Two And Out
13 innings, many of them with plenty of chances to score. Too many to mention, in fact. But after Big Papi's 2 run home run in the first inning, nothin'. A big fat string of twelve zeros. The Detroit starter Bonderman settled down and pitched through the eighth, while Kason Gabbard, in the rotation until Schill returns, was just great, going 6 2/3 innings, allowing only two runs. He'll be fine until Curt is healthy. But the Tigers scored the winning run off Jonathon Papelbon in the thirteenth inning, and it was finally over (see below). Outpitched? Yes, but by the barest of margins. A clutch hit and there would have been a different ending. But such is baseball. And with the Red Sox 20 games over .500 at 53-33, there's nothing to worry about. Not one darn thing. But it sure would be nice to win this afternoon, and we have our most consistant hurler on the mound. Daisuke Matsuzaka will try to take his team to the All Star break the right way---with a win. And going against him is the Tiger's Nate Robertson, who happens to be the weakest link of the Detroit rotation. It up to Daisuke. This is from the Boston Herald....
"The times have been few this season that Daisuke Matsuzaka has been called upon to be a stopper.
That job typically has fallen upon Curt Schilling or Josh Beckett. Matsuzaka has only pitched three times following a loss in his 17 starts to date, going 1-1 with a no-decision and a 3.60 ERA.
More to the point, we haven’t really seen him come in to halt a losing skid, or avoid embarrassment. He hasn’t had to stop the bleeding when another team is about to sweep the Sox. But that’s his mission today."
Peter here, and I'm sure he knows his mission...he ALWAYS DOES. He'll be out there to stop the mini-skid in Detroit. Click on the title of this post for more on last night's final at bat, when Pudge Rodriguez' drive was only inches away from the outstetched glove of the diving Coco Crisp. In fact, I just this second saw the replay of that drive by Pudge, and yes, it was a matter of inches. But so is the game of baseball itself.
Remember, my readers, we still have an eleven game lead in the AL East......maybe twelve after today. My fingers are crossed. But we are in great shape, our Sox getting healthier with the three day break looming. Everyone, enjoy your Sunday, and thanks, as always, for being here. I couldn't do this without you....ever.
posted by Peter N @ 6:29 AM
11 comments
11 Comments:
Good thing we have about a million games left to play against the DRays.
Hope you're well, Peter, just wanted to stop by and say hello!
Twenty games over or not, this team has been playing .500 ball since the first of June and are very lucky that the Yankees and Blue Jays have risen to their own levels of incompetence this season. The Herald has gotten it a little backwards here. Good pitching is NOT going to stop the bleeding, as the past couple of nights have shown. We need the guys to stop swinging the bat like it was made of concrete and lead. It's embarrassing to watch them strike out, pop up, GIDP with guys sitting there ready to come home. At this point, Dice-K could pitch a 1-run,1-hit shutout and it wouldn't matter. Without power coming from the middle of the lineup, the Sox are not going to score more runs, and Ortiz' first inning blast notwithstanding, it doesn't look like that's happening any time soon. It's concerning to me.
Hey, Peter...I'm going to use this for my own post this morning! Thanks for the inspiration!
"Good pitching is NOT going to stop the bleeding, as the past couple of nights have shown."
Edit to: Last night showed. Taz pitched like crap the night before.
"At this point, Dice-K could pitch a 1-run,1-hit shutout and it wouldn't matter."
Since there's no such thing as a 1-run shutout, edit it to 1-run complete game!
Hee-hee! I crack myself up sometimes!
You suck, JD Drew. A key hit here and there and we would have taken 2 out of 3 in Detroit.
Also, when do we cut the chord on Willie Mo? Why anyone would throw this guy a fastball is beyond me.
Very frustrating weekend heading into the break.
any pitching or hitting by the sox won't be enough to stage off the 2nd surge by the boys in the Bronx!
Hi Jess!!! And MCW, all I had to do was read your first sentence (I'll read the rest when I finish this comment) and I so agree with you. 5 weeks at .500. Not good.
And wow, great comments!! First, t. leach, I AM WITH YOU when it comes to WMP. His attempt at defense yesterday (Sun.) on Sheffield's drive, well, I could have caught that. And another three K's. Theo, WAKE THE F*** up!
MR, dream on, although if the Sox continue their .500 ways, I completely agree with you. Great comment. And Rocket has been amazing, as has Wang. Pettitte and Moose........not so. But the Yankees, your team, will put together many wins in the second half, and I hope the Sox FO will be ready with a move or two. Great comment.
P.S. T. Leach...your blogs are great!! Thanks for the comment, and I hope you stop back. In fact, thanks to everyone! I feel so lucky to have readers such as you.
Dice-K?
More like Kei Igawa;
Yikes!
Thanks, Peter.
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