July 3, 2011

G83: Red Sox 2, Astros 1

Red Sox  - 000 100 001 - 2  6  0
Astros   - 000 010 000 - 1  6  1
Beckett (8-5-1-0-11, 102) kept the Astros under his spell while the Red Sox tried and tried and tried to put a second run on the board. They finally snapped the 1-1 tie thanks to a bases loaded walk with two outs in the ninth inning. Boston's first run scored on an infield error. Whatever works...

The Red Sox left 12 men on base, ending the third, fourth, and ninth innings with the bases loaded. They were 1-for-12 with RATS. The Astros pitchers walked 22 Red Sox batters in the three-game series, including nine on Friday and 10 today. Boston pitchers issued four walks, all on Saturday.

Boston began the fourth with Kevin Youkilis's single and a walk to J.D. Drew. After Josh Reddick struck out, Yamaico Navarro singled to load the bases. Jason Varitek grounded to first baseman Brett Wallace, who threw home. His throw was extremely high; catcher Carlos Corporan leapt, but could not hold on the ball, and Youkilis scored (who was yelping in pain after sliding in safely when Corporan landed on his right foot/ankle).

The Red Sox had the first two men on in both the fifth and seventh innings, but could not do a damn thing, failing to advance any of the runners, and hitting into a double play in each inning.

With one out in the ninth, pinch-hitter Drew Sutton fell behind 0-2 and worked Mark Melancon for an eight-pitch walk. Jacoby Ellsbury singled to right. Dustin Pedroia grounded the ball into the shortstop hole. Clint Barmes had a play at third base, but he went to second instead. There was no relay to first, so the Sox had runners at first and third with two outs. The Astros decided to intentionally walk Adrian Gonzalez and load the bases for Youkilis. Melancon threw three high pitches to Yook, dropped in a strike, and then threw ball four, forcing in a run.

Jonathan Papelbon struck out the first two batters in the bottom of the ninth. He allowed a single to Wallace, but came back to strike out Chris Johnson to complete the sweep. (The 2-2 pitch before Wallace's single was a borderline (though very callable) strike, so Bot ended up striking out four batters to get out of the inning.)

The Red Sox are now 1.5 GB, as the Yankees lost to the Mets 3-2 in 10 innings. Mariano Rivera blew the save in the ninth and Jason Bay singled in the winning run in the 10th. New York shortstop Ramiro Pena committed two errors (one in the ninth and one in the tenth) on routine plays to aid the Mets.
Example
Josh Beckett / Jordan Lyles

Yamaico Navarro - 5.000 OPS in 2011! - starts today at shortstop.

Lyles is a 20-year-old right-hander who made his major league debut on May 31. In six starts, he has a 4.75 ERA.

Baseball Prospectus 2011:
Lyles reached Triple-A as a 19-year-old barely two years after he was selected by the Astros in the supplemental round of the 2008 draft ... Lyles draws rave reviews for his maturity and mound presence ... His stuff is not dominant, but plays up because of his approach and ability to keep things unpredictable, mixing a 90-92 mph fastball with late life, a big-breaking curveball, a slider capable of snapping lumber, and a changeup that's already a swing-and-miss offering.
ESPNBoston's Jeremy Lundblad, with some June stats re Adrian Gonzalez:
Highest June AVG for Red Sox, Last 50 Years
                    AVG   YEAR
Wade Boggs         .485   1987 
Nomar Garciaparra  .452   2000 
Carl Yastrzemski   .415   1965 
Adrian Gonzalez    .404   2011 
Mike Greenwell     .404   1988
  
[Ted Williams hit .460 in June 1948]
Gonzalez was the first Red Sox batter to hit over .400 with 25+ RBI in any month since Manny Ramirez did it in his first month with Boston (April 2001, .408, 31).

Chad Finn, Globe/Twitter:
Finally figured out who Adrian Gonzalez reminds me of: Either Will Clark '87-'89, or a 15-year-old playing Little League.
AL East: Yankees/Mets at 1 PM and Cardinals/Rays at 1:30 PM.

146 comments:

Dr. Jeff said...

What do you think of this? Umps using the scoreboard to check the count, and also asking the catcher!

http://beta.news.yahoo.com/disputed-run-gives-san-diego-1-0-win-042437211.html

allan said...

And it was only a 7-pitch AB! Gameday has the pitches - csfbfbb - but no explanation.

allan said...

