Sox Batter Baltimore Bullpen, Win 13-4

Once Curt Schilling and Steve Trachsel left the game, it became a battle of whose bullpen would pitch better. Obviously by the final score of 13-4, you can tell which bullpen was the best on Saturday.

Even though Javier Lopez allowed one of the inherited runs to score, the Sox bullpen pitched 3 2/3 scoreless innings while the Baltimore ‘pen gave up 9 runs in their 3 2/3 innings. This helped the Red Sox to their victory Saturday as they continue their domination of the O’s at Fenway Park.

The Sox got on the board first in the 4th inning after Trachsel walked both Big Papi and Manny Ramirez. J.D. Drew then flew out to deep right field that advanced Manny and Papi up one base. Mike Lowell drove in Big Papi on a sacrifice fly to center field.

Unfortunately after a 20 minute wait, Curt Schilling gave the run back in the 5th when Jay Gibbons and Brian Roberts sandwiched two doubles around two outs tieing it up at 1.

The Sox got the lead back in the 5th inning when Dustin Pedroia reached on Aubrey Huff error and advanced to second on a Trachsel balk. Julio Lugo, who had 4 hits on the afternoon, sacrificed Pedroia over to third. After a Kevin Youkilis walk, Big Papi hit a double that scored Pedroia making it 2-1. So far this season, Big Papi and Manny haven’t had big hits in the same inning but today was different as Manny laced a double down the left field line scoring Youk and Papi, making the score 4-1 and knocking Trachsel out of the game.

Again the Sox made Schilling wait 25 minutes and this time Schill lost command of his pitches. He gave up 3 straight singles to Miguel Tejada, Ramon Hernandez and Huff. After falling behind to Melvin Mora 3-0, Schill came back to strike him out. Gibbons then singled which scored Tejada. Schill then walked Jay Payton to force in a run, only the second time this season Schilling has walked in a run with the bases juiced. This ended Schilling’s day but he was still responsible for the runners on base. Schilling went 5 1/3 innings, gave up 9 hits, 4 runs, walked 2 and struck out 4.

Lopez came in and got Corey Patterson to ground out but that scored Huff and tied the score at 4. He did however get all 3 batters out he faced.

Youk gave the Sox the lead for good in the bottom of the 6th when his single scored Jason Varitek, who had reached base when he was hit a by a pitch. After that, things got ugly for the $42 million bullpen.

The Sox loaded up the bases in the 7th when Jon Leicester walked Manny, Drew and Lowell. After throwing ball 4 to Lowell, Leicester immediately called for the trainer and left the game with an apparent shoulder injury. Baltimore sacrificial lamb reliever Todd Williams came in and struck out Varitek. Coco Crisp grounded out to Tejada at shortstop but it allowed Manny to score, making it 6-4. Alex Cora was summoned to pinch hit for Pedroia and didn’t disappoint the Fenway faithful. He hit a single that scored both Drew and Lowell putting the Sox up by 4 runs.

Things got even uglier in the 8th inning as the Sox scored 5 more times. After a Youkilis out, Big Papi hit a single and Manny got on when he was hit by a pitch. Drew hit a single that scored Papi from second. Lowell followed with a single that scored Manny. Varitek then singled scoring Manny. Williams got Crisp to strikeout and Cora got on with an infield single loading the bases up for Lugo. Lugo singled in one run and then Youkilis singled in the final run making it 13-4.

Notes: The Sox are now 18-0 when scoring 5 runs or more. The only starters who didn’t have hits for the Sox were Crisp and Pedroia. Lugo had 4 hits, raising his average up to .261. Hopefully this gets him out of his slump. Manny extended his hitting streak to 11 games.

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Beasts of the East – An AL EAST Radio Show

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Episode – 2

Please remember, this is a weekly show that is on every Saturday morning from 11:00 a.m. – Noon EST. Our second episode is jam packed with AL EAST news to please give it a listen if you haven’t already. Please click on the media player in the right sidebar if you would like to hear the show and there are always updates of the current “BEASTS OF THE EAST” program and our general baseball show called “THE HITS KEEP COMING” at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/beastsoftheeast

Thanks again for listening!

Join us at: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/beastsoftheeast at 11:00 AM EST every Saturday morning for “Beasts of the East”.

Join Ian, Anthony and I as well at: http://blogtalkradio.com/oriolepost for the”The Hits Keep Coming”, every Wednesday at 7:00 pm. EST.

