May 11, 2007
...
Even
with the return to reality of their starting pitching, and the five
runs given up by Julian Tavarez, it wasn't as if the Red Sox didn't
have plenty of chances to get back to the offensive outbursts that
marked their recent trip to Toronto, the one in which they outscored
the Blue Jays by 21 runs over three games. The Red Sox left the bases
loaded three times, ending the first, second and seventh innings with
bases full of runners. But it was the last time, in the seventh, down
by two runs, that hurt the most.
With a
trio of relievers taking the mound for the Orioles, the Red Sox had three
chances with the bases loaded and one out. Although Jason Varitek made good on
the first try with a walk to score Manny Ramirez, neither of the two pinch
hitters, J.D. Drew for defensive goat Wily Mo Pena and Alex Cora for Dustin
Pedroia could get a runner home. Drew lined sharply to a leaping Miguel Tejada
at short and Cora flied to center, drawing anguish from the hopeful crowd of
37,039.
Even
with a performance from Tavarez slightly below the standard set recently by the
Sox' starters, the 6-3 loss to the Orioles at Fenway Park could be summed up
with a single number: 13. The number of men left on base.
The Sox'
pitching had been scintillating on the six-game trip to Minneapolis and Toronto.
Even the one loss featured a gem by Tavarez, who essentially outdueled the
Twins' Johan Santana in a 2-1 setback. Every starter had gone at least six
innings, and their ERA was 1.55.
They
didn't bring that success home with them. When Tavarez faltered in the first
game this season in which he hasn't faced an ace, the Red Sox had to rely on the
bullpen. Tavarez left after five innings and 90 pitches. Thirty-three came in
the first, when the Orioles parlayed a Nick Markakis double, a Ramon Hernandez
double, and an Aubrey Huff single into two runs.
Tavarez
wriggled out of a two-out threat in the second, settled down in the third and
fourth, and hit another rough patch in the fifth. And the Sox defense didn't
help. Singles by Markakis and Tejada put runners on first and third, and
Markakis scored on a ground out, snapping a 2-2 tie. With two outs, Wily Mo
Pena, subbing for J.D. Drew, who was getting the night off before a day game,
watched Melvin Mora's shot to right bounce over his head and over the fence for
a ground-rule double that made it 4-2. Jay Gibbons followed with another fly to
right, and Pena was there, seemingly in position, only to have the ball slip
under his glove for a 5-2 lead. Pena was then saluted with mock cheers when he
made a play. Drew came in as a defensive replacement in the eighth.
The Sox
were just as frustrated on offense. Though they received five walks, they left
the bases loaded in each of the first two innings. In the first, Mike Lowell
was left looking at a 2-and-2 pitch he thought was out of the strike zone,
discussing the matter with plate umpire Jim Reynolds upon being rung up. Kevin
Youkilis was the culprit in the second, his fly to center erasing a golden
chance to put more than two runs on the board. Varitek led off with a double and
scored on Julio Lugo's double. Lugo moved to third on a single by Coco Crisp,
then strolled home when Orioles starter Brian Burres walked Ortiz and Ramirez.
Youkilis, hitting .563 in his last four games, couldn't deliver the tiebreaker.
When
Julian Tavarez came out after the fifth inning, it marked the first time a Red
Sox starter hadn't gone six innings since before their six-game trip. He came
out after 90 pitches and hasn't hit the century mark in any outing this season.
Coco
Crisp continued to send his batting average up, going 2 for 5, bringing his
average to .306 over his last 15 games. Manny Ramirez extended his hitting
streak to 10 games, his longest since a 27-game streak last July and August.
Jon
Lester threw from 120 feet again yesterday, then progressed to throwing on flat
ground. Terry Francona said Lester threw some off-speed pitches. He will play
catch again today, then is expected to throw his first bullpen session tomorrow.
Lester has been working out with the big league club since last Saturday after
coming out of his May 2 start with Pawtucket with cramping in his left forearm.
Mike
Timlin, who went on the 15-day disabled list with tendonitis in his right
shoulder May 3, was scheduled to be examined by Dr. Thomas Gill last night.
After
just one appearance, going two-thirds of an inning in which he gave up a hit,
three walks, and a run, Devern Hansack was optioned to Pawtucket. The Red Sox
brought up left-handed reliever Javier Lopez to take his place. Lopez arrived at
Fenway Park at 5 p.m., during batting practice. He had been alerted to the
call-up earlier in the afternoon but got caught in rush-hour traffic driving
from Pawtucket. He pitched the sixth inning, giving up one hit and no runs.
Hansack is scheduled to start today in Pawtucket, according to Francona.
