Sox split series with the A’s – Mariners return for make up game

 

Boston won last night 6-4 to earn a split against the Oakland A’s in the two game series after losing 5-4 in ten innings the night before. Josh Beckett improved to 6-0 on the year and is the first pitcher to get 6 wins this year. Also worth noting is each starter got at least one hit last night, the first time that has occured this season. Papi, Manny, V-Tek, and CoCo all went 2-4 last night. Beckett went seven innings giving up six hits, three runs and fanning seven, another strong outing for him. Hideki Okijima pitched the eigth inning and Mike Timlin came on in the ninth to get the save. Papelbon did not pitch last night after blowing the save in the ninth inning the night before wasting a solid outing by Curt Schilling.

Dice – K pitches tonight against another AL West team, the Mariners.  This is a make up game from the first series that was rained out.  Dice gets a chance at some redemption after being matched up with Felix Hernandez in his home bebut for the Sox a few weeks back.  Dice pitched well, but Hernandez was lights out.   The Mariners are starting Horacio Ramirez.

Sox take two of three from the Yankees

In a rematch of the series from last weekend the Sox came into the Bronx and took two of three games from the Yankees to extend their lead in the AL East to 4 1/2 games and their lead over the Yankees to 6 1/2 games. For a review of each game here are the box scores: Game 1 Game 2 Game 3

It was a very good series – for Sox fans at least. Dice – K and Julio Lugo carried us in the first game, Wakefield was a hard luck loser in the second game receiving only one run of support and in the third game Papi, Manny and Alex Cora all hit home runs. Its been the same story for the Sox strong consistent starting pitching with a solid pen to finish games with good run support. The Yankees pitching woes continue, and who is complaining. The starters are ineffective and the pen even more so. Rivera did get the save n Saturday. Jeff Karstens injury didnt look that bad but breaking a leg off a line drive is brutal. On top of that Wang has a broken fingernail and may miss his next start for the Yanks.

One thing that still needs to be worked out is consistency in the heart of our order. Kevin Youkilis and Mike Lowell each had two hits, but the heart of the order David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez and J.D. Drew — went a combined 0-for-9 in the the second game. We need them to be get it together. Manny especially. Just when you think he has turned the corner he disappears for two or three games. Alex Cora has certainly made the most of his playing time hitting .360 with two home runs. He is the best bench/platoon player we have until Wily Mo Pena can be more selective at the plate. One player that needs more recognition is Hideki Okajima, he has been stellar in relief for the Sox and has been lights out for us. He has been just as valuable as Dice – K to this point.

Lets also remember it is early in the season and a lot can and will change. The AL East is a strong division with three teams really contending, the Sox, Yankees and Toronto. We have a long way to go. Taking 5 of 6 from the Yankees is gratifying and proves this team is capable and can win the big games and series. It needs to prove it can do it series after series and the middle of the lineup needs to get it together day after day. Manny, are you listening?

Sox news and notes 4/27

Dice – K (2-2, 4.00 ERA) opens the three-game series at Yankee Stadium against left-hander Andy Pettitte (1-0, 1.78 ERA) at 7:05 p.m. ET.

Heading into this weekends series with the Yankees David Ortiz holds the highest career slugging percentage amoung active players at Yankee Stadium at .675.

Mike Lowell carries a 12 game hitting streak into tonights game while J.D. Drew is 1-12 and is just 4-for-22 in his last five games, dropping his average from .375 to .314.

Sox take series from O’s with Pena slam

The Red Sox took the series from the O’s last night with an 8th inning grand slam from Wily Mo Pena that was the game winner sending the Sox to New York for their weekend series with the Yanks on a winning note. Pena showed his promise with two hits and the four RBI, if he could just do this on a regular basis. Youkilis, Drew, Ortiz and Lowell were the other Sox hitter with a hit. With his hit Lowell extended his hit streak to twelve straight games last night. Sadly, Manny went hit less again. Adam Loewen, the O’s starter, held the Sox in check for the most part but Chris Ray out of the pen in the eigth inning let the game slip away after walking the bases loaded before surrendering the grand slam to Pena.

Josh Beckett improved to 5-0 and joined an exclusive club in Red Sox history. He joins Babe Ruth (1917) and Pedro Martinez (2000) as the only Red Sox pitchers to go 5-0 in April. Beckett was previously unaware of Ruth’s pitching ability, however, he was aware of Pedros saying “I don’t know how elite Babe Ruth was as a pitcher, but he was an elite hitter. Pedro Martinez was, maybe for seven or eight years there, the most dominant player.” Beckett went eight innings allowing two earned runs and striking out three. Paplebon came on in the ninth for his seventh save of the year.

