For once, Ortiz's thunder stolen
All the tumblers seemed to fall into place for another David Ortiz walkoff moment. The Fenway Park crowd of 36,022 rose in anticipation when Fausto Carmona, the embattled Cleveland closer, walked Kevin Youkilis to load the bases with two outs, prompting Big Papi to make his way to the on-deck circle.
Everyone in the old ballyard was thinking the same thing: Papi can't possibly do it again, can he?
Mark Loretta, however, never let it come to that.
The Red Sox second baseman stole Ortiz's thunder and settled the matter with a walkoff Wall-ball double that scored pinch runner Gabe Kapler and Alex Gonzalez in last night's 6-5 triumph over the Indians. It was Loretta's second walkoff hit of the season, after his home run April 17 propelled the Sox to a 7-6 victory over Seattle.
As for Ortiz? He didn't seem to mind that he was left on deck. After striking out in his first four at-bats, Ortiz was probably happy and relieved to see someone else garner the glory for a walkoff hit.
``Well, somebody told me he tackled Youkilis, so I have to check the tape," Loretta said. ``Big Papi doesn't know what to do on the other end of those things, so he took a shot and he's afraid he's going to get suspended for taking Youkilis down, but, yeah, I don't think he was upset at all."
When Carmona, who had issued a walkoff three-run homer to Ortiz Monday night, unraveled in the ninth, hitting Doug Mirabelli and Gonzalez with two outs, Loretta knew if he came to the plate he'd probably see a pitch to hit.
``Obviously, he got two quick outs and then struggled with his control," Loretta said. ``I got a good look at Youkilis's at-bat while I was on deck and you could see that he was losing the ball up and in, but I went up there looking for a fastball, looking for something to drive.
``I wasn't in a situation where I was going to start taking pitches. He's got a very good fastball, 97 miles per hour. After he came up and in on me, I figured, `OK, he's got to come back with another fastball here. Be ready.'
``And it was a pitch that I could handle."
Loretta, who improved his batting average to .303 by going 2 for 4 with three RBIs, rapped Carmona's fastball off the Wall in left-center to trigger a wild celebration as his teammates came pouring out of the dugout. Ortiz celebrated by hunting down Youkilis. Ortiz wrestled with the first baseman, flung him to the ground, stradled him, and playfully mugged Youkilis. ``It's a bold-faced lie to see him listed on the board as 230 pounds," Youkilis said. ``I can tell you he weighs more than that."
Loretta, though, had to face the rest of the team, not just Big Papi.
``[Jonathan] Papelbon was working me over pretty good there," Loretta said. ``The only other walkoff [hit] I had was a homer, I kept my helmet on, so I was desperately trying to get my helmet off and that's why I was trying to get away because they were trying to keep it on there. But it's a blast. There's nothing like it. It's a euphoric feeling.
``I've got to hand it to the fans, too. We didn't see anybody leave the park tonight, even when it was two outs in the ninth. I think since David has pulled off some of these walkoff moments, I think the fans have realized that anything is possible and they were right with us there to the end.
``I think they helped us. They rattled Carmona there once he got in trouble."
And Loretta finished him off.
``It was a great team effort," Loretta said. ``My at-bat was just the last part of a really great team game."
Loretta lauded the amazing catch Coco Crisp made on Casey Blake's smash to deep center in the sixth inning, and the equally impressive catch-and-throw relay Gonzalez made to double up catcher Victor Martinez at first. ``I thought that play really changed the momentum of the game, big time," Loretta said. ``And [Jon] Lester, settling down after the first inning, if he comes out after the second or third inning there, we may never get to Papelbon to be able to hold it close, so it was a good team win."
