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Red Sox Sizzling After Slow Start

The Red Sox began the season by dropping their first three series, including the one in Oakland to close out their first road trip.  However, Tim Wakefield threw a complete game, and near no-hitter, in the final game of that trip which appeared to recharge the team and put them on what is now a 10-game win streak.  The Red Sox came home and swept four from the Orioles, took out the brooms in a quick two game set against the Twins, and took all three from the Yankees, going 9-0 on the homestand. 

The Red Sox venture back on the road for three in Cleveland and a four-game set in Tampa Bay.  This is a busy part of the schedule for the Sox since beginning with the series opener Friday with the Yankees, the Red Sox play 17 consecutive days.  This week’s play has moved the Red Sox into second place, behind Major League-best Blue Jays.

Red Sox vs. Twins

The Red Sox ran into the one thing that can prevent them from winning in the series opener: rain.  The weather forced the postponement of the opener of the Twins only visit to Boston, so the makeup was schedule as part of a day-night doubleheader for the following day, despite the fact that both teams had the following day off.  The Red Sox, I have to be sure, appreciate Major League Baseball leaving the day off alone in front of the previously mentioned 17 days without another one and the Twins continued their road trip in Cleveland, so they too, probably liked to preserve the travel day.

The doubleheader included one of the oddest scenarios ever seen, and one that perhaps the MLB looks into, a la the suspended World Series game this past October.  That scenario was that the early game was called after seven due to rain and the Red Sox enjoying a healthy lead, while the nightcap started on time and finished with a normal conclusion.  This has rivals of both teams crying foul.  The Twins were probably more than happy to concede and save bullpen arms for the night game, while the Red Sox as well did not have to dip into theirs after what could have been a lengthy delay. 

I, for one, happen to agree that MLB should have completed the first game before starting a new game the very same day and I have to think the Commissioner’s Office is going to have to say something on the matter.  The umpires did not seem to have a precedent or rule covering this other than best judgment.  I do not believe the end result would have differed, but I think you have to play a game to completion if you are going to start a new one that day, no matter the costs.  This has not happened in decades, and may not happen again for decades more, but I expect MLB to provide formal guidance, perhaps effective next season, on the matter.

As for the action on the field, Tim Wakefield threw his second consecutive complete game (though this one was only seven innings due to the rain) and continues to look like an ace out there.  He allowed only one in the outing to go with five hits and one walk, and had four whiffs in the 10-1 victory.  The Red Sox pounded Scott Baker, taking him deep three times: Kevin Youkilis in the first, Nick Green in the second, and Mike Lowell in the third, each with a man aboard. 

Baker did not get out of the fifth and allowed 10 hits, one walk, and six runs and only fanned a pair.  The Red Sox got four off Jaun Morillo, who did not retire a batter, in what would be the final inning.  J. D. Drew (3-3), Lowell (3-4, HR), Jacoby Ellsbury (2-4), David Ortiz (2-4), and Green (2-4, HR) paced the 14-hit barrage.  Papi’s pair of hits was especially encouraging, given his problems at the dish so far this season. Perhaps he is warming up. 

The Red Sox donned their red, green, and white uniforms for Earth Day in the night game as Brad Penny improved to 2-0 on the young season as the Red Sox cruised to the doubleheader and series sweep with a 7-3 win.  Penny had a very good outing, allowing six hits and a free pass over his six-inning, 89-pitch outing.  He struck out only two and allowed two earned as the Red Sox jumped all over Francisco Liriano’s control issues.  Liriano managed six K’s, but walked four and allowed four hits as the Red Sox scored seven times on him, making him pay for his wildness.  Because of all the walks, the final Red Sox line looked odd, with seven runs on only five hits. 

