Final: Braves 8, Red Sox 2
Bottom 9, 10:00 Ortiz strikes out swinging. Even Jason Bay couldn't save them in the ninth. 8-2, Braves, final.
Middle 9, 9:52 Saito struggled mildly. A pair of base hits and a sac fly makes the score 8-2, Braves. Atlanta closer Mike Gonzalez is in. It's going to take something Herculean.
End of 8, 9:41 Saito will try to keep the Sox in it for the heart of the order in the ninth. Tonight's attendance? There are 37,703 in da club tonight. I warned you.
Bottom 8, 9:39 Rafael Soriano knows nothing of this momentum you speak of. Two quick strikeouts to Green and Pedroia and a flyout to Drew. He's been essentially unhittable this year. His BAA is now down to .175.
Middle 8, 9:30 After that fight, those two Daniel Bard, you'll-never-go-near-the-plate-again-Yunel-Escobar brushback pitches and the inning ending double play, this crowd is still really into this five-run game. Maybe it carries over to Nick Green and the top of the order.
Top 8, 9:28 That's a "Yankees suck" chant you hear, probably spawning of a fight in the crowd we can't see either. Now that guy is getting kicked out and that's the "Hey-Hey-Hey Goodbye" you're hearing. Liveblogs are so informative!
9:17 Kawakami is done and his final line is pretty: 6 IP, 2 ER, 2 H, 1 HR, 3 BB, 5 SO. For those of you scoring at home, two things:
1 - Masterson's run is unearned, as his first Chipper Jones' single was changed to an error on Kevin Youkilis. And,
2 - What are you doing? They have the whole Internet for that kind of thing now.
9:12: Daniel Bard has just entered for the Red Sox.
While we have some time, here’s some answers from the comments: 1 – No, Daisuke can’t be sent down without his permission. But there’s no such ban on bullpen assignments, despite whatever stir that would cause. 2 – Your approval of “up in this joint” just gave me implicit consent to start spouting bad 90s rap. (Redman, what up!) Bad move.
Top 6, 9:05 A pair of singles taints an otherwise solid effort from Masterson. Bard is up and looks ready. 7-2, Braves.
Bottom 5, 9:00 Momentum confirmed. Jason Bay crushes a fastball over the Monster seats. Two runs are in and the Sox are back in it. 6-2, Sox.
Bay, by the way, has Kawakami's number. He has the Sox's only two hits against Kawakami tonight and has yet to make an out.
Top 5, 8:50 A perfectly-executed double play by Kevin Youkilis means we might just get some momentum up in this joint. Masterson gets out of the inning in order.
Middle 5, 8:45 Still nothing of substance for the Sox who continue to be one-hit by Kawakami.
8:44 Masterson gets a groundout, two flyouts -- one on a pretty sliding catch near the tumultuous left field wall out of play by Jason Bay -- and he's out of the inning on only one more run from the sac fly. 6-0, Braves and here's Daisuke's final line:
4 2/3, 8 H, 6 ER, 4 BB, 2 SO, 67 pitches, 39 strikes. His ERA is now 8.23 for the season.
Top 4, 8:30 Here's another bad sequence: Jacoby Ellsbury did a full-on sprawl to try to seal up a very hard-hit Brian McCann double to the triangle, but couldn't snag it. Masterson gets up in the bullpen and John Farrell comes out to give Masterson some time. Two pitches later, McCann scores on a Garrett Anderson double.
Masterson is probably not warm, but they put him in anyway. Matsuzaka leaves to boos.
End of 4, 8:28 Nope. Nothing. Kenshin Kawakami has taken over this game entirely.
Bottom 4, 8:25 Jason Bay will once again try to get something going -- this time a one-out rally -- with a walk. This is a David Ortiz righty-lefty at-bat that could yield some sort of charge.
8:18 Daisuke is out of the fourth. His pitch count is still relatively low for a four-walk outing at 62.
8:17 Oh, and Yunel Escobar likes him, too. His second single of the day drives in McLouth from second. 4-0, Braves, and no one is warming in the Red Sox bullpen.
8:15 Sox fans may not love Daisuke Matsuzaka right now -- the boos have returned at Fenway -- but Nate McLouth does. He's 2-for-3 with two RBI after the double to deep right that just score Kelly Johnson. 3-0, Braves.
8:09, Top 4: JD Drew saves a would-be Casey Kotchman double that was driven hard to the right field warning track.
8:06, Bottom 3: Dustin Pedroia reaches first base on one of the ugliest, beached whale-like slides you'll ever see. This is why he's the MVP. But it won't matter as Drew flies out behind him. Kawakami is in a good rhythm.
Top 3: Daisuke looks like he has formally and officially settled down until further notice. This is really bad for talk radio, Daisuke. Don't you know anything about ratings?
7:48, Bottom 2: Jason Bay reached third on a passed ball after his leadoff double, but won't make it to the plate.
