Spiders - 100 100 000 - 2 7 2 Red Sox - 010 001 001 - 3 8 0Jacoby Ellsbury's single to center scored pinch-runner Jarrod Saltalamacchia from second with one out in the bottom of the ninth. It was the first walk-off hit of Ellsbury's career.
After Mike Aviles flied out to center against reliever Vinnie Pestano, Jason Varitek cracked a hard single up the middle. Salty went in to run at first base and he advanced to second when Josh Reddick's pop-up fell untouched in short right-center. Ellsbury looked at ball one, then lined the ball to center. Third base coach Tim Bogar waived Salty around - which worried me a lot (I would have been cool with the bases loaded for Dustin Pedroia and Adrian Gonzalez) - but, thankfully, Ezequiel Carrera's throw home tailed towards the first base side of the plate. Once Carlos Santana had the ball, he dove towards the plate, but Salty got in ahead of him!
Beckett pitched well (6-6-2-0-7, 85), allowing two solo dongs, but warming up twice - the start of the game was delayed 95 minutes by rain - may have led Terry Francona to employ a quicker hook than usual. Franklin Morales was stupendous in Beckett's place, allowing only one hit and fanning three in two innings of work. Jonathan Papelbon breezed through the ninth on 10 pitches.
Boston tied the game in the second when David Ortiz walked, was safe at second on an infield error, took third on Aviles's single, and scored on a wild pitch. While running from first to second on Carl Crawford's grounder to shortstop, Tiz slowed down and was turning out of the baseline towards the outfield, assuming that Cleveland would turn a double play. Now, why Ortiz would want to assist the opposing team in making the DP as easy as possible, I do not know, but plenty of players do it. In this case, Jason Kipnis fumbled the throw from Asdrubal Cabrera and Ortiz suddenly realized he had better get his ass to second. He barely made it safely.
Kevin Youkilis's solo home run leading off the sixth tied the game at 2-2. Yook was ejected in the eighth after being called out on strikes on a check swing by 1B umpire Gerry Davis. Yook certainly bitched to Davis ("NO! No way! No way! You're out of your mind!"), but it seemed to me as though Davis screamed a lot more crap (while walking down the first base line) at Youkilis.
The Yankees beat the White Sox 6-0 in a game that was called in the middle of the seventh inning because of rain. Boston remains 1.0 GA of New York.
Peter Abraham has a short post about Dustin Pedroia. Nothing new, just marveling once again at how hot the Laser Chicken has been since getting his right knee examined on June 9. How hot? In 45 games, he's hit .388/.461/.670 (1.131 OPS) with 29 extra-base hits, 35 RBI and 42 runs scored*. He's drawn 28 walks and struck out only 12 times. And he's stolen eight bases in nine tries.
* In 80 games, Carl Crawford has 25 extra-base hits, 37 RBI and 42 runs scored.
Adrian Gonzalez has a career-high 11-game hitting streak (24-for-47, .511). ... Out of curiosity, I checked what Gonzalez has hit since June 9: .385/.457/.571 (1.028). Pretty, pretty, pretty good ...
Since June 9
AVG OBP SLG OPS Ellsbury .335 .390 .562 .952 Pedroia .388 .461 .670 1.131 Gonzalez .385 .457 .571 1.028 Youkilis .301 .402 .519 .921 Ortiz .239 .353 .430 .783 Salty .303 .369 .556 .925AL East (Red Sox 1.0 GA): Yankees/White Sox at 8 PM.
110 comments:
Fangraphs has Pedroia tied with Bautista, as the most valuable player in baseball this season.
Baseball reference has him in second with some space between him and "Joey Bats".
I'm glad Pedroia is living up to Crawford's huge contract, because CC hasn't come close.
Ellsbury, CF
Pedroia, 2B
Gonzalez, 1B
Youkilis, 3B
Ortiz, DH
Crawford, LF
Aviles, SS
Varitek, C
McDonald, RF
Brantley, LF
Kipnis, 2B
Cabrera, SS
Hafner, DH
Santana, C
Fukudome, RF
Chisenhall, 3B
LaPorta, 1B
Carrera, CF
Huff is making is third start of the season. ... Ortiz is hitting .228 in his last 26 games (with 20 RBI).
Good old Curb - I need to start watching that show on a consistent basis.
