RESULT – LOSS 5-3
It’s amazing how one play in baseball can dramatically turn the course of the game. John Lackey was in cruise control last night. But on one play in the sixth-inning, John Lackey’s night went from memorable to disaster in one sailed ball into center-field.
Lackey got himself into trouble in the sixth by giving up a single and walk to put runners on first and second with 1 out. He needed a ground ball badly to get out of the inning. Trevor Plouffe granted him that opportunity with a two hopper back to the mound, absolutely tailor made for a double play. Lackey seemed to rush the throw and it sailed past second base into the outfield for an error. A run would score on the play and another would get all the way to third. The next batter hit a sacrifice fly and the batter after that a two-run homer that put the Sox down 5-2.
One failed execution on an easy double play ball and the game was essentially over. The Sox could muster only one more run the rest of the game though they were given ample opportunities.
The story of the night however was just how good Lackey was pitching. He gave up 6 hits, 5 runs (only 1 earned) over 7 innings. He walked only one and struck out 8 on the night. He actually lowered his ERA to below 3 (2.82) and was dominant the first 3 innings. I guess the bigger picture is that if Lackey is going to pitch this well the rest of the season, it should bode well for the Sox future.
The bullpen was strong again as Koji Uehara pitched the eighth and struck out the side and Craig Breslow pitched the ninth and had a perfect inning. Unfortunately the damage had been done in the sixth inning and the Boston
They had 2 huge opportunities to get back into the game. In the bottom of the 8th with one out, Daniel Nava walked and an error by Eduardo Escobar on a potential double play ball by Will Middlebrooks put runners on first and second with only 1 out. Stephen Drew struck out looking and pinch-hitter Mike Carp went down swinging to end the threat. The Sox couldn’t capitalize on a mistake as the Twins had done earlier.
Then in the ninth, Jacoby Ellsbury started the inning off with a walk but Shane Victorino and Dustin Pedroia both struck out looking on two questionable pitches. Both argued but I tend to agree with the umpire that both were strikes. With 2 strikes in the count, you have to protect the corners and both looked they caught some of the inside corner. Big Papi then hit a sharp ground ball directly at Justin Morenau to end the game.
The Red Sox left a ton of men on base again, 10 for the game but actually outhit the Twins 9 to 6. Victorino, Pedroia and Nava each had 2 hits with Nava and Pedroia both driving in a run. Mike Napoli had one hit on the game but it was another extra base hit (a double, his 16th). He leads the league in extra base hits this year. Middlebrooks and Drew also added a hit apiece with Drew driving in another run. David Ross took a 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts and Jacoby Ellsbury went 0 for 4 with a walk. Big Papi David Ortiz went 0 for 5 for the second consecutive night and left 5 men on base himself. He didn’t strike out on the night and hit the ball hard 3 times but right at someone. Let’s hope he heats up against the Blue Jays this weekend.
In the end, it was the error by John Lackey that hurt the Sox. The Twins took momentum on that play and they never looked back. Errors generally turn out to kill you and unfortunately for Lackey last night, they bit him in a big way.
The bats didn’t help him out any though and that’s been a major theme in this mini-rut the Sox have been in. It seems like the offense has been coming up a little short as the pitching (save for one game) has been very good. The Sox have lost 6 of their last 7 and have seen their record fall to 21-14. They got swept by Texas
Jon Lester (4-0, 3.30) will take the mound tonight for the Sox followed by Buchholz and Dempster which bodes well for the weekend series. All 3 have been on top of their game so far this season and they’ll need to continue that to right the ship this weekend. Opposing Lester tonight will be Ramon Ortiz who is 0-0 with a 5.40 ERA. Ortiz has only pitched once so far this year and was roughed up on 4/17 vs. the White Sox. He only went 3 and 1/3 innings and gave up 2 runs on 5 hits.
SHAVING CREAM PIE TO THE FACE – GAME MVP
John Lackey. If not for that sixth inning blunder the talk today would be about the resurgence o Lackey as he was dominant last night. He pitched 7 innings allowing only 6 hits and 1 earned run. He struck out 8 on the night.
ELBOW TO THE FACE – GAME LVP
John Lackey. Yes, the MVP and LVP is the same person. Maybe the shaving cream pie can be delivered by an elbow. Lackey had all the time in the world on that come-backer to the mound but rushed it and the ball sailed into center-field. The double play was gone and essentially so was the game.
PLAY OF THE GAME
Bottom of the sixth, the double play that wasn’t. Not going to bother giving the play-by-play. Just look above, I’ve spoken about it about 3 times so far.
NEXT
Today, May 10h at Fenway vs. the Toronto
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