7:38, Middle 2: Daisuke gets out of the inning unscathed on a punchout, fly out and groundout. Not sure how this is translating on TV, but almost every ball -- foul or fair -- that is making contact seems to be hit very hard. Regardless, on paper, he's settling down.
7:35, Top 2: Daisuke walks Jeff Francoeur, but this time on six pitches. It's his first non-four-pitch walk of the evening.
7:31, End of 1: Daisuke's first somehow looks even worse when Kawakami strikes out the side after a very strong at-bat from Youkilis.
7:25, Middle 1: About 40 percent of the press box tonight is Japanese press here to cover Daisuke vs. Kenshin Kawakami for the first time. Kawakami has struggled since his major league debut at the beginning of the year with a 3-6 record and no decisions in his last three starts. But he's struck out Pedroia and Drew to start the night.
7:21 A well-hit ball falls into Youkilis' lap and he doubles off Anderson at first. The Red Sox get out of the Inning of Horrors only surrendering two runs and Masterson is seated for the time being.
7:20 Justin Masterson started warming before Matsuzaka struck out Matt Diaz on a ball in the dirt. There has to be something mechanically very wrong with him.
7:18 After almost hitting Garret Anderson, he walks him on four pitches. Can we still call this "nibbling?" Daisuke just threw a strike to Matt Diaz and got the loudest mock applause ever recorded.
7:16 A four pitch walk to McCann. Forget the cycle, he's trying to become the first decathlete of consecutive bad things a pitcher can pull off.
7:15 Next pitch: a double to Chipper Jones scores Escobar. Let's call this first inning bad for now. 2-0, Braves.
7:13 Two pitches later, a roped base hit from Yunel Escobar. Let's call this first inning inauspicious for now.
7:12, Top 1: First pitch of the game: a deep jack to right off of Daisuke. Everyone commence screaming... now! 1-0, Braves.
6:50 It's actually -- no joke! -- a great day for a baseball game right now. The sun is out, the dirt is drying out from the quick dry, and it would take a Pedro Cerrano-esque voodoo to see some rain anytime soon.
The Globe takes no responsibility for any weather jinxes that might follow the above statement.
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As my boy Sully Erna says.......' My boys in the pit.........let's do this !! "
I'd rather have gum surgery than watch Dicey-K pitch...another long, long night.
I'm tired of saying ' I told you so' !! We could have had Mclouth for Buchholz. Even throw in Delcarmen. But no Theo; you let another 'bird' swoop down and get him !!
Goodbye Dice-K!!! Thanks for the memories....
No thanks, I dont want mclouth and his 260 batting average.
I cant wait to see what the sox do at the trade deadline....
No thanks, I dont want mclouth and his 260 batting average.
I cant wait to see what the sox do at the trade deadline....
"Beached Whale" Hah! I can see it now...
dice k is rough.
something is not right with this dude.
send him away, let him figure it out.
Time to send Dice-K down. If he doesn't approve, then he gets benched. This guy sucks. Two quick n' easy outs, and then he walks the 9 spot in front of the guy who has already taken him deep, then gives up a double and a single to plate two more runs...and on the other hand, in our last two games we have two hits! Let's get some runs!
keep running this idiot out every 5th day and you'll cost us the pennant FRANCOMA
Looks like their Japanese import is better than our Japanese import. Matsuzaka to the pen...say it again. Matsuzaka to the pen. And the offense is certainly no help tonight.
can heidi watney stop cutting in on the game with her nothing stories
dan you must be the idiot. Theo brought Matsuzaka in. The orders come from upstairs. Francona is doing great with what he has.
Is there any chance we can pull Dice-K and trade him before the 8th inning?
If the Red Sox even consider letting him play in the WBC they need their heads examined.
5 of the Braves' 8 hits for extra bases, four walks, whata chump.
PS: Where's the offense been?
kiss the 6 man rotation goodbye. Dice is out.
Why do the Sox performing so poorly against these back of the rotation NL pitchers?
Oh and not to mention the (soon-to-be) 1-5 record and 8.23 era.
The AL East is a very tight Division. Every game counts. The Sox gave one away tonight even before they took the field with Matsuzaka penciled in as the starter.
hey arizona agreed but tito can get him out of there before the game gets out of hand ie 6-0
With all the pitching depth that this team has this year, to be held hostage by this over-hyped, bottom of the rotation, mediocre, nibbling, WBC-loving waste of space is pathetic. Six man rotation to the birds! Get rid of Dicey-K, slide in Smoltz. Buch is always in the wings.
Does his contract prohibit Dice-K from being sent down? anyone?
Does his contract prohbit Dice-K from being sent down? anyone?
"up in this joint" !!!
@ maso: yes, he would have to agree.
Youk needs some time off.
