September 2, 2006

G136: Blue Jays 5, Red Sox 1

A.J. Burnett threw a complete game, three-hitter. He allowed only one Red Sox batter past second base.

David Murphy singled in his first major league at-bat, with one out in the third. Boston got its other two hits -- and its only real rally -- in the seventh.

Toronto led 3-0. Kevin Youkilis led off with an infield single and went to third on a perfect hit-and-run single to right from Mike Lowell. Eric Hinske had an eight-pitch AB, fouling off five pitches, before grounding into a 4-6-3 double play that scored Youkilis. Javy Lopez looked at three strikes to end the inning.

Alex Cora made several great plays at shortstop, diving to both his right and left. ... Kevin Jarvis pitched well (3 runs (2 earned) in 5 innings), but was no match for Burnett.

***

A.J. Burnett (4.51) / Kevin Jarvis (11.91), 1 PM

Fact: 37-year-old Jarvis, picked up from the Diamondbacks on Thursday, sucks. He has a 5.70 ERA in 115 career starts and allowed eight runs over five innings in his last start (June 17). Asked what he knew about Jarvis, Terry Francona said, "I shook hands with him and had a piece of bacon."

Jarvis is the 27th pitcher for the Red Sox this season, a new club record. After Josh Beckett pitches tomorrow, Kason Gabbard (or Lenny DiNardo or Julian Tavarez) will start on Monday against the White Sox in place of Curt Schilling, who has an aggravated right latissimus muscle.

In Pawtucket, Jason Varitek is expected to DH, with Trot Nixon in right and Alex Gonzalez at shortstop.

David Murphy (2003 first round pick) makes his major league debut today -- but he still has no locker.
Catalanotto, LF Crisp, CF
Hill, 2B Cora, SS
Wells, CF Loretta, 2B
Overbay, 1B Youkilis, LF
Rios, RF Lowell, 3B
Zaun, C Hinske, DH
Lind, DH Lopez, C
Hattig, 3B Pena, 1B
McDonald, SS Murphy, RF
Boston remains only 5.5 GB Chicago for the wild card. That's pretty good, all things considered.

7 comments:

Peter N said...

Wild card...wow, I hadn't even thought! This season is by no means over. And the club, and the front office has NOT given up. And neither have we.

allan said...

I'm proud to be on the pipe!

The pipe of faith.

So there.

...

Possible Jack Marshall post after 2004 ALCS 3?

"Deluded, deluded, deluded. Touching, though. Let's just enjoy the last nine innings of the 2004 season. The pennant is a pipe dream, and admitteing that is not "giving up." It's called "paying attention."

laura k said...

It doesn't matter how optimistic or how cynical we are. The season is going to end the same way no matter which way we think, which path we choose. We might as well take the path that's the most fun. I'd rather watch the games with even a glimmer of hope than sit and scowl.

The thing about the 5.5 GB for the wild card is that we're in third. Two teams have to collapse in order for us to make up that ground.

It's obviously not probable. But it is possible.

Jim said...

Lots to look forward to in final month (including all possible good vibes for Lester). To wit:

-no damage to Paps
-Big Papi is healthy and breaks Foxx's team HR record. Even though the Bonds/McGuire/Sosa 'roid-fest ruined my thrill of homerun chases, some team records are still worthy (bet no one in Philly is poo-pooing Howard's feat)
-a healthy Manny comes back, puts up monster numbers and shuts up the local hacks and talking heads (like the latter is likely).
-Willie Mo comes back intact and puts Nixon in free agent nirvana
-'tek comes back and we see the back of Javy f'in Lopez
-the FO appreciate what they have in AGon and don't spend the winter chasing their erections for other phantom shortstops
-Beckett sacs up and makes fans forget what they saw from the other ex-Marlin pitcher this aft.

Lots of good stuff gonna happen.

laura k said...

Woti, nice! :)

allan said...

I was nuts.

But I also was right.

This time, I'm NOT nuts, but I'm still right.


It's a tough road to travel, always being right. Believe me.

(Well, you are a rare bird. All I wanted was what so many fans wanted: just one win. I expected nothing more than that each day.)

allan said...

What mediot did you email? Rosenthal? And did he respond when the smoke cleared?