July 31, 2007
...
David Ortiz provided some punch tonight, but it was not quite enough.
Ortiz was the extent of the Red Sox' offense in their 5-3 loss to the
Orioles before 36,866 at Fenway Park. He hit two homers, a two-run
blast in the third off Erik Bedard (11-4) and a solo job in the
eighth off Rob Bell, and added a single, accounting for three of
Boston's four hits. He boosted his average to .321, though his power
numbers (18 homers, 64 RBIs) remain below his norm.
Josh
Beckett, who was undefeated in three starts against the Oriole, no longer is. He
allowed nine hits and five runs in eight innings as his record dipped to 13-5.
His teammates, other than Ortiz, did him few favors as they failed to convert
with runners in scoring position.
He couldn't
duplicate his glorious April moment, when he lofted a fastball from Chris Ray
into the seats in Camden Yards for a grand slam. Instead, with the bases loaded
in the fourth inning and the Red Sox down, 4-2, Wily Mo Pena struck out on a
Bedard curveball.
He was
followed by Julio Lugo, who didn't deliver, either. On a two-out, 3-and-2 pitch
with Kevin Youkilis (walk), Jason Varitek (hit by pitch), and Coco Crisp (walk)
aboard, Lugo struck out looking. He clearly didn't agree, thinking the pitch was
low. When umpire Jim Joyce called him out, he tossed his equipment in disgust.
That kept the Orioles in control, as they had been since Brian Roberts hit
Beckett's first pitch over the right-field fence.
The lead
swelled in a three-run third inning. Jay Payton singled to right, and Roberts
followed with an RBI double, then stole third. Corey Patterson drew a walk and
stole second, and Kevin Millar stroked an RBI single to center for a 4-0 lead
against Beckett.
The Sox
countered with Ortiz's two-run shot in the bottom of the third, his first homer
of the year off a lefthander - and his first since July 16, a span of 39
at-bats, against anyone. Dustin Pedroia set the table for Ortiz with a walk.
Baltimore
added a run in the sixth on an infield single by Miguel Tejada, a single by
Aubrey Huff, and an RBI double by Ramon Hernandez over Ramirez's head in left
field. But Beckett got out of the inning when he struck out Jay Gibbons swinging
and got Payton on a grounder to third.
While
Beckett pitched into the eighth, the Red Sox couldn't make much of a dent
against Bedard, the American League strikeout leader. He overcame five walks by
allowing just two hits in seven innings. The only hits off Bedard were a
first-inning single and the third-inning homer by Ortiz, who entered the game
batting .252 against lefties.
David Ortiz
had his 28th multihomer game (his 26th with Boston) in the Sox' 5-3 loss to the
Orioles. He also tied Jose Canseco for fifth in home runs by designated hitters
(208) ... After giving up just six runs in his previous three starts, Josh
Beckett allowed five last night. He has dropped two straight games for the first
time this season. Beckett started the season 9-0 with a 2.88 ERA. He has gone
4-5 with a 4.05 ERA in his last nine starts.
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ERIC GAGNE |
The Red Sox
substantially upgraded their pen by acquiring closer Eric Gagne from the Texas
Rangers, offering him sufficient financial inducement ($2.1 million) to waive
his no-trade clause and accept a shared setup role with Hideki Okajima on the
Red Sox. Gagne is expected to arrive in time for tonight's game against
Baltimore.
After
struggling with a forearm injury that forced him to the disabled list June 17,
Brendan Donnelly finally has a course of action to repair his pitching arm.
Donnelly will undergo Tommy John surgery on his right elbow Friday or next
Tuesday in California. Lewis Yocum, the Angels' team doctor, will perform the
surgery.
Mike Timlin
threw a side session and said he is doing well. After not throwing since July
23, his last appearance in a game, Timlin was given a rest for what he called an
"achy" shoulder. Francona said Timlin threw 24.
Pawtucket
outfielder David Murphy, sent to Texas along with Gabbard and Engel Beltre (Gulf
Coast Sox) for Gagne, said he will be heading back to Providence from Columbus
(where the PawSox played last night) before he joins Texas's Triple A club in
Oklahoma. Murphy told the Rangers his wife, Andrea, would be giving birth to a
girl Saturday, so Texas told him to take the weekend before reporting.
The Red Sox
traded right-handed pitcher Joel Pineiro and cash to the Cardinals for a player
to be named. Pineiro was 1-1 with a 5.03 ERA in 31 relief appearances before
being designated for assignment July 23. He accepted an assignment with
Pawtucket and had two starts (no record).
