Covelli “Coco” Crisp was the lone bright spot for the Red Sox on a humid night in Atlanta, as the Braves got homeruns from Brian McCann and Scott Thorman to help defeat the Sox 9-4. Crisp had 4 hits, including 2 homeruns and Curt Schilling was brutal for the second start in a row. Chipper Jones and Edgar Renteria 3 hits for the Braves. McCann also had 2 hits and 4 RBI.
The Sox threatened in the first inning as Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis drew walks after J.D. Drew grounded out. The Red Sox were unable to take advantage of Chuck James’ wildness as Manny Ramirez fouled out and The Captain Jason Varitek grounded the ball back to James for the final out of the inning.
Schilling came out in the first inning and looked ok. He really didn’t have any zip on his fastball but got out of trouble when Renteria lined out into a double play. Willie Harris had singled but thought the ball Renteria was going to drop but it didn’t and he was doubled up off first base.
Covelli got the Sox on the beautiful high-def scoreboard at Turner Field in the 2nd inning when he took a James’ offering and planted it into the seats. Lugo then drew a walk but Schill looked like a pitcher hitting when he struck out trying to bunt. Drew ended the inning with a fly out.
Atlanta got the run back in their half of the third inning. Scott Thorman led off with a double that probably should have been a single had Drew not been lackadaisical getting to the ball. James then showed Schilling how to bunt by laying down a bunt to Mike Lowell, whose only play was to first base. Thorman came around to score the tying run when Kelly Johnson hit a sacrifice fly to Covelli in center. Former Sox player Willie Harris drew a walk from Schilling but was caught stealing with Renteria at the plate to end the inning.
Coco had his second hit of the game in the 4th inning after Lowell led off the inning with a flyout to right. The struggling Julio Lugo fouled out bringing Schilling to the plate. Since there was 2 outs in the inning, it took away the bunt for Schill but he was able to get a single moving Coco up to 2nd base. But Drew couldn’t do anything to bring them home as he grounded out to first to end the inning.
The 4th inning brought 2 more runs for the Braves. Renteria and Chipper reached on singles off Schilling. McCann then put one in the gap in left-center that scored Renteria and advanced Chipper to third. Andruw Jones, who is hitless against the Sox this season, flew out to short rightfield, keeping Chipper at third. Jeff Francoeur fouled out and the Schill issued an intentional walk to Thorman to face James. James helped himself by driving in Chipper with a single giving the Braves a 3-1 lead.
The 5th inning spelled the end for Schilling and was probably an inning he wishes never happened. After getting Harris to ground out, Schill gave up singles to Renteria and Chipper again. The big blow came when McCann took a Schill offering and planted it into the seats for a 3-run homer and 6-1 Braves lead. The homerun chased Schilling from the game and Kyle Synder came in and finished off the Braves in the inning.
Schilling’s line: 4 1/3 innings, 10 hits, 6 runs (all earned), 2 walks, and 0 strikeouts.
The Red Sox managed to chase James from the game in the 6th inning. After James got Lowell out to lead off the inning, he allowed the second homer of the night by Coco and that homer ended his night. Peter Moylan came in and got Lugo and pinch-hitter Eric Hinske to end the inning.
In their half of the 6th, Atlanta got the run back off the combination of Javier Lopez and Mike Timlin. Thorman reached on Pedroia’s third error of the season but was retired on a fielder’s choice by Chris Woodward. Lopez was able to get Johnson to strike out but Harris got to him for a single, advancing to Woodward to third and getting Lopez a seat on the bench. Timlin came in and promptly gave up a single to Renteria, scoring Woodward and making it 7-2 Braves.
Drew led off the 7th inning with a homerun off hard throwing Tyler Yates. Yates seemed a little startled from the homer as he gave up a four pitch walk to Pedroia. A visit from pitching coach Leo Mazzone Roger McDowell settled him down as he retired Youk, Manny and Varitek.
Atlanta finished off their scoring in the 7th inning when they scored two runs after Timlin had retired the first two batters. Francoeur hit a single and came around to score when Thorman blasted his homerun, putting the Braves up 9-3.
The Sox managed to scrape together a run in the 9th inning. Drew led off with a strikeout then Pedroia and Youk both singled. Wily Mo Peña grounded into a fielder’s choice that retired Youk at second. Pedroia came around to score when Macay McBride uncorked a wild pitch. He walked Mirabelli and was pulled from the game. Bob Wickman came in and threw one pitch to Lowell. Lowell grounded out to short to end the game.
One big question to be answered. Is something wrong with Schilling? With his velocity down and not really being able to tell the difference between his pitches, one might think that. Schill’s blog entry will be mighty interesting tomorrow.
Josh Beckett gets the ball tomorrow and will be opposed by Tim Hudson. Game time is 7:05 PM.
Sorry Texas Gal, no Papelboner tonight.
Notes and musings:
J.C. Romero was placed on waivers after he was unable to be traded. He will now have to wait 3 days to clear waivers before he is free to sign with any team.
Good job by Eck on the pregame show calling Shea Hillenbrand, “Sean”.
Chipper got his 2,000th hit last night against the Indians.
Red Sox radio announcer Dave O’Brien is doing the play-by-play for ESPN on the national broadcast of the ballgame.
After Crisp’s first homerun, a “let’s go Red Sox” chant could be heard. It’s amazing how many fans they draw on the road.
Schilling came into the game with 102 sacrifice bunts.
Lugo came into the game 19 for 19 in stolen bases.
“El Presidente” Jerry Remy announced Sox CEO Tom Werner will be giving away his seats to a member of Red Sox Nation for a game in the next homestand.
Braves LF Willie Harris spent part of last season with the Pawsox and in Boston.
Schill’s fast ball didn’t have a lot of zip tonight. It was only 85-89 mph.
Pedroia’s error was only his third of the season and his first since April 11th.
Schilling’s 4 1/3 innings was the second shortest of the season for him. He went 4 innings on opening day.
Coco had never gone deep twice in one game before tonight.
Braves reliever Tyler Yates was throwing some heat. He got Manny on a 98 mph fastball to strike out.
Coco’s last 4 hit game was on September 11, 2005.
Last time Schilling didn’t strike out someone in a game was back on July 1, 1993. A remarkable 378 starts with a strikeout.
