Matsuzaka had a rough beginning -- he walked the first three Seattle hitters. The Mariners sent 10 men to the plate in the top of the first and scored five times (they only got two hits, though). Dice settled down after that -- and Boston got five of their own in the second: Youkilis walked, Lowell singled, Varitek singled (5-1), Pena singled, Pedroia walked (5-2), Lugo doubled (5-4), Crisp popped to short, Ortiz singled to left (5-5).
Ramirez's first home run -- a two-run job to left in the fourth -- gave Boston a 7-5 lead, but Dice gave it right back in the fifth: a one-out walk to Ibanez and singles to Sexson, Guillen and Betancourt.
On a night when Okajima and Papelbon were unavailable -- NESN showed Pap on the bench with his jacket on in the top of the 9th -- the lesser arms came through. In the 9th, Donnelly, who had relieved Synder in the seventh, walked Vidro. Romero retired Ibanez on a 3-6-3 double play and Sexson on a grounder to third.
We're now 18-9 -- with the possibility of a 5.5 game lead in the East. Dice is too good to flounder along with a 5.45 ERA. I cannot behind to tell you how not worried I am.
Also: Timlin was put on the DL (right shoulder tendinitis); Devern Hansack was called up.
***
Horacio Ramirez (4.41) / Daisuke Matsuzaka (4.36), 7 PM
On April 11, Dice-K held Seattle to three earned runs and no walks in seven innings, though he lost on a night I was convinced Felix Hernandez (now on the disabled list with a strained elbow) was going to no-hit the Sox. The following night's game was rained out. This is the make-up.
Matsuzaka altered his between-starts routine this week by having a bullpen session two days after his last start rather than three.
In three starts as a Mariner, Ramirez has allowed 21 hits and 11 walks in 16.1 innings. He did have a nice outing against the Royals last Friday.
***
IP H R ER BB SO
0415 v TEX 6.0 7 5 1 3 1
0421 @ LAA 4.0 7 6 6 6 1
0427 v KC 6.1 7 1 1 2 4
16.1 21 12 8 11 6
Contest Update (Thursday, 11 AM): All dates in May and June are taken. ... After that, everything is available except for July 2, 3, 4, 12, 19, and September 30.
23 comments:
I'll take July 4.
July 4 is already taken, as noted above.
Baseball needs King Felix back up and pitching. It is rare that someone so dominant bursts on the scene at that age, and it would be a crime if his elbow prevents him from greatness.
..this should've had Red Sox content, but it doesn't. I just love the king.
..whoa, what happened THERE?
Where is J.D.?
7 runs given up by dice-k *cry*
We win. All is well.
This bullpen is unbelievable. You ask, they deliver. Superhuman.
You all know my thoughts on Matsuzaka, so no reason going into that again.
It was ugly, but a wins a win come late September. We'll take em all.
Tonights win makes them 15 and 3 vs teams 500 or greater. Off to Minnesota where SL will face the Ace on Sat.
Love this bullpen! Love love love.
Redsock, I'm worried about Matsusaka enough for the two of us. And I don't know that I'd refer to Donnelly and Snyder as "the lesser relievers..." Donnelly's only given up one earned run all season, and Snyder's been steady. I think they speak to the depth of our 'pen, not to some weakness in it.
Anyone who thinks it's easy to come from the Japanese Leagues to MLB and pitch well immediately is insane. Dice-K will be fine. He's still adjusting. Give him time.
Hideo Nomo, Takeshi Saito and Hideki Okajima wave hi, pokerwolf. None of these players were as highly touted as our $103m man, but they all succeeded brilliantly when they first came over from Japan. So far, our guy just walks everyone he sees and then gets burnt by singles.
Not impressed in the least. K rates don't matter when you melt down for at least an inning a game.
Gee Sean, I thought you said you weren't going into that again.
i don't mean to pull a Yankees announcers here, but really, the guy has an incredible amount of pressure on him because of the $103 mil. everyones watching every breath he takes/every thing he does...basically they're going to say it was a waste of money unless he pitches a 27 out, 81 pitch no hitter every time.
like really, by our standards this guy has given us some excellent starts. he goes deep into the game, and doesn't give up that many runs (cept last night) - he pitched phenominal in the two games before NY and got the losses, but pitched average vs NY and got the wins. everyones expecting him to be the greatest thing ever when its not going to happen. he's clearly dominant but he needs to settle into the league and stop having these one-inning meltdowns.
look at our pitching staff this year - its the strongest rotation its been in years, and the pen has been amazing. like really, back in 2005 we wouldve killed to have a guy like DK on staff instead of flopso wade miller. if we didnt get DK, who wouldve filled out the rotation? probably piniero or something.
Stop being so rational, Tim!
Who cares how much he cost? I'd rather have him in Boston than any place else -- and I (and you) got him for free.
(And, no, if the Sox hadn't won the bidding, beers and tickets would NOT be cheaper at Fenway. Business doesn't work that way.)
"I'm out." (laughter) "I'm outta the contest."
About Dice: I love the guy. I think he's gonna do fine. We're gonna be way better off with him than we would be without him. We already are.
Count me solidly on the Dice-K 'is gonna be real good' side. His stuff and mound presence are already impressive. Once he finds his pregame ritual, between game routine, adjusts to the sometimes tight strike zones (take that, rook) etc. etc., his command will be consistent and he'll be an innings-eater. In fact, if Redsock re-ran the ERA contest, I'd go lower.
I don't care how much he cost, when the wheels fell off last September I said that they better spend millions this offseason, and they did.
Look at how much money they take in...its been like what, 400,000 sellouts in a row now? At those ticket prices, they better be spending the big bucks to win.
As for the rationality, I can't help it! Jeeeze, sorry about the whole rational thing, I'll try to watch it from now on...
When I read tim's "Like really" am I the only one reading to the tone of Jeff Spicoli.
And about Dice, he has to be better,
5 game playoff series starts tommorrow.....
Would he pitch?
Or would it be Beckett, Wake, Schilling?
Pretty sure they'd use 4 starters, so yes.
hahaha, i dont know if thats necessarily a good or a bad thing!
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