Huff ALWAYS gets to 100+ pitches in the 6th against us, so look for that tonight. Or maybe he won't get there if he's still being stretched out.
Just saw this again on ESPN.
How many other SC commercials with Red Sox were there?
Manny 1
Manny 2
Thanks for that link, Dr. Jeff.
One more with some Red Sox content: Steven King
"What does that even mean???"
"What does that even mean???"
I love that one. Great links.
Allan if you want to extract those for an off-day post, feel free. I don't know if there are others though.
Do they still make those ads - are there any current ones? (I'll search YouTube and answer my own questions.)
Yup, lots of current ones that I haven't seen yet.
lol to the "what does that even mean?" one, all 3 were amusing though.
Idiots
Thanks for those links Dr. Jeff. It's fun to see them all at one time.
NESN sez 8:45
8:45 start
play ball!
by way
utha K
FUCK YOU ROGERS
Man, he actually "had a bead on it", flapped the glove as if in preparation to make the catch.
Miss a pitch, Tim?
found it on regular-D channel.
they do not have it on an HD EI channel because it is supposed to be on Rogers' channel. But they started showing the Tigers/Rangers game during the delay and still have not cut away.
They were showing that during the rain delay on the regular EI channel, but they cut back in time. Amazingly.
Nice job by CC
They are now showing it raining in Detroit. Wonder if they'll bother to switch back when that game goes into a delay.
hoooooo, close call a-gon!
very good slide
Scary Bert! Whew
oh no it's those weird signs behind the plate again. The 2 yellow circles with symbols, one looking like the triple symbol.
Those signs appeared in the Sunday night Yanks game in April. Game 9. I still don't know what they mean.
It reached 43.89 C in Dallas today.
Remy: We've seen lots of pitchers have trouble switching from the left side to the right side and vise verser.
HA HA
ha ha ha ha
Papi loafing into 2nd, almost got tagged out despite the drop. Fortunately there were two drops.
Don: "goes to second for one..." Always getting ahead of himself that Don.
HATE that peel off shit. some players peel way out into RF practically (coughtekcough). HATE IT!!!!
maybe the kiptin can line out to kipnis.
Tek can't run tho
Boy Tek looked bad at the plate! But a run scores, so I should ignore that...
well, he *did* to second for one -- didn't get it, but he went there.
... worst swing of the year?
Yeah, that was pretty ugly.
CBS has some of the worst (i.e., wrong) PBP on the web:
"Carl Crawford: Foul, Foul, Crawford safe at first on left fielder Kipnis fielding error, Ortiz to second"
vlad: "man, that's a hack!"
I NEVER SWING at that count.
fuckin fuckers.
Huff at 83, needs 17 this inning to keep up with past history.
I'd prefer he throw 30 or so, and we bat around.
HAHA!
That's a drooble.
Oh, its only the fifth. Nevermind then!
E-sdrubal.
something going...
That is highly annoying.
Runs should have scored that inning. Mad.
28 is a BUM!!!!
STINKY!
WITH AUTHORITY!
SULTAN OF SWEAT!!!!!!!!!!!!
SWEATY
L: "SWEAT POWERED!"
Woohoo, it is tied. But let's take it to the next level, the BREAKING the tie. That's the most important part of the reservation. ANYone can just TAKE 'em...
YOOUUUKK!!
I think an evil twin of Youk is the concept that inspired Kenny Powers.
so not only do don and jerry want free jackets, they want heidi to go get them? ... lame. go scam your own jackets, guys!
We had a 9-run 8th against these guys in 1939. Here we go...
FY!
Wet grass may have cost him a double.
every 72 years - just like clockwork.
Hi, JOS. I have had limited internet the last few days and also limited time since my extended family is around. Too tired to stay up and thread, but just wanted to drop by before I drop off.
Funny apostrophe story when I am less sleepy.
NESN showing Ellsbury for no reason. L says they do that quite a bit. Is Ellsbury NESN's Jeter?
fucking ump was screaming more than yook was.
Good job getting thrown out in a tie game in the 8th.
Ump didn't like Youk's funny apostrophe story.
Why does Crawford usually look terrible at the plate?
Don fooled by a pop up to second.
Anybody else think this is the wrong time to bring in Pap? Maybe the 10th, but not now.
they had him up since they thought they might score in the 8th. they should go with their best reliever in a tie game in the 9th; bot qualifies (or bard)
plus he can go the 10th too - at this rate.
