The weather last night at Fenway Park kind of can explain the start by Boston Red Sox pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka. It was cold, dark, dreary and drizzly. And although we’ll never know how much him getting hit by the ball off the bat of Brian Roberts at the start of the game, things got brighter at the end.
You could have sworn it was sunny and in the 80’s by the end of the night though as the Red Sox completed an epic comeback as they rallied from six runs down to take an 8-7 walkoff win over the Baltimore Orioles. You may remember that four years ago, the Red Sox did the same thing in the “Mother’s Day Miracle”. After the game, NESN’s Tom Caron, called this the “Remy Returns Miracle” since NESN analyst Jerry Remy returned to the NESN booth for the first time since April 26th.
The Red Sox managed only five hits through the first five innings against Orioles starter Chris Tillman. But once Buck Showalter went to his bullpen in the 6th, things started to look up for the Red Sox as they mounted their comeback. They would score five runs in the 6th off of Michael Gonzalez and Jeremy Accardo.
J.D. Drew got things started with a single (he ended up at second on an error by Luke Scott). Drew came home quickly on a Jed Lowrie double. Carl Crawford would reach on an error by Mark Reynolds with Lowrie moving to third. Lowrie would score on a Jason Varitek single. Gonzalez would get Jacoby Ellsbury to fly out. Accardo would come in and get Dustin Pedroia to fly out and it looked as though the Red Sox rally might end there.
But Adrian Gonzalez would keep the inning going with a run-scoring single and then Kevin Youkilis followed that up with a bases-clearing double to cut the lead to 6-5. Clay Rapada would come in and walk David Ortiz but he got ended the inning by getting Drew to weakly ground out to second.
It didn’t take long for the Orioles to get a run back as Reynolds crushed an Alfredo Aceves offering to push the lead back to 7-5. The Red Sox would get the run back in the 7th when Lowrie tripled and came around to score on Varitek’s second RBI of the night. Aceves and Orioles reliever Koji Uehara would maintain the status quo, setting up the rally in the 9th for the Red Sox.
Orioles closer Kevin Gregg got Tek to fly out to start the inning. Ellsbury worked a walk and stole second with Pedroia at the plate. After a nine-pitch at-bat by Pedroia, he worked a walk setting the stage for Gonzo who took the first pitch he saw and put it off the monster for the walkoff double to win it for the Red Sox.
You may remember Pedroia’s 13 pitch AB against the Angels’ Jeff Weaver. This nine pitch AB against Gregg was equally as important. It forced Gregg to have to throw strikes against Gonzo which if you’ve been watching him this month, is not something you really want to do.
When it looked the Red Sox were down and out last night, they never gave up. It was a reminder of the 2003 and 2004 teams that never had any quit in them. They had a built up a ton of momentum over the weekend with the sweep of the New York Yankees and it looked like it would be lost.
But now the Red Sox find themselves with a four-game winning streak and chance to keep their rise in the AL East standings. They’ll need a solid start from Tim Wakefield tonight, who is filling in for John Lackey who went on the 15-day DL with a right elbow strain. They’ll also have to battle the elements as rain is forecast in the Fenway Park vicinity all day.
We’ll be back later with tonight’s lineups, batter/pitcher matchups and links from the day. But for now, enjoy the overnight links by clicking on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.
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Gonzalez and Red Sox rally to beat Orioles [Boston Globe]
Lackey put on disabled list [Boston Globe]
Youkilis was a big hit for the Sox, too [Boston Globe]
Red Sox walk off happy [Boston Herald]
John Lackey can’t hide from issues [Boston Herald]
Matt Albers finds right fit [Boston Herald]
Lackey starts DL stint [Boston Herald]
Feel-good win familiar [Boston Herald]
Adrian Gonzalez’ bat proves he never lost faith in Red Sox’ comeback [Clubhouse Insider]
Gonzalez’ walkoff caps Sox rally, 8-7 [CSNNE.com]
Francona: Dice-K ‘didn’t look right’ [CSNNE.com]
Gonzalez saves his best for last [CSNNE.com]
Notes: Struggling Lackey placed on disabled list [CSNNE.com]
Rapid reaction: Sox 8, O’s 7 [ESPN Boston]
Tito: Dice-K ‘didn’t seem completely right’ [ESPN Boston]
Video: ‘BBTN’ on surging Sox [ESPN Boston]
Adrian Gonzalez’s torrid May gets Boston Red Sox on track [ESPN Boston]
Gonzalez was the man with a plan [Extra Bases]
Closing Time: Adrian Gonzalez completes comeback for Red Sox [Full Count]
Red Sox Use Relentless Effort to Come Back to Beat Orioles, Finally Climb Over .500 [NESN.com]
Routine and Recovery Keeping Rich Hill in Tip-Top Shape [NESN.com]
Gonzalez doubles in ninth for walk-off win [Providence Journal]
Albers proving to be go-to-guy in Sox’ bullpen [Providence Journal]
Red Sox Journal: Lackey lands on DL with elbow strain [Providence Journal]
Adrian Gonzalez’ bat sends a message (in more ways than one) [Rob Bradford – WEEI.com]
For more slices of Red Sox goodness, head over to the Boston Globe, Boston Herald, CSNNE, ESPN Boston, NESN, Providence Journal, RedSox.com and WEEI websites.
And if you must check out the enemy news, head over to the Baltimore Sun website. You can also check out our Bloguin brother, the Oriole Post.
Photo credit: AP Photo
