To kick off the offseason transactions, the Red Sox announced they will exercise their $6 million option on Marco Scutaro for the upcoming season, even though his role as a shortstop might not be clearly defined quite yet with Jed Lowrie also getting time at the position. Now 35 years of age, Scutaro is expected to share time at shortstop with both Lowrie and Jose Iglesias, who should get more experience at the major league level in 2012 than the brief 10 games he had this past season.

In 2011, Scutaro played 113 games, hitting a terrific .299 and playing solid defense at shortstop. New, Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington establishes himself with the team by carrying out the transaction. It should be interesting to see how Cherington’s approach to free agency this offseason compares to that of Theo Epstein, especially after a season where the Red Sox were coming off of one of their most impressive winters by acquiring both Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez.

Bringing back Scutaro is probably necessary, as he is a solid defensive player at multiple infield positions who has had lots of offensive success at the shortstop position. While the price is high at $6 million for a player who may end up being a backup for the majority of the season depending on the success of Lowrie, I think that the certainty of how Scutaro can perform in Boston and on this team makes him a better option than the Sox pursuing a free agent like Clint Barmes or old friend Alex Gonzalez. Look for Scutaro to have another solid season in 2012 and get plenty of playing time in the infield.

Sox Cut Ties With Wheeler & Atchison For Now

The Red Sox announced Monday that they declined contract options for relievers Dan Wheeler and Scott Atchison.

The 33-year-old Wheeler projects as a Type B free agent. He had a 4.38 ERA over 49.1 innings last season.

Atchison, meanwhile, spent much of the year in the minors.

Both players may end up re-signing in Boston.

© Matthew Bond for Sports of Boston, 2011. | Permalink | No comment
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Boston just can’t seem to get it together, and lost once more to start a doubleheader Sunday 6-2. And yet again, their opponent beat them down early, and as usual, the Yankees never let them back into the game. The omens started early, too, with Jacoby Ellsbury getting picked off in the 1st inning after getting caught in a rundown. New York followed that up with two bunt singles and stolen bases to start their game, and after a missed catch error, passed ball and wild pitch, took a 2-0 lead.

New York struck again in the 3rd, with a two-run homer from Jorge Posada, who bat fourth in the lineup. Jacoby Ellsbury homered in the 4th to cut the deficit to 4-1, but after two singles in the 5th for New York (the first of which also saw a fielding error on Carl Crawford), New York made it 5-1.

Ellsbury homered yet again in the 6th, but in the bottom of the frame, a single, sac bunt and ground-rule double made it 6-2. A.J. Burnett kept everything going good for the Yanks through 7.2 innings, forcing Boston to waste a lead-off double in the 8th. Boston never got any momentum going, and the way they’ve been playing lately, why should they?

Sox’ Stud of the Game: Jacoby Ellsbury

Two home runs in one game is a good day for anyone, but alas, one man does not a team make.

Sox’ Dud of the Game: Tim Wakefield

Wakefield gave up five runs (three earned) and five walks in 4.0 innings and two batters. Laboring the way he did doesn’t win games, and only taxes the bullpen further.

Game Notes:

W: A.J. Burnett (11-11)
L: Tim Wakefield (7-8)

• Adrian Gonzalez grounded into two double plays, giving him 28 for the season, second only to Albert Pujols.
• Ellsbury is the only person in Red Sox history to have at least 30 homers and 30 stolen bases in the same season.
• While warming up for the 8th, Scott Atchison left the game due to injury. He was seen clutching at his groin.
• Boston is only 0.5 games ahead of Tampa in the Wildcard race with four games left (to Tampa’s three remaining). The Angels are 2.0 games out with four remaining, including leading Oakland 2-0 in the 6th as of press time.

© John for Sports of Boston, 2011. | Permalink | No comment
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The Red Sox started the day just 2.0 games ahead of the Rays in the AL Wild Card race, and after 18 long innings of baseball against those pesky Orioles, the Sox remain just 2.0 games up with eight games to go.

Game 1: Orioles 7, Red Sox 6

W: Jeremy Guthrie (9-17) - 6.0 IP, 10 H, 4 ER, 3 Ks
L: Kyle Weiland (0-3) – 4.2 IP, 4 H, 5 ER, 5 Ks
SV: Jim Johnson (7) 

Weiland Isn’t Ready

It’s not Kyle Weiland’s fault. The Red Sox are without Clay Buchholz, Erik Bedard and Daisuke Matsuzaka in the starting rotation. So, the Red Sox have been forced to call on the rookie in must-win games down the stretch. He started off Game 1 OK, allowing no runs or hits during the first two innings.

He then had trouble in the third and fourth innings and couldn’t get out of the fifth. In the end, he allowed 6 runs (5 earned) on five hits and two walks. He allowed three home runs and took his third career loss.

Fortunately for the Red Sox, Felix Doubront (1.1 scoreless IP) and Alfredo Aceves (3.0 scoreless IP) saved the bullpen. They would be needed in Game 2.

Crawford Scratched, McDonald Attempts To Fill In

Carl Crawford was scratched shortly before the game with a stiff neck he suffered during batting practice. In his place was Darnell McDonald, who had a bit of an adventure out in left field in Game 1.

