, in favor of the fire-ball closer, Jonathan Papelbon. Papelbon was rudely welcomed into the game when Upton rocketed a double off the corner of the scoreboard in left to drive in Bartlett from second and Iwamura from first to give the Rays the 7-0 advantage.

After a long seventh inning, Maddon opted to go to his bullpen after Kazmir already threw 110 pitches. Tampa Bay had one of the best bullpens in the league this season so it was almost a foregone conclusion that they would continue to dominant by getting the last nine outs of the game to cruise into the World Series. But these are the never say die Red Sox and a double into right by shortstop Jed Lowrie reignited the Fenway Faithful.

Coco Crisp kept the inning alive with a two-out single into center field to bring Dustin Pedroia to the plate and “The Little Pony” came through with a base hit to right field to drive in Lowrie and send Crisp to second. David Ortiz struggled all through the post-season but when the game is on the line and there are runners on-base in the late innings, Ortiz is the man you want up at the plate. And once again he proved it as he launched a shot to the same exact area where Pena’s homerun came down four innings prior.

Papelbon was able to retire the side in order in the top of the eighth to get the Sox offense back to the plate. Since coming on in relief of Grant Balfour, Dan Wheeler walked Jason Bay to lead off the inning and there is one thing in baseball that is worse than a hit for a pitcher and it is a walk. J.D. Drew had already been a post-season hero once, last year against the Indians, and he came through again this year, bringing the Sox within a run with homerun just right of the Rays bullpen. Wheeler would get Lowrie to fly out to left and strike out Sean Casey, who pinch-hit for Varitek before Mark Kotsay doubled over Upton’s head in center. He came around to score on a base hit to right by Crisp after fouling off numerous pitches from Wheeler until he got the one he wanted, to send the game the game into extra innings.

The Sox send Josh Beckett to the hill in Game Six where he will be opposed by Big Game James Shields. Beckett is coming off one of his worst performances in the playoffs where he gave up the lead three times during Game Two while Shields pitched a tremendous Game One but was outdone by Matsuzaka.

RED SOX 8, RAYS 7

WIN: Justin Masterson

LOSS: J.P. Howell

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The 3 Stars of the Game:

1. J.D. Drew, BOSTON ---- 2-4 Homerun, Double, 3 RBIs

2. Coco Crisp, BOSTON --- 2-4 RBI

3. B.J. Upton, TAMPA BAY ---- 3-4 Homerun, Double, 4 RBIs

J.D. Drew does it again in the post-season, Red Sox one win away from ALCS

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RED SOX TOP ANGELS 7-5; SOX LEAD SERIES 2-0
J.D. Drew does it again in the post-season, Red Sox one win away from ALCS

(October 3, 2008) – With six clients between the two teams in the starting line up, Scott Boras was perched in the dugout seats behind home plate for Game Two to watch J.D. Drew put Boston just one win away from reaching the Championship Series for second straight year.

After the Angels scratched and clawed their way back from a 4-0 deficit to begin the game to tie the game at five a piece in the bottom of the eighth, Drew took a 2-2 Francisco Rodriguez offering and deposited it into the batter’s eye in center for a 7-5 lead. David Ortiz’s second hit of the night, set the table for Drew as Ortiz doubled off the wall in right and was pinch-run for by Coco Crisp.

“It was a situation were you battle and try to have a good at-bat,” Drew told TBS’s Craig Sager that all he was trying to do, with two strikes,was put a bat on the ball to drive in Crisp from second.

The Red Sox offense started early as neither pitcher, Sox starter Daisuke Matsuzaka nor Angels’ starter Ervin Santana, were particularly effective with two outs.

When it appeared as if Santana would get out of the first inning unscathed, the Sox followed a Jacoby Ellsbury pop out and a Dustin Pedroia strike out with five consecutives base hits. Ortiz kicked off the rally with frozen rope single over the head of Howie Kendrick and into right field. Kevin Youkilis followed suit with a single before Drew, drew first first blood with a double to right to score Ortiz.

As Drew jogged into second with the double, the “see I know what I’m talking about” smirk came across the genius agent’s face. But the inning was not over yet as Wednesday night’s hero stepped to the dish. With one swing of the bat, Jason Bay gave the Sox a four run lead with his second career post-season homerun to the rock formation in centerfield.

Before throwing one pitch, Matsuzaka all ready had a 4-0 lead to work with but, to quote legendary Yankee catcher, Yogi Berra, “it was déjà vu, all over again.” After getting Chone Figgins to pop out to short and Garret Anderson to line out to right, another Boras client, Mark Teixeira, lined a base hit into right field. Boy isn’t that nice to see if you are Boras?

Teixeira came around to score Los Angeles’s first run of the game on Torii Hunter’s base hit single up the middle, after the former Dominican cow-herder (Vladimir Guerrero) advanced the first baseman to second. But that was all she wrote for the Angels in the inning as Juan Rivera grounded out to Alex Cora at short to end the inning.

After Ellsbury hit a two-out double to score Alex Cora, from second, for the fifth Boston run, the Angels pitchers did a good job at keeping the Sox off the board as they chipped away at the Sox lead. Los Angeles managed to get Matsuzaka out of the game early, throwing 108 pitches in five innings while allowing three runs on eight hits and walking two and striking out five.

In past years the Patriots, played a “bend but don’t break” defense. All this means is, give up the little stuff, just do not get beat over the top. Essentially “minimize the damage.” But now the Sox have apparently taken the Pats method of defense and applied to their pitching staff.

The Angels never got more than one run in an inning and that is a testament to the Sox’s “Bend but Don’t Break” pitching. Although Los Angeles successfully managed scratch and claw their way back against Sox pitchers, the bullpen as well as Matsuzaka were still able to step up and “minimize the damage” when they needed to.

But Los Angeles still managed to tie up the game in the ninth against closer Jonathan Papelbon, who entered after Figgins led off the inning with the Angels first extra base hit of the series, a triple, off Justin Masterson. Off one of the best closers in the game, Teixeira lifted a sacrifice fly to Ellsbury in center to drive in Figgins, who scored easily, with the tying run.

With the swing in momentum now over to Los Angeles, the Sox had to something to achieve what they set out to do at the beginning of the night and once again in the post-season, it was J.D. Drew who was tonight’s hero.

Can’t you see the ear-to-ear smile on Boras's face right now?

RED SOX 7, ANGELS 5

WIN: Jonathan Papelbon

LOSS: Francisco Rodriguez

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Game Notes:
Scott Boras’s position players were a combined 9-for-20 (.450) tonight with a double, a homerun, five RBIs, five runs scored, three walks and two strike outs.

The 3 Stars of the Game:

1. J.D. Drew, BOSTON ---- 3-5; Double, Homerun, 3 RBIs, 2 Runs-scored

2. Jason Bay, BOSTON ---- 3-5; 3 RBIs

3. Mark Teixeira, LOS ANGELES --- 3-3; 3 Runs-scored

J.D. Drew’s third homerun of the home stand to lead the Sox to the 2-1 series win

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RED SOX EDGE PAST MARINERS 2-1; MOVE TO 40-26
J.D. Drew’s third homerun of the home stand to lead the Sox to the 2-1 series win

(June 8, 2008) – Revenge is sweet – even sweeter on a day like yesterday. The 37,198 fans at Fenway Park, who stuck out the hot and humid June afternoon, were rewarded with the Red Sox 40^th win of season after beating the Seattle Mariners 2-1. After the Mariners took two of three from the Red Sox back on May 26 through the 28 in Seattle, the Sox came back and took two of three to tie the season series at 3-3 this weekend back in the confines of Friendly Fenway.

