Drew the one who got it right
One day after feasting on Seattle pitching for 14 runs on 14 hits, the Red Sox faced a no-hit famine through seven innings against Mariners righthander Felix Hernandez, who befuddled Boston's potent lineup with an effective combination of breaking pitches and sneaky-fast fastballs.
Until, that is, J.D. Drew finally caught up to a Hernandez sinker away and grounded a single back up the middle to lead off the eighth and break up his bid for the no-hitter. It wound up being nothing more than a consolation prize as Hernandez, who turned 21 on Easter Sunday, was forced to settle for a complete-game, one-hit shutout of the Sox, 3-0, before a frigid Fenway Park crowd of 36,630.
"Any time you break up a no-hitter late in the game, it always feels good," said Drew, who homered in his Fenway debut as a Red Sox in Tuesday's 14-3 romp and last night hit safely in his eighth consecutive game. "More than anything, you're trying to get on base, trying to get something started."
That, however, proved to be easier said than done.
Through seven innings, Hernandez had allowed just two base runners. Dustin Pedroia walked with two outs in the third and was stranded. Kevin Youkilis walked to lead off the fourth, but got wiped out when David Ortiz hit into the Mariners' overshifted infield for a 6-5-3 double play.
No one had a history to speak of against the 21-year-old Hernandez. Mike Lowell, Julio Lugo, Manny Ramírez, Ortiz, and Drew each entered the game 1 for 3 against the phenom. Last night, all except for Drew went hitless.
"We knew what he had and we knew what he was all about," Drew said. "He was as anticipated, but for the most part you're trying to mix it up a little bit and take your game plan and your approach, but he really threw the ball well."
After striking out in his first appearance in the second innning, Drew went to the plate in the fifth and laced into a slider up in the zone, but was robbed when Seattle second baseman Jose Lopez ranged deep into the hole to make the stab and the stunning putout.
"I really hit it well," Drew said. "He was kind of standing right there and makes a diving play and gets up and throws me out."
Just to show it wasn't a fluke, Lopez duplicated the feat against the next hitter, Mike Lowell, to turn a sensational fielding play into a routine putout.
"The thing about throwing a no-hitter is you got to be pretty lucky," Drew said. "I hit the ball hard and [Lopez] made a nice play. Youk hit the ball hard [to lead off the seventh] and the left fielder is standing right there. Manny hits the ball off the pitcher's leg for an out [in the second, 1-5-3].
"Those are all critical parts of the game when you do see no-hitters thrown. Usually you'll see a few of those plays mixed in."
It only heightened no-hit expectations in the Seattle dugout, but they were dashed when Drew stepped to the plate and spoiled Hernandez's night.
"I wasn't trying to be overly aggressive in the zone, but I was fortunate enough to get a pitch out over the plate," Drew said. "Really, it was a good pitch. I went back to watch it on tape -- a good sinker away -- and so I was lucky to be able to put it in play."
Last night, it proved to be the Sox' sole consolation. 