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Final: Red Sox 8, Blue Jays 2
SOX SNAP SKID (4:15, END 9, 8-2 SOX)
Ramon Ramirez allowed only a walk in the ninth, and the Red Sox ended their four-losses-in-five-games funk. Jon Lester led the way with a career-high 12 strike outs in six innings. He allowed only ball, an RBI sac fly by Vernon Wells, out of the infield, and three hits, all infield singles. The Red Sox busted out of their offensive slump with four home runs, two by Kevin Youkilis, and 11 hits. Dustin Pedroia led off in place of Jacoby Ellsbury and went 1 for 4 with his first home run since his first at-bat of the season and his first sacrifice bunt this year.
MASTERSON TOUCHED FOR ONE (3:55, END 8, 8-2 SOX)
Masterson had been rolling along, getting his first four outs while allowing only one base runner. With one out, Rios lashed a home run into the second deck, slicing the lead to six.
ONE THE HARD WAY, TWO THE EASY WAY (3:49, TOP 8, 8-1 SOX)
The Red Sox manufactured their sixth run, and scored seven and eight with back-to-back lasers into the Toronto bullpen by Youkilis and Bay. Green led off with a double, and Pedroia pushed him to second with a sacrifice bunt -- the team's second of the game and the season. Drew made it work by lining a sac fly to center. Youkilis followed with second solo homer of the day, and Bay did the same. The homers looked almost identical, screamers that took no time to leave the yard.
LESTER'S Ks (3:19, TOP 7, 5-1 SOX)
Lester's 12 strikeouts are the most by any Red Sox pitcher this season and the most for any Red Sox lefty since Bruce Hurst struck out 14 on May 5, 1987 against the Oakland A's. As for righties, Josh Beckett struck out 13 in Tampa Bay in April 2008.
Speaking of strike outs, Bay struck out to lead off the seventh.
CAREER Ks (3:14, END 6, 5-1 SOX)
After Wells popped to Varitek in foul ground, Lester struck out Lind on a high-and-outside, 95-mph fastball. That was his 11th strikeout of the game, which sets a new career best for Lester. For good measure, Lester got K No. 12 when Rolen swung over a curveball
All the strike outs took a toll on Lester's pitch count. He's thrown 116 pitches, which means his day is probably over. But what a day. Lester has struck out eight in the last three innings, and he has allowed one ball out of the infield all day long.
RICHMOND BREEZES (3:06, MID 6, 5-1 SOX)
The top of the Sox' order went down 1-2-3. Pedroia popped to center, Drew skied to left, and Youkilis struck out on a slider.
LESTER STRIKING (3:00, END 5, 5-1 SOX)
Lester struck out the side for the second consecutive inning, bringing his total for the game to 10 through five innings, which matches a career high. Jose Bautista struck out looking, and so did Scutaro, at an outside, 91-mph fastball. Hill walked, and Rios struck out swinging through a 95-mph fastball. Lester was going to the curve for most of his strikeouts early. That inning, it was his well-located fastball.
SOX KNOCKOUT ROMERO, KNOCK AROUND RICHMOND (2:51, MID 5, 5-1 SOX)
The Sox added to their lead, but missed a change to blow the game open. First, Cito Gaston yanked Romero after he walked Youkilis and Bay to lead off the inning. Scott Richmond entered, and Lowell hooked a double to left, scoring Youkilis. Varitek lined out to first. Richmond intentionally walked Ellsbury, bringing up Green. He grounded out to short on the first pitch he saw, leaving the bases loaded.
LESTER QUIETLY DOMINANT (2:36, END 4, 1-1)
Lester struck out Lind swinging at a 77-mph curve to start the inning. Rolen ripped a ball toward third, and Lowell made a great, backhand diving stop but couldn't make the throw across the time with any accuracy, and Rolen reached. Millar, apparently looking to exhaust the Elton John catalog, came up to "Rocket Man" this time. He struck out looking at a 93-mph fastball on the outside corner. Barajas swung through a 93-mph heater.
