Sox win with Manny homer News and Notes for 5/4

The Sox won the rematch with the Mariners last night with an eigth inning Manny Ramirez homerun that broke a 7-7 tie and proved to be the winning run. That was Manny’s second home run of the night. Along with Manny’s two dingers Wily Mo Pena went 4-4. CoCo was the only Sox batter without a hit last night ending a semi hot streak for him.
Dice-K struggled with his control all night lasting only five innings, giving up seven runs, all earned, walking five and fanning only one. Clearly his worst outing of the season. Seattle’s starter Horacio Ramirez didn’t fare much better lasting only four innings giving up seven earned runs and eleven hits.

News and Notes:

Manny Ramirez’s two homers last night tied him for 27th on the career list at 475 with the two Hall of Famers, Willie Stargell and Stan “The Man” Musial.

Mike Timlin 24 hours removed from his first save of the season was placed on the 15-day disabled list prior to Thursday night’s game against the Mariners with right shoulder tendinitis. In a corresponding roster move, the Sox recalled right-hander Devern Hansack from Triple-A Pawtucket.

Jon Lester confirmed it was just a cramp that took him out of his Triple-A start after just three innings on Wednesday night. This will more than likely slow his return just a bit.

Tim Wakefield will open up a six-game road trip for the Sox when he takes the ball Friday night at Minnesota. He’ll be opposed by Carlos Silva, who is 2-1 with a 3.10 ERA. First pitch is slated for 8:10 ET.

Sox swept by Blue Jays and hit the road

Dismal, that is how I would describe last nights game against the Jays. Julian Tavarez lasts just 4 2/3 innings giving up seven hits and six runs. Kyle Snyder tried to keep it close but he allowed four unearned runs in the sixth inning and the game turned into a blow out. Offensively we just stunk getting only five hits, the only highlight was Mike Lowells 4th homer of the season. Manny, Julio Lugo and the bottom of the order posted yet another goose egg. It is going to be a long season if this does not change and soon. Defensively the Sox committed four errors on the night, with Wily Mo Pena dropping a liner in the sixth with two outs that opened the flood gates for the Jays and put the game out of reach for the Sox. All of this when Fenway hosted 37,161, the largest attendance at Fenway Park since World War II.

The Sox really need to find a fifth starter and quickly, Tavarez is just not getting the job done. He is more suited to coming out of the bullpen. Scary to think he is going to start against the Yankees this weekend. Jon Lester’s comeback is ahead of schedule but rushing him may not be the answer. We also have Devern Hansack who has been brilliant in the minors so far this year.

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.