April 27, 2011

G23: Orioles 5, Red Sox 4

Red Sox - 000 000 040 - 4 10  0
Orioles - 000 310 01x - 5 10  0
The Red Sox erased Baltimore's 4-0 lead in a span of four batters, against a trio of Orioles relievers. But Daniel Bard (seemingly in an eye-blink) allowed three consecutive singles in the bottom of the inning, and the Orioles won the second game of the series 5-4.

Jacoby Ellsbury singled to right off Jeremy Accardo (on an 0-2 pitch) to start the top of the eighth inning and Dustin Pedroia walked. Lefty Clay Rapada came in and Adrian Gonzalez smacked his full-count pitch to left for an RBI single. Buck Showalter then called on Koji Uehara, who promptly surrendered a three-run home run to Kevin Youkilis.

After that game-tying rally, Boston's prospects seemed bright, so the Baltimore eighth was pure annoyance and frustration. Nick Markakis grounded a hard single into right and took second when Derrek Lee lined a hit to left. Bard's first pitch to Vlad Guerrero got away from Jason Varitek for a passed ball and the runners advanced to second and third.

Bard's next pitch was in the dirt and Vlad swung and missed, but the ball again got by Varitek. Markaskis raced home, and Varitek shovelled the ball to Bard, who was covering the plate. It didn't look like Bard had a shot at a tag, but his left foot was perfectly placed to block Markakis's left hand from reaching the dish, and Bard was able to tag him out!

Lee took third on that play, and there was still only one out, but it felt like Boston had dodged a big bullet. Then Vlad lined the next pitch into center field and Lee trotted home with the go-ahead run.

Facing Kevin Gregg in the ninth, Marco Scutaro (hitting for Varitek) flied out to right, Ellsbury popped to third, and Pedroia grounded to third. Nine pitches, and the game was over.

Beckett (6-7-4-0-4, 92) allowed three runs in a span of only seven pitches in the fourth. Lee doubled, and Luke Scott and Adam Jones hit back-to-back home runs. (Lee's double was actually a very catchable pop fly to short right center. Pedroia seemed ready and able to grab it, but he peeled away at the very last second and the ball dropped closest to Ellsbury.) Two singles, a wild pitch, and a sac fly scored another Oriole run in the fifth inning.

In addition to Yook's dong, the other bright spots for the Sox were: Ellsbury's double and two singles, two hits each from Gonzalez and David Ortiz, and a single and two walks from J.D. Drew.
Example
Josh Beckett / Jeremy Guthrie

Beckett has made four starts this season, and his last three have been excellent; he has allowed only three runs in 23 innings (1.17 ERA), with five walks and 24 strikeouts. Opposing batters are hitting .107/.173/.173.

After bottoming out with a .156 average and .229 OBP on April 10, Jacoby Ellsbury has hit .267/.340/.533 in 50 plate appearances. ... Jason Varitek gets the nod behind the plate tonight. After starting only three of Boston's first 12 games, he has started seven of the last 11 games.

The Red Sox hit Guthrie very well. Among David Ortiz's 10 hits against Guthire are five doubles and three home runs.

AL East: White Sox/Yankees at 7 PM; Blue Jays/Rangers and Rays/Twins at 8 PM.

139 comments:

allan said...

Ellsbury, CF
Pedroia, 2B
Gonzalez, 1B
Youkilis, 3B
Ortiz, DH
Drew, RF
Lowrie, SS
Crawford, LF
Varitek, C

allan said...

The Globe's Mark Leccese shares his feelings about being swamped by the huge amount of sports coverage these days. He mentions (and links to) JoS:

"There are amateur blogs (Boston Sports Journal, Joy of Sox, Toeing the Rubber and Zuri Berry, just to name four) and so many professional blogs I'm not even going to try to count. Boston.com alone has nineteen (scroll down) sports blogs."

Dr. Jeff said...

Sitting at home I watched Dodgers/Marlins and some of Brewers/Reds, both went into extra innings. Do you have on hand the % of regular season games that go 10 or more innings?

allan said...

Brian Roberts 2B
Nick Markakis RF
Derrek Lee 1B
Vladimir Guerrero DH
Luke Scott LF
Adam Jones CF
Mark Reynolds 3B
Matt Wieters C
Robert Andino SS

allan said...

For the last few years, roughly 8% of 9% of games went into extras.

2007: 215 of 2431: 8.84%
2008: 210 of 2428: 8.65%
Mid-2009: 91 of 1016: 8.96%

allan said...

Dodgers: Andre Ethier extended his hitting streak to 24 games.

Dr. Jeff said...

Those stats are amazingly consistent, thanks for looking that up.

s1c said...

Hit Guthrie very well - after the first 8 innings of his career - don't forget - he was the starter in the Mothers Day Miracle - Was it just me or did the Sox seem like they were sleep walking last night?

Jere said...

Remy replaced tonight by...Rick Dempsey! Maybe he'll slide across the booth on his belly.

allan said...

MASN = mute.

