The Dog Days (Phase I)
The Sox began their most challenging stretch of the campaign (19 of 22 on the road) with a stretch in Cleveland. The Yankees are well into their “JV portion” (Tampa Bay, KC) of the schedule, so there is added pressure for Boston to win consistently. After a disappointing homestand perhaps hitting the road may be just the thing the team needs.

In the series opener (Game 99, Mon. N. 7/23/07), the Sox welcomed the return of Jon Lester to the active roster. What a tremendous story, as it’s been less than a year since he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma. He has spent the season getting healthy in Pawtucket. Sure, it’d be nice if he had a good outing. What matters is that his health has been restored. Everything else is icing on the cake.

Jake Westbrook (1-5, 6.07) got the call for Cleveland. Crisp led off the ballgame with a single through the hole in short, and Pedroia followed with a base hit to right. No Big Papí for a few more days, so Youkilis was slotted in the three hole, and he walked on four pitches. Manny (after his big day on Sunday) continued as a DH in the lineup and he ripped a double down the third base line, scoring Crisp and Pedroia. Drew stroked a base hit to center and Youkilis came in. Lowell grounded into a 5-4-3 twin killin’, but Manny came in the back door with the fourth run of the inning.

It bears repeating that the Indians everyday lineup is loaded with great young talent, from 1-9, mashers to speed, these guys are stacked. Lester stepped to the mound to face Grady Sizemore, which is a pretty scary prospect. BTW, the home plate umpire’s (Bucknor) strike zone is no bigger than a postage stamp. Sizemore grounded out to first, Michaels struck out swinging, and Casey Blake lined a base hit to left. Hafner flied out to center, and Lester got through the first with no difficulty.

With one out in the second, Crisp launched a drive that one-hopped the wall in center for a two-baggah, but Pedroia grounded out to third, freezing Crisp. Youklis then fisted a bloop into short right, and Crisp crossed the plate before the ball was picked up, making it 5-0 Sox. Lester hit Ryan Garko in the back to start Cleveland’s second, but induced Peralta to ground into a 5-4-3 double play, then struck out Gutierrez.

In the third, Barfield nearly made a circus catch chasing down Lowell’s short fly into shallow right, but the ball popped out of his glove. Lowell was thrown out trying to steal second. Westbrook then issued walks to Varitek and Hinske, but Lugo grounded into a 6-4 force to kill that chance.

Former Sox farmhand Kelly Shoppach (who was dealt away in the Crisp deal) struck out to begin the Indians’ third. Barfield followed with a looping base hit to short center. Sizemore came to bat for the second time swinging for the downs, and lined a rocket well into the rightfield grandstand to make it 5-2. The ball left his bat so quickly that it was out of the yard before Sizemore left the batter’s box. With two outs, Lester walked Blake now he had to contend with the Indians’ big slugger, Travis Hafner. He too, was swinging for the fences, but this time couldn’t catch up with Lester’s high cheese and was smoked.

Garko led off the Tribe’s fourth with a double off the wall. He collided heavily into Pedroia while sliding and both players were smarting. Peralta followed with a walk (prompting a visit from the pitching coach). It wouldn’t be a bad time to get somebody loose in the bullpen right about…now. Lester’s mechanics have suddenly faltered, and surely the team cannot ask much more…and yes, we have a “Yo-Yo sighting” in the Boston bullpen. Lester struck out Gutierrez swinging for the second time, but he’s now running on empty. Shoppach walked on four pitches to load the bases with one out. Barfield hit a comebacker that Lester fumbled, picked up and forced out Garko at the plate. Sizemore stepped in for the third time. Chances are Lester would just as soon walk him than throw a mistake, as one run’s much easier to swallow than a grand slam. Even better was the smoking fastball that Sizemore chased and missed! It took some serious stones to challenge a hitter with a pitch like that.

Manny led off the fifth with a shot to left that missed going out by about a foot. He trotted out of the box while admiring his handiwork, realizing too late that the ball was in play. What should’ve been a double was a single. It’s just another what-me-worry moment out there in playland for Our Hero... Drew then grounded into a 3-6-3 double play and a chance to pad the lead was blown. A three-run lead against these guys is not exactly safe. Lester came out for the bottom of the fifth, and had an easy 1-2-3 inning. In the sixth, Lester had another strong inning, getting a double play ball to get out of another small jam unscathed.