Lester hasn't exactly breezed through the game, pitching from the stretch for much of the outing. But he's been dominant by several measures. He has seven strikeouts in four innings. All three of Toronto's hits have been infield singles, and only ball -- Vernon Wells's sac fly in the first -- has left the infield.
PEDROIA ENDS HOMER SLUMP (2:25, END 4, 4-1 SOX)
Ellsbury sacrifice bunted to first, moving Ortiz to third and Varitek to second with one out for Green. It was the Sox' first sac bunt of the season, making the Red Sox the 30th major league to execute a sacrifice bunt. Green struck out, though, bringing up Pedroia with two down and two on. He delivered in a big way, lining a ball down the leftfield line. It stayed long enough to hit the foul pole, his first homer since his first at-bat of the season. He made 217 plate appearances between homers. Drew struck out to end the inning, but the Sox gave Lester a comfortable lead. Can he avoid the big inning?
DAVID DOUBLE (2:18, TOP 4, 1-1)
Ortiz led off with a lined double off the base of the wall in right-center, his third hit since being moved to the sixth spot and second double. Ortiz had been 0 for 8 against the Blue Jays in this series. Varitek walked, bringing up Ellsbury with two on.
Lester got out of the third when Wells shattered his bat grounding out to third, where Lowell made a backhanded play.
GREEN BUSY (2:11, BOT 3, 1-1)
Scutaro chopped a ball off the plate to lead off. Green charged and made a nice pick up on a short hop, but his thrown couldn't beat Scutaro, who had his second infield single in two at-bats. Green had better luck when Hill rolled a grounder deep in the hole and Green made a backhanded play and strong, sidearmed throw to second to nab Scutaro. Francona said before the game he played Green at short over Julio Lugo because he wanted Green's range on the turf and with Lester's cutter creating groundballs. It paid off that play.
Rios popped to second. With two outs and Hill on first, Lester is facing Wells.
MISSED OPPORTUNITY (2:04, MID 3, 1-1)
The Red Sox stranded two more runners and missed a chance to take the lead. Pedroia led off with a grounder to third. Drew singled through the right side. Youkilis grounded out to third. Bay walked. Lowell lined a ball down the leftfield line that missed being fair by inches. Later, on a 3-2 pitch, Lowell swung too early at an 82-mph changeup, ending the inning.
The Red Sox are pushing Romero, too. He's thrown 59 pitches through three innings.
LESTER GETS WILD, CALMS (1:50, END 2, 1-1)
After Lester started with a 1-2 count, Rolen walked to lead off the inning. Kevin Millar came to the plate while Elton John's "Tiny Dancer" played as his intro music, and then he struck out looking. During Millar's at-bat, Rolen did move to second on a wild pitch. He advanced no further. Barajas grounded to third and Jose Bautista struck out looking at a curveball, Lester's fourth strike out of the game.
The Blue Jays are making Lester work. He's thrown 43 pitches through three innings, roughly 25 for strikes.
BLUNDER FOR GREEN (1:42, MID 2, 1-1)
Jacoby Ellsbury gave the Sox a chance to make Terry Francona look pretty good with the lineup change, but a base-running goof by Nick Green erased a scoring chance. David Ortiz and Jason Varitek both grounded out to start the inning. In the eighth spot, Ellsbury slapped a pitch on an 0-2 count up the middle for a single, then stole second. Green walked, putting two men on for Pedroia.
Before Pedroia had a chance to hit, Green got too far off of first base, apparently thinking Ellsbury was going to try to steal third base; Ellsbury had merely taken an aggressive secondary lead. Catcher Rod Barajas rifled to first, and Green was caught in a rundown to end the inning.
BY WAY OF THE K (1:31, END 1, 1-1)
Lester struck out Lind looking at a 78-mph curveball. The Sox got an early lead, but they gave it right back.
TIED UP (1:29, BOT 1, 1-1 SOX)
Wells lofted a fly ball to left, not too deep but deep enough to plate Scutaro, whose slide just beat the throw, which trickled away from Varitek. Rios remains on second for Adam Lind with two down.
