Another game, another hero as the
Red Sox walk-off a winner on Sunday afternoon when Shane Victorino reaches
first on an error and pitch-runner Matt Diaz scores. The Sox get their 50th win on the
season and 7th walk-off.
Perhaps the blunder was because Jay’s
first baseman Adam Lind had to depart the game because of a back injury so they
were forced to put Josh Thole, a catcher, into play 1st base. Whatever the reason, the Sox took advantage
and in the bottom of the ninth squeaked a run across to win the game.
After a big 1 out single by
Brandon Snyder, Jacoby Ellsbury followed with a walk in the 9th. The Sox then pinch ran for Snyder with Matt
Diaz only 180 feet away. Shane Victorino
then hit a bouncing ball to first which Thole couldn’t handle and Shane was
able to reach the base as Diaz scored from third. To be fair, the ball was hit hard and in
between bounces. Adam Lind who’s not the
greatest first baseman in the game would have had a tough time fielding that
ball so I don’t blame the whole game on Thole.
Offensively the Sox had 9 hits on
the night and were 3 for 9 with runners in scoring position. They only had 3 extra base hits and walked
twice with one hit by pitch. Not a lot of
opportunities on the day as Buerhle held them in check.
Ellsbury was on base three times
with a hit, a walk and a hit by pitch.
Daniel Nava was 2 for 4 with a run scored and Brandon Snyder was 2 for 4
with 2 big RBI. Jonny Gomes was 1 for 4
with an RBI and Mike Napoli was 1 for 4 with a run scored. Ryan Lavarnway was 1 for 4 with an RBI and
Jose Iglesias was 1 for 4.
Dustin Pedroia was 0 for 3 but
did reach with a walk and the hero of the day Shane Victorino was actually 0
for 5 but reached on that big error in the ninth.
It was just enough on the afternoon because Ryan Dempster was solid going 5 and 1/3 giving up 2 runs on 7 hits walking 3 and striking out 2. He battled all day as he didn’t have full command of his breaking stuff. Lots of sinkers found their way to the dirt and I credit the Jays hitters for lying off of them.
The bullpen wasn’t great on the
afternoon as Craig Breslow went 2/3 of an inning giving up a hit and Koji
Uehara blew the save in the ninth by giving up a homer to Jose Bautista, his 3rd
in 2 games. Uehara let up 2 hits in the
inning and struck out 1 but the homer was absolutely crushed. The Sox would let him off the hook but let’s
hope this doesn’t damage his psyche.
Andrew Miller pitched great
though going 1 and 2/3 innings giving up only 1 walk and striking out 2. He’s just been lights out this year.
The Sox take the series from the
Jays and stay in 1st place by 2.5 games. Baltimore isn’t going anywhere though and it
looks like it will be a dog fight the rest of the year. They have an off day on Monday then welcome
in San Diego for some interleague action starting Tuesday.
SHAVING CREAM PIE TO THE FACE –
GAME MVP
Brandon Snyder. Snyder was 2 for 4 on the afternoon driving
in 2 runs and getting a big single in the top of the 9th to start
the rally to win the game.
ELBOW TO THE FACE – GAME LVP
Koji Uehara. Yet another closer giving up a solo homer to
blow a save. The Sox relievers love to
give up the long ball.
PLAY OF THE GAME
Josh Thole’s error on Shane
Victorino’s ground ball in the bottom of the ninth for the walk-off win.
NEXT
Tuesday, July 2nd at
home vs. the San Diego Padres.
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