May 4, 2008

G33: Red Sox 7, Rays 3

Rays    - 000 001 200 - 3  8  1
Red Sox - 102 100 12x - 7 11 1
The bats return -- and Boston scores 26 runs in the three-game sweep of Tampa Bay.

Kevin Youkilis -- who was bumped up into the #3 spot when David Ortiz was scratched from the original lineup with a sore knee -- hit a home run and two doubles and drove in four runs. The Red Sox also stole a season-high five bases, including two double steals (Jacoby Ellsbury/Dustin Pedroia in the 1st and Julio Lugo/Ellsbury in the 8th). Boston last had five steals in a game on July 3, 2002.

Jon Lester had a rough beginning to his start. He threw 28 pitches in the first inning, but was able to escape with no runs allowed. Listening to the NESN feed on MLBTV, I heard Don Orsillo say "Lester back to being Lester" after the network went to commercial. While he obviously thought he was completely off-mic, he did sum up what most Sox fans were feeling.

However, Lester settled down. He got the first two Rays in the second and would have had a perfect inning, but Lugo booted a grounder for an error. After allowing a single, Lester got the final out, then retired 9 of the next 11 batters before Carlos Pena put Tampa on the board with a solo home run in the sixth. Lester finished with a 6-4-1-3-5, 112 line.

Manny Delcarmen threw a wrench into Terry Francona's bullpen plans, allowing a single and triple with one out in the seventh (both runners would score). Tito was forced to go with Hideki Okajima earlier than he would have liked. Jeemer got the final two outs in the seventh and the first two outs in the eighth. After allowing a single which brought the tying run for Tampa to the plate, it was time for Jonathan Papelbon. Bot secured his four outs quickly, on only 15 pitches.

***

Scott Kazmir (2008 debut; 3.48, 130 ERA+ in 2007) / Jon Lester (4.31, 102 ERA+)
            W   L   PCT   GB   RS   RA    EXP
Boston 19 13 .594 -- 155 140 17-15
Tampa Bay 16 14 .533 2.0 141 130 16-14
Baltimore 16 14 .533 2.0 126 135 14-16
New York 16 16 .500 3.0 140 143 16-16
Toronto 14 17 .452 4.5 126 114 17-14
Hank:
I'm very disappointed with the way the season has gone ... We just can't win one out of five games, every time Wang pitches. It's not going to work. It's not a good win percentage. Starting pitching is where it's at, especially in the postseason. At this point, we'll see if we even make the postseason.

121 comments:

allan said...

Crisp, CF
Pedroia, 2B
Ortiz, DH
Ramirez, LF
Lowell, 3B
Youkilis, 1B
Drew, RF
Varitek, C
Lugo, SS

Weather:
... in the vicinity of Fenway Park calls for a period of consistent rain during the morning hours. That is expected to weaken by early afternoon and be followed by improving weather conditions."

Sounds like it should be fine.

allan said...

Figured I'd move this above the Fat Billy post.

Sarah Haendler said...

Wow, Mr. Hanky (Captain Obvious?) is obviously not terribly good at math either, since they seem to have managed to eek out something more like 1 out of every 2 games...

I'm not crediting him with the wit to utilize hyperbole.

Rob said...

I was hoping for this game to have like, a three hour rain delay. Once again, all the sports today are bunched up. Game 7 for the Celtics, and some hockey at the same time. And the Red Sox game. But either way, you'll probably not see much of me until the later innings (as usual, heh), if at all.

So we'll see how this all shakes out. Red Sox are hitting again, and I think they're going to smack Scott Kazmir around.

Benjamin said...

At least I can get the Celtics game as nationally broadcast tv. I suppose game 7 even counts for something.

allan said...

PLAY BALL!

laura k said...

I'm trying to stay out of thread b/c of radio delay. (And work.)

We'll see how I do!

Benjamin said...

49F in May?

allan said...

no no-no

allan said...

sea 2, mfy 0 (top 3)

allan said...

tiz out with sore knee

manny to dh
crisp still in cf but hitting 8th
lyndon leading off in lf
yook in the 3 hole
tek also moved up

allan said...

new lineup:

Ellsbury, LF
Pedroia, 2B
Youkilis, 1B
Ramirez, DH
Lowell, 3B
Varitek, C
Drew, RF
Crisp, CF
Lugo, SS

Benjamin said...

Looks like typically efficient work by Lester.

allan said...

sigh.

come on, sid. attack. don't let the last start be an aberration.

allan said...