GOOD OMEN, ROUGH START (1:27, BOT 1, 1-0 SOX)
Lester broke Marco Scutaro's bat with the first pitch of the game, which resulted in a foul ball. Scutaro would bounce a curveball just over Lester's head a few pitches later and reach on an infield single. Aaron Hill, the major league hits leader at 77, struck out. Alex Rios walked looking at a fastball inside on a 3-2 count. Scutaro and Rios successful executed a double steal, and cleanup hitter Vernon Wells is batting with two in scoring position and one out.
LOWELL STRANDS BAY (1:17, MID 1, 1-0 SOX)
Romero struck out Lowell looking at a 93-mph fastball on the inside corner. Jon Lester is on the mound, trying to bounce back from another start marred by a very bad inning.
THERE'S ONE (1:13, TOP 1, 1-0 SOX)
Kevin Youkilis showed one way to fix the slumping offense, and a shifting lineup had nothing to do with it. With two out -- Dustin Pedroia popped the second pitch to first and J.D. Drew struck out swinging at a slider -- and none on, Youkilis unloaded on a 2-1 pitch from Ricky Romero and sent it over the right-centerfield fence. Jason Bay worked a full count and then shot a ball into the right-center gap for a double. Here comes Mike Lowell.
Another 20+ pitch inning where we give up the run we just scored...deja vu?
how much longer do we have to mute the tv instead of listening to these fools NESN forces us to hear BRUTAL
Damnit! Now Green is messing things up on the bases!
The curse of SS continues. Way to kill the rally Green, you flippin' moron. This team needs a base running clinic. Hello Theo, how long are you going to let Lugo and Green crucify this team???
Another typical Sox game. Drew does nothing. SS can't make a play, stupidity on the base paths and never respond when the other team scores.
Be thankful you have NESN dan. When you live out of market, you are stuck with the local homers on the MLB Extra Innings broadcasts. And while the Blue Jays guys aren't like, say, the Tampa Bay homers, I'd take Orsillo and whomever any day.
the yankees are on TBS
Once again... leaving runners on in scoring position... Ortiz to bat lead-off again next inning...my soul is crying...
When is the last time someone got a clutch hit. With the payroll that they have this is BS. Loyalty is one thing but these guys are paid to perform. I guess if you get one hit you have done your job for the day.
Easy there Ovah. Ortiz is crucifying this team. Last I looked Green was hitting .300 and the team's record when he is in is far better than when he is not.
ndirish -- point taken, but you can't deny that SS is a weak link.
Aww yeah! Pedroia Power! PS: Green: you suck!
Drew got his hit. DL awaits. Now the question is, will Lester get them back in the dugout or will the Blue Jays respond?
Drew got his hit. DL awaits. Now the question is, will Lester get them back in the dugout or will the Blue Jays respond?
All three of the BlueBirds hits are infield singles?
Typical day on ExtraBases-everyone is complaining/whining (well..almost everyone). Mike Lowell continues to amaze me. This guy just had what is career-crippling hip surgery for some players, and he still continues to contribute at an impressive clip. God I love that guy. Lester looks pretty good, let's see how he gets through the 5th-the 5th inning has been his Achilles all year...
2nd an 3rd an no outs an papi pops out cmon Theo how much more can us fans take
2nd an 3rd an no outs an papi pops out cmon Theo how much more can us fans take
Jake, but was it a hard hit pop out? I'm just kidding...all of Papi's outs have been hard hits and he's just got crap luck...oh wait, someone's at the door...it's reality here to slap me upside the head. I asked it to visit some of the Globe sports writers.
Honestly I would love Ortiz to prove me wrong. Prove that he still belongs in the lineup. But at some freaking point enough has to be enough. A designated HITTER needs to hit. One double today woohoo. He's had two hits in the past seven games. Woohoo. He should be designated, alright. For assignment.
The best way to emerge from a team slump is with dominant starting pitching. The Sox starters actually have been pretty mediocre this season. The bullpen has been where it's at. The Yankees have been surging because Sabbathia has come around. The Sox needed what Lester gave them today, but they also need the rest of the starters to assert themselves.