With a runner on first and one out in the third inning, McDonald muffed a fly ball in the outfield. His error led to runners on 2nd and 3rd with one out, a situation which the Orioles capitalized on when Matt Angle singled home both men to give the O’s a 2-0 lead.

McDonald atoned for his error a bit in the next half inning, hitting a solo HR off righty Jeremy Guthrie.

Ortiz’s Line Drive…Foul?

Ortiz lined what would have been an RBI double right off the wall below Pesky’s Pole in the fifth inning. Or did he?

You be the judge:

Fair or foul? (AP/MLB.tv Image from Yahoo.com Blogs)

The umpires called the ball foul. Ortiz later flied out to center to end the inning, and slammed his batting helmet in disgust. Clearly (at least to me), the umpires got it wrong. That ball hits at least a foot to the left of the foul pole in fair territory. Considering the Sox lost by just one run, this play loomed large in the result.

Game 2: Red Sox 18, Orioles 9

W: Scott Atchison (1-0) – 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 Ks
L: Brian Matusz (1-8) – 1.2 IP, 6 H, 6 ER, 9 Ks

Lackey Horrible Yet Again

In the nightcap, John Lackey was called upon to help the Red Sox win perhaps their most important game of the year. Coming into the game, he had been the worst full-time starting pitcher in the majors. Nothing changed.

Lackey yielded 8 earned runs on 11 hits in just 4.2 innings despite being spotted 11 runs by the Sox bats through three innings. Terry Francona just could not leave him in to “earn” the win as Lackey struggled to make it through five.

“It just got to the point where it’s hard to leave him in,” Francona said. “We needed to stop the runs, now.”

By the end of the year, Lackey will have made more than $15 million this season. With three years left on the deal, what are the Red Sox going to do with the worst starter in the major leagues? For right now, he has to keep going out every fifth day due to the quandary they are currently in. If the Sox are even lucky enough to make the playoffs, they have to seriously consider leaving Lackey off the roster.

Bats Club 20 Hits, 18 Runs

Thankfully the Red Sox still have a pretty good offense, as their starting rotation continues to let them down every single day. Coming off a 3-3 effort in the first game, Marco Scutaro led the charge with three more hits in Game 2, scoring three times and driving in two runs.

Jacoby Ellsbury, Adrian Gonzalez, and Dustin Pedroia also finished with three hits. Ellsbury picked up his 28th HR (the inside-the-park variety) in the 7th inning, and Gonzalez added two walks as part of a 3-3 effort at the plate.

Jed Lowrie, though, saved the Red Sox early. Down 3-1 in the first inning, Lowrie hit a go-ahead, three-run HR to give the Red Sox new life and Lackey another chance to redeem himself. The Sox didn’t look back after Lowrie’s HR.

Conor Jackson even got in on the action, hitting his second career grand slam, clearing the bases in the seventh inning to blow the game wide open.

Michael Bowden pitched the final two innings to give the Sox the 18-9 win.

Looking Ahead

The Red Sox have two more games against the O’s, an off-day, three against the Yankees in the Bronx, and three more against the O’s in Baltimore to close the season. They’re up 2.0 games in the Wild Card with eight to play.

Erik Bedard returns to the bump on Tuesday against Rick VandenHurk.

© KC Downey for Sports of Boston, 2011. | Permalink | No comment
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When nothing is going right, nothing is going right. Such was the case Thursday night at Fenway, when a freakish broken-bat grounder led to four runs by the Tampa Bay Rays, who homered three times to beat the Red Sox, 9-2, and cut Boston’s wild card lead to three games.

Broken Bat Ends Up Breaking Weiland

Through two innings, starter Kyle Weiland appeared on his way to at least the first quality start for the Red Sox since Sept. 6, and possibly his first major league win. Weiland retired his first seven batters before giving up a double to catcher John Jaso. Weiland walked Desmond Jennings with two outs, but his inside pitch to B.J. Upton broke Upton’s bat and started rolling towards Marco Scutaro.

The broken bat-head flew in the exact same direction as the grounder, unfortunately, landing in front of Scutaro moments before the ball reached his glove. Scutaro tried to side-step the bat and field the ball, but the two arrived so close that there was nothing Scutaro could do. The ball rolled between his legs, and Jaso scored to give the Rays a 1-0 lead.

Weiland should have been out of the inning, but instead he had to face Evan Longoria. Though Weiland reached two strikes on Longoria, he left a 1-2 pitch over the plate, and Longoria deposited it in the Red Sox bullpen in right-center to make it a 4-0 game.

Terry Francona lifted Weiland with none out and two men on in the fourth despite Weiland’s low pitch count of 61. The move paid off at first, with newcomer Trever Miller retiring all three batters he faced. Miller was aided by Adrian Gonzalez, who with one out and Johnny Damon on third charged a bunt by Jaso and quickly shuffle-flipped to Jarrod Saltalamacchia to nail Damon at home.

Scott Atchison pitched a scoreless fifth, but Franklin Morales hit Damon and then gave up a two-run home run to Casey Kotchman in the sixth.

Francona tried Matt Albers in the seventh, but that only made matters worse. Albers walked Jennings to start the game, then gave up a two-run home run to Upton that once again landed in the Red Sox bullpen. Albers left after walking Ben Zobrist with one out, but replacement Andrew Miller gave up two singles, including an RBI single to Kotchman that made it 9-1 Rays. Miller did strike out four in 1 2/3 innings Thursday – more than the combined total for the six other Red Sox pitchers used.