On a day where the weather felt 10-degrees warmer than what the mercury read, Sox young gun Justin Masterson was as cool as the other side of the pillow. Although he ran into occasional trouble by falling behind some Mariner hitters, Masterson never looked flustered. In six innings of work, the Sox youngster allowed just one run on three hits while walking three and striking out four. During his brief stint in the majors substituting for Daisuke Matsuzaka, Masterson has proved he is ready for the bright spot light of Boston sports. Of course he will have to buy his time at the triple A level due to the overhaul of starters on the Red Sox roster that include excellent performances from Matsuzaka, Jon Lester, and Clay Buchholz. But you heard it hear folks, come late-August Masterson will be a mainstay on the Sox pitching staff.

The lone Seattle run came in the top of the second when Masterson walked third baseman Adrian Beltre and right fielder Jeremy Reed to lead off the inning. First baseman Richie Sexson hit a scorching line drive into right field that was tracked down by right fielder J.D. Drew, on the edge of the warning track, for the first out of the inning. Although it was the first out of the inning, the deep fly out allowed Beltre to tag and advance 90 feet, to third. Shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt hit a slow bouncer to counterpart Julio Lugo. Lugo played the play ball back and was only able to get the force out Reed, allowing Beltre to come in the back door, giving Seattle the brief 1-0 lead.

The Sox tied the game in the bottom of the third when Coco Crisp lined the first hit of the game for the Sox off Erik Bedard into right field. With the speedy Crisp on first to distract the left hander, Bedard walked Brandon Moss to bring lead off hitter Lugo to the dish with just one out. Lugo skied a 2-2 pitch to Ichiro Suzuki in center field, allowing Crisp to tag and move up to third. Dustin Pedroia was able to work the bases loaded two-out walk to send the hottest man on the Red Sox to plate: J.D. Drew. Drew would not be at the plate for long. Right after following a 1-2 pitch, Bedard came up and in on the Sox right fielder and hit him on the right hand with a rising fastball to force in Boston’s first run of the game. It was not exactly the way Drew wanted to pick up his 31^st RBI but whatever works. Manny Ramirez ended up striking out on a 3-2 check swing with the bases loaded to end the inning.

Right now if you are an opposing pitcher getting ready to face the Red Sox, you are scared to death of the current number three hitter. He is just on fire right now – very similar to the Celtics offense in the last three minutes of the third quarter last night. Drew would drive in all of the Sox two runs in the game. After getting hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the third, Drew would add his eighth homerun of the season as he hit a rocket shot to the front row of the covered seats in center against reliever Sean Green. (John McLaren how sick are you feeling now? Bringing in a right hander to face the left handed Drew especially when Bedard had only allowed one run on two hits while striking out five.) The homerun was Drew’s third round-tripper on the current home-stand and fourth in eight games. Sorry Big Papi, but I do not think Drew is going to want to give up that number three spot in the line up when you return.

Not only is Drew getting things down on offense, the guy is locked in, in the field. He has always fielded his position well and has a strong throwing arm but most of the time his defense gets overlooked due to his offense. In years past, Red Sox fans have been privileged to watch one of the original Dirt Dogs, Trot Nixon, who was always diving all over right field for fly balls. That is why Sox fans liked him because of his grittiness and willing to get dirty. When Drew replaced him in right – as well as taking the number seven – it was tough sight for Sox fans to see. The did not see a guy diving all over the field for fly balls so it looked as if he wasn’t as good as Nixon but the truth is Drew is better.

He does not have to dive because he can get to more balls than Nixon could. Drew makes some of the catches Nixon would have had to dive for, look easy. He runs almost effortlessly toward the ball and catches it just as easy. Drew has much more than athleticism than Nixon ever did, so when it looks as if Drew is not trying hard as Nixon did, it is because he does not have to. (Guys like Nixon and Kevin Youkilis, have to work harder than others to make up for their lack of athleticism.)

After day off Monday, the Sox will send Josh Beckett to the mound on Tuesday night to face Daniel Cabrera and the Baltimore Orioles in a re-match of May 30 in Baltimore. Beckett is 6-4 on the season with a 4.07 ERA, 80 strike outs, 14 walks and a 1.10 WHIP. He is coming of a six inning win against the Tampa Bay Rays last Thursday where he allowing just one run on six hits while walking no one and striking out five. He has faced Baltimore twice this year, both in Maryland, and has been un-Beckett like. In 2008 Beckett is 1-1 with a 5.63 ERA, 15 strike outs, five walks and a 1.79 WHIP. Oriole batters are 15-for-50 (.300) against the Sox ace this year in 11.2 innings.

Cabrera is also making his third appearance against the Red Sox this year. In his first two starts against Boston this year, the Oriole right hander is 1-0 with a 3.21 ERA, five strike outs, two walks and a 1.79 WHIP. Sox batters are hitting at a .302 clip against Cabrera in 14 innings of work. The 6’9” pitcher is coming off a 7-5 loss to the Minnesota Twins in Minneapolis. In the loss, Cabrera went six innings allowing six runs on eight hits while walking none and striking out three. On the season, Cabrera is 5-2 with a 3.98 ERA, 47 strike outs, 32 walks and a 1.28 WHIP.

WIN: Justin Mastertson (3-0)

LOSS: Sean Green (1-2)

SAVE: Jonathan Papelbon (18)

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Game Notes:

Boston College Men’s Head Basketball Coach Al Skinner was at Sunday’s matinee game with the Seattle Mariners.

Manny Ramirez extended his hitting streak to 13 games with a single in the sixth inning.

The 3 Stars of the Game:

1. J.D. Drew, BOSTON ---- 1-3 HR, 2 RBIs

2. Justin Masterson, BOSTON ---- 6IP, 3H, 1ER, 3BB, 4K

3. Erik Bedard, SEATTLE -----5IP, 2H, 1ER, 3BB, 5K

Tim Wakefield retires 12 consecutive Mariners to lead Sox to the 11-3 victory

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RED SOX BLOW OUT MARINERS 11-3; MOVE TO 39-26
Tim Wakefield retires 12 consecutive Mariners to lead Sox to the 11-3 victory

(June 7, 2008) – On a hazy, hot and humid June day in Boston, the Seattle Mariners had more to deal with than the 92 degree heat. They also had to deal with Tim Wakefield’s fluttering knuckleball that baffled Seattle batters for seven innings. Wakefield provided Red Sox fans with another excellent outing, allowing just two runs on four hits while striking out six to pick up his fourth win of the season in the Sox’s 11-3 win. After the Mariners tied the score in the second, the 41-year-old veteran set down 13 of the next 15 Seattle batters, including retiring 12 in a row before catcher Kenji Johjima blooped a single in front of Coco Crisp in the seventh.

If J.D. Drew keeps hitting the way he is in the number three slot in the order, David Ortiz might have a hard time getting his spot back. Drew continued his red-hot hitting with a two-out rocket just past the outstretched glove of center fielder Ichiro Suzuki. As the ball rolled to the base of the wall, the Sox right fielder kicked it into another gear as he rounded second base and slide into third, safely with a triple. He knocked his seventh homerun just to the right of yellow line on the Green Monster off Seattle reliever, knuckleballer R.A. Dickey in the sixth. In his last eight games, no Red Sox starter has a higher batting average than Drew with a .542 average, three doubles, one triple, three homeruns and eight RBIs.

Manny Ramirez extended his hitting streak to 12 games by hitting his fourth homerun in three games with a monster shot over everything in left. His 14 round-tripper of the season scored Drew from third to give the Sox the early 2-0 lead and the RBI Man’s 46^th and 47^th RBIs of the season.