And we are back to earth and Sox News and Notes

From the high of sweeping the Yankees to a dismal loss to the Blue Jays at home, sigh…

Julio Lugo, David Ortiz and Manny all go hit-less and Dustin Pedroia accounts for the two Red Sox runs last night. Wakefield got roughed up over 6 innings of work giving up eight hits and four runs and our bullpen looked average last night. Both Wakefield and Timlin gave up homers to the Jays. Here is the boxscore.

Manny went 0-5 last night dropping his average back down to a paltry .209, we really need him to get going and stay going. Going 0-5 against the pitchers the likes of Tomo Ohka and the rest that they threw out there is just hard to watch. I thought Manny might have begun a hot streak after Sundays game against the Yankees but obviously not. He has feasted on Toronto pitching during his career with 52 homers, the most the Blue Jays has allowed to any opposing player in its history. He also has 129 RBIs against Toronto, just two behind Harold Baines for the most against the Jays.

Sox Notes
After a relatively good series against the Yankees CoCo Crisp sat out last nights game against the Jays with a minor oblique injury

Julian Tavarez will face Jays ace Roy Halladay in a rematch of last Thursday’s encounter in Toronto on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. ET. Tavarez took a no-decision in that one, but the Red Sox rallied back from a 3-1 deficit to win after Halladay’s left the game.

There is a lot of banter on sports radio and in the media about the Sox going after A-Rod this offeseason if he indeed opts out of his contract. We would be foolish not too. Our only significant free agent at the end of the year is Curt Schilling. Don’t you think Theo is thinking about really getting rid of Manny yet again for a player that is two years younger and produces more than Manny? Also don’t forget that Lowell is going to start declining as well. A-Rod would fill two holes for the Sox. The big question around A-Rod is can he produce in the playoffs? To this point the answer is no, but he is having an MVP season yet again and is a threat in any line up. Not only that but taking him away from the Yankees sure would be gratifying.

Matt Clement is still in Florida for extended spring training.  He had his labrum and rotator cuff operated on last September and the Sox are taking a slow gradual approach with him.

Where is Manny Ramirez?

We are three weeks into the season and Manny Ramirez is a no show. Hard to believe that one of the most prolific hitters in recent memory has had such a horrible start to the season – again. This is the third season he has started slow, he didn’t have his first homerun last year until 16 games in and he is on track for that this year as well. Check the numbers .191 avg, 9 hits in 47 at bats, 4 runs scored, 6 RBI’s, 7 walks and 8 strike outs and ten total bases. This is not Manny being Manny. He has struggled so severely at the plate this season one has to wonder what is going on.

Tito does’nt seem worried though, “I don’t think he looks bad”, and continued with “He got into a period last year where it was early and he couldn’t stay back. He’s tracking balls, he’s taking some swings where he’s lining out. I actually think he looks pretty good. He hit that ball to center field last night. That’s just a hang with ‘em. It’s a lineout that he just scorched. Remember the night in Texas he hit three balls hard [for outs]? It’s unfortunate. But he looks OK.” Ok is not what Manny is capable of. Ok is what we expect from lesser players in the league.

We need Manny to start hitting and quickly. The bottom of the lineup has been hard pressed to make a difference so far this year. CoCo, Varitek and Pedroia (a goose egg in RBI’s and HR) are all struggling mightily. Lowell has been good on some occasions and has hit safely in six consecutive games. But the heart of the order, Ortiz, Ramirez and Drew is where our offense generates most of our runs and right now a huge piece of that missing.

Maybe it was the BBQ that did’nt sell, maybe it was the missed opportunity to attend a car auction, maybe its the cold weather, maybe the dreads are getting to long, maybe its the red he added.  I don’t know what it is but Manny needs to get it straightened out and quick.

Sox roll with 3 home runs, face Halladay in series finale

Tomo Ohka gave up only four hits for the Toronto Blue Jays but three of them were home runs to Papi, Mike Lowell and Doug Mirabelli. Mirabelli accounted for two of the four Sox runs for the night. Tim Wakefield pitched 7 innings, giving up four hits, three walks and striking out four. This was a nice rebound offensively for the Sox who managed just one run the night before. Check the entire box score.

In the series finale Julian Tavarez (0-1 9.00 ERA), having not been on the mound for eleven days faces Roy Halladay (2-0 2.35 ERA), one of the best pitchers in the game at 12:37 EST.  Tavarez was effective at then end of last year for the Sox posting a 3-0 record and a 4.01 ERA,  Historically he has been more effective as a reliever with a 3.99 ERA vs a 5.07 ERA as a starter.