Maybe he (Pap) can go two, if he only throws 10 or 12 pitches in the 9th.
10 pitches.
but let's just win it here.
Lately Pap has been throwing his best in years. Funny how a contract year can motivate players.
NOW, let's get a run out of the bottom of the order. We need this game - big time!
The Indians have a solid bullpen!
WINning run on
Nice swing Tek. And good move replacing him with Salty.
Looking good!!!!
Very sweet dirty h two o
A fabulous finish from Fenway!!!!
i was scared on sending him.
a shittythrow...
WIN!!!!!!!!!!!!
WBIT???? TMB!!!!!
HOly shit I love him!!
Things went very right for us. He could (should?) have been thrown out. We lucked out - several times tonight. But a win is a win and this was a big one!
a throw anywhere near the plate and we're cursing the 3B coach right now.
Anyway, I'll take it!!!!!! Pap was throwin' punches out there.
Funny how a contract year can motivate players.
Funny how people repeat this crap with no evidence.
i would have been cool with holding him. loaded with one out and fy and bert coming up.
but maybe bogar knew carrera can't throw well ... maybe!
I highly doubt Papelbon has ever lacked motivation.
"Funny how people repeat this crap with no evidence."
THANK YOU!
Salty!
LBJ!!
Funny how people repeat this crap with no evidence.
Ouch.
FWIW, people have looked at that, and there is no real evidence that players "turn it on" in a FA year. Or that they get ease off after signing for big bucks.
The whole "turn it on" thing is nonsense. Why wouldn't a player want to "turn it on" all the time? He could probably hit .750 or .800!
Good point, Laura. It could very well be coincidental that he is having a great year after two not so good years. Better health? Better mindset? Better mechanics? Whatever it is, we are benefiting from solid performances from Pap this year.
Yanks win a 6.5 inning game. Still 1 game up.
IMO, that contract-year trope is unnecessary player bashing. Think about the implications. It means the player usually isn't trying as hard as he can, doesn't care, only cares because he can sign a big contract. If it's true, it's a serious accusation.
Papelbon has blown some games. What closer hasn't? But are we willing to say his bad outings were down to his not caring, not trying hard enough, slacking off? That he could have pitched perfectly all the time, but it wasn't that important to him, because a big pile of money wasn't involved?
Fuck that.
Papelbon is having a great year after two not so good years? Numbers, please?
[I typed my longer comment before BZ's "good point Laura" comment appeared.]
Both WHIP and K/BB are better this year than last two years. Higher ERA (than '09) this year largely due to several multi-run non save games.
Basically, I'm thrilled to see him performing so well, esp. of late. I think we can all agree he is pitching better this year than last year. No bashing intended.
He is pitching better and it's great to see. But I don't think he wanted to suck and choke in the games in which he did that last year.
Numbers, please?
Bot.
His ERA+ is only a little bit higher than last ERA, but I'd just as soon ignore ERA for relievers. His # of baserunners is down, he's cut his BB/9 in *half* from the last two years and his K/9 rate is up towards his career-best in '07.
His swinging strike % is the highest of his career (though it could go down by year's end)! Best 1st pitch strike % since '07. Fewer fouls, fewer balls in play (because more K).
Opponents have a slightly higher avg against him from last year, but OBP and SLG are down. BABIP is way up.
He has had 15 3-pitch K this year. He had 14 in both 2009 and 2010.
Last year he went to an 0-2 count on 28% of batters. This year, it's 41%!
Fangraphs has him throwing more sliders than ever before - and fewer splits than last year.
His ERA is 3.50, but his FIP is 1.90 and xFIP is 2.32 - both the best of his career (so far, this year).
(FG Note: "xFIP has the highest correlation with future ERA of all the pitching metrics")
Did anyone else see Buchholz thoroughly immersed in the celebration?? Hope he is careful with that! No need to make his stress fracture worse.
Did anyone else see Buchholz thoroughly immersed in the celebration?? Hope he is careful with that!
Heh, and if he's not, he'll be ripped for not supporting his teammates.
Thanks for the numbers on Bot. I looked at B-Ref last night, but with relievers, I'm not always sure what to look for.
Thanks for the clarification, BZ.
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