After Wakefield retired the side in order in, with a ground out to shortstop by Wladimir Balentien sandwiched between strike outs to Richie Sexson and Kenji Johjima, the Mariners came back to tie the game in the third. In the top of the inning, shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt led off the inning with a base hit into left and was followed by a dribbler down the third baseline by Suzuki, for his second hit of the game. Third baseman Adrian Beltre would drive in Betancourt and Suzuki with a ground rule double down the first base line after Jose Lopez advanced the runners with a ground out to third. But the game was not tied for long, as the Red Sox re-took the lead for good in the bottom of the fourth.

After Kevin Youkilis grounded out to shortstop to begin the Sox half of the fourth, rookie Brandon Moss walked and motored around from first on Alex Cora’s double to left center. Cora would also come around to score Boston’s fourth run of the game on Coco Crisp’s second hit of the game. Not only did Crisp reach bases twice in the game but he kept the Seattle defense on their toes, stealing his 9^th and 10^th bags of season.

Revenge is sweet, when you are on the giving end of it instead of the receiving end of it. Just as the Mariners blew out the Sox in Friday night’s 8-0 shut out, the Sox returned the favor today after batting around in the bottom of the eighth inning. Cora led of the inning with a base hit into right field. Julio Lugo would advance Cora to second with his only base of the game into right as well. Drew was a double shy of being the first Sox player since John Valentin after he drove in Cora and Lugo with another single to right. Ramirez received the hat trick of the game when he walked for the third time in the eighth inning to move Drew up to second and then was pinch ran for by Jacoby Ellsbury. Coming in as a defensive replacement in top of the inning, Mike Lowell lined a double down the third base line to drive in Drew and send Ellsbury to third. After Lowell’s base hit the game was over for reliever Mark Lowe but his line score was not. Not having an RBI all game, Youkilis did not want to feel left out and lined an RBI double to left to plate Ellsbury and Lowell against Ryan Rowland-Smith, who relieved Lowe. In just a third of an inning, Lowe allowed all five runs on four hits and one walk.

There has been a last minute change of starting pitchers for Seattle in tomorrow afternoon’s series finale against the Red Sox. Instead of right hander Jarrod Washburn getting the start against the 23-year-old Justin Masterson, the Mariners will opt for the left handed Erik Bedard. After an outstanding seven inning performance of two hit ball with eight strikes against Wakefield and the Sox on May, 28, Bedard failed to get out of the fourth inning in his next start against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. In just 3.1 innings of work versus the Halos, the left hander allowed five runs – four earned – on seven hits while walking three and striking out one.

Making his 12 career start against Boston, Bedard will be opposed by Masterson, who is making the first start of his career against the Mariners. The former Aztec is 2-0 in his three starts this season with a 2.95 ERA, 14 strike outs, 9 walks, a 1.09 WHIP and a .175 opponent’s batting average. Masterson is coming off a 7-4 victory against the Tampa Bay Rays on June 3 where he went six innings allowing four runs on six hits while striking out five and walking two. Since being recalled for the third time this season on June 3, it marks the first time Masterson has stayed in the big leagues for more than a cup of coffee.

WIN: Tim Wakefield (4-4)

LOSS: Miguel Batista (3-7)

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Game Notes:

Going 0-for-12 on this current home stand, Dustin Pedroia got the day game after the night game off. Today will provide for a good mental health day for the sophomore second baseman.

Jonathan Papelbon came on to pitch the ninth inning to get some work in since he had not pitched since June 3.

Kevin Youkilis 233 consecutive games without an error has come to end when he dropped an easy throw from Alex Cora at second in the top of the ninth on a ground ball by pinch hitter Willie Bloomquist.

The 3 Stars of the Game:

1. Tim Wakefield, BOSTON ---- 7IP, 4H, 2R, 2BB, 6K

2. J.D. Drew, BOSTON ---- 3-5 3B, HR, RBI, 2 Runs-scored

3. Manny Ramirez, BOSTON ---- 1-2 HR, 3 BB, 2 RBIs, 2 Runs-scored

J.D. Drew’s third inning RBI double put Sox back in the driver’s seat of the AL East

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RED SOX TOP RAYS 5-1; MOVE TO 37-25
J.D. Drew’s third inning RBI double put Sox back in the driver’s seat of the AL East

(June 4, 2008) – The Red Sox bounced back into first place with the 5-1 victory behind J.D. Drew’s RBI double to right in the third. Josh Beckett earned his sixth win on the season by pitching six innings allowing one earned run on seven hits while walking none and striking out five Tampa Bay hitters.

Rays starter Edwin Jackson had not allowed a hit until the first batter in the bottom of third and that is when it all unraveled for the Tampa Bay right hander. Center fielder Coco Crisp led off the inning with a base hit back up the middle into center. Rookie Jacoby Ellsbury hit squibbler with one-out to drive Crisp home from second. With Ellsbury on first, Jackson caught the Sox young outfielder getting cocky, leaning too far to second and decided to check him back to the bag. But the Rays first baseman, Eric Hinske could scope Jackson’s low throw and the ball escaped to the fence along the Sox dugout allowing Ellsbury to advance to second. He would score on Drew’s two-out ground rule double that bounced into the stands in right field. Manny Ramirez followed Drew’s double with a single of his own into center to score the Sox right fielder from second.

The lone Rays run came in the top of the fourth when third baseman, Evan Longoria lined a one-out double to deep center field. After catcher Dioner Navarro grounded out to shortstop, forcing Longoria to third, former Sox outfielder and first baseman Eric Hinske drove in the Tampa Bay rookie with a base hit into center field. But those would be all the runs the south western Florida team would record all game.

Crisp would gain that run back for the Sox by driving in first baseman Kevin Youkilis with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the inning. After Youkilis and catcher Jason Varitek with back-to-back base hits to lead of the fourth, the Sox true center fielder lifted a fly ball to center fielder B.J. Upton to plate Youkilis for the fourth Boston run. Youkilis would add the fifth run in the seventh by driving in Drew – for the second time – with a two-out single to left field.

The Sox will send Jon Lester to the mound against, no not fellow Southpaw Scott Kazmir but Rays right hander James Shields to complete try to complete the three game sweep of Tampa Bay. Lester is 3-3 on the season with a 3.67 ERA, 49 strike outs and a 1.38 WHIP. He is coming of a no-decision against the Baltimore Orioles on May 31 where he went five innings allowing three runs on seven hits while walking three and striking out four. After being the Rays ace for the first month of the season with Kazmir on the disabled list, Shields is 4-3 on the season with a 3.24 ERA, 58 strike outs and a 1.15 WHIP. He is coming of a 2-1 win against the Chicago White Sox on May 30 where he pitched six innings allowing one run on seven hits while walking one and striking six.

WIN: Josh Beckett (6-4)

LOSS: Edwin Jackson (3-5)

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The 3 Stars of the Game:

1. J.D. Drew, BOSTON ---- 2-3 Double, RBI

2. Coco Crisp, BOSTON --- 2-2

3. Evan Longoria, TAMPA BAY --- 2-3 Double, Run-scored

Manny Ramirez and Mike Lowell’s back-to-back homeruns lead Sox to 9-4 win over Baltimore

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RED SOX POWER PAST ORIOLES 9-4; MOVE TO 35-24
Manny Ramirez and Mike Lowell’s back-to-back homeruns lead Sox to 9-4 win over Baltimore

(June 1, 2008) – The Boston bats woke up earlier on the first day of June on the back of right fielder J.D. Drew and put a three spot up on the scoreboard in the third and fourth innings, giving the Sox the 9-4 win. Bartolo Colon picked up his third win of the season with the Sox victory.

