Sox Sweep Seattle to End Road Trip

That was a close one, and also a timely win. Both the Yankees and the Rays won yesterday, and when your competition wins, you want to win and keep step with them.

Clay Buchholz was much improved over his past two outings, and that is a good sign. Clay went 5 1/3 innings and gave up 3 runs, but he held the line early on, and did not fall behind quickly like he has in his last two outings. In fact, entering the 6th inning, he had only surrendered a solo home run to that point. In the 6th, he started to unravel giving up a two run home run and putting two men on base with one out before turning the game over to Justin Masterson. Masterson is working out of the bullpen for the Sox and this was a big test. How does he handle coming in to the inning with 2 men on and one out? Simple. He strikes out the next two batters to end the inning.

Masterson did not stop there. He went on to record a 1-2-3 7th inning, followed by a 1-2-3 8th inning! So far, whoever thought he'd work well out of the bullpen looks like a genius. Also, since Masterson had been training all year as a starter, he can be used (at least for a while) in long relief situations very effectively. Masterson did a nice job of getting to the ninth inning for Jonathan Papelbon, but the problem was that the game was only tied 3-3.

In the 3rd inning, Ichiro Suzuki kept the game from getting out of reach when he leaped high on the right field wall to rob JD Drew of a sure 3 run home run. It was an amazing catch, and the Sox may have been able to use that to build a comfortable lead. But, as strange things always happen in baseball, the next batter, Kevin Youkilis, laced a line drive to right field. As Ichiro chased it down and bent to scoop it up, the ball snuck under his glove and rolled to the wall for an error, allowing two runs to score. That's baseball. Once play you are a hero and a sure web gem, and the next play you make an error that could cost the game.

More great pitching for Boston came after the 8th inning as Hideki Okajima and Manny Delcarmen combined to pitch two scoreless innings. In an interesting move, with the game still tied, Terry Fancona went to Papelbon to pitch the bottom of the 11th inning. Papelbon finally got a strikeout (he's had fewer of those lately) and induced a double play to end the 11th.

The 12th inning, the Red Sox had had enough. Time to end this thing. They worked the bases loaded with one out, and Mike Lowell became the designated hero with a line drive single to left. Jacoby Ellsbury scored from third, and JD Drew showed some speed sliding in safe at home from second base. Sean Casey singled in an insurance run to bring the score to 6-3. So, now we're thinking Papelbon will be back out and end this, right? Wrong. Francona, perhaps not feeling Papelbon has enough bullets left in the gun, and also thinking a 3 run lead should be comfortable enough, sends in none other than Craig Hansen to close the game out. Hansen did it, but he did not do it easily. With two outs and a runner on first, Hansen surrendered a single and a walk to load the bases. White knuckle time, folks. So, Jose Vidro steps to the plate and watches the first three fastballs go by, none of them is a strike. Bases loaded, three balls, no strikes, two outs. Next pitch, called strike. Next pitch, Vidro tops the pitch for an easy bouncing ball to Dustin Pedroia who flips the ball to first to end the game. Phew! Close one there Hansen!

Tomorrow, the dreaded Yankees come to town. Stay tuned...

(Photos Courtesy of ESPN)

Colon Ends Red Sox Losing Streak

Bartolo Colon pitched his second start of the season for the Red Sox last night and collected his second win, beating the Seattle Mariners 5-3. Colon continues to look sharp, throwing mostly fastballs in the low 90's, but hitting 96 on the radar a number of times, and showing good movement on his 2-seam fastball. By the way, has anyone mentioned to the Mariners that Colon is still fresh off of a rehab assignment to recover from surgery, as well as a couple of minor injuries? He is on a limited, but increasing, pitch count as he works himself back into shape. So, what do the Mariners do? They swing early and often, allowing Colon to make it through 7 innings while only throwing 84 pitches.

Colon faced 28 batters last night, and 14 of those plate appearances lasted no more than 2 pitches! A wiser, more patient lineup would have worked Colon's pitch count up much earlier and challenged his conditioning. That may be part of why the Mariners have lost 7 in a row, and currently possess the worst record in all of baseball.

But, a win is a win, and stopping a losing streak is essential, especially when that losing streak allowed the Tampa Bay Rays to jump over you and re-take possession of first place.

The highlight of the game was a spectacular catch by Ichiro Suzuki to rob Jason Varitek of, what looked to be, a sure double off the wall in right center field in the 5th inning. When the ball first came off the bat, it looked like it had the legs to be a home run, but Ichiro got on his horse and flew after the ball on a collision course with the outfield fence. While still running full speed and a single step to go before reaching the wall, he jumped and caught the ball over his shoulder, and plowed into the wall face first, both feet still up off the ground. Luckily the wall is well padded and it threw Ichiro back towards the field. Ichiro, while falling backwards, incredibly ensured his grip on the ball was secure, grabbed his hat to keep it from flying off his head, and rolled back onto the grass. He was shaken, but firmly cemented in history, just completing one of the top catches of all time.

But, Ichiro could not provide all the defense for Seattle, and the Red Sox found ways to get enough runs to win. Seattle starter, Felix Hernandez, pitched a terrific game, only giving up a 4th inning solo home run to David Ortiz through 7 innings. But, the 8th inning would be his downfall. In the 8th the Red Sox finally wore him down (see how that works, Seattle?) as all nine batters got a turn at bat against Hernandez in the inning. By the time it was over, the Red Sox had scored 4 to take a 5-1 lead.

Hideki Okajima relieved Colon and pitched a scoreless 8th inning to turn the ball over to Jonathan Papelbon in the 9th. But, what looked like a textbook game for red Sox pitching started unravelling. Papelbon struck out the first batter to start the inning, but got himself in trouble as the next batter hit a dribbler back towards the mound. Papelbon fielded the ball but rushed the throw and sailed it over Sean Casey's head at first. Another single and a strikeout later, Papelbon found himself in more trouble. With runners on second and third, and two outs, Ichiro ripped a fastball to center to plate one run and put another runner at third. Papelbon then bounced a pitch to the next batter that flew 20 feet off of Varitek's Memorial Day camouflage armor to allow a second runner to score. But, a nifty play on a ground ball to his left allowed Dustin Pedroia to put an end to the game and preserve the 5-3 win.

Tonight our own Japanese sensation, Daisuke Matsuzaka, will try to improve his record to 9-0. The stars look like they are lined up for that to happen against the struggling Mariners who send Miguel Batista to the mound. Batista is 3-6 with a 6.47 ERA this season, and has been experimenting with a new throwing technique - one that is not working well for him. Stranger things have happened, but this seems like a game that Dice-K should win. The Mariners do not seem to possess the patience to let Dice-K get into trouble with walks or a high pitch count. When he paints the corners, they'll be swinging. That should work to his advantage, and keep the Sox in pace with the Rays in the chase for first place!

(Photos Courtesy of ESPN)