August
1, 2007
...
Jonathan Papelbon wasn't looking over his shoulder in the ninth
inning, even as No. 83 in your program, Eric Gagne, began
throwing in the Red Sox bullpen. Papelbon, the once and future
closer, was too busy recording his 24th save in a 5-4 win over the
Baltimore Orioles. Gagne, it turns out, was merely getting some
exercise.
Actually,
Gagne hadn't thrown in a game since July 24 for Texas, and while he will have to
wait for his debut in a Sox uniform, he got his first taste of what it's like to
play here when a sellout crowd of 36,649 gave him a standing ovation when he
jogged out to the bullpen in the middle of the fifth. Gagne was in the vortex of
countless standing O's when he was running off a record 84 straight saves for
the Dodgers; but he acknowledged this was one of the sweetest he's ever gotten
while entering, not emerging from, the bullpen.
Papelbon,
who had blown his previous save opportunity Saturday against the Devil Rays, was
still stoked sitting on the sofa in the clubhouse after the game, his face
pointing toward the television but his eyes unfocused. He didn't avail himself
of the opportunity to discuss whether he wanted to make a positive first
impression on Gagne; he didn't have to.
With new
Celtics acquisition Kevin Garnett, who was given Nomar Garciaparra's old No. 5
to wear when he threw out the ceremonial first pitch, wildly cheering from a
private box, the Sox rallied from a 3-1 deficit with four runs in the seventh
against a bullpen accustomed to springing such leaks.
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KEVIN GARNETT |
The Sox, who
had left eight men on base in the first six innings against Orioles starter
Steve Trachsel, letting him off the hook despite five walks, batted around in
the seventh, which began with reliever Paul Shuey walking Julio Lugo and giving
up a single to Dustin Pedroia, his third hit of the night. David Ortiz followed
with a double off the left-center-field wall off left-handed reliever John
Parrish, driving in Lugo, and Parrish stuck around long enough to issue an
intentional walk to Manny Ramirez.
Chad
Bradford, the submariner, entered, and after fouling off four Frisbees, Youkilis
finally launched a ball that dropped into right-center field for a double that
scored two runs. Jason Varitek ultimately followed with an RBI single for a
fifth run, which proved decisive when Hideki Okajima gave up a home run to
Miguel Tejada in the eighth.
The win went
to Javier Lopez, who threw two pitches to record the last out in the Orioles'
seventh. Julian Tavarez, who was restored provisionally to the starting rotation
for the first time since July 18 after Kason Gabbard was dealt for Gagne,
survived a solo home run by Nick Markakis in the first and some sloppiness by
Ramirez in the second to hold the Orioles to three runs in five innings.
J.D. Drew
was not in the starting lineup, nor was he at the ballpark, after his son
underwent extensive surgery for an undisclosed issue Tuesday. The Sox crossed
the 2 million mark in attendance last night, the earliest they've ever crossed
that threshold. They did it on their 55th home date. Last year, they did it on
their 56th home date. They have drawn 2 million and more in attendance 13
straight seasons. When Kevin Garnett threw out the ceremonial first pitch, he
wore No. 5, last worn by Nomar Garciaparra. When Tiki Barber, formerly of the
New York Giants, threw out a first pitch a couple of weeks ago, he wore No. 21,
which of course was Roger Clemens's old number.