The Red Sox version of the Game Theory, today’s center fielder, Jacoby Ellsbury started the Sox out on the right foot with a base hit into center in the first inning. After Dustin Pedroia flew out to right field to for the first out of the inning, Ellsbury had the glimmer in his eye that he was going to attempt his 27^th stolen base of the season. The Sox rookie would not wait around long into Kevin Youkilis’s at-bat and took off on the 0-1 pitch but the young outfielder would be thrown out trying to swipe second. For the third time this season, Ellsbury had been thrown out attempting to pad his stats. The only thing that makes it worse is, Orioles catcher Guillermo Quiroz is 3-for-16 in throwing out base runners. The young Ellsbury is starting to get a bit too cocky when he is on the base paths. Now sounds like a good time to quote former Patriots linebacker Rosevelt Colvin “calm down” little guy.

Although Youkilis lined a base hit into left field, the latest member of the 500 homerun club, would fly out to the deep center to end the inning. But Mike Lowell would put the Sox on the board in the top of the second. The third baseman blooped a base hit over Kevin Millar’s head and into right field. Normally a on a bloop hit like Lowell’s, Youkilis or David Ortiz would still be standing at third but the 2007 World Series MVP was hustling out the batter’s box and cruised into second with the double. Lowell advanced to third on catcher Jason Varitek’s single to right field and scored on J.D. Drew’s sacrifice fly to deep left that prompted Oriole left fielder Jay Payton to back up allowing Lowell to score.

The Orioles would come back to tie the game in the bottom of the second when Red Sox killer Luke Scott doubled off the scoreboard in right. Payton would sacrifice Scott to third with a bunt to make way for Adam Jones one-out single to right to plate Scott and tie the game at one. But that would be the last time Baltimore would be in the game.

Pedroia would lead off the fourth inning with his only base hit of the game into center field while Youkilis followed the second baseman’s lead with his second single to left, moving Pedroia to third. After getting the 500 homerun monkey off his back yesterday, Ramirez put a nice fluid swing on the first offering he saw from Brian Burress and lined double to left to drive in Pedroia. But the Sox offense would not go away quietly. Lowell would drive in Youkilis for his 23^rd RBI of the season with a sacrifice fly to deep right, Ramirez also tagged on the play and went to third. After Varitek lined out to Aubrey Huff at third, Drew drove in his second RBI of the game and 24^th of the season with a single to right before Burres retired Lugo two batters later to end the third.

The Sox put up another three spot on back-to-back two out homeruns by Ramirez and Lowell. The day after Ramirez hit his 500^th homerun, he came back to hit his 501^st to the same general location – right field – to give the Sox the 6-1 lead. It is hard to follow a Ramirez home run if you are the next better in the line but Lowell has been doing it for the past two years and this time he drove a line drive into the front row of the bleachers in left field for his seventh homerun and 25^th RBI. Drew also added his fifth homerun of the year in seventh in the form of solo shot with one out.

Tim Wakefield makes his 32^nd career start against Baltimore tomorrow night and will try to complete the four game sweep. It will be the first time since September 20-23, 2002 they have swept the Orioles in a four game series in Maryland. Wakefield is coming of a 1-0 complete game loss to the Seattle Mariners, where the only run of the game came on a third inning homerun to Yuniesky Betancourt. The knuckleballer’s outstanding five hit, eight strike out and no walks performance fell victim to the Sox offense who were “Powerless in Seattle.”

The 41-year-old Sox veteran will be opposed by the Orioles right hander Jeremy Guthrie who is 2-6 on the season with a 3.64 ERA, 48 strike outs, 23 walks and a 1.21 WHIP. He is coming off a 4-2 loss to the New York Yankees where he went seven innings allowing three runs on six hits while striking out four.

WIN: Bartolo Colon (3-0)

LOSS: Brian Burres (4-5)

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The 3 Stars of the Game:

1. J.D. Drew, BOSTON ---- 2-3 Homerun, 3 RBIs

2. Manny Ramirez, BOSTON ---- 3-5 Double, Homerun, 3 RBIs

3. Mike Lowell, BOSTON ---- 2-4 Double, Homerun, 2 RBIs

Dustin Pedroia’s two-out ground rule double to left sparks late eighth inning rally, gives Sox 5-3 win

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RED SOX TOP MARINERS 5-3; MOVE TO 32-22
Dustin Pedroia’s two-out ground rule double to left sparks late eighth inning rally, gives Sox 5-3 win

(May 26, 2008) – Just what the doctor ordered. A nice dose of the AL West bottom feeders is what the Sox needed to end their seven game road losing streak. In just his second start of the 2008 campaign Bartolo Colon picked up his second win of the season in the Red Sox’s 5-3 victory over the hapless Seattle Mariners.

For the first seven innings of the game it was tight pitcher's duel, between Colon and Seattle’s youthful right hander Felix Hernandez. Hernandez retired 11 consecutive Sox batters before reaching David Ortiz in the top of the fourth inning. For the second time in three days, the Sox designated hitter broke up a potential no-hit bid with his solo homerun to dead center field. It was Ortiz’s 12^th homerun on the season tying him with Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton for second place in the American League homerun category. But that would be all the runs the Sox would score until the top of the eighth.

The Sox batted around in the top of the eighth and put a four spot on the board. At that point the game against a weak hitting Seattle team the game was over. The four run rally all started with two outs and when it looked as if the Sox would squander another opportunity to re-take the lead. But cocky little second baseman, Dustin Pedroia, came through, pulling a Hernandez fastball to left field for a ground rule double, scoring Julio Lugo from second base. Hernandez would intentionally walk Ortiz to face the equally dangerous left fielder Manny Ramirez.

After being in a horrific slump the past two weeks, the RBI Machine has begun to come around at the beginning of this 10 game road trip. In the eighth inning of last night’s 5-3 victory, Ramirez took an inside pitch to right, scoring Pedroia from second base and advance Ortiz to third. Sox third baseman Mike Lowell would drive in Ortiz from third with his first hit of the game, a line drive down the third base line that the Mariners Adrian Beltre could not make a play on.

Hernandez would give up a single to J.D. Drew and a bases loaded walk to Jason Varitek before Seattle manager John McClaren had seen enough and opted for the 25-year-old left hander Ryan Rowland-Smith. Smith was able to get Sean Casey, who was batting for the second time in the inning to ground out to second but the damage was done. In the words of Christine, “Take the ‘D’ from Dover and it’s over.” Hernandez pitched 7.2 innings allowing a streak of ugly fives (five runs on five hits while walking five and striking out five).

Even with a strict pitch count, the hefty Sox veteran right hander – Colon – was able to make his way through seven complete innings before turning the game over to the bullpen. In seven innings, Colon recorded just one run on five hits while walking one and striking out for Seattle hitters. Left handed set up man, Hideki Okajima came on in relief of Colon to pitch the bottom of the eighth. After giving up a single to right off the bat of Jose Lopez, Okajima stranded the second baseman at first, retiring the following three batters to end the inning.

Jonathan Papelbon came on in the ninth inning – in a non-save situation – to get some work. But things did not go the way the Sox closer would have liked. Papelbon struck out lead off batter, right hander Jeremy Reed to begin the inning but allowed first baseman Richie Sexson to reach on his throwing error. Catcher Kenji Johjima lined a base hit into right center that sent Sexson to third. Center fielder Ichiro Suzuki lined a base hit into center to plate Sexson with Seattle’s second run of the game and moving Johjima to third. With runners at the corners the Mariners appeared as if they had something going. Johjima would score on Papelbon’s wild pitch to designated hitter Jose Vidro to cut the Sox lead to two.

