August 15, 2007
...
It was starting to feel like old times at Fenway Park. Not only were
the Red Sox playing a rare weekday afternoon game, but the hallmark
of the team over the last few seasons, late-inning comebacks, had
returned to vogue in Boston. After starting in an inexplicable
offensive slumber against a pitcher without a victory in two months,
the Red Sox found the seventh, eighth, and ninth innings more to
their liking, closing in on another come-from-behind victory.
But instead
of a rollicking celebration at home plate, the Sox found themselves yelling and
cursing and smashing bats against their helmets (Kevin Youkilis), unable to
advance Julio Lugo from second base despite his arrival there with no outs in
the ninth. So, with more frustration than exultation, they fell, 6-5, to the
Devil Rays, consoled only by a comeback in the Bronx that fell short, too, the
Yankees losing to the Orioles, 6-3, in 10 innings after staging a ninth-inning
revival. So Boston's American League East lead remained at five games.
The Sox
rallied for a 2-1 victory in the ninth Tuesday. And more of the same seemed in
the offing today. With the Red Sox down, 6-4, Coco Crisp began the ninth with a
bunt single, placing the ball perfectly up the third base line. Lugo followed
with an 11-pitch at-bat that ended with a run-scoring double to center field
that brought the 36,413 to their feet. But he would get no farther. Dustin
Pedroia, who bunted foul on the first pitch from Al Reyes (Tuesday's losing
pitcher) before the sign was taken off, struck out swinging. So did Youkilis.
And after David Ortiz walked on a 3-and-2 pitch, Manny Ramirez finished the game
with yet another swinging strikeout.
Confidence
is not the same as producing. And the Sox couldn't yesterday. With Daisuke
Matsuzaka failing to continue the recent stretch of dominance by Sox starting
pitchers, allowing six runs in six innings, the Boston offense found itself in
an early deficit. Matsuzaka allowed one run in the first inning, and the Devil
Rays poured it on in the third. He allowed two singles to open the inning,
followed by a walk to B.J. Upton and a two-run double to Carlos Pena. Delmon
Young singled home Upton, and Pena scored on a safety squeeze by Brendan Harris.
The Devil Rays added another run on a Harris triple and a sacrifice fly in the
sixth, pushing the lead to 6-0. All Matsuzaka could do afterward was express his
disappointment, apologizing for ending the fun following Tuesday's walkoff win.
Devil Rays
starter Andy Sonnanstine, with his 1-8 record and 6.35 ERA coming in, stifled
the Sox for six innings, allowing just two hits, which was mostly attributable
to his ability to throw strike one. But the Sox began their awakening against
him in the seventh, scoring three runs. Varitek sent a pitch just to the fair
side of the Pesky Pole for a two-run homer after Mike Lowell singled with two
outs. Then Crisp walked, chasing Sonnanstine in favor of Gary Glover, and came
around on Lugo's first double of the afternoon. Ortiz (walk) and Ramirez
(double) closed the deficit to 6-4 in the eighth. But in the seventh and eighth,
the runner on second was stranded. That left only the ninth.
After
Tuesday's comeback, it was a scenario that imbued the players with a bit of hope
and swagger. Short-lived.
Before
Daisuke Matsuzaka gave up six runs in six innings, Red Sox starters had allowed
four earned runs over 36 2/3 innings the previous five games. The Devil Rays
beat the Red Sox for the first time in six games this season at Fenway. Jason
Varitek's home run was his first since July 14 against Toronto, a stretch of 74
at-bats. It was his 10th of the season. He is 7 for his last 17 (.412). With his
eighth-inning double, Ramirez pulled into a tie with Mike Schmidt for 30th place
on the all-time RBI list with 1,595. George Brett has 1,596.
