We’re off to a late start this morning due to some alarm clock troubles but nonetheless we’re here to dissect last night’s game and get to the early links for Wednesday.
Last night’s game for the Boston Red Sox against the Texas Rangers started off with that same feeling we’ve been having lately although the Red Sox finally knocked in a runner in scoring position early on.
Things got ugly watching the Rangers steal nine bases against the combination of last night’s starter Tim Wakefield and Victor Martinez.
It appeared as though Wake wasn’t really paying attention to the runners on base and they took advantage of it with straight steals and double steals. And to top it off, the Red Sox were trailing 6-1 after five innings in large part due to the stolen bases.
Something needs to change on the defensive side of the catching game. While the onus falls partly on the pitchers to keep them close, you don’t want their concentration to solely be on the runner. This can bring bad things.
Now given the way the season had been going for the Red Sox, we probably could have expected them to lose their sixth straight game. Instead we saw them fight back behind Jeremy Hermida, Josh Reddick and Darnell McDonald.
Hermida started the comeback with a solo home run in the 4th inning while Reddick’s two-run double in the 6th cut the lead to 6-4. McDonald was the hero though as his 2-run homer and walk-off single gave the Red Sox their first victory in six games.
While the big story of the night may have been McDonald and his heroics, there is another big one in the fact that Terry Francona pinch-hit for David Ortiz.
Big Papi had seen nothing but fastballs on Tuesday night and not a one was hit in play. He struck out two more times to make it 17 on the season. So when the Red Sox were in the midst of their comeback, Papi was pinch-hit for by Mike Lowell, who ended up working a walk.
The Red Sox weren’t able to score that inning but a message was sent. Produce or sit down.
In year’s past, pinch-hitting for Big Papi would have been unfathomable but now that’s he off to his second straight slow start coupled with getting out of the gate slowly for the Red Sox, it was a move that had to be done. And with a lefty going for the Rangers tonight, odds are we’ll see Big Papi sitting on the bench again.
Let’s just hope the spark that McDonald provided last night can carry over to tonight’s game and the rest of the homestand.
One quick thing before we go, don’t forget that tonight’s game will be shown on NESN Plus in the Red Sox television market.
We’ll be back later with the lineups, batter/pitcher matchups and links from the day but for now, enjoy the links from the overnight from the local Boston media.
For McDonald, a script six years in the making [Alex Speier – WEEI.com]
A star is born in stunning Red Sox win [Boston Globe]
Epstein reflects on start [Boston Globe]
Cameron, Ellsbury sent to disabled list [Boston Globe]
Rangers got off to a running start [Boston Globe]
Darnell McDonald heroics no minor feat [Boston Herald]
Mike Cameron requires rest [Boston Herald]
Kevin Youkilis done with flip-flopping [Boston Herald]
Walk-off takes the pressure off [Boston Herald]
Sox lovin’ Darnell McDonald [Boston Herald]
Furious Theo Epstein sounds off on poor start [Boston Herald]
Epstein: “Weve played bad baseball” [CSN New England]
Sox snap streak, edge Rangers [CSN New England]
Epstein: Dice-K looking solid [ESPN Boston]
Big Mac attack: Sox 7, Rangers 6 [ESPN Boston]
Opponents’ base-stealing a big problem for Red Sox [ESPN Boston]
Epstein, Francona resist panic [ESPN Boston]
The right place, the right time [ESPN Boston]
Wrapping up a fun night of baseball [Extra Bases]
McDonald goes from undisclosed location to hero [Full Count]
Closing Time: Red Sox 7, Rangers 6 [Full Count]
What has been the impact of the steals? [Full Count]
Ortiz [Hit and Run With Dan Roche]
Sox thoughts [Hit and Run with Dan Roche]
Theo Epstein: Important for Mike Cameron to Get Rest for Tricky Injury [NESN.com]
Red Sox’ Run Defense Has No Answers For Rangers’ Record-Setting Swipe Show [NESN.com]
Should Jason Varitek Be Josh Beckett’s Personal Catcher? [NESN.com]
Darnell ‘The Microwave’ McDonald Cooks Up Momentous Walk-Off Win for Red Sox [NESN.com]
Boxscore Breakdown: Tuesday’s Big Win [Nuggetpalooza]
Unknown McDonald provides needed jolt [Providence Journal]
Francona opts for Lowell over Ortiz in RBI-situation [Providence Journal]
Red Sox Journal: Ellsbury, Cameron both down and out [Providence Journal]
Epstein says no time for excuses, Sox playing ‘bad baseball’ [Providence Journal]
Francona turns to Lowell over slumping Papi [RedSox.com]
McDonald makes instant impact in debut [RedSox.com]
A few things that Red Sox fans might not want to hear [Rob Bradford – WEEI.com]
For more slices of Boston Red Sox goodness, head over to the Boston Globe, Boston Herald, ESPN Boston, NESN, Providence Journal and WEEI websites.
And if you must check out the enemy papers, head over to the Dallas Morning News and Ft. Worth Star-Telegram websites.