It was a gut-wrencher in the bottom of the ninth because it looked as if the Sox were doing everything in their power to give the game to Seattle. Papelbon’s error. Varitek not being able to handle a Papelbon pitch in the dirt to Vidro allowing the Mariners catcher to score. But like all good teams, the Red Sox were able to survive the rocky ninth and pull out their 32^nd win of the season when Vidro grounded out to Pedroia to end the ballgame.

Daisuke Matsuzaka looks to take game two of the three game series against the Mariners when he toes the rubber against Seattle right hander Miguel Batista. Matsuzaka is hoping to be come the first American League pitcher to reach the nine win mark. He is currently the last remaining MLB pitcher who is undefeated at 8-0 with a 2.40 ERA, 53 strike outs, 38 walks and a 1.32 WHIP.

Making his 11^th start of the season against the Sox Japanese pitcher, Batista is 3-6 on the season with a 6.47 ERA, 35 strike outs and a 1.97 WHIP. He is coming off a 9-2 loss against the Detroit Tigers in Motown where he allowed five runs – four earned, - on seven hits while walking one and striking out two in just three innings. Against the Red Sox in his career, Batista is 4-5 in 8 starts with a 6.20 ERA, a 33-to-34 strike out-to-walk ratio and a 1.92 WHIP.

Unlike Batista, the Sox starter tomorrow night has better numbers against the team from the Emerald City. Matsuzaka is currently 1-1 in four starts with a 4.33 ERA, 23 strike outs and a 1.15 WHIP. Mariner batters are hitting just .220 against Matsuzaka and that includes Ichiro’s 1-for-12 (.083) with two walks and three strike outs against his fellow countryman.

WIN: Bartolo Colon (2-0)

LOSS: Felix Hernandez (2-5)

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Game Notes:

Kevin Youkilis was originally in the starting line up but was last minute scratch due to pain on the top of his right hand. Youkilis told the Sox medical personnel that he felt it yesterday against the Athletics and is currently day-to-day, according to the Sox public relations staff. The Sox first baseman was replaced in the line up by The Mayor Sean Casey.

Nine lives

Ichiro Suzuki got another chance at the plate in the first inning against Sox starter Bartolo Colon. On the third pitch to the Seattle center fielder, Suzuki skied a pop up to Jason Varitek who bobbled the ball and let it slip out of his glove and into the stands; thus giving Ichiro an extra life at the plate.

The 3 Stars of the Game:

1. Bartolo Colon, BOSTON --- 7IP, 5H, 1ER, 1BB, 4K

2. David Ortiz, BOSTON --- 1-5 Homerun, RBI

3. J.D. Drew, BOSTON --- 2-3 2 Singles

Jon Lester retires 22 of last 23 to become the first Sox lefty to throw a no-hitter in 52 years

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RED SOX NO-HIT ROYALS 7-0; MOVE TO 28-19
Jon Lester retires 22 of last 23 to become the first Sox lefty to throw a no-hitter in 52 years

(May 19, 2008) – Call it May Magic. Jon Lester became the first Red Sox left hander since Mel Parnell, on July 14, 1956, to throw a no-hitter in tonight’s 7-0 win against the Kansas City Royals. On this unnaturally, cool mid-May night Lester allowed just two Royal batters to reach base against him, Billy “The Big Donkey” Butler in the second and Esteban German in the ninth.

Baseball is a funny game. Last year around this time, Lester was down in Pawtucket trying to make his comeback from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Then on a cool, fall night in Denver, Colorado Lester became the pitcher of record when the Red Sox won their second World Series in four years. Now that same young pitcher who suffered a catastrophic illness less than two years ago has become the fifth Sox left hander to throw a no hitter.

The Sox offense provided Lester with the runs he needed to perform his Monday Night Magic in the bottom of the third inning. J.D. Drew led off the inning with a line drive single into right field. Trying to stay out of the double play, Drew and catcher Jason Varitek perfected the hit-and-run when the captain lined a based hit into left field, sending Drew to third. If it was for the hit-and-run Varitek’s single would have been an easy 6-4-3 double play with two outs in the inning but with Drew off on the pitch, it pulled Royals shortstop Tony Pena, Jr. out of position; thus giving up a base hit to Varitek.

Number nine hitter shortstop Julio Lugo made the first two outs of the inning with a ground ball to Pena for the 6-4-3 double play but not before Drew came in the back door with the first run of the game. With two outs, Royals starter Luke Hochevar thought he would be able to “minimize the damage” (I will never be able to get that out of my head. Thanks Coach!) by allowing just one run and keeping KC in the game. But that was not going to happen. Lester was in the zone and so was the Red Sox offense.

Rookie Jacoby Ellsbury – who just four months older than Lester – kept the inning alive with a triple over the head of Royals center fielder David DeJesus. Hochevar continued to struggle, walking the bases loaded (Dustin Pedroia and David Ortiz) before walking Manny Ramirez to put the Sox up 2-0 and getting the first RBI of the game. (Statistical rules state that a player who grounds into a double play but drives in a run will not be credited with an RBI. Do not mess with SIDs.)

The Royals defense would shoot themselves in the foot with third baseman Mike Lowell at the plate. At the lowest forms of organized baseball, kindergarten tee-ball, children are taught “two hands when you catch the ball, two hands.” It is one of the fundamentals of baseball but it seems that many of our major leaguers have forgotten what they have learned as five year olds. And tonight veteran, Gold Glove second baseman Mark Grudzielanek made the infamous error to keep the inning alive when he let a routine pop up by Lowell clank off his glove, scoring two runs. First baseman Kevin Youkilis was the ninth hitter to bat in the inning and lined a Hochevar offering into right center that was fading away from DeJesus for a double, plating Ramirez.

Those were plenty of runs for the Sox lefty but Varitek felt the need to add two more runs three innings later with his fifth homerun of the season driving Drew to give the Red Sox the 7-0 lead. But the story and focus of the game was Lester. He flirted with a no-hitter earlier this season against the Toronto Blue Jays on April 29 at Fenway, pitching eight scoreless innings before turning the game over to Jonathan Papelbon with the game tied 0-0. In that game the Sox pulled out the 1-0 win the in bottom of the ninth, giving Papelbon his first win of the season.

But tonight was his night and he was on his game. He was one strike out shy of matching his single game high with nine strike outs. Lester struck out 10 National batters on June 21, 2006, 11 days after his Major League Debut against the Texas Rangers on Saturday June 10, 2006. If what everyone says is true, “our legacies are marked by our entrances and exits” then Jon Lester is going to have a good one to tell his grandchildren when he is 75 years old. With a one-hitter and no-hitter in the same season and a World Series clinching win under his belt, he is on his way to have a good career in the majors.

The Sox will return to action against the Royals tomorrow night when the young 23-year-old Justin Masterson makes his second career start. Masterson was re-called from Pawtucket earlier today to make the start for the injured Clay Buchholz. To make room for Masterson on the roster the Red Sox optioned Chris Smith back to Pawtucket. The last time he was in Boston he pitched six innings allowing just one run on two hits while striking out four and walking four before the Boston bullpen imploded for the 7-5 loss. Masterson will be opposed by the Royals right hander Gil Meche. On the season, Meche is 3-5 with a 5.98 ERA with 35 strike outs 19 walks and a 1.48 WHIP.