Sox Notes:

Remember this name, Devern Hansack.  If Tavarez falters in the fifth spot look for the Sox to call him up from Triple AAA Pawtucket, and with good reason.  He is 2-0 and sports a 0.84 ERA and has 20 k’s, leading the International League as of yesterday, going into todays start against the Rochester Red Wings.  Hansack has four solid pitches in his repertoire, a 90 mph plus fastball, curve, change and a nasty slider.  Hansack is from Nicaragua and spent the last two years as a lobsterman and pitched for the Nicaraguan national team.  He was dropped by the Astros in 2003.

Hideki Okajima is shining in the bullpen for the Sox. Since a giving up a home run to Joe Buck, the first MLB hitter he faced. Okajima has not been scored upon in his last five appearances. He is sporting a tidy 1.35 ERA and struck out the side in Wednesday game in Toronto.

Overall the Sox pitching has been outstanding. As of Wednesday Sox pitchers had allowed three runs or fewer in seven consecutive games. This is the first time a Boston pitching staff had done that over seven games since May 11-19, 1994. The Sox also entered the night second in the American League with a 2.68 ERA.

Updating yesterdays news Jon Lester is going to pitch one more time in Class A Greenville, throw a session at Fenway then meet with the Sox braintrust and will more than likely pitch his next game at Triple A Pawtucket next week. This gets Lester closer to the Sox sooner than anyone expected.

Dice – K takes a tough loss

Dice – K took a tough loss last night after walking in the winning run in the fourth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays, a critical mistake.  Dice went six innings and allowed three hits and two runs while striking out 10. Three of his walks — and both Toronto runs — were in the long fourth inning, and that was enough to undo him and put him on the losing side of a close game for the second straight time.

Gustavo Chacin baffeled the Red Sox offense and improved to 6-0 lifetime in eight starts against the Red Sox. He allowed six hits and one run. CoCo Crisp and Wily Mo Pena each had two hits for the Sox, with Pena accounting for the Sox lone run with a home run in the 3rd inning. Lugo, Ortiz, Youkilis and Pedroia all went hitless for the Sox. Here is the complete box score.

Sox Notes: 
Dice – K became the first pitcher since Fernando Valenzuela in 1981 to register 10 or more strikeouts in two of his first three Major League starts.

CoCo Crisp was put into the second spot in the batting order last night and as mentioned about came through with two hits. I have been tough on CoCo so far this year, hopefully this is the start of a turnaround for him.

Jon Lester continues to progress in Class A Greenville. Lester threw 75 pitches against teammates on Monday. He has one more start at Greenville and the Red Sox will re-evaluate him afterwards. Look for him to have starts at both AA Portland and AAA Pawtucket before joing the Sox.

J.D. Drew had another day off yesterday to keep Drews legs off of artificial turf for three days and allow Wily Mo Pena a chance to get some game time in.

Tim Wakefield will make the next start for the Sox against former teamate Tomo Ohka. Wakefield (1-1 .38 ERA) is looking for his third solid start of the season. Tonights game starts at 7:07.

Angels swept away on Patriots Day

Josh Beckett had another fantastic game after a first inning homer by Orlando Cabrera. Beckett improved to 3-0 for the second straight season, allowing just the one run on six hits while striking out five and walking one in his six innings. Manny Ramirez singled in two runs, while David Ortiz, Mike Lowell and Alex Cora all doubled home a run against Los Angeles starter Ervin Santana. Ortiz also hit his fourth homerun of the season in the 7-2 rout of the Angels sweeping the 3 game series.

Next up is a trip to Toronto to take on the Toronto Blue Jays who are only a half game back in the AL East from the Sox. Dice – K gets the call tonight to open the Series against Gustavo Chacin.

A great game followed by a rain out

 

Curt Schilling pitched a fantastic game yesterday scattering four hits over eight scoreless inning and stretching his scoreless innings streak to 14. Big Papi added a three run home run, two hits and 4 RBI to cap off another convincing win against the Angels yesterday at Fenway. Erick Hinske got the start for Youkilis at first and had two hits and scored three runs. Hee is the complete boxscore.

The third game of the series was to be played today but was rained out by the Nor’easter moving up the eastern seaboard. The Sox have announced that the game will be made up later in the season. I was hoping for a Patriots Day double header tomorrow. The Sox are still undecided if they will go forward with the planned events celebrating Jackie Robinson as all of MLB had events at each stadium today.

Sox Notes:
Wily Mo Pena, hitless in three pinch-hit appearances, was scheduled to start Sunday in center instead of the struggling Coco Crisp. Pena was the only position player yet to start a game this season. With Sunday’s rainout, Pena start Monday.

The Angels are planning to pitch Ervin Santana, Sunday’s scheduled starter, in Monday’s game.

The Blue Jays are scheduled to start southpaw Gustavo Chacin in Tuesday’s opener to the three-game series at Rogers Centre.