Stuff from PeteAbe:

Varitek, last 13 games: .326, 6 extra-base hits, 10 RBI

Ortiz: 0-for-last-20

Reddick: 14-for-29 since being recalled.

Pedroia, in 20 games since having his right knee examined: .367/.474/.608, 12 extra-base hits, 17 runs scored, 15 RBI

allan said...

Ellsbury, CF
Pedroia, 2B
Gonzalez, 1B
Youkilis, 3B
Drew, RF
Reddick, LF
Navarro, SS
Varitek, C
Beckett, P

Bourn, CF
Barmes, SS
Pence, RF
Lee, LF
Downs, 2B
Wallace, 1B
Johnson, 3B
Corporan, C
Lyles, P

allan said...

July 3, 1906 - Cleveland beats the visiting Tigers 5-0 in game called after six innings because of rain. Detroit outfielder Germany Schaefer plays the last few innings wearing a raincoat over his uniform. (At second base, I believe!)

allan said...

Billy Evans, AL umpire, St. Petersburg (Florida) Evening Independent, March 27, 1924:

To my way of thinking the late Germany Schaefer created one of the funniest situations I have ever seen on the ball field. The humor centers around his personal appearance rather than his play.

It was back in 1906, Detroit playing in Cleveland. The date was July 3. There was a crowd of about 5,000 in the stands. The weather was threatening, and not desiring to pick up any rain checks on the Fourth of July, the managers of the two clubs suggested that I make every effort to finish the game.

Larry Lajoie was managing Cleveland while Bill Armour was in charge of Detroit. Both agreed they would make their players hustle in and out and would tolerate no delays.

Everything went fine for three and one-half innings. In the last of the fourth inning, the Cleveland club made five runs. That started trouble.

The Detroit club four runs to the bad, with the promise of having rain end the game any minute, forgot all about their good resolutions in no way to delay the game.

Immediately every possible manner of stalling was indulged in. Nothing was overlooked. Jack Sheridan, who was umpiring the bases with me, peeved at the tatics of the Detroit club, suggested that I keep on playing regardless of how much rain fell.

The Cleveland club finally managed to retire the Tigers in the first of the fifth. That made it a ball game. It was raining hard. Both clubs were willing to quit and call it a day. However, Sheridan and I were soaking wet, also a bit sore, and we decided to keep on playing.

Three more innings were played in a downpour. When the Detroit club took the field for the last of the eighth, there was Schaefer at second, glove in one hand, umbrella in another, and wearing a rain coat buttoned high around his collar, borrowed from a fan. I called the game.

***

allan said...

MFY -
NYM -
Start delayed by rain

STL - 0
FKR -

Jere said...

Score early/often today!

Jere said...

Beckett winner, Bourn loser

Jere said...

Clint mint according to Beckett

Jere said...

The hunter hunted by Hunter

Jere said...

Almost doublee good

Jere said...

Pop up mats down 'stros' fros.

Jere said...

check out the big whiff on brett

Jere said...

CorporOTT

Jere said...

Yanks Mets about to start it appears.

allan said...

Jordan Lyles is pitching a PERFECT GAME!!!
Jordan Lyles is pitching a PERFECT GAME!!!
Jordan Lyles is pitching a PERFECT GAME!!!
Jordan Lyles is pitching a PERFECT GAME!!!
Jordan Lyles is pitching a PERFECT GAME!!!

Jere said...

We can still score often and fairly early.

Jere said...

uh...I guess he threw a ball while we watched the Taco Bell logo

allan said...

Anti-semitic ad behind the plate?

Jere said...

When in Texas for Opening Day, I went to one of those HEB stores. Holy shit. It was bigger than my whole state.

Jere said...

Check out our beer section: HEBrews!

allan said...

If there is an ad for "N-I-G" next inning, I'll know something is definitely up.

Kathryn said...

I'm having fun with family in Georgia. But I'm keeping up with the games. What got into McDonald last night?? That was a loooooong shot. Pun intended.

allan said...

Alvy Singer: "You know, I was having lunch with some guys from NBC, so I said, 'Did you eat yet or what?' And Tom Christie said, 'No, JEW?' Not 'Did you?'...JEW eat? JEW? You get it? JEW eat?"

Jere said...

Wow, I thought Beckett might get forced at second....

Jere said...