WIN: Jon Lester (3-2)

LOSS: Luke Hochevar (3-3)

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Game Notes:

Since 1969, the Red Sox are 195-205 against the Royals but are 16 games over .500 while in the friendly confines of Fenway Park against Kansas City at 108-92.

Keep an eye on the Royals 24-year-old third baseman, Alex Gordon. In his sophomore season he has come around and has a good shot at being selected for the 2008 American League All Star team with lack of all star talent at the position this year. On the season, Gordon is hitting .286 with five homeruns and 20 RBIs and has an OPS of .799, trailing only Chicago’s Joe Crede for the AL lead at third.

Sox left handed set-up man Hideki Okajima told Terry Francona his sore left wrist is fine and available in tonight's game to pitch.

The 3 Stars of the Game:

1. Jon Lester, BOSTON ---- 9IP, 0H, 0R, 9K, 2BB

2. Jason Varitek, BOSTON --- 2-3; Homerun, 2 RBIs

3. J.D. Drew, BOSTON ---- 1-3; 2 Runs-scored

David Ortiz's two doubles and two RBIs lead to a Tampa Bay blood-bath 12-4

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RED SOX OFFENSE POWERS PAST RAYS 12-4; MOVE TO 17-13
David Ortiz's two doubles and two RBIs lead to a Tampa Bay blood-bath 12-4

(May 3, 2008) – Last week James Shields threw a complete game shut out against Josh Beckett and the Red Sox. But there were no “rays” of sunshine tonight for the Tampa Bay starter. Shields did not make it past the fourth inning, allowing seven runs on 10 hits. On the other side of the field, the first four innings did not fair much better for Beckett.

After mowing down the first five batters of the game, Beckett allowed the first Tampa Bay hit to Rays catcher Dioner Navarro. A batter later, Beckett gave up a two-run homerun to right fielder Gabe Gross to make it a one run ball game. But that was a close as Tampa Bay would get all game because the Red Sox offense was smokin’ hot.

The power surge from Friday night continued into the first inning against the Rays on Saturday under the Fenway Park lights. Rookie Jacoby Ellsbury started the night off with a base hit up the middle that fell just short of Rays center fielder Nathan Haynes. Second year second base man Dustin Pedroia followed Ellsbury’s base hit with a single of his own into left, moving his cohort up a station to second.

The month of April had not been too kind to David Ortiz, going 19-for-103 with five homeruns and 21 RBIs, but has come around as of late. Let it be noted in the past five games Ortiz appears to being breaking out of his funk that plagued him in the first month of season. In his last ten games, the Sox designated hitter has hit at a .300 clip (12-for-40) and drove in Ellsbury and Pedroia for the first two runs of the game with a double to left. His buddy, left fielder Manny Ramirez would drive him in for the third and final run of the inning with a base hit of his own into center.

Like the flu epidemic that ran rampant through the Sox clubhouse two weeks ago, hitting is contagious. Until the bottom of the eighth inning every member of the Sox starting line up had a base hit with the exception of catcher Jason Varitek. Up till the eighth, Varitek’s only contribution – offensively – was getting hit on the kneecap, with the bases loaded, by J.P Howell to force home Ortiz with the seventh run of the game. Varitek’s first and only hit of the game was two-run single to right driving in Ramirez and Kevin Youkilis. The Red Sox catcher got greedy and tried to turn a single into a double and was thrown out by right fielder Gabe Gross.

After a tempestuous first four innings, Beckett settled down in the fifth and retired eight consecutive Rays batters before giving up a solo homerun to second baseman Akinori Iwamura in the top of the eighth. The homerun was Iwamura’s second homerun and eighth RBI of the season. In total the Sox ace completed eight innings allowing four runs on seven hits while striking out just five Tampa Bay hitters.

Tampa Bay ace Scott Edward Kazmir returns to the mound tomorrow to make his first start of the season and he faces fellow Southpaw Jon Lester. It always seems as if Kazmir and Lester always get matched up together. The last time these two lefties met was Tuesday August 14 of last year, Lester nearly matched Kazmir’s six innings of four hit ball while striking out eight Sox batters. In that game the Rays lead the game in the bottom of the ninth inning with one-out and Lowell at the plate and with one sweet swing by the Sox third baseman an unsuspecting fan on Lansdowne Street wound up with a souvenir. Center fielder Coco Crisp would drive in Varitek, who doubled following a strike out by Kevin Youkilis, with the game winning run to give the Red Sox the 2-1 victory and Eric Gagne his first win in a Sox uniform.

Lester is coming his fourth straight no decision where he pitched eight innings of one-hit ball before turning it over to closer Jonathan Papelbon who received his first victory of the season in the 1-0 Red Sox victory. The Sox left handed starter is currently 1-2 on the season with a 4.31 ERA with 22 strike outs.

In 2007, Kazmir was 13-9 with a 3.48 ERA, 239 strike outs and 1.38 WHIP. Although his career record against the Red Sox is 6-5, Kazmir has the Sox’s number. In 101.1 innings, the Rays lefty holds Sox hitters to a .218 average and has a 2.66 ERA against the occupants of Fenway Park. Against the Sox, Kazmir has struck out 118 Sox batters in his career against Boston. For the Rays, Kazmir is their only hope to salvage a game in the series and avoid a sweep in revenge of last week.

WIN: Josh Beckett (3-2)

LOSS: James Shields (3-2)

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Game Notes:

J.D. Drew returns to the line up after missing three games with a sore left quad.

Lost in the shuffle of all the hits and runs, Dustin Pedroia, at second was 3-for-5.

The 3 Stars of the Game:

1. David Ortiz, BOSTON 3-5 2 Doubles, 2 RBIs, 2 Runs scored

2. Jason Varitek, BOSTON 1-4 Single, 3 RBIs, 2 Runs scored

3. J.D. Drew, BOSTON 2-4 Double, 2 RBIs, Run scored

Chien-Ming Wang retires 12 of the last 14 Sox to lead the Yankees to their six win of the season

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RED SOX FALL TO WANG YANKEES 4-1; MOVE TO 5-6
Chien-Ming Wang retires 12 of the last 14 Sox to lead the Yankees to their six win of the season

(April 11, 2008) – The Yankees take Round 1 of the 18-Round match between these two rival franchises behind Chien-Ming Wang’s two-hit, complete game. The Yankee starter recorded his third win of the season allowing just one run on two hits while striking out three Red Sox batters.

Wang had been mowing down Sox hitters like he had a 10:00 curfew he had to meet. He retired the first twelve Sox batters of the game before Dustin Pedroia would reach on Alex Rodriguez’s first error of the season. But the Sox could do anything against the Yankee pitcher until J.D Drew stepped to the plate in bottom of the fifth. Drew’s solo homerun was the only blemish of Wang’s spectacular night.

The Sox right fielder hit a line drive homerun into the Red Sox bullpen just over the outstretched glove of Yankee right fielder Bobby Abreu for the Sox first hit and run of the game. There should be no hating on Drew this year because he is proving he is the player the Sox were getting when they signed during the 2006-2007 off-season. We finally know what the fascination of J.D. Drew is. Don’t we Mr. Bob Ryan? (Actually I already knew Drew was a terrific ball player before he came to the Sox.)

Sox rookie starter Clay Buchholz was impressive in his first career start against the Bronx Bombers. After allowing a base hit to Hideki Matsui, Buchholz went on to retire eight consecutive Yankee batters before running into trouble in the top of the fifth inning. In the fifth, he walked Matsui and designated hitter Jorge Posada before allowing an RBI double to left center off the bat of catcher Jose Molina. The young rookie pitcher would walk shortstop Alberto Gonzalez to load the bases with just one out. But Buchholz would “minimize the damage” allowing just one run when center fielder Miguel Cabrera lined into a double play to first base.