The Sox don't actually have THAT many problems. DH we all know about. There's a problem at SS. But the bullpen is very strong (especially now with Bard on board), and the other everyday position players are all above average or well above average. The Sox' starting pitching has issues, though, and needs to be re-evaluated. I love Wake to death, but it may be time to relegate him to long-relief work. Clay and/or Bowden look ready to step up, and the starting rotation could use the shot in the arm they might offer. Then there's Penny, who is clearly meant to be trade bait once Smoltz is ready. They'll get a draft pick or a minor leaguer for Penny, which is about what they figured on.
Get the starting pitching in better order, and the Sox will do well in spite of the SS and DH issues.
Exactly what the doctor ordered for Lester!
People stop criticizing Papi. He has jone more at-bat and i gurantee it's a hit. That double meant something. So what that he ot out the next two times up, but lets go see you go out there and hit one of those pitches. Give the guy one more month to get going. By the middle of June he'll have 10+ homers, just you wait
Anymore complaints about the offense....I didn't think so..You can all take your fingers off the panic-button now.
Ovah, let Green play everyday at short. His arm is better than both Lugo and Lowrie. He can hit and hit with some pop and he'll only get better at a position he's played the least at in the show. At one time he was the top prospect in the Braves org but he has played predominantly at 2b. On top of that he happens to be a great guy. Allard Baird doesn't get enough credit for signing him.
One game does not solve the problems of this teams offense. Let's see where their at when the road trip ends. However, if it is any consolation, Drew did have a Sac fly without injuring himself. (i think)
One game does not solve the problems of this teams offense. Let's see where their at when the road trip ends. However, if it is any consolation, Drew did have a Sac fly without injuring himself. (i think)
ndirish -- thoughtful points all, and on the point of every day play, I agree. We are hurt at SS by the platooning, need an everyday guy. But you gotta admit, Theo has some kind of bad mojo with SS ever since Nomah.
Mr. Snitch, absolutely right. Starting five's effectiveness is what this team needs.
"Green led off with a double, and Pedroia pushed him to second with a sacrifice bunt"
Green must REALLY be a lousy baserunner, if he had to be bunted to second after a double.
One thing that helped the offense today were all the sacs. Ellsbury, Pedroia and Drew all had sacs today. Also, a huge thing were 2 out RBIs, 6 in all, two from Youk, 3 from Pedey and 1 from Bay. These are things you have to do to be a good offense. Ortiz did score a run, but he still ended the day with a lower AVG (1 for 5 will do that).
The starters have been looking much better lately (Beckett has certainly turned a corner in the right direction, Penny's been having "quality starts" by the strict definition of the term, and Lester's outing today was a good sign with all those Ks), the exceptions being Dice-K and Wake. But Wake was the rock when no one else on the staff was this year and I don't see him always stinking up the joint. Moving Wake to the 'pen won't work because of the catching situation. I wonder, and this is one of those radical, off the wall thoughts, why not try Dice-K in the 'pen? I don't know about this year but hi MO in the past was the first couple of innings he'd look great and then he'd start to implode around the 4th or 5th. Seems like trying him in the 'pen couldn't hurt necessarily.
When you watch David Ortiz swing and actually connect, doesn't it look like he just has a bad slice? Classic "coming over the top" with an outside-in swing path, either pull-hooking a low one into right field, or leaving a high weak slice off to his left.
" Moving Wake to the 'pen won't work because of the catching situation. I wonder, and this is one of those radical, off the wall thoughts, why not try Dice-K in the 'pen?"
It's true, moving Wake to the 'pen is tricky on many levels. I thought about moving Dice there, but the club brass made such a huge move to get him that I think they just wouldn't pull the trigger. That's why I suggested Wake. Don't know how else to make room for Clay or Bowden. Beckett won't be sent to the 'pen (he seems to be improving anyway), and neither will Lester (who had some rough starts but no need to panic). Penny's good as gone once Smoltz gets back, and Smoltz will take his spot. So really, you are talking about moving Dice or Wake. For all the awkwardness involved, they'll still move Wake before they move Dice, in my opinion. But it's fine with me if they surprise me and move Dice instead.
@Bat Insider
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