Yankees - 000 020 000 - 2 10 0Do you ever wonder when Manny Ramirez last felt pressure during a baseball game?
Red Sox - 311 202 00x - 9 15 0
After his comments of a week ago and his knee problems evolved into a weekend media frenzy, playing before a national television audience for the second straight day, and with his team facing the possibility of being swept by the Yankees and falling into third place in the AL East, you might think Manny would be concerned about having a good game.
Maybe he was nervous. But once the rain cleared and the game began around 9 PM, it looked like Manny didn't have a care in the world. He made a superb catch deep in the left field corner, over by the side door, to end the top of the first inning, gliding over cool as a cucumber. In the home half, he doubled to right-center on the second pitch he saw, driving in the Red Sox's first run of the night. That RBI also gave him the distinction of having the most career RBIs of any Dominician Republic-born player.
Manny ripped another double in the third (and later scored), hit a bomb that was hauled in by Melky Cabrera at the very deepest point in the park, singled in a run in the sixth, and skied to right in the eighth.
He was ably assisted by -- going down the lineup card -- Dustin Pedroia (single, double, run, RBI), Kevin Youkilis (single, 2 runs), David Ortiz (single, home run, 2 runs, 3 RBI), Mike Lowell (single, 2 RBI), J.D. Drew (2 walks), Jason Varitek (double, RBI), Alex Cora (2 singles, run) and Jacoby Ellsbury (2 singles, double, run).
Most of the Sox had their way with Ponson (4-10-7-1-1, 77), as 12 of the 22 batters to face him reached base.
Lester (7-9-2-1-8, 113) was aces once again, stranding one runner in each of the first four innings, falling into trouble in the fifth by allowing four straight singles and a walk before recording an out, then retiring his last nine batters.
It was a perfect, feel-good night -- a welcome tonic before the Angels series that begins Monday night.
***
Sidney Ponson (4.02, 103 ERA+) / Jon Lester (3.20, 137 ERA+)
Ponson's four starts with the Yankees:
22.2 IP, 28 H, 11 BB, 11 K
4.37 ERA, 1.72 WHIP, .318/.412/.477
Boston has scored more than four runs only once in the last nine games (4-5). In that stretch -- dating back to July 13, the game before the break -- they are batting .248 and slugging .356.
The current Boston roster has hit .379/.452/.546 against Ponson in 199 PAs, with David Ortiz (.444/.563/.722) and Manny Ramirez (.404/.481/.511) leading the way.
A loss tonight will drop them to third place.
Win.
Also: Rays/Royals, 2 PM -- Update: Royals 6-1!
648 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 601 – 648 of 648Eww, it was gross! I missed it earlier.
I think moderation is coming back on...
601 = me
Sox have to face Weaver, Lackey and Saunders next three days. Would be nice to see some payback the next three days.
Steep hill to climb...
But Lackey usually displays THE FACE in Fenway Park.
And it's Weaver's face to begin with. (Actually it was his brother's face, but whatever.)
Yes, it is. Gotta get out of here, go home, have a beer and bang out a recap!
(I eat this shit for breakfast, apparently!)
And off to bed.
Gasp. A Red Sox/Yankees game that was UNDER three hours.
Take a few hits from the official JoS bong first
Bang on, Allan. Bang on.
I have no fear of any mystical, probably non-existant being who I have never seen before, who offers wisdom in the form of the written word - except for L-girl
Will the fear remain after you've seen the source of the wisdom at JoS 1?
I have no fear of any mystical, probably non-existant being who I have never seen before, who offers wisdom in the form of the written word - except for L-girl
Hey, I exist!
Good night, all! See you for another win tomorrow!
A nice job by Lester tonight. And I for one am DAMN glad that Manny showed some of the non-believers that he is still the man, on the field and at the plate!
How fortunate that he got several opportunities tonight to prove them all right, and lo and behold he did just the opposite!
Cool.
And I will NOT start into any stories about opium, acid, hashish, speed, ludes,.......where was I?
Oh yeah. And I will NOT mention that my LL team won both games of a doubleheader today and are 1 win away from a district championship.
Not gonna do it.
Good night all. See you tomorrow night.
I have no proof of your existence... sorry
A real live must-win win. Thank you Manny and Lester and...and Timlin. Thank you.
Will the fear remain after you've seen the source of the wisdom at JoS 1?