Westbrook was finished after six, giving way to youngster Jensen Lewis (making only his 4th MLB appearance). Pedroia and Youkilis greeted the lad with base hits. Manny was called out looking on a fastball that appeared to be “just a bit” high. He looked back at the umpire with a look bordering on disbelief and contempt. “Mr. Clutch” Drew fouled out to third.

Lester was through after six as well, and gave Red Sox fans a thrill with a courageous performance. His line for the night (6IP, 5H, 2ER, 3BB, 6K) was otherworldly. Timlin came on and after going 3-0 to Shoppach, got him to fly out, then got Barfield and Sizemore to pop out. Another very nice inning’s worth of work for Timlin. He was brought out for the eighth, recorded a quick out before giving up a single to Blake. He’s one of the manager’s pets, but there’s such a thing as knowing when to pull the plug when the gettin’s good. Lopez came on in relief to face Hafner (as the margin of error gets slimmer by the pitch) and struck him out swinging. If Javier keeps pitching like that, people around here will breath a lot easier. Manny Delcarmen entered to face Garko, and blew him away swinging.

Crisp led off the ninth by lining a grounder down the third-base line. Blake made a very nice stab, but his throw went wild and Crisp wound up on second (base hit & E5). He moved to third on a passed ball. Pedroia reached out and punched a bloop single to right and Crisp came in with the sixth Boston run. Bucknor’s strike zone has drawn the ire of both benches tonight. The one thing upon which hitters and pitchers are in universal agreement is their utter disdain of an inconsistent strike zone. Perhaps he’s not mindful of Rule #1 in umpiring: if your name gets mentioned at all during the course of a game, it’s not a good thing. Youkilis and Lowell were both called out on dubious third strikes to end the ninth.

Delcarmen stayed out for the bottom of the ninth. With one out, Trot Nixon came in as a pinch hitter for Gutierrez and he flew out to Hinske in left. Ben (not to be confused with San) Francisco grounded out to third, and the Sox started their arduous trip in high style. It was an unforgettable night for Jon Lester, let’s hope for many happy returns.

The following night (Game 100, Tue. N 7/24/07), was a highly-anticipated duel between Matsuzaka and C.C. Sabathia, and it lived up to the advanced billing. This was a pitchers duel all the way as the Sox plated a run in the fourth and that’s all they needed, winning 1-0 in a thriller. The Tribe looked as if they would score in the second with runners on the corners and two out, but Daisuke whiffed Garko. In the third, Sizemore was in scoring position with two outs when Hafner hit a comebacker to the mound.

In the Sox fourth, Youkilis singled to right with one out and scored on Lowell’s two-out base hit to left. Sabathia did not allow Boston to get within a sniff scoring position before or after that. Cleveland put two more runners aboard in the bottom of the inning but Daisuke was able to get out of the jam with back-to-back K’s of Francisco and Barfield. Both pitchers remained dominant until the later innings, when the Sox turned things over to Okajima and Papelbon, who turned out the lights.

They say that “payback is a bitch”, and the theory was never so proven true than the following night (Game 101, Wed. N 7/25/07), when it was Boston’s turn to suffer a 1-0 defeat. Fausto Carmona and Josh Beckett locked horns, and Cleveland fans were treated to a second night of outstanding pitching. Franklyn Gutierrez’ lead-off homer in the third was the difference. Carmona carried a no-hitter into the sixth when Crisp singled with one out. With two outs, Ortiz hit an infield single. Crisp tried to score from second but he was dead meat at the plate. In the eighth, the Sox had not only one but two (!) runners thrown out trying to steal second. Borowski (who looks like he couldn’t break a pane of glass) came on in the ninth and polished off the Sox hitters 1-2-3. The Yankees have won six in a row and now sit 6 ½ back.

