An Emotional Memorial Ceremony And A Wild Wakefield Red Sox Loss

It was a solemn memorial ceremony at the home of the California Angels last night before their game with the Boston Red Sox, a game won by the Angels 6-3. The Angels honored Nick Adenhart in a pre-game tribute wrought with emotion. Sox skipper Terry Tito Francona said this...

"It was emotional," Sox manager Terry Francona said. "You hear the words 'Play ball,' it's like, 'Whoa.' The Angels, they've always had a lot of class, and it showed."

When the sound of "play ball" was heard, Tim Wakefield, at least in the first two innings, was up to his old antics, wild and very inconsistant. In his six innings, he allowed those three runs on six hits and FIVE walks. Of his 99 pitches (in six innings!), 52 were in the strike zone. California plated three runs in the seventh inning off of Justin Masterson, who, like Timmy, couldn't find the plate. Angels starter Jared Weaver was great, going 6 1/3 innings and allowing only one unearned run on a measly four hits. He walked two and struck out eight. The Red Sox offense remained in hibernation...so far, in their four games, they've only scored eight runs on twenty two base hits. That won't get the 2009 job done. No way. Not even close.

“Weaver pitched well tonight,” said manager Terry Francona. “He threw all his pitches and in a lot of fastball counts he got his off-speed pitches over. That’s what I’ve seen for the most part in the last three games. It’s early in the season, and pitchers are throwing their offspeed pitches for strikes in fastball counts and we’re still swinging at fastballs.”

It's early in the season and Boston pins their hopes on newly acquired pitcher Brad Penny on Saturday. He will face Joe Saunders at 4:10pm EDT on FOX, FOXHD and the Red Sox radio network. Enjoy the game and your holiday weekend. Click on this post's title for more on the emotional Friday night in Anaheim, California. As always, BE WELL. Arivaderci, ciao, see ya. Soon.