GAME 20– 4/23/2013 – Home vs. the Oakland Athletics

RESULT – LOSS 13-0 (in 7 innings)

Let’s just be thankful this one ended after 7 innings.  Under nasty wet, raw and dreary conditions, the Red Sox put up their worst performance of the young season.  The home team was unable to pitch, field or hit in what became a rout early.  It was a forgettable night at Fenway Park, one that I hope the team will forget and get it quickly out of their mind and back to winning.

It all fell apart in a nightmarish six-run inning in the top of the third.  It wasn’t like Alfredo Aceves was getting rocked out there (though that would happen soon enough), instead in the third he walked three, had two balks and two defensive miscues (only one was counted as an error).  At times it looked like the circus was in town and on prominent display at Fenway Park.

Overall Alfredo Aceves last 3 and 1/3 innings, gave up 7 hits, 8 runs (7 earned), walked four and gave up a home run.  He simply didn’t have it and he continues to be Jekyll & Hyde out there for the Sox.  One day he looks fantastic and the next he’s abysmal.  Steven Wright came on to finish out the final 3 and 2/3 and didn’t fare much better.  It was Wright’s first Major League action and for the young knuckleballer the conditions weren’t great.  He was touched for 6 hits, 5 runs (all earned), walked four and struck out four.  After the game, Wright was optioned back to Pawtucket but I think that was the plan all along.  His performance certainly made it an easy choice.

The Sox also made 2 errors, one on Will Middlebrooks who short hopped a throw to first base in the fourth.  It’s only the 2^nd error of the season for the infield and I’m willing to bet field conditions were to blame.  The other was on Alfredo Aceves who over shot Jarrod Saltalamacchia on a throw home, also in the fourth.  On that same play, Mike Napoli made a nice diving stop on the first base line only to look up and see Aceves late to the bag.  It was that mental lapse that made me think perhaps Aceves wasn’t in the right mind to be pitching last night.  As a Major League ball player, you can’t have those types of mistakes.  I get errors and such but not covering first is simply lazy and shows that perhaps you’re not all into the game.  I never thought I’d say this but I’m actually glad to be seeing John Lackey come back for his next start.  The only downside is that means Aceves is going back to the bullpen where his erratic pitching could be very hazardous.

Bartolo Colon looked masterful last night, stifling the Sox for 7 innings giving up only 3 hits, walking 1 and striking out 7.  He looked like vintage Colon last night as the poor weather conditions didn’t faze him in the least.  The only hits on the night came from Dustin Pedroia (1 for 3), Jarrod Saltalamacchia (1 for 2) and Jonny Gomes (1 for 2).  Jacoby Ellsbury had his hit streak ended but did walk once.  Will Middlebrooks went 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts and as I mentioned before committed his first error of the season.

The A’s bats were on fire last night.  Former Sox Coco Crisp, Brandon Moss and Josh Reddick really had good nights.  Crisp was 2 for 4 with 2 RBI, Moss was 3 for 4 with 2 RBI and Reddick chipped in with a 2 for 4 night with 2 more RBI.  John Jaso also chipped in 3 hits as Seth Smith had 3 RBI.  Every starter in the lineup reached base and only one (Chris Young) didn’t get a hit.

The Red Sox are showing good practice by allowing anyone with a ticket stub to the game can return either Wednesday or Thursday night for free.  Ticket stubs from Tuesday’s game can be exchanged starting two hours prior to Wednesday’s 4:05 game or Thursday’s 6:35 contest.  It’s nice to see management reward those that came out or couldn’t come out in the less than ideal, albeit TERRIBLE weather last night.

The Sox will hopefully make this a distant memory and go for the series win tonight with a 4:05 game as Jon Lester (3-0, 1.73 ERA) will go up against Brett Anderson (1-3, 5.95 ERA).

SHAVING CREAM PIE TO THE FACE – GAME MVP

There really was no MVP for last night’s game.  But since I have to assign one, I’ll give it to Dustin Pedroia who went 1 for 3 and didn’t strike out or commit an error.  Really though, no one deserved to be an MVP of last nights game.

ELBOW TO THE FACE – GAME LVP

Alfredo Aceves.  Not only did he not pitch well but his mental lapses (2 balks, 1 error and not covering first on a play) only cemented how poorly he can perform on any given night.  I think he deserves two elbows to the face on this game.

PLAY OF THE GAME

Top of the third when Brandon Moss singled to centerfield to plate Coco Crisp and John Jaso.  It opened the flood gates and the game was basically over right from there.

NEXT

Today, Wednesday, April 24th vs. the Oakland Athletics at 4:05.