Beckett: "I've already turned away from the play by the time you faked the throw anyway."

Jere said...

4 in the third counts as early and often, Adrian

allan said...

That rally was stillbourn.

Jere said...

Uhhh....Jeter's missing a few games lately is the reason his name "jumps out at you"? Ya sure? I feel like Remy was about to say what the nation is thinking but wussed out.

Jere said...

An A-Bort for A-Gon?

allan said...

That's much better.

allan said...

I expect Jeter to be voted in as the AL's starting shortstop for at least three years after he retires.

Jere said...

It's really a lifetime achievement award for Jeter--he's been getting undue praise his whole life!

allan said...

Laura sez:
is anyone talking about what castig just said? possible new
independent league team in sugarland, tx, suburb of houston, to be called "sugarland skeeters" (mosquitos!!), possible mgr "former ML mgr whose identity cannot be revealed at this time, but will be very interesting from a red sox point of view"

***

allan said...

L:

tell jere castig & ob did say what rsn is thinking. one said based on past performance, the other said based on popularity only. not sure who said which.

Amy said...

I think Jeter will be the All Star shortstop three years after he is DEAD.

Jere said...

I didn't mean RSN, I meant the nation of USA. But I really meant the whole world.

So I guess Grady Little is the Skeeter Leader? That's my guess.

Jere said...

manager yelling at ump--NESN cuts to shot of wrong manager

allan said...

I think Jeter will be the All Star shortstop three years after he is DEAD.

He shouldn't suffer much of a decline in range.

Amy said...

Woohoo!

Jere said...

Don't talk about Jeter being dead. You might jinx it.

allan said...

Wallace: "I thought my catcher was 15 feet tall."

Amy said...

Grand slam for Josh?

Dr. Jeff said...

Do the red sox have any grand slams this year?

allan said...

No.

Amy said...

Then it is time. COME ON, LBJ!

Amy said...

But no...

Jere said...

Someone needs to spark the O against Lyles

allan said...

Grady Little is the Skeeter Leader? That's my guess.

Appropriate choice, since mosquitos are such irrtating pests.

Jere said...

Sing a song of dicks, Pence

Jere said...

sit, Downs

allan said...

Beckett is pitching the pellet with precision.

Jere said...

Remy, if you hate IL play, and you're rooting for Houston to come to the AL, you'll have IL play every day.

Jere said...

Okay, we can still score "often."

allan said...

could we take advantage of even a few of this kid's mistakes?

Jere said...

Mets up 1-0 after a third of their game. Hopefully slightly more than a third actually.

Jere said...

Youk's takin' you outta the Parky, Lyles

Amy said...

Youk, what were you swinging at?

Amy said...

He sure is slow---barely made it to second.

Jere said...

2 key unproductive outz

allan said...

but a productive single = 1-1.

allan said...

MFY - 000 0
NYM - 100

STL - 010 002 0
FKR - 001 022

Jere said...

On top of the wall lookin' down on Jason

Jere said...

Mets quickly lose no-hitter, shutout, and lead. 1-1.

allan said...

The clock on the wall says it's time to score a run.

allan said...

the table is set ...

Jere said...

Mets out of bases loaded jam so it stays 1-1.

allan said...

the table now has 3 legs and one of them is wobbly.

Jere said...

and the contents of one of the dishes eaten by someone else.

Jere said...

we set the table with that astronaut ice cream

allan said...

i think we're up to 22 LOB in this game for the sox.

Jere said...

one of those soldiers was Renteria! I bet he blames he battlefield on all his errors.

Jere said...

Did you see how the Houston scoreboard has RHEL?

Jere said...

Is Joe saying he missed it cuz the pen was in his hand?

allan said...

Did you see how the Houston scoreboard has RHEL?

While the Yankee Stadium scoreboard has HIEL.

Jere said...

I never thought of the "RHE" in Rheal Cormier until now.

allan said...

I don't like seeing LOB as part of the line score. Just habit, I suppose, because there is next to no reason for having error totals.

My initial reaction when I see it is confusion because I look at the very end and expect RHE, but at the end is H, E, and LOB - and it does not compute right away.

Jere said...

Didn't even realize Yanks/Mets is the TBS game till now.

Jere said...

I saw an old article recently that had two linescores, one for just the earned runs. (I think it was one of those Troy games.)