It’s unclear why Francona would overtax an already exhausted bullpen when the starter could have easily gone at least two more innings. Weiland is a very young pitcher, still with hundreds of innings left in his tank. Boston’s bullpen, meanwhile, has almost completely dissolved.

Francona is delusional if he believes his team has a better chance to win when he uses the bullpen more. The only way to restrengthen the bullpen is to use starters more. Even if they don’t seem capable of handling the extra innings, pulling starters early has an even lower likelihood of success.

Hellickson Shuts Down Red Sox Again

Once again phenomenal pitching by the Rays completely stifled the Red Sox offense. Starter Jeremy Hellickson held the Red Sox to just three hits over 5 1/3 innings, and three Rays relievers allowed just one hit over the next 2 2/3.

Boston’s best scoring opportunity came in the bottom of the third, when two walks sandwiched around a Scutaro (2-for-3) single loaded the bases with one out. Hellickson then got Gonzalez to ground weakly to first base, and Saltalamacchia scored from third on the ground out. Considering Gonzalez had tripled and homered off Hellickson in six previous at-bats, the Rays were happy to trade a run for the second out.

Hellickson then intentionally walked David Ortiz (2-2), who had already singled off Hellickson in the second inning, getting to third on a wild pitch and a balk before Carl Crawford stranded him.

Kevin Youkilis worked the count full but then grounded out to third to leave the bases loaded.

With the scoring chance wasted, much of the life went out of the Red Sox, and they went 1-2-3 in both the fourth and the fifth. Boston struggled all night with Hellickson’s changeup, never figuring out the timing necessary to drive it. Though 27 foul balls kept Hellickson from finishing the sixth, it didn’t matter: Jake McGee retired Crawford one on pitch to strand two Red Sox.

The Red Sox added a run in the ninth on an RBI single by Darnell McDonald that scored Joey Gathright. Jose Iglesias also recorded his first major league hit in the ninth.

© Matt Goisman for Sports of Boston, 2011. | Permalink | No comment
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The Oakland Athletics swung early and often Friday night at Fenway, and Tim Wakefield was powerless to stop them. Wakefield gave up eight runs (four earned) on eight hits, including two homers, and the Athletics battered the Red Sox, 15-5. The Red Sox maintained their one-game lead in the AL East because the Yankees lost 12-5 to the Orioles.

A Bad Night All Around for Red Sox Pitching

Up 2-1 entering the fourth, the Athletics took control of the game because Wakefield couldn’t get the third out. With one man on and two out, third baseman Scott Sizemore pulled the first pitch he saw just inside the Fisk Foul Pole for a two-run home run to go up 4-1.

Second baseman Jemile Weeks (3-5, three runs) struck out, but the knuckleball bounced away from Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Weeks reached first on the passed ball. Coco Crisp walked to set up Hideki Matsui, who doubled the first pitch he saw to deep center to score both.

DH Josh Willingham (2-5, four RBIs) waited a whole pitch before smashing his own two-run home run into the Green Monster seats to put Oakland up 8-1.

Wakefield had no one to blame but himself for his sixth failed attempt at his 200th win and sixth loss of the season. He left too many knuckleballs up in the zone and only struck out three despite eight two-strike counts. Just four of the eight runs Wakefield allowed were earned, but eight hits and two walks in four innings won’t get it done, no matter how good your offense is.

Wakefield had a faint chance of winning his 200th game when the Red Sox gave him a 1-0 lead to start the second, but he couldn’t hold it. First baseman Brandon Allen doubled to lead off the inning and scored on a single by right fielder David DeJesus. DeJesus moved to second on a wild pitch, and shortstop Chad Pennington (3-5, 2 RBIs) singled him to put the Athletics up 2-1.

Recently recalled Scott Atchison went three innings, saving the bullpen a bit but allowing a seventh-inning RBI double to Pennington that Mike Aviles – who was playing his first game ever in left field – may have misplayed.

Matt Albers continued his downward slide, allowing four runs on four hits and a walk in the eighth. In 10 August appearances, Albers has an ERA of 13.10.

Darnell McDonald made a rare pitching appearance in the ninth, giving up a two-RBI double to Willingham to put the Athletics up 15-4.

Red Sox Can’t Match Athletics’ Offense

The Red Sox struck early against Athletics starter Gio Gonzalez, with Jacoby Ellsbury leading off the first with a double, then scoring two batters later on Adrian Gonzalez‘s single just past Weeks at second base. David Ortiz followed Gonzalez with a single to extend his hitting streak to 10 games, but Jed Lowrie struck out to strand two.

That the Red Sox offense didn’t curl up and die after going 1-2-3 in both the second and third, then seeing the Athletics go up 8-1 in the fourth, is commendable, though it mattered little. Dustin Pedroia led off the bottom of the fourth with a home run off the Sports Authority sign above the Green Monster, and Ortiz followed him four pitches later with a solo shot into the center-field bullpen to make it 8-3 Oakland.

The Red Sox tacked on a fourth run in the fifth when Ellsbury led off with a triple and scored on a Marco Scutaro ground out, but they never closed the gap further. McDonald popped out on a 3-1 pitch with two men on in the sixth, then reliever Brian Fuentes got Ellsbury to foul out to end the threat. Gonzalez finished the game giving up four earned runs on seven hits, three walks and five strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings.