Green, playing very well in Lowrie/Julio Lugo’s stead, had the only multi-hit game for the home-towners, while Jeff Bailey homered, Ortiz had an RBI-double, and Dustin Pedroia had the other.  Ramon Ramirez (0.00 ERA, 0.73 WHIP), Hideki Okajima, and Jonathan Papelbon (non-save situation) faced nine men to get nine outs.  Okajima and Pap were perfect while Ramirez plunked Delmon Young and erased him on a subsequent double play as the bullpen continues to round into form very nicely.

Red Sox vs. Yankees

If there is one series Red Sox Nation likes to draw first blood in, its the Yankees of course and the Sox did just that, taking the opener 5-4 in 11 innings.  In another classic in the series, the Red Sox again made all-world closer Mariano Rivera look human as Jason Bay tied the game with a two-out homerun to centerfield in the bottom of the ninth.  It has almost become a right of passage for Red Sox in recent years to blow a Rivera save. Youk took Damaso Marte out of the yard in the 11th to make a winner of Ramon Ramirez, who pitched yet another scoreless inning in the top of the frame. 

Jon Lester started for the Red Sox and out-dueled opposite number Joba Chamberlain, going six strong and struck out seven.  He allowed two runs on seven hits and walked three.  The Red Sox put plenty of ducks on the pond against Joba, gathering nine hits and four walks, but scored only twice (one earned) as he was able to get double plays and strand plenty of runners (Drew left seven on himself).  Okajima yielded two runs and failed to get an out as the Bombers took the upper hand, but Rivera is anything but automatic in this rivalry, especially in Fenway, and could not close the four-out appearance.

The second game featured high-priced signee A.J. Burnett facing Red Sox ace Josh Beckett, however neither man would figure into the decision in any way as this game was decided long after they were gone.  They were both pulled after allowing eight runs in just five innings and two longballs, as the balls were flying all over the place. 

The Red Sox found themselves down six runs in the fourth, but took an 8-6 lead after five, highlighted by a Jason Varitek grand slam.  The Empire took a 10-9 lead, but the Red Sox took the lead for good at 12-10 on a Lowell home run in the eventual 16-11 win.  This was Boston’s second big comeback of the homestand, after trailing the Orioles 7-0 last week.  Okajima blew a save chance (by the rulebook, certainly not by the situation) and gave up a home run to Robinson Cano to earn the vulture win.

The finale will be remembered for Jacoby Ellsbury’s straight steal of home against Andy Pettitte to take a 3-1 lead at the time.  The Red Sox also got more excellent pitching from Justin Masterson.  As the intention is not to retain him as a starter all season, the Red Sox let him go 5.1 innings and 99 pitches and he struck out four and allowed only one to score on six hits and one walk. 

Michael Bowden got his first look of the season with the big club, throwing two perfect innings with two strikeouts.  He did throw a high 31 pitches over the two, but as a starter he is used to bigger pitch counts.  He was only up for the day as the bullpen is strained after the 16-11 game the day before, the doubleheader earlier in the week, and the next couple weeks without a day off.  He will be sent back down with Pawtucket, which makes sense as he can get regular work there and be ready for a call-up perhaps later in the season, depending on how things play out.

The latest Yankee at third base, former Rookie of the Year Angel Berroa playing out of his normal shortstop position, figured into all sorts of storylines.  Never known for his defense, he committed two errors in the third as the Red Sox answered the Yankees run in the top half of the inning, the first on a bobble and the second on a throw.  He also was playing WAY off third base, allowing Ellsbury to take a lead nearly halfway to home when he stole the run. 

Papi is beginning to re-earn the “Big” prefix to his nickname as he hit the sacrifice fly to tie the game and then ground-rule doubled in another to give the Sox the lead.  Takashi Saito gave Papelbon the night off working the ninth for the save to complete the sweep of the Yankees and getting Masterson the much deserved win.

The Week Ahead: Red Sox at Indians

With the Yankees behind them, the Red Sox will try to rock the Indians and stay on a roll (sorry, I had to work that in).  Cleveland is last in the competitive Central Division, primarily due to their pitching.  The Indians are eighth in runs scored, fourth in home runs, and seventh in on base percentage of all MLB teams. 