The fear will probably increase, along with the admiration
That's how the biblethumpers say the deity thing works, right?
Will the fear remain after you've seen the source of the wisdom at JoS 1?
He'll be staying here in a few weeks, coming up with a million people to see the Sox at Skydome. (All million are not staying with us, tho.)
So soon any notions of mysticism and intimidation will be dispelled.
(All million are not staying with us, tho.)
Probably for the best. That would take more than the aforementioned backyard, I suspect...
(All million are not staying with us, tho.)
That's what you think
That's how the biblethumpers say the deity thing works, right?
Dunno... I don't talk to them anymore, they just make me mad.
Zen - I could tell you had a hard time getting Timlin's name in there.
The best thing is, given the nature of these JoS conversations, you can not complain if I show up to your house sloshed on saturday night
...
:-p
Just got back from watching the game with my Mom and Dad.
What a perfect game!
All is well in the Land of the Red Sox.
Maybe I'll leave a 'thank you' gift of John McCain bumper stickers
We are the last people who would complain about a friend showing up sloshed. Just make sure you get in the right house.
If people are speaking Polish, leave right away.
Maybe I'll leave a 'thank you' gift of John McCain bumper stickers
That, on the other hand...
Drunk, high, insane: all fine. Republican: go next door and learn Polish.
Probably for the best. That would take more than the aforementioned backyard, I suspect...
There's a school with a soccer pitch nearby.
That's it, folks. Comments will have to wait for Allan to come home. G'night.
Night!
redsock, I've been meaning to ask you - are you familiar with the pre-I Don't Like Mondays-era Boomtown Rats? their first three albums?
I think you'd like them.
Old Boomtown Rats sounds more like my department. I saw them when their first album came out.
Why am I still awake???
OMG really??? I am so jealous. They are my all-time favorite
are you familiar with the pre-I Don't Like Mondays-era Boomtown Rats? their first three albums?
I have no idea what they sound like.
I remember hearing "Rat Trap" -- as far as I know the only other old song I have heard (we got a Montreal FM rock station in northern VT). I see that is on their 2nd record.
Because the Red Sox are awesome
I am sending you "A Tonic For the Troops" tout suite.
i'll email you tomorrow and put some files up on sendspace. if you enjoy them i can bring some copies to the Palace in a few weeks.
g'night!
i can't go to bed without RECAP magic
what do you guys think about this whole manny thing? (kidding)
but in all seriousness, if what gammons is saying is true (this is manny's last year as a red sock) i will most definitely be depressed about it.
how can you replace him. i understand if you give me a whole bunch of numbers, but his presence. his fucking magic.
would you guys be ok with the manny ers over? and then, what if he became a MFY? It would make more sense for him to go to the mets... but there's always a chance of MFY sticking it to us, even if its just for one year.
thats manny era, rather.
would you guys be ok with the manny ers over?
I can't see any other possibility, but I'm not ready for it to end. No way. But I also know that the Red Sox can do a lot with his $$ off the books.
there's always a chance of MFY sticking it to us, even if its just for one year.
Manny will not sign anywhere for one year. Gammo mentioned a four-year deal (at a possible $25 per, which is insane, and something I think Gammons must be making up), but which AL team would give MBM a deal until age 40?
I hope that if Manny now knows he'll be a free agent, he'll starting raking like a MFer for the rest of the season, doing everything he can to wow whoever his new employer might be.
(But that's also why he might sit out a game rather than risk a knee injury -- that wouldn't be good for his next deal.)
but which AL team would give MBM a deal until age 40?
probably none, thats why he'll probably become a met, no? with pedro there as well, it'd def help.
thats all i hear them complain about on WFAN "the mets need a LF that can hit, wah, wah, wah..."
i know nothing gold can stay, but i just don't want that day to come sooner rather than later.
probably none, thats why he'll probably become a met, no?
The Mets, where greats-in-decline go to die.
i know nothing gold can stay, but i just don't want that day to come sooner rather than later.
Ditto.
They are my all-time favorite
I know this. :)
I didn't continue to follow them, but I liked them at the time. About a million years ago.
nixon33 said...
i know nothing gold can stay, but i just don't want that day to come sooner rather than later
Amen, Ponyboy
The Mets, where greats-in-decline go to die.
ha. i was thinking the same thing last night, but in terms of the national league.
oh the national league, where where the greats are put out to pasture!
Amen, Ponyboy
yeah... or robert frost ;)
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