The Red Sox put two more on in the seventh on a Pedroia walk and an Ortiz double to right, but Lowrie struck out for the third time to end the inning. A pinch-hit double to right by Josh Reddick in the ninth scored Scutaro to make it 15-5, but Lowrie struck out again and Aviles flied out to the warning track in left to end the game.

With the win, Gonzalez evened his record to 11-11. It was his second career win against the Red Sox.

© Matt Goisman for Sports of Boston, 2011. | Permalink | No comment
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Having lost two straight, the Boston Red Sox needed a stopper Tuesday night. They turned to a man who hadn’t lost since June 2009, and he was terrible. Red Sox starter Alfredo Aceves gave up eight runs in just five innings of work, and the Chicago White Sox banged out 15 hits – 12 singles – and survived a late-game Boston push to out-slug the Red Sox, 10-7.

Four-Run Innings Cost Aceves and Atchison

Whatever mystery and deception enabled Aceves to retire the White Sox 1-2-3 on eight pitches in the first inning, it disappeared before the second. The White Sox walked and singled to lead off the inning, then loaded the bases with one out. Second baseman Gordon Beckham put the White Sox up 1-0 with a single to left.

The White Sox went up 2-0 when third baseman Brent Morel’s grounder bounced high on a ranging Jed Lowrie, hit Lowrie in the glove and was kicked away. The play was ruled an RBI fielder’s choice with an error.

Aceves fielded a chopper in front of the plate by left fielder Juan Pierre and threw home for the second out, but shortstop Alexei Ramirez bounced a 1-2 pitch over Aceves’s glove and into center field to plate two more. Ramirez finished the game 4-5, including an additional RBI single in the fourth to make it 6-1 White Sox.

Aceves pitched into the sixth, hitting a batter and giving up a single without recording an out. Reliever Scott Atchison fared no better.

An immediate passed ball by Jason Varitek moved the Chicago runners to second and third, and with one out Pierre bounced a ball over a drawn-in Adrian Gonzalez to drive in both and take an 8-1 lead. The White Sox finished the inning up 10-1.

Aceves took the loss, allowing eight runs – six earned – on eight hits and three walks. He struck out one (the first out of the game) and hit a batter, his fifth of the season. He threw first-pitch strikes to only half the batters faced, and got only 11 called strikes in the game. Nearly twice as many (21) were put in play, with the White Sox content to score runs a base at a time.

Atchison gave up four hits, allowing two inherited runners to score while being charged with two runs of his own. His ERA  is now 5.11.

The lone bright spot for the pitching staff Tuesday was the return of Bobby Jenks. After retiring the first two batters faced in the eighth on just four pitches, Jenks gave up back-to-back singles to put runners on the corners. First baseman Paul Konerko lined a 1-2 pitch back up the middle, but Jenks snared the ball out of the air and doubled replacement left fielder Brent Lillibridge easily off first.

Humber Dominates for Seven, then Red Sox Bats Wake Up

White Sox starting pitcher Philip Humber dominated the Red Sox for the first seven innings. He retired the first eight Red Sox in a row, then made his only mistake until the eighth, allowing a Varitek two-out solo home run into the White Sox bullpen to make it 5-1 Chicago. Varitek finished the night 3-4 with an RBI and two runs scored.

The Red Sox put runners on base every inning from the fourth through the seventh, but never broke through for runs. They finally broke through against Humber in the eighth.

Boston’s defensive replacements keyed the eighth-inning scoring, with Josh Reddick banging a double off the Green Monster and Drew Sutton scoring him with a single, also off the wall, to make it 10-2 White Sox. After Kevin Youkilis’s two out single – again off the wall – put runners at the corners, Humber was lifted for Will Ohman.

The left-handed reliever was called in to face David Ortiz, but Ortiz (2-4) simply took him the opposite way for a three-run home run into the Green Monster seats.

The Red Sox scored twice more in the bottom of the ninth, on a Reddick sacrifice fly and a Sutton RBI double, but then simply ran out of outs. Still down 10-7 with two outs, Chris Sale struck out Gonzalez to end the game.

Boston’s late-game scoring was never really a comeback. Humber, who threw over 70 percent of his pitches for strikes, kept the Red Sox offense in check for too long. Aceves gave up a bunch of runs early, then kept giving up more runs with each new inning, making a comeback more and more difficult as the game went on. The eighth and ninth innings were simply garbage time, and the Red Sox, who are definitely playing like garbage right now, used the time to pad their numbers and save a modicum of their self-respect.

© Matt Goisman for Sports of Boston, 2011. | Permalink | No comment
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Last week, we asked: what is wrong with John Lackey? Well, apparently he may have been injured.

The Red Sox placed Lackey on the 15-day disabled list on Monday with a strained right elbow. Lackey is also battling some off-the-field issues as his wife has been battling cancer.

His elbow injury and off-the-field issues have contributed to his miserable season. He is currently 2-5 with a major-league-worst 8.01 ERA. He also has a 1.81 WHIP.

With Alfredo Aceves and Scott Atchison pitching in relief Monday against the Orioles, Tim Wakefield will likely get the start in Lackey’s place on Tuesday.