Amy said...

Damn, NESN does not have the game and NESN Plus doesn't either.

STUPID HOCKEY.

allan said...

We figure that's why we have not been getting NESN at all, because the Sox are on some NESN+ or whatever.

Amy said...

OK, here it is. Phew.

s1c said...

Amy - NESN PLUS FOR THE GAME!!!

allan said...

Which means I am not much of a Bruins fan ....

s1c said...

NESN - has the bruins (hey they do own a percentage of NESN don't forget)

Amy said...

For some reason NESN Plus did not start at exactly 7 pm so I panicked!

Jere said...

Dempsey: "I wish we had [Pedroia]."

Amy said...

Are there any O's fans at the park? It's so empty, and the cheering for that hit was pretty loud.

Jere said...

The NY State Thruway is CLOSED, Guthrie! Getting good Wood off this guy whether his pitches are Arlo or high.

Jere said...

goddamn. should be up 2-0 minimum.

Amy said...

A wasted opportunity.

They strand two. Why not a pair?

Jere said...

so they open up the Warehouse to fans? NESN showed a shot from up there and there were people with beers looking out the window.

Jere said...

Creat Catch

allan said...

nice catch, but where is the high 5 to the fan?

Jere said...

2 straight no-hitters Beckett's lost on balls to the mound that hit his glove.

Jere said...

Yes! Orsillo mentions Dempsey's belly slide in the 1st inning! They better break out the video.

allan said...

I remember watching him do that when I was a teenager. I'm sure Don does too.

allan said...

Vlad:

Now 88 PA & 0 BB

s1c said...

Dempsey showing "on fire" some love - yeah boy

RedSoxDiehard said...

What happened to Remy? Is he OK? I got home just in time for the 2nd pitch of the game, but missed the open.

RedSoxDiehard said...

nice catch, but where is the high 5 to the fan?

:)

I was thinking this last night as someone was making a catch. He was drifting back to the wall, and I'm yelling at the TV, "High five the fan! It doesn't count if there's no high five!"

Amy said...

Guess I was right that there are more Sox fans than O's fans there.

Amy said...

Diehard, Don said Jerry is under the weather. I hope nothing serious.

Amy said...

Lots of love for Tek from Dempsey. :)

Amy said...

I also liked how he recognized how hard the catcher's job is. Part of why I am such a catcher fan.

Dr. Jeff said...

Any word about how Ellsbury and Yook are getting along this year?

allan said...

CWS - 000
MFY - 300

Jere said...

"I also liked how he recognized how hard the catcher's job is. "


Q: How do you know when the announcer's a former catcher?

A: He'll let ya know.

Amy said...

Doesn't mean he isn't telling the truth!

Patrick said...

Lowrie is due, but always think he's due for a hit.

Dr. Jeff said...

Article about the lost Blackhawk winning puck mentions Mientkiewicz and the saga of the '04 WS ball.

Dr. Jeff said...

Ortiz so dead.

Amy said...

Damn, Papi!

Dr. Jeff said...

Why is he looking at the ball???

Patrick said...

Wickid bummah

allan said...

yeah, 2 outs and all, but FUCK YOU BOGAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

s1c said...

WTF - fire that 3rd base coach

Kathryn said...

Hey all. I'm just in from dinner with the girls. I wasn't happy to hear the missed opportunity in the first...and now this.

Score some runs next inning.

Dr. Jeff said...

Did Beckett just give Ellsbury the evil eye?

allan said...

lackey would have been down on his hands and knees throwing a fit.

thanks, vlad, for that important out.

Jere said...

Dempsey: "I remember Dwight Evans, game on the line, bases loaded, and I picked him off third base."

Not so fast, Rick. It was second and third, and it was 1-1 in the FIFTH. (9/8/79--this has to be the game he meant)

(Weird, that game was on my birthday, and while looking it up, Dempsey said how the ball girl got hit in the face. I looked up and said "WHO got hit in the face?" and Kim walks through the room, hears me, and not knowing the context, says, "Bryce Florie." That play also was on my birthday, 9/8/2000.)

Jere said...

Gave him the Lackeye

Amy said...

ARGGGH

allan said...

scott doesn't let the release of obama's birth certificate get him down....

Patrick said...

I stepped out of the room for a second, and we're down 2-0

Patrick said...

I take a moment to write about being down 2-0 and we're down 3-0

Dr. Jeff said...

Did Beckett's ERA just triple?

allan said...

salty could have called those pitches.

Jere said...

why is there no talk of a replay?

Jere said...

okay, i know this is in the "asking a lot" file, but i HAVE seen major leaguers climb fences, and I'm just sayin', Carl had enough time to at least get a foot up on that wall, grab the top of it, pull himself up, or whatever.

Patrick said...

I really want to get to .500 sooner than later.

allan said...

came back to the room and masn is showing beckett jawing with the ump about not getting calls guthrie is getting (i assume)

allan said...

look - a young man with no legs! yay, useless war!


beckett looked hot enough to get tossed, but i don't think he was. still on bench

Kathryn said...

