As he’s done so many times before,
David “Big Papi” Ortiz sent home Red Sox Nation happy last night.
It was his 19th walk-off
hit in a Red Sox uniform (including the postseason) and it was the first time
he ever hit a home-run following an intentional walk to the batter in front of
him. The Rangers opted to intentionally
walk dust Pedroia so lefty Kirkman could face Ortiz but he made that a huge
mistake. Ortiz blasted the first pitch
he saw into the right field visitor’s bullpen for the walk-off homerun.
Before that the Sox kept missing
key opportunities. In the bottom of the
fifth with the Red Sox down 3-2, Jacoby Ellsbury (more on him later) led off
the inning with a ground-rule double.
Jonny Gomes followed with a single that pushed Ellsbury to 3rd. With no outs and the tying run 90 feet away
Dustin Pedroia grounded to 1st base and Ellsbury took off for
home. Lance Berkman threw him out a home
easily and you have to wonder why Ellsbury with no outs was going on contact
there. Big Papi followed that up with an
inning ending double play.
Then in bottom of the sixth with the score still 3-2, the Sox had a guy on 2nd and 3rd with 2 outs but Pedro Ciriaco struck out looking.
In the top half of the inning Junichi
Tazawa came on for Jon Lester and had to get himself out of a big jam. A double by David Murphy put a potential insurance
run in scoring position for the Rangers. Tazawa got Berkman to lineout to Ciriaco on a great
play by Pedro at 3B but the next hitter, Adrian Beltre, ripped a shot to 3rd
that glanced off Ciriaco’s glove. It was
a tough plan and went as a hit and luckily Ciriaco got a glove on it because Murphy
had to hold at 3rd. Nelson Cruz
was next and Tazawa got him to fly out to end the inning and get out of the jam.
The bottom of the seventh started
out the same as the bottom of the fifth as Jacoby Ellsbury led off the inning
with a double and Jonny Gomes followed it with a single, again pushing Ellsbury
to 3rd. Dustin Pedroia then
followed with a strikeout. David Ortiz
walked and the bases were loaded. The
Sox NEEDED to score here or this game would slip away. Mike Napoli grounded a ball to third that
Berkman fielded cleanly but threw a one hopper to Elvis Andrus at 2nd. The bounce caused the throw-back to the
pitcher to be late and Napoli was safe with a
fielder’s choice plating the tying run.
Daniel Nava would strike out to end the inning but the Sox had at least
tied the game.
It would stay that way until the
bottom of the ninth when Jonny Gomes opened the inning up with a double to
left-center field. The Ranger would then
intentionally walk Pedroia to get to Ortiz who provided the heroics.
The Sox banged out 13 hits on the
night with the biggest damage coming from the 1 & 2 hitters who were a
combined 8 for 10 with 3 runs on the night and 3 extra base hits.
Jacoby Ellsbury who has missed
the last 5 games, one for every base he stole on his record setting night last
week, stayed red hot as he went 4 for 5 with 2 runs and 2 doubles. His batting average has soared up to .280 and
he’s hitting the way the Sox need him to at the top of the order. He looked like he was taking it easy running
the bases last night but it’s nice to see him back at the top of the order
setting the table for the big guys behind him.
Jonny Gomes had a huge night as
well going 4 for 5 with 1 run and 1 double.
I’ve been hard on Gomes all year because he hasn’t done what he’s known
to do, hit lefties, but last night he was huge against lefties getting 4 hits
off of them.
Dustin Pedroia had a double, 2
RBI and a walk in a 1 for 4 outing. Big
Papi had that huge 3-run homer and a walk to boot. Mike Napoli went 1 for 4 with an RBI and
David Ross was 1 for 3 on the night.
Jose Iglesias continues his hot bat going 1 for 1 with 3 walks.
Daniel Nava and Pedro Ciriaco had
tough nights going 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts each. I think Ciriaco can see the writing on the
wall with Iglesias hitting so well and Middlebrooks eyeing a return this
weekend. He’ll probably be DFA’d and
likely will head to a new team. He
played great defensively at 3rd last night and it helped win the
game.
Jon Lester again battled through
an outing going 6 innings, giving up 8 hits and 3 runs throwing 108
pitches. He walked 3 and struck out 4
and gave up 2 long balls. He was able to
work around the walks but the homers really hurt him.
The bullpen was really good going
3 shut-out innings. Koji Uehara put in a
solid effort after a tough outing the night before pitching 1 inning and
striking out 2 of the 3 batters he faced.
Andrew Bailey pitched around a lead-off single in the ninth to get his
second win of the season.
It was a great game and a good
series win against a 1st place team.
The Sox have a nightmare schedule this month so it is very nice to get 2
series wins to start it off against two very good teams (Yankees &
Rangers).
The Los Angeles Angels are coming
in for the weekend series with Felix Doubront (4-2, 4.88) taking the hill
tonight, weather permitting. He’ll be
opposed by Tommy Hanson (2-2, 4.19).
Both pitchers have been up and down all year and I expect an offensive
game tonight. The Angels were heavy
favorites with the off-season acquisition of Josh Hamilton to go along with
Albert Pujols, Mike Trout and Mark Trumbo but have struggled so far this year. Let’s hope the Sox can keep it going tonight
against a dangerous hitting team.
SHAVING CREAM PIE TO THE FACE –
GAME MVP
It’s hard not to give it to
Jacoby Ellsbury here but I have to give it to David Ortiz for the walk-off
three-run homer to win the game.
ELBOW TO THE FACE – GAME LVP
Daniel Nava. Nava went 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts on the
night. Pedro Ciriaco did the same but
played a great defensive game at 3rd base.
PLAY OF THE GAME
The 3-run walk-off homer to win
the game in the bottom of the ninth by Big Papi!
NEXT
Tonight, Friday, June 7th
vs. the 
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