I think the Red Sox should just let Daisuke go back to doing WHATEVER IT WAS he did in Japan. I don't care if he throws 500 pitches in between starts, let him do whatever it was that made him successful in Japan. DON'T TRY TO FIX SOMETHING THAT ISN'T BROKE!!!!
So much for momentum. I wonder if management will rue the day that they decided to play the game last night.
When will the Sox front office realize they made a monumental mistake with this $100 million dollar piece of garbage?
These Japanese pitchers are too 'babied" in Japan, having anywhere from 6 to 14 days in between starts over there- then they come over here and can't last a full 4 innings; what a complete waste of Red Sox money.
Can't we just release Dice-choke, take the lose, learn from our $100 million mistake, remember NEVER to do it again, and move on???
Dice-sucK is a embarassment to the Sox, the fans, and MLB in general- just release him, please........!!!
nice. Varitek version 2008 has returned.
Unfortunately, management knew what they were getting with Varitek and did nothing about it. Management still has time to fill the voids.
the captain will be back under 200 in 3 weeks can you say Salttiamacchi
You can complain all you want about Dice-K but tell someone how you win with one hit and two hits. Green is not an every day player and Drew has returned to his normal self Talk about being overpaid. Boras must love to see the Sox coming. I wonder what the next daily double the Sox will buy. I know the Drew has a brother, but does Dice K. Maybe they can break the budget for these type of players.
Man-Up Theo and John Henry! Admit you made a HUGE mistake picking up Dice-Krap, release him and lick your $100 million wounds, and Never forget the mistake you made picking up a pitcher that wouldn't even talk to you until $50 million was paid- that right there should have told you he was more of a yankee player type.
Just release Dice-Krap, he is absolutely no help to the Sox, release him!!!
The Sox have much better pitchers in Pawtucket, Portland, Salem, and probably some high schools in New England.
alright ben collins, you are getting better. props. just no more wakefield for cy young quesitons.
The Dice-man needs to leave the rotation, I think all of this 6 man rotation hype garbage is working itself out before our very eyes...The Dice Man is an honrable Cat...give him the sword and let him commit the baseball version of Hari-Kari...the bullpen....or even strike the clause and go to Pawtucket...it is time to bring on Bucholz, how can it be any worse....good grief.....
Man you guys are quick to jump on The DiceK Man. He is having a bad first half of the year,even terrible.How many other Sox have beaten slumps already this year? MANY HAVE. ....... Even if Dice has a terrible year don't get rid of him.Put him on the 15 day dis. list this Friday,activate Smoltz. Then consider Smoltz,Wake and Dice as 4th and 5th starters, starting who ever is hottest. An outing to outing basis .... keep Josh,Jon and Brad on regular 5 day rotation.
Given his colossal failures this season, Dice-K needs to visit the DL for 60 days and learn how to pitch again. That said, he isn't quite the bust critics are making him out to be. He won 18 games last year.
J.D. Drew on the other hand will never perform up to his enormous contract.
I would like to see Youk get more rest to give the younger guys more experience like Lars Anderson.
haha rue the day they lost a 2-1 game to the Marlins?
Sox fans are the best. So throughly entertaining.
2 straight losses (not even against Washington) and the panic button has been pressed.
I AM NOW CONVINCED THAT THE RED SOX HAVE TO MAKE SOME MOVES.
THEY CANNOT WAIT ANY LONGER. MAKE THOSE MOVES NOW. IT'S BEGINNING TO LOOK LIKE THE TEAM HAS LOST FAITH IN ITSELF. IT NEEDS TO BE JOLTED FULLY AWAKE!
Theo is overrated. Its the ownership that makes this team successful. He has wasted so much money on bums yet wont give Bay the money he deserves.
Dice K sucks and even on his best day he only pitches 5 innings. He has to go and so does lugo. The Sox should eat most of the money and get them out of town now.
At least Mr. Collins understands the value of comments. No blogger is an island.
More bad/effortless swings tonight than I've seen in a long, long time. Were the hitters sending a message to Ownership for last night's farce?
I believe so, and good for them.
Okay everybody that thought we were going to win tonight with Dice K pitching please raise your hand. The facts are right in front of us. Dice K is here to stay, maybe he will not start for awhile but management will not give up on him just like they did not give up on Papi (good decision), Varitek (fair decision) or Lugo (so so). 25 players make a team and some are going to stink, some are going to shine but the 25 we have are currently the best in the A.L. GO SOX
Diced Onions. If he isn't professional enough to take an extended stint in the minors, then the only real recourse is to keep him on the roster, sit him on the bench and NOT use him at all. After a few weeks, he'll grow restless and demand to be traded. See ya. The Nats could use a back of the rotation guy. Another Japanese starting pitcher who bites the dust. I would assume the MLB has learned its lesson now.
Put, Ellsbury back in leadoff. I'd rather risk JE struggle in #1 hole than watch Pedey and Youk flail away in their current spots.
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