Curt Schilling returned to the mound for the Red Sox on Monday night and didn’t pitch too badly. Macier Izturis hit a homerun to lead off the 7th for the Angels and that would be enough for them as they held on for a 4-2 win in the battle of division leaders.
After retiring 8 of the first 9 batters he faced, Angels starter Jered Weaver issued a two out walk to Dustin Pedroia in the 3rd inning. With Kevin Youkilis at the plate, Pedroia stole second. It didn’t really matter as Youk brought him home with a two-run homer. Weaver got out of the inning by getting David Ortiz to ground out to former Sox shortstop Orlando Cabrera.
The 4th inning was an inning the Red Sox would like to forgot. In their half of the inning, Manny Ramirez led off the inning with a strikeout and was ejected by home plate umpire James Hoye. Manny was upset because he thought he had checked his swing but Hoye didn’t agree. Whatever Manny said must have irked Hoye who sent Manny packing for the showers.
Manny was replaced by Brandon Moss in left to start the bottom half of the 4th. The appearance was Moss’ first in a MLB game. Vladimir Guerrero led off with a single that went off the hand of Schilling. Paul Lessard and Terry Francona came out to check on him and decided he was ok to stay in the game. Schilling struggled with his splitter the rest of the inning. Schilling got Garrett Anderson to ground into a fielder’s choice with Vlad forced out at second. Gary Matthews Jr. followed that with a double moving Anderson to third. Casey Kotchman took a hanging splitter from Schill and hit a 2-run single tying the game at 2. Schilling finished off the inning by retiring Izturis and Jeff Mathis.
Schilling ran into some more trouble in the 7th inning. Izturis led off the inning with a solo homer giving the Halos a 3-2 lead. Mathis followed that with a double over the head of Moss in left. The hit chased Schilling from the game. Julian “Yo-Yo” Tavarez came in for Schill to face Reggie Willits. Willits laid down a nice bunt that sacrificed Mathis to third. Chone Figgins brought in Mathis with a sacrifice fly making it 4-2 Angels. Francona came out to protest that Mathis left early because Moss had bobbled the ball but the rule states that a runner may tag up once the player has made contact with the ball. Yo-Yo then gave up a double to Cabrera and then Francona decided to walk Vlad to face Anderson. The move paid off as Yo-Yo got Anderson to strikeout swinging to end the inning.
In his return, Schilling went 6 innings, allowing 9 hits and 4 runs. He didn’t walk anyone and struck out 5.
The Red Sox managed to get two runners on base in the 8th against Scot Shields but were unable to bring the runners home. Francisco Rodriguez pitched the 9th inning for the Halos and allowed Pedroia to reach on a Cabrera error. He also walked Big Papi but he would get Moss to strikeout swinging for his 28th save of the season.
Tim Wakefield will try to get the ship sailing back in the right direction tomorrow night in Anaheim. He will be opposed by Joe Saunders. Gametime is 10:05 ET.
Notes and Musings:
With the loss, the Red Sox lead over the Yankees is down to 6 games.
Something I missed this weekend. Recently signed Brady Clark has left the Red Sox organization after he wasn’t promoted. He had hoped the Red Sox would trade WMP and be brought up.
The Red Sox signed Bobby Kielty to a minor league deal today. He will report to the Pawsox on Wednesday in Scranton. He also has a out clause in his contract that says he has to be promoted by a certain date.
As expected, Eric Hinske was placed on the bereavement DL. Brandon Moss was called up to replace him on the roster. Hinske is expected to return to the team in Baltimore on Friday.
Curt Schilling had not lost a start in his career in Anaheim before tonight’s game.