Hey Mom, look what I found. Ugh.

allan said...

nice work, salty.

Jere said...

needed that shit

Patrick said...

runs runs runs runs runs runs runs runs runs runs runs runs runs runs runs runs runs runs runs runs runs

allan said...

beckett allowed those 4 runs in the span of 15 pitches.

first 3 runs came in a group of 7 pitches.

Patrick said...

Did Scott do something after his home run?

Dale Arnold suggesting he might get intentionally plunked.

Zenslinger said...

Beckett's WHIP on the year still only 0.85.

Patrick said...

argh, close but not close enough

Kathryn said...

Maybe we can get to their bullpen??

Jere said...

"Did Scott do something after his home run?"

Flipped bat, Josh glared at him as he went around the bases

Jere said...

Dempsey: "middle in"

You're supposed to be replacing Remy, not imitating him!

allan said...

Dem-dawg?

allan said...

rally time.

(wake up)

Patrick said...

I'm traumatized by the 2-10 start. Seeing this sad lack of offense makes me want to curl up and moan pathetically.

Patrick said...

I feel like the appearance of Wakefield means the game is over, one way or another.

Still I listen and hope.

allan said...

that last half-inning of "battng" was sadder than seeing wakefield.

Kathryn said...

I remember the O's doing this several times last year...squelching momentum as we were making a run.

allan said...

top of the order in the 8th...

Patrick said...

This is our best chance. Here we go, runs!

Patrick said...

Adrian is due. Gotta bust out of his 6HR pace.

Jere said...

Dempsey out, Cafardo in.

allan said...

wow, now i am THRILLED i have masn.

Patrick said...

This has the feel of a rally.

allan said...

the table has been set

Jere said...

Yeah but Cafardo's a low talker, and with the crowd loud, I haven't understood a word he's said.

Kathryn said...

This guy gave up 3 runs to the MFY in 1/3 of an inning. Called up from Norfolk. Let's GO!!

Kathryn said...

He really is a low talker.

Jere said...

4-1. Now tie it Weaver-style.

Patrick said...

Nice! Keep it going, boys!

Patrick said...

YES!!!!AHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

KEEP THE FAITH!!!

Dr. Jeff said...

YOOOOK! Finally!

Jere said...

Weaver Style, hahahaha!!!

Kathryn said...

On that first swing, I told my husband that Youk just can't hit the ball right now. WOW!!

s1c said...

YOOOUUUKKK

allan said...

SULTAN OF SWEAT

Jere said...

I love how Don watches a CLOSE-UP of the ball landing in FRONT of the seat in the front row and calls it "the third row."

Amy said...

ALL RIGHT! WE HAVE A BALL GAME!

Amy said...

Guess we needed Dempsey to leave the broadcast booth.

Jere said...

cafardo droning on and on and on...and i still haven't heard a word of it

allan said...

count your blessings....

Jere said...

play it like you've got a lead, Tito

Zenslinger said...

I emerge from student conferences to this Youky good news.

Amy said...

Bard in!

Amy said...

Cafardo---just below my hearing range. :)

Amy said...

Come on, Bard. CUT IT OUT.

Jere said...

0-2 bard, come on!

Jere said...

meaning, Come on, how could leave a pitch over the plate on GD 0-2

Jere said...

insult to injury, another tied hockey game. does any hockey game MOT go overtime? I was 2 minutes away from getting HD baseball.

RedSoxDiehard said...

Tekalamacchia...

Amy said...

sigh...

allan said...

friggin cactus

allan said...

YESSSSSSSSSSSSS

Amy said...

Whoa...

Jere said...

holy shit what a play! Bard (I assume) blocks the plate!

Dr. Jeff said...

INcredible

Patrick said...

The fake passed ball play is a gamble but it payed off this time.

allan said...

blocks the plate withhis left foot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jere said...

yup, left foot blocked it. oh fuck you

Amy said...

GODDAMNIT

allan said...

deflating ........

Kathryn said...

Can he catch??

Oh crap.

allan said...

hey look, bard retired a batter.

allan said...

okay ...

tek and the top of the order.

Patrick said...

Oy, this has been a rollercoaster.

allan said...

better get a full glass of "rally juice".

allan said...

time for another useless horrible home run, lyndon

meunier said...

PH and the top of the order then I assume.

Amy said...

This is exasperating...

Amy said...

Good night. Can we avoid a sweep please?

Kathryn said...

CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP

Stinky clean water.

Patrick said...

Orioles whip out the britta filter

Jere said...

F

allan said...

And the pitcher who served up Yook's dong gets the win!

RedSoxDiehard said...

blocks the plate withhis left foot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I wanted to say maybe he could be our new catcher, but before I could even appreciate that play the game sucked again. Grrr!

SoSock said...

2 straight to the damn Orioles?

Really?

Oh well, we all know you're going to lose a couple in a row once in a while.But did it have to be to the damn Orioles? We should killl them every time we play them