LBJ with the leather in the gap

NICE!!

allan said...

ooooh, mlbtv catches don and jerry when they think there are off the air.


don: "lester back to being lester"

jerry: "manny doesn't catch that ball"

laura k said...

don: "lester back to being lester"

Whoa. Gotta watch that mike switch.

s1c said...


don: "lester back to being lester"

jerry: "manny doesn't catch that ball"


Not that we also weren't thinking those thoughts also.

laura k said...

Not to state the completely obvious, but we're not on the air. Or supposed to be impartial.

laura k said...

You cannot catch him! You will never catch him.

allan said...

set that table against red dot!

allan said...

Whoa. Gotta watch that mike switch.

Yup. No profanity though.

allan said...

SB X 2!

allan said...

yook's sac makes it 1-0.

Benjamin said...

Impartial? Commentators probably shouldn't keep harping on irrational pet peeves of theirs, but I can't see why they should have to be impartial. They're entertainers, not umpires.

allan said...

They should certainly point out if/when Lester falls back into bad habits, but they should not take a rooting interest, like a fan.

Though perhaps Don does a little bit -- off mike.

allan said...

nyy 6, sea 2 (bot 3rd)

allan said...

gomes ball clearly hits yellow line in the LF corner -- but called foul.

don: "ooops!"

allan said...

mlbtv goes green -- now showing the btw commercial thing.

s1c said...

as sLugo reaches the .500 mark of the team errors. (9 or 18).

44 pitches, yep, sid back to his old self.

allan said...

mlbtv is back. mlb: you suck.


sea - 200
mfy - 006

allan said...

now i'm getting audio from another game over nesn's picture.

jesus christ!

allan said...

Chokers sent Ian Kennedy to AAA.

s1c said...

C'mon sid, finish this inning!

Finally!!!

allan said...

sounds like i'm getting the audio from the giants-phillies game.

houdini!

allan said...

audio disappears -- i wonder what game i'll get to watch or listen to next!

"i can name that game in 10 seconds of radio announcing."

"i can name that game in 5 seconds of radio announcing."

"name that game ...."

allan said...

nesn picture and sound --

for now ...

allan said...

"... they elevate and varitek chases, 1-2 ..."

s1c said...

Amy would be so proud, a lead off hit by Tek!!!

allan said...

but comes back with a single to center!

allan said...

ococ klaw.

laura k said...

"... they elevate and varitek chases, 1-2 ..."

SASAHE

laura k said...

now i'm getting audio from another game over nesn's picture.

jesus christ!


what position was he playing?

allan said...

what position was he playing?

closer -- he was coming in for a save.

laura k said...

open goal :)

s1c said...

he was coming in for a save

But Gretzky scores on the rebound.

allan said...

... that saying was originally with esposito, right?

s1c said...

probably was an Esposito, but Gretzky was and is the king.

Stranded, I do not like stranding runners when our pitcher is not getting OTT's.

allan said...

corrected pc

kazmir: 22-25 = 47
lester: 28-25 = 53

s1c said...

FY!!!

allan said...

wiki:
His Boston fans printed and displayed bumper stickers during his best years to celebrate his scoring: they read, "Jesus saves, Espo scores on the rebound." Esposito, while not a fast or graceful skater, was best known for his unmovable presence in front of the opposition net from which he could score from all angles. Esposito has said: "Scoring is easy. You simply stand in the slot, take your beating and shoot the puck into the net."

Benjamin said...

11 pitches by Lester, eh.

allan said...

"on ... those ... trays" [/fawlty]

s1c said...

Should be seeing Ish soon as the Celtics are absolutely destroying the Hawks!

allan said...

8-2 after 4 at Stade Fasciste

allan said...

has nesn ever talked about this new camera angle in the pre-game show or anything? i have not heard don or jerry mention it at all.

did nesn simply switch and not say a peep about it?

s1c said...

Yooouuukkk!!!

s1c said...

WWWPPP!!! Petey scores!!!

s1c said...

MBM!!! 3-0

allan said...

496.5?

allan said...

don't let this rally fizzle out.

allan said...

passedballa! -- bring him in, o.f.!

s1c said...

filed under "the rays are a trendy team folder" - ETA for next winning season: 2008

C'mon ON FIRE!!!

s1c said...

Oh, yeah, Heidi!!! Pre-games and sidelines are now a must see TV!!!

allan said...

don complaining of a bleeding shaving cut -- amalie calls him a wimp -- jerry wonders if don had his lunch money stolen every other day in school

allan said...

only audio now - green screen mlbtv
'

s1c said...

As the Sox inch ever closer to that magical 5 runs.

Sweaty gets the hit and then it will be over for Kazmir!!!

laura k said...