Had Lackey started Tuesday evening, some fans were attempting to organize an effort to “support” the righty.

© KC Downey for Sports of Boston, 2011. | Permalink | No comment
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Less than 13 hours after playing a marathon, rain-soaked, 13-inning affair against the Angels into the wee hours of Thursday morning, the Red Sox were set to go at it at Fenway Park against the Halos for the final time this season…and we’re only in May.

Terry Francona had to use eight pitchers in Thursday morning’s loss, including Friday’s penciled in starter Daisuke Matsuzaka, and needed a strong effort from John Lackey to help save a taxed bullpen. The need ran so deep that the Red Sox had just shipped Bobby Jenks and Dan Wheeler (both of whom have been terrible this season) to the disabled list and were left with few reliable relievers on hand. Hey, Lackey has never lost to the Angels, right? Lackey can give ‘em six innings, right?

Wow, you couldn’t be more wrong. Not only could Lackey not get any outs in the fifth inning because he was ineffective, but he also ran his pitch count high (97!). In his 4+ innings, Lackey allowed eight earned runs on 10 hits and three walks to take his fourth loss of the season (2-4).

Francona was forced to go to Scott Atchison, just up from Triple-A Pawtucket. Atchison gave the Sox all he could (much like last year), as he gave up three runs over 3.2 innings. Fellow call-up Rich Hill tossed an inning and a third to help the Sox escape the lopsided 11-0 loss in which the Angels cranked out 18 hits in all.

The offense, for the most part, was useless against former Sox righty Joel Pineiro, who went 5.2 scoreless innings with three hits and four walks allowed. He earned his first win.

Sox Stud of the Game: David Ortiz

Overshadowed by Lackey’s crappy performance, David Ortiz shined through with a nice 3-3 effort to raise his season batting average to .295.

Sox Dud of the Game: John Lackey

After three consecutive strong outings, Lackey reverted to the pitcher we saw to start the year. After allowing eight runs in four innings, Lackey’s ERA ballooned to 7.16.

Game Notes:

W: Joel Pineiro (1-0)
L: John Lackey (2-4)

• After the game, the Sox sent down Atchison and called up Alfredo Aceves. Dice-K’s next start was pushed back to Sunday, and Tim Wakefield will likely start in Dice-K’s place on Friday.
• Jed Lowrie, who went 1-4, appeared to re-injure the wrist that kept him out for a long time in the 2009 season. He shook it off and stayed in the game.
• Carl Crawford hit second, going 1-4. Dustin Pedroia had the day off.
• Mark Trumbo knocked Lackey out of the game with his two-run HR in the fifth.

© KC Downey for Sports of Boston, 2011. | Permalink | One comment
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Hey there, Sox fans! Sports of Boston brings you the final full week of Boston Red Sox Spring Training games, as player and fan alike eagerly await Friday’s Opening Day!

The Red Sox made several roster moves this week, leaving their roster at 32 players. On Friday, the Red Sox reassigned four players to minor league camp and optioned Scott Atchison and Ryan Kalish to Triple-A Pawtucket. In 8.1 preseason innings, Atchison had a 6.48 ERA. Kalish batted .235 in 51 at-bats, but led the team with five steals.

On Saturday, the Red Sox purchased the contract of journeyman reliever Dennys Reyes, adding him to the 40-man roster. Reyes is 1-1 with a 3.00 ERA this Spring Training. He has eight strikeouts in nine innings. The purchase means Reyes is guaranteed his $900,000 salary this year.

Josh Reddick was sent to Pawtucket on Sunday.

Now then, let’s talk about the games themselves. Be warned: it ain’t pretty.

Phillies 4, Boston 1

Since being named Opening Day starter, Jon Lester has not been the same pitcher. Before the announcement, Lester did not allow a run. In the two starts since, including Monday’s game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Lester has allowed seven. He has a 5.81 ERA in his last two starts.

Lester did not allow a hit until two outs into the fifth inning, but left with two outs gone in the sixth after six straight Phillies had reached base and scored three times. Lester only allowed six hits – none for extra bases – but still took the loss, giving up four runs (three earned) on six hits, four walks and six strikeouts.

Matt Albers, still fighting for a spot in the bullpen, struck out three in 1 2/3 perfect innings.

The Red Sox could do little with Phillies ace Roy Halladay, who went 7 2/3, giving up an earned run on five hits, a walk and six strikeouts. The Red Sox tied the game 1-1 in the fifth when non-roster first baseman Drew Sutton drove in Jed Lowrie (1-2, double, run scored, walk) with a sacrifice fly.

Rays 7, Red Sox 4

Continuing through the recently-established pitching rotation, No. 2 John Lackey started Tuesday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays. Unfortunately, Lackey fared no better than Lester. In 5 1/3 innings, Lackey gave up five earned runs on six hits (two home runs), two walks and four strikeouts.

The Rays scored in six different innings Tuesday, making it very difficult for the Red Sox to ever cut into the Rays lead. They were down 2-0 after two innings, 3-1 after three, and 6-1 after seven.

Making it even harder was Rays starter David Price, who allowed just an earned run on five hits, two walks and seven strikeouts in 6 1/3.

The Red Sox tried to get back in the game when minor league first baseman Aaron Bates hit a three-run home run to make it 6-4 in the eighth. But the Rays scored again in the top of the ninth for the 7-4 lead.