Jere said...

there's that spot again

allan said...

having hit for drew, you think tito might move gonzalez to RF and put tiz at 1B? be nice to have the bats in the lineup, but the fielding would suffer...

Amy said...

I was listening to part of the game on the radio, and when Joe C. mentioned Hunter Pence, I swear it sounded like "underpants."

My childish humor for the day.

Amy said...

SCORE RUNS.

Amy said...

Dong, please, Tek.

meunier said...

Bench is empty except for Salty, the pitcher must hit now.

Jere said...

here we go here we go

Amy said...

Two on! Can we please not have any MLOB this time?

Amy said...

No DP, DP.

Jere said...

yanks take lead

allan said...

rays won 8-3.

meunier said...

yes..

Jere said...

did he think he was gonna get 2?? I woulda just thrown to third.

allan said...

time for yook the cripple to come through...

Jere said...

made solid contact last time, this can be done

allan said...

he's donged after a BBI earlier this year ...

Kathryn said...

Let's go youk

Jere said...

he's NEVER been retired by this pitcher

Amy said...

I will take a walked in run.

Amy said...

OK, we have the lead!

Jere said...

wow.

meunier said...

HAHAHA what a dufus move by Mills

allan said...

oops!

BB*

Jere said...

It's like we're playing the Mets, too!

allan said...

time for microwave to open up another game.

Kathryn said...

Woo hoo

meunier said...

I would think Bot was coming in whatever the situation.

allan said...

all we needed was one.
let's wrap this shit up and go home.

allan said...

NAS TEE!!!

Jere said...

Mets have 2 on, 2 out in the 8th

meunier said...

Dirty

Jere said...

sweeptastic....

Now can the Mets pull a run out of their asses in the 9th?

Jere said...

Mo gets first 2, but walks Bay, then single.

allan said...

Mets are trying. Single puts runners at 1st and 3rd with 2 outs.

allan said...

Fucker missed a cookie, then called strike 2.

allan said...

Ump forgets to expand the Mo Zone!

allan said...

AND FRUITBAT BLOWS THE SAVE!!!!!!!!!

Jere said...

he fuckin did it!!!!!!!!!!!!! hahahahahahah fuck these fucking announcers and every yankee fan at shea right now... citi.....
!!!!!!!!!


Tied.

Kathryn said...

What was that???? How slow are you???

allan said...

SHIT -------- thought the E6 would = a loss.

allan said...

Duda, dude!!!

Jere said...

Be aggressive but not that aggressive, Jesus. And the guy didn't have to slide right into the tag like that....

extra frames

allan said...

You saying hold him up? Gotta send him. Odds are the next guy ends the inning. Try for the W.

Jere said...

But as you could see, even with them getting an off-target throw, he was still out by a lot.

But since Martin was lying on his stomach, you coulda just taken a big step over him, I thought.

Jere said...

I can't believe that guy Metsed that play. Oh yes I can.

Jere said...

thank moses. win it now.

Jere said...

Man on 2nd, one out. Win it!!!!

Kathryn said...

Please. No double play

Kathryn said...

Big debate here between my brothers. How do you score catchers interference? Is it an at-bat?

Kathryn said...

We have decided. No at-bat and no obp credit.

allan said...

No AB on C's interference.

Jere said...

Yeah if they gave you an at bat for being interfered with, that'd be bitchy

Kathryn said...

Thanks Allan. I said you would know, but they eventually got there. I think it was the obp that was getting them.

allan said...

I looked it up quickly, but I think I got the right answer.

(P.S. Fuck you, Larry Barnett.)

allan said...

HAHAHAHHAHAHHAAAAA

Kathryn said...

Where is their all-star short stop?

allan said...

His eyes are not calm.

allan said...

Jere must be laughing too hard to comment...

Kathryn said...

Win it Jason

Kathryn said...

JB delivers!!!!

allan said...

OH BAY-BEE!!!!!!!!!!!

Jere said...

best day of my life

allan said...

Thanks, Jason!

1.5.

allan said...

So after the Red Sox win ...

IT GETS BETTER!!!

Jere said...

Mets made a Trevor Project video today--keeping Trevor Hoffman ahead of Mo for as long as possible.

allan said...

SoSH:

mpx42: "Pena is going to be DESTROYED by the NY media tonight."

Al Zarilla: "You don't see that it was all a ploy to ease sir Derek back in with no controversy?"

mpx42: "I sit corrected."