Game 2 – 4/2/2014 – in Baltimore vs. the Orioles

RESULT – WIN 6-2

The first win of the season always feels nice.  The Sox downed the birds behind an impressive pitching performance by John Lackey and bombs by Big Papi and Big Napoli.

A day removed from meeting with the President of the United States, Barack Obama, recognizing the 2013 World Champions, the Red Sox thumped the O’s to the tune of 6-2.

David Ortiz and Mike Napoli provided the power as Ortiz hit a 2-run homer in the 3^rd inning to break a tie game (0-0).  It was Ortiz’s 1^st homer of the season and his 432^nd of his career, passing Cal Ripken Jr. (fittingly) to move into 45^th all time.  Mike Napoli’s own 2-run homer in the top of the fifth broke another tie (2-2) and was a mammoth blast to center field.  What made the homer even more impressive was that it was on a 0-2 pitch.

John Lackey did the rest, making only one bad mistake.  In the bottom of the 4^th, with a 2-0 lead, Lackey quickly retired the first 2 hitters of the inning, but issued a 4 pitch walk to Chris Davis.  He rebounded nicely, getting Nelson Cruz to no balls and 2 strikes on the first two pitches of the at bat.  Unfortunately he left a fastball up in the zone and Cruz made him pay but belting a 2-run homer to the opposite field to tie up the game.  It was Cruz’s 2^nd homer in as many nights, and that signing instantly looks like a great pick up by the O’s.

Before that, Lackey retired 11 in a row after giving up a lead-off single to start the game.  After the homer, he would retire 7 more in a row before being lifted after the 6^th inning.  Lackey’s final line was quite impressive, 6 innings, 2 runs on 3 hits, 1 walk and 6 strikeouts.  He had only 90 pitches, but with the Sox up by 4 runs, John Farrell opted to take him out and rest him for his next start.

Lackey seemed to be throwing a ton of fastballs early on, later mixing in some hard breaking stuff that right handers just couldn’t lay off of.  The big righty had very good command and his fastball was consistently 92-94.  Another year removed from Tommy John and it seems that Lackey’s velocity is back where it was in his Angel days.

Offensively, the Sox banged out 6 runs on 10 hits but were only 1 for 5 with runners in scoring positing and stranded 7 runners on base.  Luckily, they had the long ball working because it could have been another frustrating night at the dish for Boston.

Dustin Pedroia went 4 for 5 with 2 runs scored and is off to a hot start this season.  Mike Napoli added a 2 RBI double to go along with his 2-run homer to give him 4 RBI on the night.  David Ortiz walked twice in addition to his 2-run homer.

Daniel Nava and A.J. Pierzynski each went 1 for 4, with Daniel Nava scoring 2 runs.  Xander Bogaerts went 1 for 2 and walked twice.

Jonny Gomes who started in left field went 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts and Will Middlebrooks also struck out twice and went 0 for 4.  I’m not sure why Gomes was starting with a tough righty (Ubaldo Jimenez) on the mound, but Farrell keeps insisting on playing Gomes against righties when that’s really not his strength.  Middlebrooks needs to turn it around because a poor start will likely lead to questions and insecurities on his game.

Edward Mujica got into his first game as a Red Sox and went 1 inning, giving up 1 hit and striking out 1.  He pounds the strike zone and should fit in nicely with the rest of the boys in the bullpen.

Junichi Tazawa also went an inning and gave up a hit and struck out one.  Koji Uehara appeared in his first game of the season and worked around an error by Mike Napoli and a base hit by J.J. Hardy.  He allowed just that one hit and struck out one.  It was a non-save situation but his splitter looked as nasty as last year.

It was good to bounce back with a win and the Sox will go for a series win tonight with Felix Doubront taking the hill in his first start of the season.  He’ll be opposed by Wei-Yin Chen, who was decent last year for the O’s.

SHAVING CREAM PIE TO THE FACE – GAME MVP
Mike Napoli.  Napoli went 2 for 5, scored a run, knocked in 4 and hit his first homer of the year.  Mike doesn’t get cheated on his homers as his blast to center was a bomb.

ELBOW TO THE FACE – GAME LVP

Jonny Gomes.  I’m not sure why John Farrell keeps starting Gomes against righties.  He struck out twice and went 0 for 4.  Gomes wasn’t very happy with the home plate umpire on both of his strikeouts.

PLAY OF THE GAME
Mike Napoli’s 5^th inning 2-run homer off of Ubaldo Jimenez to break the 2-2 tie.

NEXT

Thursday, April 3rd in Baltimore vs. the Orioles.