Destination Red Sox Nation is our look at how the minor league teams of the Boston Red Sox fare each night. Game story and box score links as well as links to team rosters, team stats and league standings are after the jump.
Rangers Take Over Wild Card Lead With 4-3 Win Over Red Sox
Taylor Teagarden’s solo home run in the 6th inning off of Junichi Tazawa turned out to be the winning run as the Texas Rangers held on to beat the Boston Red Sox 4-3 in front of 27,155 at steamy Rangers Ballpark in Arlington on Sunday afternoon.
The win for the Rangers (66-50) now puts them in front of the Red Sox (66-51) for the lead in the wild card standings by a ½ game. The Tampa Bay Rays are just three games behind the Red Sox as well in the wild card standings.
Tazawa was inconsistent on the mound on Sunday afternoon. He made the pitches when he needed to but didn’t look as good as he was in his last start. He went 5+ innings, allowing 4 runs on 10 hits and 3 walks. He didn’t record a strikeout.
Hideki Okajima allowed a walk and had a strikeout in 2 innings of work while Ramon Ramirez gave up a hit and walk with 2 strikeouts in his inning of work.
Dustin Nippert was solid for the Rangers on the bump. He went 6 innings, allowing 2 runs on 6 hits with 3 walks and 3 strikeouts.
Doug Mathis allowed a run on a hit and a walk in an inning while C.J. Wilson gave up a hit and a walk while striking out the side in the 8th. Frank Francisco put Friday night’s implosion behind him and set the Red Sox down in order in the 9th to pick up his 17th save of 2009.
Victor Martinez paced the Red Sox offense with 2 hits. Dustin Pedroia and David Ortiz each hit solo home runs while Brian Anderson drove in the other run with a sacrifice fly.
This is now the first time since April 21st that the Red Sox haven’t been in playoff position.
They will get Kevin Youkilis back on Tuesday from his 5-game suspension when they are in Toronto. Josh Beckett will start for the Red Sox while Ricky Romero goes for the Blue Jays.
Afternoon Red Sox Delight – 8/16
After losing last night to the Texas Rangers, the Boston Red Sox look to keep their lead in the wild card this afternoon at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, TX.
The game this afternoon will start at 2:05 PM EDT and will be televised in the Red Sox television market on NESN. If you live in the Rangers television market, you can catch the game on FOX Sports Southwest. If you live out of either television market you are in luck as this afternoon’s game is being broadcast on TBS as well. And if the television isn’t your cup of tea, you can catch the game on one of the many affiliates of the Red Sox Radio Network.
Rookie Junichi Tazawa makes his third appearance and second big league start for Terry Francona this afternoon. In his previous two appearances, Tazawa is 1-1 with a 4.05 ERA. After giving up 3 runs (1 earned) last time out against the Tigers, he settled down to pick up his first big league victory. He’s never faced the Rangers.
Dustin Nippert makes his 10th appearance and 6th start for Ron Washington this afternoon. He is 3-1 with a 3.62 ERA. He’s faced the Red Sox once this season, picking up the win after allowing a run in 5 2/3 innings back on July 22nd. In 4 games (1 start) against the Red Sox in his career, he is 1-1 with a 6.92 ERA.
This and that [Extra Bases]
Red Sox weekly recap (Week 19) [Batter-up with Bruno]
Here are the lineups for this afternoon’s game:
|
|
|
||
| 1. Jacoby Ellsbury | CF | 1. Julio Borbon | LF |
| 2. Dustin Pedroia | 2B | 2. Michael Young | 3B |
| 3. Victor Martinez | C | 3. David Murphy | DH |
| 4. Jason Bay | LF | 4. Marlon Byrd | CF |
| 5. David Ortiz | DH | 5. Josh Hamilton | RF |
| 6. Mike Lowell | 3B | 6. Ian Kinsler | 2B |
| 7. Casey Kotchman | 1B | 7. Hank Blalock | 1B |
| 8. Brian Anderson | RF | 8. Taylor Teagarden | C |
| 9. Alex Gonzalez | SS | 9. Elvis Andrus | SS |
| Junichi Tazawa | SP | Dustin Nippert | SP |
66-50
65-50And here is how the hitters have fared against this afternoon’s starting pitchers. No one on the Rangers has faced Tazawa.
