May 20, 2007

G43: Red Sox 6, Atlanta 3

Gabbard (5-6-2-1-7, 100) used a biting curveball to easily outpitch Hudson (4.2-8-6-2-0, 82) (box). Gabbard was lifted after the first two Atlanta batters reached base in the sixth; Brendan Donnelly allowed both of them to score.

The Sox got all the runs they needed in the first inning, when Varitek hit a bases-loaded triple off Hudson and scored on Hinske's single. Pedroia doubled and scored on Ortiz's force in the second. Yook hit a solo home run around the Pesky Pole in the fifth.

Andruw Jones struck out swinging five times (including ending the game as the potential tying run against Papelbot).

Three other East teams lost this afternoon: Baltimore (now 10.5 GB), Toronto (11 GB) and Tampa Bay (12 GB). ... The Yankees (11 GB) play the Mets tonight.

***

Tim Hudson (1.77, 225 ERA+) / Kason Gabbard (2007 debut)

Lineup:
Crisp, CF
Youkilis, 3B
Ortiz, DH
Ramirez, LF
Drew, RF
Varitek, C
Hinske, 1B
Cora, SS
Pedroia, 2B
It's Connecticut Day at Fenway Park and (once again) intermittent light rain is in the forecast.

Lefty Gabbard made his major-league debut last July 22 in Seattle (5.1-8-3-2-2-3) (Ortiz played first base that day.). He posted a 3.51 ERA in seven appearances. In eight starts for Pawtucket this year, his ERA is 2.75.

(Tonight, the Mets go for a sweep of the Yankees, who will be sending out their 11th starting pitcher (and 7th rookie) this year. Boston used 14 starters last season.)

97 comments:

Sean O said...

Gabbard... oh.... boy.

Still, in less than 2 hours there will be beisbol, folks. hallelujiah.

Zenslinger said...

It's a whole different Hudson this year. I'm glad for his comeback...but today, he can take it easy.

I can't wait for this weekend to be over so I don't have to root against the Braves -- doubly, no less. Though I don't mind the Mets so much.

laura k said...

Re Gabbard, am I the only one who thinks of the Ramones?

[I also thought the pitcher Clippard you mentioned yesterday should face Gabbard. It just sounds right.]

allan said...

I'm calling him ClipArt.

Raining in Boston as of 1 PM..

laura k said...

Rain delay.

How about Clipboard? Clip Art is too good, he can't be art.

allan said...

Thank you, Rain, for delaying this game until I can finish the work I am doing. I'll let you know when you can stop.

allan said...

Globe, 1:26 PM:

"Despite the fact that it is not really raining here at Fenway Park (and the fact that the game isn't schedule to start for another 40 minutes), we've gone into a rain delay.

Heavy bands of rain are expected in the area (plus it takes about 45 minutes to take the tarp off the field), so it looks like perhaps about an hour rain delay."

So maybe a 2:45 start?

allan said...

Still a steady rain at 2:30. Extra Bases

s1c said...

As bad as it has been for the Yankees there are other teams that have even worse problems. From ESPN.com's power rankings - "How bad are the Rangers hurting? Ron Washington pulled a hammy on his way to dispute a call."

Of course the Sox are #1 in the power rankings.

laura k said...

1st pitch expected 4:35.

I can't believe Extra Innings has kept NESN on this whole time.

Joe Grav said...

worth the wait.

allan said...

Varitek triples with the bases loaded and scores on Hinske's single. 4-0. Sox still hitting in the first.

allan said...

Don is jabbering away like a random number generator!!!

Zenslinger said...

Man, that was beautiful.

s1c said...

Varitek is now 2 for 9 with bases loaded this year. Both hits have came on this homestand a double on Mothers day and the triple today. Sweeeet!!!

Joe Grav said...

those 4 guys yelling "Hud-son" are driving me nuts

Joe Grav said...

ha-ha!! woodward screws up turning the DP, 5-0

ODawg said...

those 4 guys yelling "Hud-son" are driving me nuts

Is that what they're saying? I was trying to figure it out. It's bad enough on TV -- imagine having to sit near them in the park.

allan said...

They may also be driving Hudson nuts!!!

Joe Grav said...

there's like, 4 of them, and they're obviously way back in the seats because the mic is picking them up individually... so im guessing hudson can't hear them

Joe Grav said...

gabbard fan club!

Zenslinger said...

Chanting is indeed annoying.

Gabbard looks pretty darn good.

Sean O said...

Holy crap, what happened here?

Joe Grav said...

in general i am not opposed to heckling and chanting, but it sounds dumb when there's 5 people doing it in a 36,000 seat stadium

allan said...

Maybe the other 35,995 people should make some noise. Drown 'em out.