After stranding Rodriguez and Matsui at second and third, respectively, in the sixth Buchholz would not return for another inning of work. He racked up three strike outs and allowed one run on four hits before turning the game over to the right-handed veteran, set-up man, Mike Timlin, who was pitching in his first game since coming of the disabled list. The Yankees are not the team you want to face when you are making your first start of the season even if you are a well-seasoned veteran. Yankee first baseman, Jason Giambi rudely welcomed Timlin back to the majors with a solo homerun to dead centerfield to put New York on top 2-1 again.

The Red Sox look to even the series at one a piece when Daisuke Matsuzaka makes his third start of the season. Matsuzaka is coming off an Opening Day 5-0 win against Detroit. He is currently 2-0 on the season with 1.47 ERA and 22 strike outs. Opposing batters are hitting at a .131 average against the Japanese sensation. Phil Hughes, the 21-year-old right-hander, will be making his debut in the historic Red Sox-Yankees rivalry, for the Yankees. Hughes is coming off a 5-2 loss to the Kansas City Royals, where he allowed three runs on six hits in just three innings of work. His failure to get ahead of Royal hitters led to his early exit but he will be looking to change that when he steps on the Fenway Park mound for the first time.

WIN: Chien-Ming Wang (3-0)

LOSS: Mike Timlin (0-1)

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Game Notes:

Chien-Ming Wang retired 12 consecutive Sox batters to start the game.

After Drew’s homerun Wang retired the last 10 Sox batters.

Wang has a one-hitter going into the ninth inning.

The 3 Stars of the Game:

1. Chien-Ming Wang, NEW YORK 8IP, 1H, 1ER, 3K

2. Jose Molina, NEW YORK 2-4 2 Doubles, RBI

3. J.D. Drew, BOSTON 1-3 HR, RBI

Sean Casey’s 3 RBIs help push the Sox past the Tigers

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RED SOX POWER PAST TIGERS 12-6; MOVE TO 5-5
Sean Casey’s 3 RBIs help push the Sox past the Tigers

(April 10, 2008) – The two most disappointing players from the 2007 season provided the offense to take the rubber game against the Detroit Tigers. J.D. Drew’s one out single was the spark plug for a four run rally by the Sox in the fourth inning after the Tigers scored two runs of their own in the top half. Drew finished the game 3-for-3 with two runs batted. Center fielder Coco Crisp and catcher Kevin Cash would follow Drew with two RBI base hits of their own in the Red Sox’s 12-6 victory against the Tigers.

The veteran right fielder was batting with one out and two runs aboard in bottom of the fourth, Drew sent a Nate Robertson pitch into right field. Ramirez, who reached with a walk, decided that DeMarlo Hale’s stop sign was just a suggestion. Well there it was a good thing there were no Waltham cops in the ballpark tonight because Ramirez was safe at the plate. (Fearing Magglio Ordonez’s throw to the plate was going to be off line, Tigers first baseman Carlos Guillen quickly decided to caught off the throw.)

Crisp would follow Drew’s lead by sending a double down the right field line that would bounce into the stands. On first look, it appeared as if fan interference would be called but on replay the umpires made the correct call. The ball was not touched by a fan in the field of play, it took a hop off the warning track and caromed off the right field foul pole. Because the foul poles are set back in the stands the ball technically left the field of play hence why it was a ground rule double. Third baseman Kevin Youkilis, who had also walked, would score the tying run on the base hit while Drew had to be held at third. Drew would score the go ahead run on first baseman Sean Casey’s ground out to first before Cash would plate Crisp with the fourth run of the game.

The knuckleballer was not particularly sharp against Tigers hitters but he pitched well enough to get his first win of the season. Early on in the game, Tim Wakefield faced some difficulty. He walked four and hit two Detroit batters in the first three innings but thanks to the defense behind him he was able to get the outs when he needed them the most. The walks would come back to haunt Wakefield because the forced the right hander to throw more pitches then he wanted, thus forcing him from the game early with 108 pitches.

The Tigers would get a run back in the top of the seventh with a homerun to left field by Magglio Ordonez to make the score 4-3. But the Sox would bat around in the bottom half of the inning. Ramirez and Casey would give the Sox insurance runs with a double and single, respectively, in the bottom of the inning. Ramirez doubled to left scoring Dustin Pedroia (who stole his first base of the season off Tigers pitcher Zach Minor) and David Ortiz. Casey would push Jacoby Ellsbury (who ran for Ramirez) and Drew, who was intentionally walked.

Detroit would claw away at the Sox five run lead in the top of the eighth against reliever Julian Tavarez. The Tigers took it one base at a time against the Red Sox reliever. Edgar Renteria would lead off with walk, followed by a single by Ivan Rodriguez sending Renteria to third and then a walk to Marcus Thames to load the bass. Brandon Inge and Placido Polanco would drive in their second runs of the game with singles before Taverez got his first out of the inning with a ground ball to Lugo at short who quickly turned the double play. With the looks of Tavarez resorting back to his old self, Jonathan Papelbon was called on to get the final four outs of the ballgame.

The archrivals come into Fenway Park tomorrow night for a weekend, three game series with the defending champions. The New York Yankees currently sit tied for third in the division with the Red Sox at 5-5. Clay Buchholz will toe the rubber still in search of his win of 2008 while the Yankees will send the 2-0 Chien-Ming Wang. Wang is coming off a 2-0 win to Tampa Bay where he pitched six innings allowing four hits while striking out six Rays. Currently he is 2-0 on the season with a 1.38 ERA and eight strike outs whereas Buchholz is 0-1 on the season with a 5.40 ERA and seven strike outs.

WIN: Tim Wakefield (1-0)

LOSS: Nate Robertson (0-1)

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Game Notes:

Third baseman Mike Lowell was placed on the 15-day DL with a sprained left thumb. Minor league infielder, Jed Lowrie was recalled from Pawtucket to take Lowell’s place on the 25-man roster.

Coming into tonight’s game, David Ortiz is 1-for-18 in his last five games. The one hit was an RBI single in Sox 7-4 loss to the Blue Jays on April 6.

Kevin Youkilis hit a ground rule double to right to drive in Pedroia and Ortiz. Youkilis was 1-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored.

The 3 Stars of the Game:

1. J.D. Drew, BOSTON 3-3 2 RBI, Run-scored
2. Sean Casey, BOSTON 2-5 3 RBIs
3. Coco Crisp, BOSTON 2-3 Double, 2 RBIs, Run-scored

The Golden Donkey Award goes to: Julian Tavarez for allowing three earned runs on three hits in the top of the eighth inning to make the score 8-6

The Big Hurt’s fifth inning, 2-out Grand Slam completes the 3-0 sweep of the Red Sox

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RED SOX SWEPT BY BLUE JAYS 6-2; MOVE TO 3-4
The Big Hurt’s fifth inning, 2-out Grand Slam completes the 3-0 sweep of the Red Sox

(April 6, 2008) – Frank Thomas’s fifth inning grand slam off right hander Manny Delcarmen and Roy Halladay’s eight innings and six strike outs lifted the Blue Jays to a 7-4 win to sweep the series against the Red Sox.

Going into the bottom of the fifth inning both starting pitchers, Halladay and Josh Beckett, put on a masterful performance for the fans who flocked to the Rogers Centre on Sunday afternoon. Beckett, who was making his first start since coming off the disabled list, pitched methodically through the first 4.2 innings, striking out six Jays batters. Until the fifth his only mistake come off a two run homerun to centerfielder Vernon Wells, driving in Alex Rios who was Beckett’s second walk of the day.

