Royals - 100 020 010 1 - 5 9 1 Red Sox - 021 010 000 0 - 4 9 1Andrew Miller walked in the go-ahead run in the top of the tenth as the Royals swept the Red Sox in Sunday's doubleheader. (I thought Andrew Bailey, who threw only 10 pitches in the ninth, might get another inning.)
With one out, Alex Gordon singled and Miller walked Alcides Escobar on four pitches. Miller fanned Billy Butler (whose solo shot had tried the game in the eighth), but he gave up an infield single to Hosmer. Pedro Ciriaco had saved a run by keeping Hosmer hit in the infield, but it didn't matter as Miller then threw four balls to Lorenzo Cain to give KC a 5-4 lead.
Kansas City hit three home runs, including two off Webster (6-5-3-1-5, 84), who showed off a nice fastball and curve and an absolutely sick changeup. He looked calm and collected on the mound - and I look forward to seeing more of him very soon.
The Red Sox were done in by a lack of clutch hitting and a bit of overly aggressive baserunning that short-circuited a promising rally in the third. After Dustin Pedroia singled in Jacoby Ellsbury to give the Red Sox a 3-1 lead, he was thrown out trying to steal second. Mike Napoli followed that with a double. Jarrod Saltalamacchia hit a hot smash that bounced away from Eric Hosmer at first base and was tracked down by second baseman Elliot Johnson; Napoli was caught off third base and run down 4-2-5-2-6.
In the fifth, Boston had taken a 4-3 lead and had runners at first and third and only one out, but Salty struck out and Will Middlebrooks (now 4 for his last 43) grounded to short.
Napoli singled, doubled, and homered, but he came up empty in the bottom of the ninth - after the Royals had walked Pedroia intentionally - with the potential winning run at second. Pedroia singled twice, walked twice, and stole a base. Ellsbury singled, doubled, walked, and stole a base.
Ellsbury, CFWebster will make his major league debut in the nightcap of today's day-night doubleheader.
Nava, RF
Pedroia, 2B
Napoli, 1B
Saltalamacchia, DH
Middlebrooks, 3B
Carp, LF
Ross, C
Ciriaco, SS
Webster, 23, has made three starts for Pawtucket this month. In 12 innings, he has allowed 10 hits, three walks, and one run, while striking out 16.
Alex Speier wrote an excellent article this spring about Webster, who came over in the Punto Trade.
No corresponding roster move needs to be made, as teams can expand their rosters to 26 players for doubleheaders.
On extra bases Julian Benbow
ReplyDeleteRed Sox 4: The Sox are in a hole going into their half of the 10th thanks to Andrew Bailey's two-out, four-pitch, bases-loaded walk to Lorenzo.
He has done the game play by play twice this year and alreday has two glaring mistakes.
And at 2 PM the following day, the error is still there.
ReplyDeleteI find it amazing how jornalists, newscaters and sportscasters refuse to correct one another. During the standoff in Watertown,Mass. The woman from CNN said Watertown,Ct three times and Wolf Blitzer never corrected her.
ReplyDeleteListen I am far from perfect, but facts are facts.... Last time that Julian Benbow wrote the Red Sox had won all the series they had been in when they lost 2 of 3 to the Orioles. You just have to know that stuff.. In my opinion.