Paw Prints – The Daily Roundup – 8/16
UConn Football links
What Frosh Can Make An Impact? [Desmond Conner – Hartford Courant]
Anyone On The Defense That Might Shock Us? [Desmond Conner – Hartford Courant]
Some Thoughts From Zach Hurd And Other Tidbits [Desmond Conner – Hartford Courant]
How’s Cody Endres Looking? [Desmond Conner – Hartford Courant]
Bridgeport’s Williams on fast track to UConn action [Connecticut Post]
Edsall Pleased With Sophomore WRs [Hartford Courant]
Quick Look At UConn Football Practice [Hartford Courant]
UConn Women’s Basketball links
Bird Looking Forward To 2012 Olympics [Hartford Courant]
Other UConn related links
Field Hockey Picked to Finish Second in BIG EAST Coaches Poll [UConnHuskies.com]
Destination Red Sox Nation – 8/16
Destination Red Sox Nation is our look at how the minor league teams of the Boston Red Sox fare each night. Game story and box score links as well as links to team rosters, team stats and league standings are after the jump.
Video: Cyborg TKO’s Gina Carano
Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos scored a first round technical knockout win over Gina Carano to win the Strikeforce Female 145-pound Championship at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, CA on Saturday night.
Cyborg was awarded the TKO with one second left to go in the round as she was just pounding Carano who was laying on the ground and not fighting back. Referee Josh Rosenthal stepped in to save Carano from any further beat down.
{flowplayer}http://ianbethune.com/cyborgcarano.flv{/flowplayer}
Boston Red Sox News & Notes – 8/15
Could last night’s come-from-behind victory have been the kick in the butt the Boston Red Sox needed?
Trailing by 2-runs in the top of the 9th, they mounted a furious rally that saw a few gaffes along the way. First, after Jacoby Ellsbury singled in a run, Chris Woodward couldn’t lay down a bunt. Then Terry Francona brings in Clay Buchholz to pinch-run for Jason Varitek at second base. Buchholz is then gunned down at the plate after not being able to judge the ball on Dustin Pedroia’s double.
At this point in the game, I’m pretty sure everyone in Red Sox Nation is questioning the sanity of Francona for bringing in Buchholz to pinch-run. Luckily, Victor Martinez bailed out Francona for his decision by coming up with a clutch two-run double to put the Red Sox out in front at 5-4. They would add three more insurance runs off of Rangers closer Frank Francisco and Jonathan Papelbon closed the door in the 9th to preserve the win.
While the Red Sox weren’t able to pick up any ground on the Yankees, who won, they were able to increase their lead over the Rangers to 1.5 games and 5 games over the Tampa Bay Rays in the wild card standings.
For a while there it looked as though the Red Sox were going to struggle against another opposing ace. They did work Kevin Millwood’s pitch count though as they got him out of the game in the 6th inning. After David Ortiz homered off of Eddie Guardado, the Rangers bullpen shut down the visiting nine until the fateful 9th inning.
Jon Lester wasn’t at his absolute best last night either but he did everything he could to keep the Red Sox in the game. A leadoff walk in the first came back to haunt him but after that he settled in. He ended up finishing his evening with 11 strikeouts.
All I have to say right now is how good is Theo Epstein looking for giving up Justin Masterson for Martinez? Pretty good in my opinion.
Links coming up after the jump.