Every show is available afterwards as a podcast or you can download it and listen to it in your free time.

Saturday Salute to Bloggers

Lizzy at Babes Love Baseball tells us what she thinks of Roger Clemens.

Anthony over at the Oriole Post has one for the idiot file that happened right in front of him at an O’s game this week.

Jason at My Baseball Bias tells us why Roy Halladay went to the DL.

J.D. at Sportech Matter wants you to know that Ricky Williams fell off the pot wagon.

Curt Schilling had a rough week off the field.

Deadspin has some video of Extreme Baseball.

The fine ladies at Ladies… tell you about some of baseball’s finer assets.

Kissing Suzy Kolber has a good article on who Peyton Manning attended the Kentucky Derby with.

Tavarez Shaky; Sox Strand 13 in 6-3 Loss

When you leave the bases loaded 3 times, odds are your not going to win. That was the case for the Red Sox on Friday night as Nick Markakis and Melvin Mora’s 4 hits each led the Baltimore Orioles to a 6-3 win over the beloved Red Sox.

The Orioles got on the board first with 2 outs in the 1st inning. Markakis came around to score on a Ramon Hernandez double after a double of his own. Former Devil Dog Ray Aubrey Huff hit a single to score Hernandez to make it 2-0 O’s without the Sox batting yet in the game.

The Sox managed to get the 2 runs back in the 2nd inning. One came when Jason Varitek scored on a Julio Lugo double. After Lugo’s double, Coco Crisp singled and Big Papi walked, loading up the bases for Manny. Manny didn’t disappoint the Fenway faithful when he drew a walk from Baltimore starter Brian Burres to tie it up at 2. Kevin Youkilis came up to the plate as one of the Sox’s hottest hitters but flew out to center, leaving the bases loaded for the second time.

The 5th inning brought some fine awful fielding by Wily Mo Peña. After Markakis and Miguel Tejada singled, Hernandez brought in Markakis with a RBI groundout. Tavarez then got Huff to ground out setting the stage for WMP. WMP, who we all know is a defensive liability when he plays the field, misplayed a Mora hit that bounced into the bullpen for a RBI ground rule double that scored Tejada. Jay Gibbons hit a liner that WMP totally misplayed that allowed Mora to score making the score 5-2 O’s.

The Sox were able to get one run back but yet again left the bases loaded in the 7th.

Tavarez was not effective in my opinion. He went 5 innings, gave up 10 hits, allowed 5 runs (4 earned), and struck out 2. The Sox bullpen was good though, only allowing 1 run on 3 hits over 4 innings.

Notes: Devern Hansack was sent down before the game and Javier Lopez was recalled.

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Have Your Wedding Catered By Taco Bell

Oops. What I meant to say is let Taco Bell help you propose to your special someone. Although if you win the Grand Prize, you get $500 Taco Bell Bucks which you could use to cater your wedding.

In all seriousness, Taco Bell is giving you a chance to propose on a nationally televised FOX game on 7/7/07. All you have to do is head over to TacoBell.com and click on the 7 Layers of Love button to tell your seven reasons why the person would be lucky enough to marry you.

One Grand Prize Winner will be able to propose marriage, using virtual signage behind home plate, during a nationally televised Major League Baseball game on FOX on 7/7/07 (weather permitting and subject to scheduling) and one year’s supply of Taco Bell food (awarded in the form of $500 in Taco Bell Bucks). Six Runners-Up will each receive a year’s supply of Taco Bell food.

So if your thinking of proposing, get your ass over to TacoBell.com and tell your story.To see the press release click the more button.

Continue reading

Amalie’s Army

The Unofficial Amalie Benjamin Fanclub

amaliefanclub.gifThis page is dedicated to Amalie Benjamin, who covers the Red Sox for the Boston Globe. She is frequently covering the Sox as the resident blogger at Extra Bases when she doesn’t have to do the game story.

  • Amalie graduated from Northwestern University in 2004.
  • She interned at the Washington Post in 2004.
  • Amalie’s bio at the Boston Globe: Benjamin is a general assignment reporter for the Boston Globe sports section. She specializes in baseball and tennis. Prior to her current position, Benjamin covered high school sports for the Globe. Benjamin is a graduate of Northwestern University and has been with the Globe since 2004.

Sorry boys but Amalie is taken and has a boyfriend. If you don’t believe me, watch this video from the pre-game show where Don Orsillo calls her Amalie Brown. It’s right at the end. Update 7/7: Amalie was recently engaged to her boyfriend and is really off the market now. Amalie is also currently the narrator for “The Sox I Know” feature on boston.com.

