Kevin Millar hit a walkoff 3-run homer in the bottom half of the 10th off of Kyle Synder to lead the Orioles past the Red Sox 6-3 on Sunday afternoon at Fenway Oriole Park at Camden Yards. The loss coupled with yet another Yankees win cuts the lead to 4 games in the AL East.
The Red Sox did have a 2 run lead in the 8th inning until Eric Gagné served up a meatball to Miguel Tejada, who blasted it into the left field seats. Hideki Okajima had started the inning and issued a lead-off walk to to Corey Patterson. He then got Nick Markakis to ground into a fielder’s choice that retired Patterson at second. Terry Francona then went to his bullpen for Gagné to face Tejada. Tejada took the 7th pitch, a fastball, and put it in the seats to tie the game at 3. Gagné settled down and retired Millar and Aubrey Huff but it was too late as the damage was done. As he walking off the field after the inning, the legions of Red Sox Nation fans booed him all the way to the dugout.
In the 10th inning with Synder on the hill, Patterson led off with a single and went to third on a Markakis single. Synder then got Tejada to foul out for the first out of the inning. With Millar at the plate, Markakis stole second and much to my surprise, the Red Sox decided to pitch to Millar. Millar took a hanging curveball and put it in the left field seats for a 3-run homer and an Orioles win. Millar was greeted by his teammates who mobbed him at the plate.
Curt Schilling pitched really well today for the Sox. Basically he did what he needed to do to get the win. The Orioles got to him for the only run he gave up in the game in the 2nd inning. Schilling got Tejada for the first out. Former Sox teammate Millar then hit a single off of Schill. Millar would go to third on a ball hit by Huff that was booted by Julio Lugo. Melvin Mora then grounded out to Lugo at short but Millar came across to make it 1-0 Orioles.
The Sox got the lead for Schilling in the 3rd inning. After Steve Trachsel got Dustin Pedroia out, he walked Kevin Youkilis. David Ortiz followed with a double to deep right that moved Youk to third. Manny Ramirez brought them both in with a double of his own, giving the Sox a 2-1 lead. With J.D. Drew at the plate, Manny was thrown out at third as he tried to advance on a ball in the dirt. The out by Manny would hurt as Drew lined a single to right. Trachsel got out of the inning as Mora made an awesome diving grab of a Mike Lowell liner down the left field line.
Boston added another run for Schilling and the Sox in the 4th. Jason Varitek led off with a double. Trachsel then got Hinske to pop out to Brian Roberts at second. Lugo brought in Varitek with a double of his own, giving the Sox a 3-1 lead. Trachsel would get out of the inning as he would get Pedroia and Youk out.
As I said earlier, Schilling pitched really well. The only two guys in the O’s lineup who gave him trouble were Millar and Huff. They both reached base a combined 5 of 6 times against Schilling. For the game, Schilling went 6 innings, giving up 5 hits and 1 run (not earned). He didn’t walk anyone and he didn’t strikeout anybody.
The Sox now return home to face the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on Monday night at the Fens. Tim Wakefield will get the ball and look to get this Red Sox ship back on course.
Can someone answer this question for me? With Gagné coming in and not pitching well AGAIN, why does Francona keep going to him. I understand you want him back on the mound after a tough outing but this is ridiculous. Why did the Sox even tinker with what was the best back end of a bullpen in baseball? Delcarmen, Okajima, and Papelbon were virtually untouchable all season. Why mess with a good thing? I just don’t understand it.
/rant
Notes and Musings:
Amalie Benjamin reported on the pre-game show that Josh Beckett and Schilling will not be the starters in Friday’s day-night doubleheader against the Angels. She said one of the candidates to start is Julian Tavarez and another one could be Clay Buchholz who is slated to start Friday for Pawtucket.
The three game series in Baltimore drew a record 146,786 fans at Camden Yards. The previous high was 144,784 which was set back in 1998.
Dustin Pedroia’s error in the 6th broke his 41 game error-free streak. This comes on the heels of Terry Francona talking about Pedroia for a Gold Glove and Rookie of the Year in his pre-game media session.
