The Red Sox dropped their second
to last game of the season on Saturday 6-5 to Baltimore but still clinched home
field advantage. The Oakland Athletics
lost their game to the Seattle Mariners just as the game at Camden Yards was
starting, meaning the Sox clinched before they even took the field. It was the first game all season that the Red
Sox were playing with absolutely no play-off implications.
Offensively, the Sox stayed hot
racking up 14 hits but could only get 5 runs across the plate. They were an abysmal 4 for 13 with runners in
scoring position and left 9 men on base.
Most regulars got the night off but the Sox need to produce better in
those situations.
Daniel Nava had a huge night
going 4 for 4 with a run scored. Dustin
Pedroia went 3 for 5 with a run and an RBI.
Stephen Drew, batting 2nd, went 2 for 4 with 2 runs and his
29th double of the season.
Jonny Gomes keeps hitting and went 2 for 5 with an RBI and a run scored.
David Ross went 2 for 4 with 2
RBI and his 5th double of the season. Mike Napoli went 1 for 4 with a walk. Quintin Berry stole a base and looks to be on
the postseason roster for pitch running situations.
The pitching wasn’t all that
great on Saturday night. Maybe it was
the fact that they had nothing to play for but Jon Lester wasn’t good and
Junichi Tazawa was far worse.
Lester went 5 innings, giving up
4 runs on 9 hits while walking 2 and striking out 4. He let up a homer and just wasn’t sharp. He’s lined up to pitch Game 1 of the ALDS on
Friday so hopefully it’s just a bump in the road and there’s nothing to worry
about. It was a big bounce back year for
Lester who greatly improved his numbers from last year (15-8, 3.75 ERA in 2013,
9-14, 4.82 ERA in 2012).
Jon left immediately after his
start was over as his wife, Farrah, will be induced into labor on Sunday
morning, delivering their 2nd child.
I’m willing to bet, pitching wasn’t the top thing on his mind Saturday
night.
Matt Thornton pitched a perfect 6th
but Junichi Tazawa had things implode on him after a perfect 7th. He allowed 2 runs on 2 hits as he let up 2
lead-off singles in the 8th.
Morales then came on to strike out Nick Markakis but Steave Pearce
ripped a 2-run double off of him putting Baltimore back in front. Brandon Workman would work the last 2/3 of
the inning but by that time the damage was done.
John Farrell has to be concerned
with Tazawa. He and Breslow are supposed
to be the bridge to Koji Uehara for the playoffs but Tazawa has continually
struggled in spots this year. Perhaps if
the game meant something, Breslow would have worked the 8th but it
didn’t so Farrell stuck with Tazawa. Let’s
hope he doesn’t in the playoffs.
With one more game to play, the
Sox will likely rest some starters tomorrow but the anticipation of some home
playoff games on Friday night is going to kill me and Red Sox nation.
SHAVING CREAM PIE TO THE FACE –
GAME MVP
Daniel Nava. Nava’s 4-hit game put him over .300 (.303) on
the season. He’s been a big cog in the
Red Sox engine this year.
ELBOW TO THE FACE – GAME LVP
Brandon Snyder. Snyder went 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts and has
looked pretty bad all season long. I
have doubts that he’ll be anywhere near this team in the future.
PLAY OF THE GAME
Steve Pearce’s 2-run double in
the bottom of the 8th to push the O’s ahead. The Sox would be unable to get anything going
in the 9th to make the comeback.
NEXT
The last game of the year, Sunday,
September 29th, in Baltimore vs. the Orioles.
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