A long time ago, in another lifetime, when I followed hockey, I hated Phil Esposito.

Now I can barely remember why.

Or why I ever followed hockey.

allan said...

lester has settled way down after his first trip thru the lineup.

allan said...

batters 1-9: 53 pitches, 5 runners
batters 9-18: 35 pitches, 2 runners

Benjamin said...

Bring Lester back out for the 6th?

allan said...

lester at 94 -- maybe if there is a L/R matchup you want. upton is RH though, followed by pena L and longoria R.

nah -- with beckett having gone 8 yesterday.

maybe some sexy lips time.

allan said...

haven't heard of any pen action though

allan said...

i could see tito bringing him out -- but only for a batter or two. i can't imagine he'd want lester upnear 110.

s1c said...

Bring Lester back out for the 6th?

at 94 pitches, look for Francona to bring him back looking for a 12 pitch inning.

allan said...

leyland says he's going with a different lineup v sox tomorrow. don quotes him: "I think you'll find it pretty drastic."

allan said...

lester it is.

allan said...

sox pen waking up.

allan said...

mdc up

1st out on 2 pitches.

allan said...

pena dongs on an 0-2 pitch. sox 4-1.

s1c said...

nice play by sLugo!!!

allan said...

alright, not bad. 112. glad to see him come back after the 4 pitch BB and get hinske.

allan said...

lester: 6-4-1-3-5, 112.

rough first.
should have had a 1-2-3 2nd, but lugo's E put a guy on, then a single before the third out.

s1c said...

How about some more runs here boys!!!

allan said...

delcarmen in.

allan said...

jeemer up.

allan said...

hoping mdc could celebrate his clean chin with a clean inning, but there's a 1-out single.

allan said...

another nice thing about this angle -- the bar at the top of the screen melts into the crowd colors a little bit. sometimes, it looks like it's not there -- at least on my puter.

allan said...

ack -- tito has to go to jeemer earlier than he wants, but we need a good arm to stop this rally.

s1c said...

Need jeemer to be jeemer here.

allan said...

god dammit

allan said...

b. K. upton

allan said...

tough question for tito if it stays 4-3.

jeemer at 13 pitches and he'll want to use bot for the 9th only.

burn jeemer in the 8th -- or go with timlin, lips or some such?

other choice would be jeemer for 1-2 outs in the 8th and bot for the end of the 8th & 9th?

laura k said...

I liked this team better when they sucked!

laura k said...

burn jeemer in the 8th -- or go with timlin, lips or some such?

can't bring timlin in with a 1-run lead.

s1c said...

Jeemer has been struggling lately after sitting, so don't be surprised to see Timlin.

Of course, if the offense decided to score a couple of runs we might see Sexy.

Sweaty Dong!!!

allan said...

YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOK

laura k said...

sweaty dong!!!

laura k said...

sounds like it was huge

s1c said...

L-girl - Center field sweaty dong

allan said...

time for some serious bottage.

s1c said...

96 mph for first pitch, this game is about to be snuffed.

allan said...

2 pitches and out #3. perfect!

allan said...

I'd like some IN-surance.

s1c said...

Speed kills, double steal again!!

Benjamin said...

Two double steals this game?

allan said...

2nd double steal of the day!

LBJ: 11-for-11

allan said...

FY not pleased he missed that ball.

s1c said...

IN-surance achieved!!!

Benjamin said...

Youkilis. Are you in good hands?

allan said...

hmmm, is 4 runs enough to go with someone else in the 9?

allan said...

gotta go with bot actually. no time to get someone else up.

allan said...

"You're in sweaty hands, with All-Yook Insurance."

allan said...

lopez and toasty are up.

so if we hold on and the birds lose, we're up by 3 games on Bal, TB and NY.

allan said...

The bats return to the tune of 26 runs in 3 games (7, 12, 7).

Swept the Rays -- keep it going in Detroit.

Benjamin said...

Water.

s1c said...

dirty
water
!!!

Rob said...

The water is FILTHY.

SWEEP!

Jack Marshall said...

Talk about a game boding well for the season. If Lester can do this well when he's shaky to start, he really might be as good as his hype. Only downside of the game that I can see: Manny D. It might be time to give his slot to Aardsma until he straightens out. He's pitching like Romero last season and Seanez the year before...

Rob said...

Great sports day today. Red Sox win, Celtics win, and even the Pittsburgh Penguins win in overtime and knock off another New York team!

I was out in the living room with my dad, who brought up a second TV to make things a little easier.

laura k said...

a sweet sweep!

couldn't thread much but got to listen to every pitch, a luxury on the weekends.

yay. and now on to detroit!