Jason Varitek and Dustin Pedroia both went 2-3. Both of Pedroia’s hits were doubles.

Gonzalez DH’s in Minor League Game Wednesday

With the Red Sox off Wednesday, Adrian Gonzalez played designated hitter in a minor league game against a Florida Marlins affiliate. Gonzalez went 3-6 with an RBI and a run. He made solid contact in all six at-bats, including a deep single that likely would have clanged off the Green Monster at Fenway.

Gonzalez returned to the Major League lineup Friday night against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Marlins 15, Red Sox 7

The Red Sox rotation was further rocked Thursday against the Florida Marlins, as the Red Sox losing streak extended to over a week. This time, the victim was Clay Buchholz, who gave up 11 runs (six earned) in just four innings of work. He allowed four homers, including two three-run shots to Marlins right fielder Mike Stanton, who finished the game with seven RBIs.

The Red Sox generated an offensive explosion of their own off Marlins starter Javier Vazquez (W, 4 IP, 6 ER, 8 H, 4 K). Jarrod Saltalamacchia went 3-3 with a home run (his first of Spring Training), two doubles, four RBIs and a run. Jacoby Ellsbury went 2-3 with a home run, two RBIs and a run. Sutton went 2-4 with a double and two runs-scored, and Lowrie went 2-3 with a run scored.

The Red Sox were in it through three innings, and began the bottom of the fourth tied 5-5. But a six-run fourth inning made it 11-5 Florida, and the Red Sox could only score two more runs all game.

In separate minor league starts, Tim Wakefield (Triple-A, five innings) and Jonathan Papelbon (Double-A, one inning) gave up six (five earned) and two runs, respectively.

Blue Jays 11, Red Sox 8

The Red Sox are in free fall. The starting rotation has already allowed 14 earned runs. Friday against the Toronto Blue Jays, starter Josh Beckett allowed seven more. In six innings, Beckett gave up seven earned runs on 11 hits (one home run) and five strikeouts. In no inning did Beckett retire the first batter he faced.

Despite Beckett’s poor performance (yet again), the Red Sox actually began the seventh inning down just 6-5. But Reyes struggled in relief of Beckett, giving up three runs (two earned) on two hits (one home run) and a walk.

At least it was a strong day for Red Sox hitters, who banged out 17 hits against Blue Jays pitching. Carl Crawford, Gonzalez, David Ortiz, J.D. Drew and Varitek each had two hits. Gonzalez, Ortiz and Varitek all doubled, and Drew scored two runs.

Papelbon pitched a scoreless ninth, giving up a hit and striking out two.

Twins 9, Red Sox 8

It’s rare to find the words “stopper” and Daisuke Matsuzaka in the same sentence, but that’s almost what happened Saturday against the Minnesota Twins. Matsuzaka had the best start of any Red Sox starter in over a week, giving up just a run in six innings. He gave up five hits and a walk while striking out five, and he left with the Red Sox up 8-1.

Unfortunately, reliever Bobby Jenks picked a terrible time to give up the first runs of his Spring Training. The Twins scored six times in the top of the ninth to take a 9-8 lead. Only two of those runs were earned, as the Red Sox committed three errors during the game, including one in the ninth.

At the plate, Saltalamacchia continued his offensive production, going 2-4 with a double and a run. Darnell McDonald, back from a thumb injury earlier in the week, went 2-3 with a bases-loaded triple that drove in three in the second. Gonzalez went 2-3 with his first home run of the preseason.

Jenks’s ninth-inning meltdown cost the Red Sox the Mayor’s Cup. For those unfamiliar with it, the Mayor’s Cup, so-called because both teams play in Fort Myers, Fla., is awarded to the winner of the Twins-Red Sox preseason series. It’s like the World Series trophy, only nobody cares.

Orioles 4, Red Sox 3

The Red Sox wrapped up their week with a Sunday-afternoon showdown with the Baltimore Orioles. Wanting to keep the rotation aligned and rested for Opening Day, Terry Francona used relief pitchers for all nine innings. Brandon Duckworth started and went two innings, giving up just a walk.

Through the first seven innings, the Red Sox held the Orioles to just a run. But in the eighth, Santo Luis gave up three earned runs on five hits without recording an out. The Red Sox could not mount a comeback in the ninth, and lost for the 10th-straight game.

The Red Sox went up 2-0 in the third on a Drew two-run home run. Sutton’s fourth-inning triple gave the Red Sox a 3-0 lead.

Marco Scutaro went 2-4 and a run.

Limping to the Finish Line

It’s quite possible the Red Sox have started looking beyond Spring Training games to the fast-approaching regular season. Perhaps they see these games as formalities, not meant to be taken seriously. Perhaps their only goals are to start the season rested and healthy. But along the way, they’re losing a lot of games.

The lone bright spot this week was the performance by Red Sox catchers. Varitek and Saltalamacchia combined for nine hits this week. The Red Sox were considered weakest in their lineup in the catcher’s spot. If Varitek or Saltalamacchia can regularly contribute like this, the lineup will be all the more dominant.

Slightly troubling have been all the unearned runs opposing teams are scoring against Red Sox pitchers (11 this week). Both of Boston’s World Series teams played strong defense (in 2004′s case, after the Nomar Garciaparra trade). If the bullpen struggles, it will be key for the team to not give away extra outs.

