The 2014 season is on its way and
the Boston Red Sox are looking to defend their championship season of 2013 in
beautiful Camden Yards in Baltimore vs. the O’s.
After a season where it seems
like the Sox always got that big hit, they just couldn’t come up with it on
Monday afternoon, losing the first game of the season in a pitcher’s duel, 2 to
1.
It seemed that the homer friendly
Camden Yards, just didn’t want to give up homers in this game. The Sox hit several balls (Bogaerts, Ortiz
and Pierzynski) that on a sunny day in June or July, I think would have left
the ballpark. The Orioles had a couple
as well cut down by the wind but it seems the Sox were victimized the most by
the wind blowing in from center field.
The Sox were frustrated by
Orioles pitching going 0 for 10 with runners in scoring position and leaving 12
men on base. The best hitter on the day
was Grady Sizemore who hadn’t played a game in the Major League since September
22, 2011.
Sizemore went 2 for 4 with a run
scored, RBI and his first homer of the season and first in over 2 years. What’s even more surprising is that he did it
while breaking his bat on the swing.
Shades of Roy Hobbs and The Natural on that one, I wonder if anyone
checked the bat to see if “Wonder boy” was written on it?
Sizemore’s 2-run homer in the 4th
tied the game at one a-piece after the Oriole’s were able to get a run in the
second inning on a Delmon Young double-play.
Jon Lester picked u where he left
off last season but had one bad pitch to Nelson Cruz in the bottom of the
seventh. Cruz drilled a solo shot to
left on Lester’s first pitch of the inning to give the O’s a 2-1 lead and
eventual win.
Lester would go on to strike out
the side but the damage was done.
Overall, his line is quite impressive, going 7 innings, giving up just 2
runs on 6 hits while striking out 8 and walking only 1. He threw 104 pitches and 73 of them were
strikes. He was efficient and pounded
the strike zone early. With starts like
this, his stock and value are only going to go up. The Sox need to hurry-up on those contract
talks.
You can’t blame the big lefty on
this one, nope, folks, this one came down to no clutch hits and missed
opportunities.
In the 8th, Mike
Napoli led off the inning with a walk and after reaching 2nd was
lifted for a pitch runner, Jackie Bradley Jr.
Xander Bogaerts came through with a two-out walk, bringing up new Red
Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski. I though
maybe John Farrell would pitch hit for righty Jonny Gomes who was on the bench,
but the manager decided to stay with Pierzynski. It didn’t work out as lefty Brian Matusz was
able to get A.J. to ground out back to him.
In the ninth, the Sox again had a
rally going as Will Middlebrooks started the inning off by getting hit by a
pitch. After a pop-out by Daniel Nava,
Dustin Pedroia singled to center to set up 1st and 2nd
for Big Papi. Ortiz would fly out to
deep left bringing up Jackie Bradley Jr. who was in for Mike Napoli. As we all know, Bradley was beat out in
Spring Training by Grady Sizemore in center field and had just been recalled
from Triple-A Pawtucket due to Shane Victorino’ s injury. He had a putrid Spring and I was really
rooting for him. JBJ wound up striking
out looking to end the game on a questionable pitch. It was a gut check and I would have loved to
see the youngster come through in that moment.
Can’t be taking close strikes with 2 outs in the bottom of the ninth.
Over all the Sox outhit the O’s
9-6 but just couldn’t come up with that big hit. Pedroia went 2 for 5 in the loss. Ortiz, Carp, Bogaerts, Pierzynski all had a
hit in the contest and Mike Napoli went 1 for 2 with 2 walks. Napoli and Bogaerts both doubled in the loss.
Junichi Tazawa pitched an inning
of relief after Jon Lester was lifted.
He struck out 1 of the 3 batters he faced.
Tough game to lose but the Sox
will be back at it again after an off day on Tuesday.
SHAVING CREAM PIE TO THE FACE –
GAME MVP
Grady Sizemore. Going 2 for 4 in your debut in more than 2
years had to feel good. A broken bat
homer and getting through the game unscathed was certainly a treat. Here’s too many more games like that Grady!
ELBOW TO THE FACE – GAME LVP
Daniel Nava. Nava went 0 for 5 out of the lead-off spot
for the Sox. I’m worried about the
lead-off situation with this team. With
Victorino out, the only other option is Sizemore but I don’t know if he’s up for
that yet. Nava usually gets on base at a
good clip so maybe this was just a bad game but he didn’t work counts all that
great and doesn’t strike me as valuable lead-off hitter.
PLAY OF THE GAME
Nelson Cruz’s 7th
inning homer to break the tie off Jon Lester.
NEXT
Wednesday, April 2 in Baltimore
vs. the Orioles.
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