Sunday’s 9-5 come-from-behind win for the Boston Red Sox over the Minnesota Twins should have been the big story of the day but instead all of the attention was focused on the arrival of the future. That future of course is top prospect shortstop Jose Iglesias.
With Marco Scutaro injuring himself on Saturday and subsequently being placed on the 15-day DL yesterday with an oblique injury, the Red Sox needed a backup infielder. They couldn’t call up Yamaico Navarro because he was placed on the 7-day DL in Pawtucket with the same injury. This left the Red Sox with only one option, Iglesias.
When the news broke on Saturday night that Iglesias was heading to Boston, speculation of how much he would play ran rampant. Some thought he was up here for good while others including myself figured he’d be up here getting his feet wet until Scutaro returned from his injury.
It turns out the latter is true as skipper Terry Francona said before the game is that Iglesias would be used mostly as a pinch-runner and defensive replacement. You have to figure he’ll get the occasional start as well especially with Jed Lowrie battling through the stomach bug that’s ran through the Red Sox clubhouse lately.
Iglesias did get into the game yesterday as he was a defensive replacement for Lowrie in the 9th inning. Fittingly, he handled the only chance he got which just happened to be the last out of the game.
As far as the game itself, the Red Sox came to the plate chasing three runs after Daisuke Matsuzaka was touched up in the top half of the 1st. Dice-K also threw 34 pitches that inning and with Alfredo Aceves and Tim Wakefield not available until Monday, the beleaguered Red Sox bullpen looked like it would take another blow.
But instead, Dice-K settled in and allowed just two hits and a run over the next five innings, throwing 68 pitches the rest of the way. Matt Albers continued his good run out of the Red Sox bullpen as he went two innings, allowing a run on three hits with three strikeouts. Daniel Bard finished it up in the 9th with a 1-2-3 inning, including one strikeout.
Dice-K really should thank the offense, mainly Jacoby Ellsbury, Kevin Youkilis and Adrian Gonzalez, for his third win of the season.
As the Ellsbury goes, so does the Red Sox offense. He extended his hitting streak to 17 games with a three-hit effort and picked up his 10th stolen base of 2011. Youkilis continues to rebound from an un-Youk start to the season with two hits and an RBI. He also scored a career-high four runs.
Gonzalez was celebrating his 29th birthday and did it in style with three hits and two RBIs. One of those RBIs came on an opposite field home run off the light stanchion above the Green Monster in the 5th. His first RBI came during the big third inning where the Red Sox took control of the game off of Twins starter Carl Pavano with four runs after getting their first run of the day in the second when J.D. Drew‘s ground out brought in Youk.
We know the Red Sox have struggled with bringing in runners in scoring position this season and while they went 3-for-14 yesterday, it didn’t seem all that bad. Two of the runs were brought in on RBI groundouts and two of the runs were brought in on fielder’s choices. Those are outs in the box score but nonetheless they still helped the Red Sox bring home a win on Sunday afternoon.
Yesterday’s offensive display is what we’ve been waiting for from the local nine. Now they just need to continue it going forward.
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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Crawford’s diary: Slump ‘really hard to deal with’ [Carl Crawford – ESPN Boston]
Ellsbury on top of things as hit streak at 17 [Boston Globe]
Iglesias rolls with new role [Boston Globe]
Gonzalez big basher for Sox [Boston Globe]
Sox bats get cooking in third inning [Boston Herald]
No see of glove [Boston Herald]
A sound delay for Dice [Boston Herald]
Ellsbury a big hit while causing havoc [Boston Herald]
On Ellsbury’s streak, Crawford’s lineup spot and Dice-K’s elbow [Clubhouse Insider]
Red Sox run away from Twins, 9-5 [CSNNE.com]
Matsuzaka settles down after rocky start [CSNNE.com]
Surprised, excited Iglesias makes big-league debut [CSNNE.com]
Notes: Scutaro will miss ‘roughly’ a week for Sox [CSNNE.com]
Jonathan Papelbon, slugger? [ESPN Boston]
Rapid reaction: Red Sox 9, Twins 5 [ESPN Boston]
Possible discipline still pending for Francona [ESPN Boston]
One shining moment … and Iglesias had no glove [ESPN Boston]
‘This is the special player you’re starting to see’ [ESPN Boston]
Tito: Crawford will move up ‘in due time’ [ESPN Boston]
Closing Time: Sox hitters come to bat for Matsuzaka [Full Count]
Why John Lackey was sitting in the Red Sox bullpen [Full Count]
Sunday was an exhibition of what the Red Sox lineup was built to do [Full Count]
Video: Adrian Gonzalez Continues to Improve at Plate, Homers on Birthday [NESN.com]
Video: Dustin Pedroia Says Red Sox ‘Grinded It Out’ in Win Over Twins on Sunday [NESN.com]
Jose Iglesias Records Final Out, Gets Rookie Treatment in Major League Debut [NESN.com]
Adrian Gonzalez Beginning to Fulfill Predictions of Fenway Park Production [NESN.com]
Video: Jose Iglesias Appreciative of Marco Scutaro’s Mentorship, Ready to Put Flashy Glove on Display [NESN.com]
Video: Jose Iglesias Recounts Journey From Cuba to Major Leagues [NESN.com]
Video: Terry Francona Pleased With Red Sox’ Adjustments on Sunday, Last Few Weeks [NESN.com]
Offense shows its full potential [Providence Journal]
Iglesias gives Sox fans a glimpse of what’s to come [Providence Journal]
Red Sox Journal: Dice-K turns it around after shaky start [Providence Journal]
Lowrie plays through stomach bug [RedSox.com]
Adrian, Red Sox put pink bats to good use [RedSox.com]
Top prospect Iglesias gets first taste of Majors [RedSox.com]
Why Jose Iglesias figures to make the most of his promotion to the big leagues [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 Minneapolis Star-Tribune and St. Paul Pioneer-Press websites. You can also check out our Bloguin brother, Twins Target.
Photo credit: Elsa-Getty Images
17-18
15-20
If it weren’t for another controversial balk call, this one on 
12-20