Beckett’s day would be over after back-to-back walks to Rios and Wells in fifth inning to load the bases. Delcarmen came in, in relief of Beckett, to face the Big Hurt and that is exactly what he did to Delcarmen. Thomas wasted no time with a first pitch fastball and drove the ball into deep center field, way over the head of center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury. Three of the runs would be charged to Beckett. In 4.2 innings, he allowed five earned runs on three hits while walking four.

After the Blue Jays offense gave Halladay a four run lead in the bottom of the fifth, the work horse continued to pitch another three innings allowing four runs on six hits while striking out six Sox hitters. The heart of the Red Sox order was 3-for-14 against Halladay with four strike outs and the only hit coming from a double to left center off the bat of Manny Ramirez. But the bottom half of the Sox line up was productive against the Jays starter, amounting for all the Sox runs in the game. J.D. Drew, Jason Varitek and Ellsbury hit their second and first homeruns, respectively in the third, fifth and seven innings.

Shortstop Julio Lugo contributed to Toronto’s seventh run of the game with his third error of the game, when third baseman Marco Scutaro hit a ground ball to short that Lugo could not handle. Scutaro would come around to score on second baseman Aaron Hill’s double to right in the bottom of the sixth. In Scutaro’s previous at-bat he reached on Lugo’s second error of the game.

The Red Sox tried valiantly to make a come back in the top of the eighth inning when Kevin Youkilis hit a blooper in between Wells, Hill and shortstop John McDonald. Youkilis was able ended up with a triple on the play when Wells and McDonald collided while trying to make the catch on the pop fly ball. David Ortiz would drive in Youkilis from third with a base hit into center field to break up a personal 0-for-11 slide.

The Red Sox return to action on Tuesday April 8, when they face the disappointing 0-5, Detroit Tigers on Opening Day at Fenway Park. Daisuke Matsuzaka will get the ball on Opening Day and will oppose Tigers lefty Kenny Rogers. Matsuzaka is 1-0 on the season, coming of a win in Oakland where he went 6.2 innings allowing just one run on two hits while striking out nine Athletics. He leads the Sox in strike outs with 15. Rogers is coming off a 4-0 loss to the Kansas City Royals, that saw him pitch six innings allowing two earned runs on five hits while recording four strike outs.

WIN: Roy Halladay (1-1)

LOSS: Josh Beckett (0-1)

SAVE: Jeremy Accardo (3)

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Game Notes:

Jacoby Ellsbury hit his first homerun and second RBI of the 2008 season with solo shot to over Rios’s head in right field.

Mike Lowell made his first error of the season in first inning off the bat of lead off hitter Shannon Stewart.

The 3 Stars of the Game:

1. Frank Thomas 1-3 Grand Slam HR, 4 RBIs
2. Roy Halladay 8IP, 6H, 4ER, 6Ks
3. J.D. Drew 2-4 HR, RBI

Blue Jays defeat Red Sox behind Shaun Marcum’s eight strike outs and retiring 11 consecutive Sox hitters

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RED SOX FALL TO THE BLUE JAYS 6-3; MOVE TO 3-2
Blue Jays defeat Red Sox behind Shaun Marcum’s eight strike outs and retiring 11 consecutive Sox hitters

(April 4, 2008) – Long time designated hitter, Frank Thomas drove in the go a head runs to give the Blue Jays the 6-3 win against the Red Sox as well as starter Shaun Marcum’s first win of the season. Marcum went seven strong innings allowing just three runs on three hits while accumulating eight strike outs and walking just one.

After a J.D. Drew three run homerun to tie up the game in the top of the seventh inning. Thomas put the Jays back on top with a two run double to left field, in the bottom of the inning, off of reliever Manny Delcarmen. Shortstop David Eckstein, who took a walk from Red Sox reliever David Aardsma, and pinch-hitter, Shannon Stewart, scored on the play.

Early on in the game it looked as if it was going to be a pitcher’s duel. The elder statesman of the Red Sox, Tim Wakefield, was making his 338^th career start in a Sox uniform and matched Marcum every inning. It appeared, in the beginning, as if the first team to make a mistake was going to be the costliest.

The Blue Jays first got to Wakefield in the bottom of the sixth inning on solo homerun by left fielder Matt Stairs, to go up 1-0. Wakefield would go on to walk right fielder Alex Rios and Thomas with a strike out to center fielder, Vernon Wells in between. First baseman Lyle Overbay would hit a blooper that would fall between Manny Ramirez, Jacoby Ellsbury and Julio Lugo, to drive in Rios from third and score the second Jays run of the game and move Thomas to second. Thomas and Overbay would advance to third and second, respectively, on Wakefield’s wild pitch to Aaron Hill.

The wild pitch would prove to be costly when Hill hit a deep fly ball to centerfield that popped out of Ellsbury’s glove allowing Thomas to score and giving Hill a long single. Terry Francona came out to argue that his center fielder had possession of the ball before it fell to the Rogers Centre turf but too no avail. The call stood and the Jays led the Red Sox 3-0 at the end of six.

After a 28 minute wait in the dugout while the Blue Jays were on offense, the Red Sox finally were able to get to Marcum. Going into the seventh inning, Marcum was pitching at a good pace, retiring the last 10 Red Sox batters and four of them on strike outs. To start off the top of the inning he struck out Kevin Youkilis to make it 11 consecutive Sox hitters but would walk David Ortiz to end the streak. After getting Ramirez to strike out, he gave up a base hit to third baseman Mike Lowell before allowing Drew to tie up the score with a three run homerun to right field – his first of the year.

Wakefield pitched six innings, allowing three earned runs on six hits while striking out four Blue Jays and walking three. In the first inning, Wakefield got off to a rocky start by hitting Jays lead off hitter Eckstein. He went on to get Stairs to ground out into a fielder’s choice, second to first, and Rios to fly out to left before walking clean up hitter Vernon Wells on first straight pitches. Falling Thomas 3-0 was the turning point of Wakefield’s game by throwing three straight strikes for the final out of the inning.

The Red Sox battle the Blue Jays again tomorrow at 1:07pm in Toronto when they send rookie Clay Buchholz to the mound to face the young, 23-year old Toronto pitcher, Jesse Litsch. Buchholz was called up to the big club late in 2007 and in four games he had a 3-1 record, with a 1.59 ERA and 22 strike outs. Litsch started 20 games for Toronto last year and ended up with a recorded of 7-9, a 3.81 ERA and 50 strike outs.

WIN: Shaun Marcum (1-0)

LOSS: David Aardsma (0-1)

SAVE: Jeremy Accardo (2)

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Game Notes:

Kevin Cash recorded the first Red Sox hit with a double in the top of the third inning against Jays pitcher Shaun Marcum.

Since Cash’s double in the third, Marcum retired eleven consecutive Red Sox hitters, five on strikeouts. Ortiz’s walk in the top of the seventh broke up the streak.

Coco Crisp pinch hit for Jacoby Ellsbury in the top of the eighth and popped out to Eckstein.

Jason Varitek pinch hit for Kevin Cash in the top of eighth and became Brian Tallet’s first strike out victim.

The 3 Stars of the Game:

1. Frank Thomas, TORONTO 1-3 2-run double
2. Shaun Marcum, TORONTO 7.0 IP, 3H 3ER, 8K, 1BB
3. J.D. Drew, BOSTON 1-3 HR, 3RBIs