‘Beasts of the East’ – An AL EAST Radio Show: Episode 2 Preview

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EPISODE 2 – The Roger Clemens Edition

Get the latest AL EAST NEWS tomorrow morning at 11:00 AM EST with a brand new weekly internet radio show called “Beasts of the East – An AL EAST Radio Show” on BlogTalkRadio.com. Joining me for the hour will be four bloggers who follow their respective AL EAST team with great passion and enthusiasm.

If you’d like to call in, the phone number is (646) 478-5017 or you can send us an instant message if you use AOL IM at aleastshow.

Join us at: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/beastsoftheeast at 11:00 AM EST tomorrow morning.

——————————

DEBUT WEEK GUEST LINEUP

SHOW OUTLINE AND TOPICS –

I. INTRO

II. PANEL INTRODUCTIONS

III. STANDINGS OVERVIEW

IV. TOP NEWS STORIES OF THIS WEEK –

  • Roger Clemens Return to the Bronx
  • Juan Salas drug suspension
  • B.J. Ryan TJ Surgery
  • Schilling needs to just shut-up

V. ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION ON THE TOP NEWS STORIES

VI. TEAM REPORTS FROM OUR GUESTS

VII. A LOOK AT THE WEEK AHEAD

Every show is available afterwards as a podcast or you can download it and listen to it in your free time.

Also, join Anthony, Ian and I every Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. EST for the “The Hits Keep Coming”, also on BlogTalk Radio.

Friday’s Fast Walk Around the AL & NL West

Angels 1B Kendry Morales is still adjusting to life in America after coming here from Cuba two years ago.

The Oakland A’s signed the land deal that will make Cisco Stadium a reality.

The Diamondbacks remain committed to youth even though they are struggling.

Dodgers pitcher Jason Schmidt threw off a mound for the first time since his April 14th start.

The Giants lost Dave Roberts for six weeks due to surgery on his injured left elbow.

The Mariners finally gave Richie Sexson a day off on Thursday.

Padres manager Bud Black is very happy with Doug Brocail.

Rangers reliever C.J. Wilson actually is throwing a gyroball if you can believe it.

The Rockies hope that Coors Field is nice to them for the next 9 games after winning the first game of a 10 game homestand.

Cleveland Indians Will Honor Larry Doby

I am sure there are a few people reading this who are asking themselves, “Who is Larry Doby?”. So I will answer that for you.

While Jackie Robinson was the first in all of baseball as we all know to break the color barrier, Doby broke it in the American League on July 5, 1947 when he made his debut just two days after being signed. He had been playing for the Newark Eagles of the Negro League.

With Robinson’s 60th anniversary being honored this season, the Cleveland Indians asked Bud Selig and MLB for permission to wear Doby’s number 14 to honor the late great legend, whose 60th anniversary is also this year. MLB and Bud obliged. Each member of the team (Indians) will wear it.

Because the Indians will be on the road on July 5th, they have decided to honor Doby on August 10th during Cleveland’s Hall of Fame/Heritage Weekend. The festivities will include Andre Thornton, former UCONN great Charles Nagy, Jim Bagby Sr, and Mike Garcia being enshrined into Heritage Park. Also, Larry Doby, Jr. will be throwing out the ceremonial first pitch.

Heritage Park is the new home of the Indians Hall of Fame and is located out in centerfield.

“We need to let everybody know he was the first black player in the American League,” C.C. Sabathia said. “Not taking anything away from Jackie Robinson, because he changed the world. But Larry Doby deserves recognition, too.”

“He was in the same boat,” Josh Barfield said of Doby. “He had to go through all the things Jackie Robinson had to go through. It’s a shame he doesn’t get the same recognition. The average fan hasn’t heard of him before.”

“He meant a great deal to Major League Baseball and a great deal to the Indians’ organization,” Eric Wedge said. “It’s historic, in terms of what he means to baseball. I think there can only be one first. But Larry had another first because it was the American League. As years have gone by, I think Larry’s been recognized more and more, and that’s the way it should be.”

Each individual jersey will be signed and auctioned off. The proceeds of the auction will go towards the Larry Doby RBI Program, and the Larry Doby Cleveland State University Baseball Scholarship Fund.

Just another class move by the Indians and Major League Baseball for honoring a great legend who often is forgotten.