Paw Prints – The Daily Roundup – 8/15
UConn Football links
Things About Shut Down [Desmond Conner – Hartford Courant]
Today’s Practice News [Desmond Conner – Hartford Courant]
Friday football foibles [Neill Ostrout – Connecticut Post]
Friday Big East mailbag: Supersized edition [Big East Blog – ESPN.com]
How about a Big East second team? [Big East Blog – ESPN.com]
Football Holds First Practice in Pads [UConnHuskies.com]
Edsall tough on new center [Connecticut Post]
UConn football notebook — Easley gains scholarship [Connecticut Post]
Edsall Keeps Petrus’ Feet On The Ground [Hartford Courant]
Quick Look At UConn Football Practice [Hartford Courant]
He’s Swimming In Predictions [Hartford Courant]
Huskies aim to overcome loss of nation’s top rusher [Norwich Bulletin]
Year full of tests for UConn’s Dixon [New Haven Register]
Receivers Easley, Molina to receive scholarships [New Haven Register]
Molina: Hard-nosed determination equals no college tuition [New London Day]
A capsule look at the 2009 Connecticut Huskies [Philadelphia Inquirer]
UConn Women’s Basketball links
Exclusive: What Geno Auriemma doesn’t know about basketball [John Altavilla – Hartford Courant]
UConn Men’s Basketball links
Jeremy Lamb [Mike Anthony – Hartford Courant]
Jeremy Spoke in Storrs Today [David Borges – New Haven Register]
Other UConn related links
Women’s Volleyball: Connecticut Selected Seventh in BIG EAST Preseason Coaches’ Poll [UConnHuskies.com]
Women’s Volleyball: Volleyball to Host Alumni Weekend Kicking Off BIG EAST Schedule [UConnHuskies.com]
Destination Red Sox Nation – 8/15
Destination Red Sox Nation is our look at how the minor league teams of the Boston Red Sox fare each night. Game story and box score links as well as links to team rosters, team stats and league standings are after the jump.
Red Sox Rally For 8-4 Win Behind V-Mart
Down to his last strike with 2 outs in the 9th inning and two runners in scoring position, Victor Martinez came up big with a 2-run double to give the Boston Red Sox the lead at 5-4. They would add three more runs on their way to an 8-4 come-from-behind win over the Texas Rangers in front of 40,311 at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, TX.
The win for the Red Sox (66-49) increases their lead over the Rangers (64-45) to 1½ games in the wild card standings.
Frank Francisco came out for the top of the 9th trying to notch his 17th save of the season with a 4-2 lead but had command issues.
David Ortiz led off the inning with a double and then went to third as Jason Varitek legged out an infield single. Jacoby Ellsbury cut the lead to one at 4-3 as his single brought in Big Papi with Tek stopping at second. Chris Woodward failed to get the bunt down and struck out forthe first out.
Terry Francona then brought in Clay Buchholz to pinch-run for Tek at second base. Dustin Pedroia came up with a big double but Buchholz was gunned down at the plate. With runners now on second and third and two strikes on him, Martinez delivered a double to right field to put the Sox out front 5-4.
Jason Bay followed that with a single to score V-Mart and make it 6-4. Bay would go to second on defensive indifference but it wouldn’t matter as J.D. Drew brought him in with a 2-run homer to make it 8-4.
Jonathan Papelbon came on for the 9th and worked around an one-out double by Omar Vizquel by striking out the final two batters he faced to preserve the win for the Red Sox.
Jon Lester started this one for the Red Sox and he fell behind right away in the first on a two-run homer by Michael Young. He settled in after that although the Rangers did make him work. Lester ended up going 6 innings, allowing 3 runs on 6 hits and 3 walks but had 11 strikeouts.
Daniel Bard allowed a run on a hit and two walks in an inning and Takashi Saito gave up a hit and had a strikeout in his inning of work.
Once again, the Red Sox had trouble with Kevin Millwood. They did get him out of the game after 5 2/3 innings and 110 pitches. Millwood allowed 1 run on 3 hits and 5 walks while striking out 4.
Eddie Guardado allowed a run in 1/3 of an inning while Darren O’Day and C.J. Wilson shut the Red Sox down before Francisco’s implosion.
Big Papi finished the night with 2 hits, one of which was a 2-run homer. Drew also finished the night with 2 hits, including his 2-run homer. Dustin Pedroia added two hits to the cause as well.
After the game, Francona announced that Woodward had been designated for assignment to make room on the roster for newly acquired Alex Gonzalez.
Tremendous win by the Red Sox on Friday night. The win shows you just what this team is made of.
It’s up to Brad Penny to ride the momentum from this win on Saturday night as he gets the ball for the Red Sox. He’ll be opposed by Derek Holland.