Gabba Gabba Hey!!!!

s1c said...

hmmm, I have dreams, dreams of two lefties in the starting rotation next year, I can just see it now, Beckett, Lester, Matsuzaka, Gabbard and Wakefield being the starting rotation.

Most importantly, that top 4 being under 30 and locked up for 3 - 6 years.

allan said...

That Remy clip will never get old!

Joe Grav said...

let's not get ahead of ourselves yet, planning next year's rotation! cmon now haha

Joe Grav said...

1-2-3 finally for Hudddddddd-son.

Joe Grav said...

there goes the perfect game

allan said...

Remy throws in a "getting the bad news"!

allan said...

KKKKKKason!

Sean O said...

So, a quick request for anyone out there. We're trying to get tickets to Fenway for someone at work who does so much for everyone. He throws a party for everyone who works there at the end of our season (which is in a few days), and we would love to surprise him with 2 tickets to the Sox.

If you know of anyone looking to sell 2, let me know. We'd really appreciate it, and unfortunately I only have single tickets for the rest of the year, otherwise I'd happily give up any pair I have.

thanks.

s1c said...

at the risk of jinxing this, the way both pitchers are settling in this could be one quick game. A win also puts the Sox up 10.5 games going into the Bronx.

Joe Grav said...

*knock on wood*

laura k said...

And the Yanks are a game out... of last. :)

Joe Grav said...

gabby's getting squeezed so far. his outing could be even more quick and impressive if he got some borderline strike calls aside from that one on the 3-0 against Francoeur.

Joe Grav said...

f*** the wave

laura k said...

well, i'll say it: fuck the wave.

the fuck the fans who think that's what you do at a ballgame.

Joe Grav said...

not just fuck, but "the fuck"? Wow!
hahaha










uh oh.................

gabbard's in trouble

allan said...

Anyone does the wave -- toss 'em out of the park forever.

And give the seats to some real fans.

That will be my first act as Commissioner.

Joe Grav said...

that was the epitome of a Pesky shot! YOOOOOOOK!

6-0

laura k said...

not just fuck, but "the fuck"? Wow!

The typo. :)

Joe Grav said...

Tek is surprising me with his bat this year. I would have been happy with .240 just to have him behind the plate, but he's back to his old pre-'06 hitting numbers. Nice.

Joe Grav said...

Those four guys screaming "Hudson" are patting themselves on the back right now

laura k said...

"he's back to his old pre-'06 hitting numbers."

Re various threads about expecting good things to end - that's one thing I'm expecting to end. I can't believe he's going to keep this up. I would love to be wrong.

Joe Grav said...

By the way, I'm going to the North Shore Spirit opening game @ Nashua Pride this Thursday, so I'll be sure to take some pictures of El Guapo.

(For those of you who don't know, Guapo is pitching for the Nashua Pride of the independent Can-Am League this year).

Joe Grav said...

take him out

Joe Grav said...

Nice hand for K'Ace.

Tip your cap, dude.

Joe Grav said...

Attaway.

allan said...

Tek was pretty shitty with the bat for the second half of 2005 too.

Joe Grav said...

Don't look now, but a baseball game is a'brewin'.

s1c said...

obviously I didn't knock on my wooden head hard enough.

laura k said...

I used to dislike Chipper Jones - until he ragged on Mets fans. During the Mets/Braves playoffs, they were chanting at Shea - Laaaa-reeee, Laaa-reeee. Chipper said when the playoffs were over all the Mets fans would go home and put on their Yankees gear.

I could never truly dislike him after that.

laura k said...

"Don't look now, but a baseball game is a'brewin'. "

Perhaps, but we have an air-tight bullpen. No worries.

Joe Grav said...

ruh-roh...

laura k said...

Don is showing off saying Salty's full name, but yesterday he said it wrong like 10 times.

ODawg said...

Where were the home fans on that one??

allan said...

Nice grab by Manny!!!

laura k said...

Great catch. Just MBM.

s1c said...

Youk is smokeing hot, hope he keeps this up in the bronx.

laura k said...

YOOOOOOK. The Greek God of Hits.

allan said...

AL East Watch: O's, Rays and Jays have all lost today. MFY tonight.

s1c said...

Hero in the Dark? With a four run lead? With three games coming up in the Bronx? Where is our bullpen depth?

laura k said...

Here comes The Jeemer!

Yes, I'm going to say it: Go Mets.

laura k said...

Hero in the Dark?

Words cannot describe how much I hate this nickname.

allan said...

Come on, Jeemer, get that ERA+ over 1,000, ya bum!

laura k said...

Oh, no offense meant, s1c. I replied to you in an old thread back there somewhere.

ODawg said...

Come on, Jeemer, get that ERA+ over 1,000, ya bum!

It got a little hairy there, but you got your wish.

Zenslinger said...