However, they are second worst in the majors in ERA, at 6.21, despite scoring 22 runs on the Yankees, who are right behind them.  They have only five quality starts in 19 games and the bullpen has a 50% save rate, fifth worst in the majors.  Wakefield gets the opener against reigning Cy Young winner, Cliff Lee (1-3, 5.25 ERA, 1.75 WHIP), who has reverted to nothing more than an average pitcher in the early going.  Penny goes up against Anthony Reyes (1-0, 4.76, 1.29) in the second, and the finale features Jon Lester and Fausto Carmona (1-3, 7.36, 1.73). 

Those numbers look great to the Red Sox hitters, but Lee had a microscopic ERA last season and is very effective if he can find that again and Carmona has shown flashes of brilliance in his career and can get strikeouts. 

The Indians lineup features some gaudy numbers.  Victor Martinez leads the team with a .397 average and 31 hits in just 19 games, including five dingers.  Grady Sizemore leads the team with six home runs and 18 RBI, but his average is a bit down at .269, disappointing fantasy owners who took him early, and Travis Hafner is emerging from a couple down years with a .293-4-8 line so far.  There is no way to pick against the Red Sox in this series with pitching as bad as Cleveland’s from beginning to end.

Red Sox at Rays

The Red Sox then travel to Tropicana Field, one of the worst-looking stadiums in the game, but home to the reigning American League Champs.  The Rays were widely picked to compete in the division again, and while it is early, they have found themselves in the basement with a 7-12 record.  Despite the record, the Rays are a tough team, as the Red Sox found out on the season opening series, dropping two of three at Fenway. 

The Rays are five below .500, but have allowed only six runs more than they have scored.  The offense has been average, pretty much as expected, but the pitching staff has also been only average, below expectations that they would have a top third rated staff.  Josh Beckett opens the series against Matt Garza (1-2, 4.97, 1.30), who stymied the Sox in earlier this season, allowing only one run in a seven-inning performance.  Justin Masterson and Andy Sonnanstine (0-3, 7.78, 1.83) lock up and Wakefield will face Jeff Niemann (1-2, 5.40, 1.50).  The final game pairings are not yet “probable,” but Brad Penny should draw James Shields (2-2, 3.67, 1.11) in the finale. 

Shields will perhaps be best known for the brawl last season, but is quietly morphing into the Rays ace, but was the one pitcher the Red Sox got to in the prior series.  Jason Bartlett leads the team in hitting at .364, and has five steals, with Rookie of the Year Evan Longoria right behind him at .358 with five round trippers and 16 batted in.  Former Sox 1B Carlos Pena already has eight home runs and 21 RBI, but is only hitting .243.  Carl Crawford, the face of the Rays, is hitting .295 and has six swipes. 

The Rays and Red Sox know each other quite well and the Rays know how to beat this team, having taken the season series, division title, and ALCS from the Red Sox last year.  The opener should really set the tone for the series as Garza, who seems to relish Red Sox games, faces Beckett.  The Red Sox should have the pitching edge in the middle games, while the Rays would seem to have the upper hand in the finale.

The Red Sox are winning wild games as well as low-scoring games.  No lead is safe against this team, regardless of the lead or how many outs are left to work with.  Conversely, the starters are producing consistent outings for the most part and the bullpen has all the answers. 

This team looks very special right now.  They are producing memorable moments all the time as just the Yankee series featured the Bay homerun off Rivera, the Youkilis shot to win it, the eight-run comeback in the wild 16-11 game, and Ellsbury’s steal of home.  What’s your favorite?  The Bay home run was mine, hence the picture I chose.

Tags: David Ortiz, Jacoby Ellsbury, Minnesota Twins, New York Yankees, Red Sox, Tim Wakefield, View from the Monster

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