The series finale (Game 102, Thurs. N 7/25/07) was not exactly a textbook pitcher’s classic for either side, as the Sox pounded Cleveland for 17 hits and 14 runs en route to a 14-9 drubbing of the Tribe. Their starter, lefty Cliff Lee (who usually pitches well against Boston) must’ve neglected to drink the magic elixir that Messrs. Sabathia and Carmona sipped because he never made it out of the fifth inning and was whacked around all night.

Kason Gabbard looked to keep his winning streak alive and well against a potent offense that (along with Boston’s) has been kept in check for the past two nights. Manny put the Sox up 1-0 with a lead off homer (16) to right in the second. In the third, they put up another run when Peña scored on Pedroia’s ground out. Guiterrez hit another solo homer to pull the Indians within a run in the bottom of the inning, but the Sox were just getting warmed up. In the fourth, Manny and Youkilis walked to start things. Lowell singled the other way to load with nobody out. Varitek lined a base hit to left, driving in Manny and Youkilis, making it 4-1 Sox.

In the fifth, the Sox seemingly put the game away with five runs. Pedroia singled and Ortiz walked to start things. Manny doubled to left and Pedroia came in. Youkilis reached on Peralta’s to reload the bases. Lowell’s single scored Ortiz and Manny. At that point, Lee’s night came to an end and Stanford came on in relief. With two outs, Crisp singled to left, scoring Youkilis and Wily Mo doubled to the gap in right center scoring Crisp. It was 9-1, Sox and everyone was thinking that it’d be an easy night.

The Indians can score runs in bunches, and no lead is safe with these guys. Peralta walked with one out and Michaels singled. With two outs, the roof caved in on Gabbard. Barfield doubled to left, driving in two. Sizemore followed with a base hit that scored Barfield. Blake and Victor Martinez walked. Hafner was hit by a pitch and Sizemore came in with the Tribe’s fourth run. That was it for Gabbard. The “new” long-reliever, Julian Tavarez entered in relief and retired Garko on a fly out to Crisp. It was now 9-5 Red Sox and it seemed as if the Indians were breathing down Boston’s neck like a hot locomotive.

In the seventh, the Sox once more appeared to put the game out of reach by scoring three more runs when Wily Mo hit a three-run blast (5) with one out bringing in Varitek and Crisp who singled earlier. Suffice to say, this was one of Wily Mo’s rare “good” nights.

The Indians refused to roll over, plating four more runs in the bottom of the inning to make it 12-9. Barfield reached first Lugo’s fielding error to lead off. With two outs, Victor Martinez walked. Hafner followed with a single to left driving in Barfield and Garko hit a three-run homer of his own.

Manny capped off the scoring with a two-run homer (17) after Ortiz walked to lead off the eighth. Cleveland had no answer for Okajima or Javier Lopez, and the Sox absconded from Cleveland taking three out of four. Wily Mo went 4-5 with 4 RBI and in the process, raised his batting average to a torrid .219…

Off to The Bay…

The Red Sox made their first trip to St. Pete on Friday to visit the (severely bullpen-challenged) Rays for the weekend at Orange Juice Dome. It’s probably not a bad idea that ballgames this time of year in Florida are played indoors. Between the expatriates and vacationers, it’s not as if a trip to Tampa is going into “hostile territory” for the Red Sox. The team enjoys large crowds whenever Boston (or New York) comes into town but must really chafe at the cheering and noise afforded the visitors.

Jason Hammel got the call against Tim Wakefield in the opener (Game 103, Fri. N 7/26/07), and for a long time, Hammel pitched an outstanding ballgame before his bullpen mates melted down and the Sox cruised to a 7-1 win. It was Tampa Bay who broke the ice in the second when (the soon to be traded) Ty Wigginton singled with two outs and scored on Navarro’s single to right.

Things stayed 1-0 with one out in the sixth. Cora walked and stole second. Lugo walked, and Hammel was out of gas. Juan Salas came on in relief and Youkilis hit a three-run homer to put the Sox ahead, just like that. Hammel and the Rays’ manager, Joe Maddon must’ve felt like…(awful, just awful). The Rays bullpen is without a doubt THE WORST in all of baseball.