But even more troubling has been the string of bad starts by Red Sox starters. Lester’s performances since being named Opening Day starter have not inspired confidence. Nor have Lackey’s and Buchholz’s, who will also be facing a lot of quality pitchers as the second- and third-pitchers in the rotation.

Beckett’s ERA has ballooned to 6.64. It would not be surprising to hear that he’s playing through an injury. But that isn’t exactly comforting: the Red Sox’s first replacement – Wakefield – has an ERA of 7.45.

Only Matsuzaka has been strong lately. And that’s saying something. April 1 cannot come fast enough.

© Matt Goisman for Sports of Boston, 2011. | Permalink | No comment
Filed under: Featured, Red Sox, Top Story.

Welcome back to Sports of Boston’s continuing coverage of the Red Sox’s Spring Training! Opening Day is less than four weeks away, and we’ll be be right there every day leading up to it. Nine games in seven days is a lot of games, but we’ve got recaps for every one of them. But even before we take on the epic task of summarizing nine preseason games, Sports of Boston is happy to announce the return of Adrian Gonzalez! The biggest acquisition of the off-season, Gonzalez returned to the starting lineup Saturday against the Florida Marlins. In two at-bats, Gonzalez went 1-1 with a single to left and a sacrifice fly.

The Red Sox also announced Saturday that 10 Red Sox were re-assigned to minor league camp. In addition, pitcher Stolmy Pimentel and infielder Oscar Tejeda were optioned to double-A Portland. In two Spring Training starts, Pimentel was 0-1 with a 9.82 ERA. Tejeda batted .375 in 13 games, driving in eight while striking out six times. It’s unlikely Pimentel will be at Fenway anytime soon, but Tejeda might find a place as a utility infielder in the next couple of years.

Now then, on to the games!

Red Sox 6, Orioles 5

John Lackey had a stellar Monday afternoon, limiting the Baltimore Orioles to a single hit over four innings.

The Red Sox scored three runs in the first on four hits, including RBI singles by Kevin Youkilis and J.D. Drew. But the Orioles scored five runs off the Red Sox bullpen in the fifth through eighth innings, including two on three hits off Dan Wheeler in the fifth, and the game went to the ninth tied 5-5. With two outs in the bottom of the ninth, third basemen Yamaico Navarro drove in Tejeda for the winning run.

Dustin Pedroia went 2-3 with a double against Baltimore. Tony Pena Jr. got the win, pitching a scoreless ninth despite giving up two hits and a walk.

Red Sox 3, Astros 2

The Red Sox rotation, partially depleted last week by minor ailments and injuries, welcomed back Josh Beckett Tuesday against the Houston Astros. In 3 2/3 innings, Beckett gave up just one run on three hits and a walk. He struck out four.

At the plate, leadoff center fielder Ryan Kalish went 3-4, and catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia went 2-2. But the most damage came at the hands of third baseman Nate Spears, who drove in two, including the winning run in the eighth.

The win went to non-roster invitee Dennys Reyes, who allowed just a walk while striking out one in a scoreless eighth. Another non-roster invitee, Matt Fox, struck out all three batters he faced in the ninth for the save.

Red Sox 8, Cardinals 7

Let it be known: the man of broken ribs is back. In his strongest Spring Training game yet, Jacoby Ellsbury led Wednesday’s split-squad Red Sox over the St. Louis Cardinals. Ellsbury went 3-4, scoring and driving in a run, and also stealing a base. Non-roster catcher Ryan Lavarnway also showed some pop, going 2-2 with a run and three RBIs. Lavarnway’s two-run home run in the eighth capped a four-run inning that turned a 7-4 deficit into an 8-7 lead.

Starter Pimentel struggled, giving up two earned runs on five hits and a walk in just 1 2/3 innings. The win went to Clevelan Santeliz, who pitched a scoreless sixth and seventh, giving up two hits and striking out three. Kyle Fernandes picked up the save, giving up a hit and walk while striking one out in the ninth.

Red Sox 2, Orioles 1

The Red Sox continued their preseason dominance (now 2-0-1) of the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday, needing only half a roster and an ace to beat them. Clay Buchholz started and went four innings, giving up just four hits while striking out three. In nine Spring Training innings this year, Buchholz has yet to give up an earned run.

Drew went 2-2 Wednesday night with a solo home run in the second. The Red Sox won when Navarro was hit on the wrist with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth. Navarro suffered a contusion.

The win went to Pena Jr., who pitched a scoreless top of the ninth.

The Orioles were down 1-0 heading into the top of the eighth, but tied it up when non-roster invitee Randy Williams gave up a triple and a sacrifice fly.

Rays 8, Red Sox 6

It was another tough start for Daisuke Matsuzaka. After giving up five earned runs to the Tampa Bay Rays on five hits (including a home run) and two walks in 3 2/3 innings on Thursday, his ERA currently sits at 11.42. The Red Sox almost overcame the start, however, going up 6-5 in the ninth inning on two solo home runs, including one by Tejeda. But Alfredo Aceves couldn’t hold the game, giving up a game-tying double and then a two-run home run to Rays catcher Robinson Chirinos in the ninth.

Spears had another strong game for the Red Sox, going 3-4 with a triple and a stolen base, driving in two and scoring once. Jose Iglesias went 2-2.

