All season long, most of Daisuke Matsuzaka’s starts have had their ups and downs. Today was one of those days as the Devil Rays got to him for six runs early and then they held off the Red Sox for a 6-5 victory. Andy Sonnanstine did a good job of shutting down the Red Sox until the 7th and the D’Rays bullpen did give up 2 runs but got the job done. The win for the Devil Rays was their first at Fenway Park this season.
The Red Sox had a chance to get two walkoff wins in a row off of Al Reyes in the 9th inning. Last night’s hero, Coco Crisp, started off the inning with a perfectly placed bunt that Akinori Iwamura had no chance on. Had he gotten it, odds are Coco would have been safe at first. Julio Lugo then had an 11-pitch battle with Reyes that Lugo would win as he laced a double into the gap that scored Coco. Lugo’s RBI double cut the lead to one at 6-5. Dustin Pedroia then tried to bunt Lugo to third but fouled it off and then the Sox took off the bunt sign. Pedroia would end up striking out on a fastball up and away. Kevin Youkilis worked the count to 3-0 but Reyes rebounded to strikeout Youk. Reyes then had to face David Ortiz and he ended up walking Big Papi to set the stage for Manny Ramirez. Reyes quickly got ahead of Manny 0-2 but then Manny fouled off a few pitches. Reyes then threw a fastball up-and-in that Manny swung and missed to end the game.
Dice-K came out of the gate and had his struggles early as he started the game allowing a single to his countrymen, Iwamura. Carl Crawford followed him with a single that moved Iwamura to third. With B.J. Upton at the plate, Crawford stole second just beating the throw from Jason Varitek. Dice-K got Upton to strikeout swinging for the first out. Carlos Peña then grounded out to Youk at first with Iwamura scoring from third to give the D’Rays a 1-0 lead. Dice-K got out of the inning as he got Delmon Young to ground out to Lugo at short.
The 3rd inning for the D’Rays would turn out to hurt Dice-K and the Sox the most. Iwamura continued his hot hitting with a single to start the inning. Crawford then dropped down a bunt that Dice-K had no play on, putting runners at first and second. Upton then worked a walk to load up the bases for Peña. Peña did his job as he crushed a double to left scoring Iwamura and Crawford for a 3-0 D’Rays lead. Young followed that with an infield single scoring Upton and moving Peña to third. Brendan Harris then laid down a safety squeeze bunt that scored Peña from third to make it 5-0 D’Rays. Dice-K did settle down as he got Jonny Gomes and Dioner Navarro out to end the inning.
Dice-K’s counterpart, Sonnanstine was in complete control early on as the Red Sox continued their struggles against pitchers they haven’t seen. In the first 5 innings, Sonnanstine only allowed two hits, one to Mike Lowell in the 2nd and one to Varitek in the 5th.
The D’Rays got another run in the 6th inning off of Matsuzaka. Harris led off with a triple just over the glove off Coco off the wall in center. Dice-K got Gomes to strikeout for the first out of the inning. Navarro followed that with a sacrifice fly that scored Harris giving the D’Rays a 6-0 lead. Dice-K’s 101st and final pitch of the game would result in a ground out by Ben Zobrist.
Dice-K went 6 innings, allowing 8 hits, 6 runs, 3 walks and he struck out 5. Even though he allowed 6 runs, his ERA is still pretty good at 3.79.
The local nine finally figured out Sonnanstine in the 7th inning. After Sonnanstine got the first two outs of the inning, Lowell reached on an infield single. Varitek followed that with a 2-run home run just to the left of Pesky’s pole, cutting the lead to 6-2. Sonnanstine ended his afternoon by walking Coco. D’Rays skipper Joe Maddon went to the bullpen for Gary Glover and Lugo greeted him with a double into the gap that scored Coco, making it 6-3. Glover would get out of the inning as he got Pedroia to fly out for the 3rd out.
Julian Tavarez and Mike Timlin pitched the 7th, 8th and 9th innings. Between the two, they allowed 1 hit, 2 walks and struck out 3.
Facing Dan Wheeler in the bottom half of the 8th inning, Youk lined out for the first out. Wheeler then walked Big Papi. Manny followed that with a double that was about a foot from being a home run above the 379′ sign in center. The double scored Big Papi and made it 6-4 D’Rays. J.D. Drew then laced a shot down the line but it was right at Peña for the second out. Lowell then worked a walk but Wheeler got Varitek to ground out to first for the final out of the inning.
The good news for the Sox was that the Yankees lost to the Orioles 6-3 in 10 innings, keeping the lead at 5 games in the AL East. The Red Sox are off tomorrow as they get ready to play the AL West leading Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim of California of the United States of North America for 4 games in 3 days. Josh Beckett will take the ball in the first game against Ervin Santana. The Red Sox haven’t announced their starter for game 2 yet but rumors are it will be Clay Buchholz. John Lackey will be on the hill for the Angels. This series is another huge series for the boys from the Fens.
Notes and Musings:
Interim President of Red Sox Nation Jerry Remy officially announced his candidacy for President of RSN during the 6th of today’s telecast. He announced that he will run with a VP who will get the perks the President gets.
Red Sox 2nd round draft pick Ryan Dent has signed his contract beating today’s midnight deadline. The Sox’ 3rd pick, Hunter Morris, will not be signing a contract.
There is still no word on who will start the 2nd game on Friday night. The rumors are that it will be Clay Buchholz but a roster would have to be cleared for him. Terry Francona expects to talk to Theo Epstein tonight or tomorrow about the decision.
Andy Sonnanstine came into the game having lost his last 8 starts.
Jason Varitek’s home run was his first since July 14th.
Manny’s RBI double in the 8th tied for 30th all time in career RBIs with Mike Schmidt at 1,595.
