After a two hour rain delay, the Rangers and Red Sox took to the field and played some beisbol. Unfortunately, it was an ugly game for both teams. Julio Lugo and Jason Varitek both drove in 2 runs each and Daisuke Matsuzaka went 5 nauseous innings as the Sox took the first of three in Texas by a final score of 10-6.
Dice-K’s first inning started out a little shaky. He walked Kenny Lofton to lead off the inning and then allowed a single by Michael Young. He then recovered a little as he induced a double play that went thru his legs hit by Mark Texiera. He proceeded to strike out Slammin’ Sammy Sosa on a fastball to end the threat.
After being set down in order in the 1st inning, the Red Sox got to Brandon McCarthy for 4 runs. McCarthy walked Manny, J.D. Drew, and Mike Lowell to start the inning on 16 pitches. Varitek ran the count full before hitting a sacrifice fly bringing in Manny. Coco Crisp, just like ‘Tek did, ran the count full before being walked loading up the bases for AROD’s new best friend, Dustin Pedroia. Pedroia didn’t disappoint the Fenway Faithful in Arlington as he hit a single to right field that brought in 2 more runs making it 3-0 Red Sox. Lugo then hit into a fielder’s choice to right field. Yes, I said right field. Slammin’ Sammy dropped the ball like it was hot but was able to get Crisp at second for a force out. However, Drew came across to score making it 4-0 good guys. All four guys he walked came around to score in the inning.
The Sox threatened again in the third inning. Big Papi reached on a beat the shift single. He hit off the end of the bat and with the shift on no one was at third base. Manny than got him over to third base on a double. Drew then hit a broken bat grounder to second base. Manny thinking Big Papi was running, started towards third and realized he couldn’t go there. Meanwhile, Ian Kinsler had gotten the ball and beat Manny back to the bag and tagged him out. McCarthy than got Lowell to ground into an inning ending double play.
Meanwhile, Dice-K cruised through the second and third innings, allowing just one walk. A big scare for Red Sox Nation after the inning when the coaching and medical staff, along with a few players were seen surrounding Dice-K. He then grabbed his stuff and went to clubhouse. He returned to the dugout while the Sox were at bat and looked like he had tossed his cookies like a college student would after a heavy night of drinking cheap alcohol.
Whether or not the “illness” affected him or not remains to be seen. But he had another one of those forgettable innings again. Teixiera lead off with a triple and came around to score on a Slammin’ Sammy double. Sometimes, I dislike it when an announcer says he owns this team or say something to jinx a player. Well Don and Jerry were saying how Frank Catalanotto loves Red Sox pitching. Catalanotto then blasted a Dice-K offering into the seats, cutting the Red Sox lead to 4-3. Dice-K then got the next two batters out before allowing a single to Gerald Laird. Former Red Sox utility guy and New Haven Raven, Ramon Vazquez planted a Dice-K pitch into the seats in right field making the score 5-4 Texas Rangers.
Within 4 batters in the 5th inning, the Red Sox regained the lead at 6-5. Lugo led off the inning and was retired. Youk then hit a single and came around on a Big Papi double. Manny brought Big Papi in on a single and just like that the Sox were back in front.
Dice-K struggled a little in the home half of the 5th inning as Young laced a double and Teixiera walked. However, Dice-K got Sosa to ground into a double play. He got his revenge on Catalanotto when he struck him out swinging. At this point, you could tell whatever was bothering him had taken it’s toll. Dice-K didn’t come back out for the 6th inning. It was later announced that he was suffering from nausea.
All totaled, Dice-K went 5 innings, allowing 7 hits, 5 runs, 3 walks and he struck out 6. He threw only 85 pitches.
The Red Sox beat up Frank Francisco for 4 runs in the 6th inning. Lowell drew a walk and came around on a Varitek triple that got lodged under the security guard’s seat. Crisp brought in Tek with a double that barely got out of the infield (infield was in, and trickled off the glove of Kinsler into short right field). Shockingly, the Red Sox played a little small ball when Pedroia sacrificed Crisp over to third. Lugo then brought Crisp home on a single and proceeded to steal second with Youk at the plate. Youk brought Lugo in with a single of his own, making it 10-5 Sox.
Texas got one run back in the 7th off the combination of Javier Lopez and Brendan Donnelly. Lopez walked Kenny Lofton to start the inning. Donnelly came into the game and got Young to fly out. With Teixiera at the plate, Lofton stole second and went to third when Tex flew out. Donnelly uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Lofton to score making it 10-6 Sox. Sosa flew out to end the inning.
Sox didn’t do anything in the 8th or 9th innings. Hideki “Darkman” Okajima came on for the Sox in the 8th and set down the side in order.
Jonathan Papelbon came on in another non-save situation and set down the side in order as well.
Notes and Musings:
The Sox win coupled with a Yanks loss puts the Yanks 10 1/2 back again in the AL East.
The Sox are now 16-8 at home and 16-7 on the road.
Dice-K is the 4th pitcher to 7 wins in all of baseball. He joins Josh Beckett, John Lackey and John Smoltz in that club.
McCarthy left the game after two innings with a blister problem. This might have explained his pitching troubles.
Josh Beckett took some of his teammates to his ranch in San Antonio on the day off.
Rangers pitcher Frank Francisco who got tattooed tonight in 1/3 of an inning is the same pitcher who was suspended in 2004 for throwing a bullpen chair at a fan in Oakland.
Drew is now hitless in his last 14 ab’s.
Mike Timlin walked 1 for Pawtucket on a rehab assignment in his 1 inning of work. He threw 16 pitches and only 7 for strikes.
You know it’s been a long night when Don and Jerry go off on a tangent. Don was saying the Rangers mascot is the worst in baseball. Jerry didn’t say much at all on this but Don continued to rip on the mascot. Finally Jerry gave in and said a few things. What do you think of the mascot?
Youk extended his hitting streak to 17 games with his first hit of the evening.
In 4 innings by the Sox bullpen, they allowed only 1 hit, 1 walk and 1 run.
The game got over at 1:30 am EDT.