In his first game against his former team, Carl Crawford went 1-3 with an infield single. He also made a pretty diving catch in left field.

After struggling in his first few preseason innings, Daniel Bard bounced back with a perfect sixth inning, striking out two.

Twins 3, Red Sox 2

After missing a start due to the flu, Jon Lester returned Friday for a split-squad afternoon game against the Minnesota Twins. Lester continued to impress this preseason, this time striking out five in four scoreless innings.

Lester handed the ball to Jonathan Papelbon in the fifth, but Papelbon could not hold the 2-0 Boston lead. Papelbon gave up three runs on a hit and three walks, and the Red Sox did not score again.

Ellsbury had another strong afternoon from the leadoff spot, going 2-3. David Ortiz also went 2-3, driving in one of Boston’s two runs, both of which came in the third inning. Navarro drove in the other.

Papelbon’s performance marred an otherwise strong pitching day from the Boston bullpen. The Twins scored three runs in the fifth inning, but none before or after. Hideki Okajima and Tim Wakefield scattered two hits and a walk over three scoreless innings.

Red Sox 9, Astros 3

The second half of the split-squad Red Sox fared far better Friday against the Houston Astros. The Red Sox scored five runs in the first two innings, then piled on four more from the fourth through the eighth.

Pedroia led the charge, hitting a double and triple, reaching on a walk, driving in two and scoring once. Daniel Nava, playing designated hitter, also had two hits and a walk, along with an RBI. Catcher Mark Wagner went 2-2, both triples, driving in one and scoring twice. Marco Scutaro scored once and drove in two from the leadoff spot.

The win went to Kyle Weiland, who gave up three runs in 1 1/3 innings on four hits and a walk. More impressive was the bullpen, which, led by Wheeler (1 1/3 innings) and Michael Bowden (2 innings), did not allow an earned run.

Red Sox 9, Marlins 2

The Red Sox welcomed Gonzalez back Saturday against the Florida Marlins with their most lopsided Grapefruit League victory this preseason. The Red Sox’ offense poured it on Saturday, notching 16 hits to go with their nine runs.

For Ellsbury, everything came up threes: Three at-bats, three hits (two doubles), three RBIs, three runs scored. One of his hits was a home run.

Pedroia also went 3-3 Saturday and drove in one. Ortiz went 2-3, but both hits were doubles.

Lackey followed up his solid outing Monday with another on Saturday. In 4 1/3 innings, Lackey gave up six hits but just one run. He struck out six and did not walk anyone. Williams continued Lackey’s domination, striking out three in 1 2/3 perfect innings.

Pirates 9, Red Sox 4

Through the first four innings of Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Beckett was cruising. He gave up a solo home run in the second, but allowed just two hits and a walk while striking out five. In the fifth, it all went to hell. Beckett gave up a solo home run, a double, a walk, and a hit-by-pitch to the first four batters of the fifth inning, then was lifted for Scott Atchison. But Atchison gave up four hits of his own in the fifth inning, and all three base runners Beckett left scored and were charged to him.

Beckett finished the game having been charged with five earned runs on four hits (two home runs), two walks and a hit-by-pitch. Atchison was charged with two runs of his own.

The lone bright spot from the mound was Bard, who struck out two in a perfect sixth inning.

At the plate, first baseman Lars Anderson went 2-3 with a solo home run. He also singled and scored. Leading off in right field, Mike Cameron doubled in two in the third for a 2-1 lead.

Final Thoughts

Six wins, three losses this week. Overall record: 9-8-1. Nice to see the Red Sox on the positive side of .500.

This was a fantastic week for the starting rotation. Pitchers who will likely be on the Opening Day major-league roster started seven of the nine games. In five of them, the starters allowed one run or fewer. And Beckett’s bad outing was solid through the first four innings. So there were really only 1.5 bad starts by a major-league starter this week.

Lackey is clearly having the best preseason of any Boston player. In three starts (10 1/3 innings), Lackey has an ERA of 1.74. He’s allowed just two earned runs, hasn’t walked anybody and has struck out four.

The same can’t be said for Matsuzaka, a player who is fast running out of excuses. In 2009, Matsuzaka blamed his regular-season struggles on the World Baseball Classic disrupting his preseason development. He blamed his 2010 struggles on injuries, some of which he suffered during Spring Training (he only pitched six preseason innings in 2010). This year, Matsuzaka is neither injured nor playing in an extra-curricular tournament. Should his preseason struggles continue during the regular season, what will he blame it on this time?

The best hitter this week was definitely Ellsbury, with eight hits. Ellsbury leads the Red Sox with 11 hits and eight runs this preseason, which means he’s doing the two things a leadoff hitter is supposed to do: get on base (second among Red Sox with 10+ at-bats with an OBP of .462) and score.

Great to see Pedroia back and hitting with pop. Three of his seven hits this week were for extra bases. Suddenly, that Red Sox’ lineup is looking awfully lengthy.

Four weeks to go, and the team is definitely rounding into shape. More players will be re-assigned, starts will go longer, players will get more at-bats. As long as they stay healthy, the Red Sox should be ready to go by April 1.

© Matt Goisman for Sports of Boston, 2011. | Permalink | No comment
Filed under: Featured, Red Sox.