When will manager learn that you
can’t use closers in non-save situations?
The Red Sox drop both games of the double-header with the Rays as Game 2
of the night-cap 6-5. The loss drops
them to 13-16 on the season and 6-10 at the friendly confines of Fenway Park.
Koji Uehara was sent out in the
top of the ninth inning with the game tied, a situation I always find myself
screaming at the TV in John Farrell’s direction saying “NO!!!!” On his 2nd pitch, Yunel Escobar
promptly launched a home run to give the Rays a 6-5 lead and eventual victory.
But again, I’m not going to
totally hang this loss on the bad pitching as the hitting again was an absolute
mess. The Sox managed only 5 runs on 6
hits but the kicker is the Rays walked 10 batters. They were 3 for 12 with runners in scoring
position and left 10 men on base. How do
you score only 5 runs when the opposite team is giving you 10 free base
runners? It just doesn’t make
sense. The Sox can simply not get that
big hit when they need and and can not string anything together.
You could see it unfolding in the
bottom of the ninth when Shane Victorino led off the inning with a double. David Ortiz was able to move him to 3rd
with a groundout and they were only 90 feet away from tying the game. Napoli struck out looking, Grady Sizemore
worked a nice walk but Xander Bogaerts struck out looking on a 3-2 pitch to end
the game. I hate strikeout looking to
end the game, please, please swing the bat in that situation. I know he’s just a rookie but that at-bat
seemed like Xander was looking for the walk and not aggressively trying to tie
up the game.
In the 8th, the Sox
also had a golden chance to take the lead of a tied game as Bogaerts led off
with a double, A.J. Pierzynski sacrificed him to 3rd but
Middlebrooks struck out and after a pinch hit walk by Jonny Gomes, Dustin
Pedroia grounded out to end the threat.
Overall, the Sox left 21 men on
base in the two games of the double-header and scored only 6 runs with 5 of
them coming in Game 2’s 5th inning.
Shane Victorino was 2 for 4 with
a run, RBI, 2 doubles and a walk. David
Ortiz was 1 for 4 with a run, 2 RBI and a walk.
Mike Napoli went 1 for 4 with an RBI and a walk. Grady Sizemore went 1 for 3 with an RBI and 2
walks. Xander Bogaerts went 1 for 4 with
a run scored, a double and a walk.
Will Middlebrooks was unable to
get a hit but walked 3 times and scored a run.
Jackie Bradley Jr. was on base one with a walk and also scored a run.
Felix Doubront did not have a
good outing again. He went 6 innings
gave up 4 runs (only 3 earned) on 5 hits while walking 1 and striking out
5. Given a 5-2 lead in the bottom of the
5th, Doubront promptly came out in the top of the 6th and
allowed a 2-run homer to Sean Rodriguez to cut the lead to 5-4. A Will Middlebrooks error started off the
inning but Doubront has to bear down in that situation and put up a scoreless
inning after the Sox get the lead there.
Burke Badenhop went 1/3 of an
inning and allowed a hit and Junichi Tazawa went 1 and 2/3 innings giving up 2
hits and a run. Koji wasn’t good in his
one inning of work allowing that one run on the homer and another hit after
that.
It was an all around terrible day
for the Red Sox and if the offense doesn’t get going soon, this will be a lost
season. Luckily the Yanks lost and the Sox
remain only 3 games back but with the offense performing so lousy, does anyone
seriously think this team can contend?
Clay Buchholz (1-2, 6.66) will
take the hill today hoping to right the ship on his early season woes. Dan Straily (1-1, 5.14) will be taking the hill
for the visiting Oakland Athletics. The
A’s are 18-10 and are playing really good baseball right now. Their starting pitching is fantastic and the
Sox will have a hard time getting things going against this pitching staff.
SHAVING CREAM PIE TO THE FACE –
GAME MVP
Shane Victorino. Victorino was on base 3 times with 2 hits and
a hit by pitch that forced in a run. He’s been hitting since coming off the DL
and now we just need to get everyone else going.
ELBOW TO THE FACE – GAME LVP
Dustin Pedroia. After a good first game, Pedey went 0 for 5
with a strikeout out of the leadoff spot.
PLAY OF THE GAME
The solo homer in the top of the
ninth from Escobar off of Uehara to give the Rays the 1-run lead and eventual
win.
NEXT
Friday, May 2nd at home
vs. the Oakland Athletics.
No comments:
Post a Comment