ERA's intact even if his WHIP took a hit!

Paps in the ninth with the Yanks coming up? Or don't we fear them enough to want to save him?

s1c said...

? I must have missed that thread? As for offense, none taken. Unlike some, I live by the old navy rule, "if we ain't ribbing you, then we don't like you"

Zenslinger said...

All right, what is with the "Sweet Caroline" in the eighth? I thought that was only played & sung after a victory.

laura k said...

I believe Sweet Caroline is in the same place it's always been. It's Dirty Watah after I win.

Now I understand what you meant yesterday, about the early Sweet Caroline being a thumb in the eye to the Braves. I don't think it was, I think it was the usual.

laura k said...

s1c, it was here. Nothing earth-shattering.

Good rule, that. More should consider adopting it.

laura k said...

It's Dirty Watah after I win.

Well, not after I win. After a Red Sox win. :/

Zenslinger said...

Guess I need to get my ass to Fenway.

s1c said...

Was wondering why the switch to jeemer. Now I understand :) !!!

Ok Papel-bot, lets wrap this up quickly.

Jackie said...

L-girl, I've heard people refer to the team as "we" many times, but first person singular is a new one for me. :) I sometimes play "Dirty Water" after I finish a particularly difficult Sudoku or crossword puzzle, though.

laura k said...

Snuffer!! Can't wait to see him work his magic in the Bronx.

s1c said...

Another freaking bloop hit, every time I see one I think of that scene in Bull Durham in the pool hall.

laura k said...

L-girl, I've heard people refer to the team as "we" many times, but first person singular is a new one for me. :)

My typos are so revealing. :)

Seriously tho, my ego is not quite that big.

laura k said...

Snuffer gets the save (but his ERA balloons).

Hooray for a Yankees series not on a weekend! Tomorrow's a holiday in Canada, and we're planning on celebrating.

allan said...

Not a save situation when he came in, so no save.

laura k said...

Oops.

Now on the New York series.

s1c said...

Sox are now 23 and 6 vs teams that were 500 or better when they played. On to the Bronx where the Yanks have top 3 starters facing our #4, #5 and #3 starters.

laura k said...

where the Yanks have top 3 starters facing our #4, #5 and #3 starters

That shouldn't worry anyone here. I won't be at all surprised if we take 2 out of 3.

9casey said...

s1c said:
On to the Bronx where the Yanks have top 3 starters facing our #4, #5 and #3 starters.


Schill has dropped to #3?
In that case wouldn't Wake be our 2?

And besides Pettite there 2 and 3 have'nt been as good as our 4-5 as of late....2 out of 3 mandatory

9casey said...

Hinske and Cora when they play may not hit but it seems like they make every play?

laura k said...

I am loathe to say anything nice about Mets fans, but man, Shea sounds like Fenway tonight. A certain chant coming through the ESPN broadcast loud and clear.

****

I hate interleague play for so many reasons. But most of all, because it makes me cheer for the Mets.

laura k said...

"2 out of 3 mandatory"

Mandatory - yes!!

9casey said...

l-girl said:
I hate interleague play for so many reasons.

I always thought I would to . But I have grown to like it.

9casey said...

Kevin Youkilis leads all american league first baseman in average, fourth in RBI's, 1st in hits, Has a 429 on base pct. 3rd in doubles,4th in home runs , 3rd in ops. and has a 1000 fielding pct...

And it maybe up the fans to the get this guy as a write in into the All-Star game.......

And how do you do that without voting for Papi?

Zenslinger said...

I think the Yanks would have to sweep us to really get any momentum. That's not going to happen. They could conceivably take two of three, which might encourage them somewhat but not really salve their wounds. Most likely, we take two of three. If we sweep them, it's another big blow.

Joe Grav said...

2 out of 3 would give them a little mo'. Gotta take 2 out of 3 here while we're smokin' hot. I still believe that eventually the Yanks will make "the run" - until they do, strike while the fire is hot, lads!

Jackie said...

I still believe that eventually the Yanks will make "the run" - until they do, strike while the fire is hot, lads!

Yup. The only good thing about playing the Yankees so much so early is that it gives us a chance to beat up on them before the trading deadline.

s1c said...

9casey said s1c said:
On to the Bronx where the Yanks have top 3 starters facing our #4, #5 and #3 starters.
Schill has dropped to #3?
In that case wouldn't Wake be our 2?


Beckett #1
Daisuke #2

Wake will be the #4 since even he doesn't know where that knuckler is going

9casey said...

s1c said:
Beckett #1
Daisuke #2


What has Schill done to be #3
and better yet what has Daisuke done to be #2.......

I assume this is your opinion because of the last 2 starts...And not looking at the whole body of work.

I will take Schilling on the mound at Yankee Stadium anyday over anybody