Tim Wakefield was solid for 8 innings on Tuesday night and a sacrifice fly from J.D. Drew got the job done as the Red Sox beat the Rockies 2-1. The win was Wake’s 6th of the season and it also makes the Red Sox the only team with four 6-win pitchers.
The Red Sox struck for the winning run in the 8th inning. Dustin Pedroia led off the inning with a single off of Aaron Cook and was immediately pinch-run for by Alex Cora. Kevin Youkilis made the first out of the inning when he flew out to center. Jeremy Affeldt was summoned to face Big Papi. Big Papi drove a ball to deep right field that just missed getting over the wall by 6 inches. It was good for a double and Cora advanced to third bases. Papi had been 0 for 12 against Affeldt before that at-bat. Manny was intentionally walked to load the bases up for Drew. Drew worked the count and then drove a ball that was deep enough to score Cora, putting the Sox up 2-1.
Jonathan Papelbon came in for the 9th to the Dropkick Murphy’s song, “I am shipping up to Boston,” and blew away the hitters. He probably had his best fastball tonight as he closed out the game on one that was 97 mph past Todd Helton.
The Sox had gotten on the board first in the 3rd inning. Julio Lugo, moved to the 9th spot in the lineup, hit a 1 out double. Pedroia then grounded out to SS, not able to advance Lugo. Lugo took care of that on his own as he stole 3rd before Youk brought him home with a single.
Colorado scraped together a run to tie in the top half of the 8th. Brad Hawpe led off the inning with a double and advanced to third on a Ryan Spillsborghs fly ball to right field. Troy Tulowitzki followed that with a short flyball to right that Drew caught and threw home quickly, keeping Hawpe at third. Yorvit Torrealba got the job done with a single, scoring Hawpe and tying the game at 1.
Both pitchers pitched very well tonight. Wakefield went 8 innings, allowing only 4 hits, 1 walk and he struck out 3. Cook went 7 1/3 innings, gave up 7 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks and struck out 4. Cook retired 14 batters on groundballs.
Curt Schilling will take the mound for the Sox on Wednesday night for the first time since his near no-no last Thursday. Gametime is 7:05 PM.
All Hail Rem Dawg!!!