The Sox blew the game away with four more runs in the eighth. Ortiz walked with one out and (after a pitching change) Manny singled to right. Drew followed with a base hit, scoring Ortiz. With two outs, Crisp doubled and drove in Manny and Drew. Mirabelli then singled, scoring Crisp. What started out as a great night of pitching for the Rays imploded under the weight of their horrible relief pitching.

This is not to take anything away from Wake, who had a great night, allowing one run and striking out seven to earn his 12th win. Manny Delcarmen also pitched in with two great innings’ work and continues his impressive run as the right-handed setup guy. The Sox are now on a nice hit streak of their own.

Saturday night’s tilt (Game 104, 7/27/07) turned out to be a 12-inning epic that started well and almost ended badly before the Sox once more capitalized on bad relief pitching. The Rays went through six different relievers before the bottom fell out. Prior to the game, the Rays flipped Ty Wigginton to Houston for reliever Dan Wheeler. If there was such a thing as “relegation” in MLB as there is in soccer, Tampa Bay would be in serious jeopardy of playing Triple-A ball in 2008. Jon Lester made his second start of the year for Boston.

The Sox picked up a pair of runs in the second off of starter James Shields. Drew doubled with one out. With two outs Varitek’s base hit to right scored Drew. Crisp singled, and Cora was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Lugo’s walk scored Varitek. In the third, Boston picked their third run of the game when Drew’s single brought in Ortiz, who led off with a double.

The Rays grabbed a run back in the fourth on Delmon Young’s sacrifice fly to right that scored BJ Upton. Carlos Pena’s sacrifice fly to left in the sixth tightened things up to within a run at 3-2. The Sox padded their lead in the seventh when Lugo singled to left with one out and stole second. Youkilis walked. Ortiz lined a single to center, scoring Lugo. Manny hit a sacrifice fly to right that scored Youkilis, to make it 5-2. The Rays got the runs back in the bottom of the inning on a pair of solo shots from Gomes and Josh Paul.

In the eighth, the Sox pushed across another run when Lowell doubled to lead off, moved to third on Varitek’s single and scored on Crisp’s 4-6 force play. The game went to the bottom of the ninth with Papelbon on the hill trying to close it out. Young led off with a base hit and and Jonny Gomes belted a two-run homer to tie up the game.

The game dragged on into extra innings. In the Sox 11th, Maddon was tossed for arguing after Youkilis walked on a questionable call. He got his dime’s worth afterward. It’s a good thing that he no longer had a ringside seat by the time the 12th rolled around because that’s when things got pretty ugly for his bullpen. Brian Stokes was the unlucky victim for the Devil Rays.

With one out Lowell singled, Varitek and Crisp walked. Cora bounced into a 5-2 force, keeping the score tied. Lugo walked and Varitek came in with the lead run. The next victim, Jae Kuk Ryu, came on in relief and Youkilis greeted him with a bases-clearing double to right. Ortiz followed with a walk. Manny hit a double to center, scoring Youkilis and Ortiz with the fifth and sixth runs of the inning. The game was wrapped up in a tidy 4:38.

In the series finale (Game 105, Sun. Aft. 7/28/07), it was Boston’s turn to suffer a bullpen breakdown, as the Rays came up with five runs in the seventh and withstood a charge at the end to avoid being swept at home. Until the seventh, the game was scoreless, as the Rays’ ace Scott Kazmir and Daisuke slugged it out to a draw.

Kazmir finished after six, and had an outstanding day, striking out eight hitters. Maddon must’ve held his breath after pulling his ace, but on this day, his mates in the ‘pen were equal to the task. The same couldn’t be said for Delcarmen, who had a rare breakdown in the seventh. With one out, Dioner Navarro hit a solo homer and Josh Wilson singled to left. Delcarmen relieved Matsuzaka. With two outs, Brendan Harris singled and BJ Upton followed with a three-run homer. Adding insult to injury, Carlos Pena went back-to-back to make it 5-0 Rays.

The Sox put up a pair in the eighth on back-to-back homers from Manny and Youkilis, but that was it. While it was a frustrating way to close “Phase I” of the Dog Day Road Trip, the team cannot complain too much in taking four out of six.