"A Kick In The ..."

Wednesday night’s series finale (Game 153, 9/19/07) featured Jesse Litsch (5-9, 4.37) for Toronto against Clay Buchholz (3-0, 1.50), who is taking Matsuzaka’s spot in the rotation for one turn so that the Sox can (according to reports) “line up the post season rotation. It appears to be a spectacular night for baseball on the Lake (77º) as the roof’s wide open at “f/k/a SkyDome”.

Ellsbury and Ortiz walked in the first, but Lowell hit into a 4-6-3 double play. In the bottom half of the inning, Buchholz retired the Jays 1-2-3 (pop out, strike out, ground out). Nothin’ doin’ for the Sox in the second.

Buchholz walked Frank Thomas to start Toronto’s second, but avoided further difficulty with to flyball outs and a strikeout. Nothin’ doin’ for the Sox in the third, either.

…Meanwhile in the Bronx, Matsui hit his 25th of the year in the third to put the Yanks up 1-0.

Buchholz got three ground ball outs in the third; the last being on a high chopper hit by Sluggo Wells that Lugo made a nice stab n’ throw on a bang-bang play. In the fourth, Lowell hit a deep fly to left with two outs that Adam Lind hauled in with his back up against the wall. Litsch has now retired ten in a row.

Frank Thomas got the first hit of the ballgame with two outs in the fourth when he lined a base hit over the shortstop’s head. Buchholz struck out Hill looking on a totally filthy curveball.

Whoa! JD Drew ripped a slider into the rightfield stands that left the yard in less than a second! It was his 9th homer of the year to put the Sox up 1-0. Fact is, ol’ JD has played much better of late as Red Sox fans can only hope that the investment yields it best result at the most critical time. "F." Zaun led off the bottom of the inning by hammering a double down the line in right. Lind followed with a base hit up the middle putting runners on the corners. Adams hit a bouncer to second. Pedroia flipped to Buchholz covering, and Adams just beat the throw. "F." Zaun scored.

Olmedo then bunted to the left of the mound, Buchholz grabbed the ball and made a backhanded flip to Lowell that went wide and rolled around in the cavernous foul area. On the play Lind scored the go-ahead run. Kielty picked up the ball and fired it to Lowell, who caught the napping Adams for the first out. Wells then walked and it appeared as if Buchholz’ star began to dim.

A number of his fastballs were high, though he struck out Stairs swinging in the dirt on a change-up. At that point, Francona came out with the hook in favor of Delcarmen. It was the smart move. There’s no sense risking any harm to a rookie’s fragile psyche by allowing him to get hammered in an important game. Rios flied out to left to end what could’ve been a disastrous inning.

Litsch put down the Sox 1-2-3 in the sixth, and the Blue Jays’ lead held. Delcarmen had a nice inning of work highlighted by a swinging strike out of Thomas. In the seventh, Litsch retired the first two hitters before Varitek walked, Hinske singled and Kielty was hit on the leg. Gibbons pulled Litsch at that point and Casey Janssen was summoned from the ‘pen to face Lugo (5-13 career vs. Janssen). Lugo grounded one up the middle. The shortstop, Olmedo, mishandled the ball trying to make barehanded play. Olmedo picked up the ball, threw to first and Lugo was called out by the closest of margins! No!!! Lugo slammed his helmet down in disgust, but the umpire made the correct call.

Brian Corey came on in the bottom of the seventh for Boston. After getting two quick outs, he walked Wells and the call went out for Javier Lopez. One pitch, one out as Stairs hit a grounder to Lugo. On to the eighth.

Ellsbury led off the eighth with an accidental hit on which Janssen couldn’t make an accurate throw (he should’ve used the patented Yo-Yo underhand toss). Gibbons came out to argue that Ellsbury stepped out of the baseline to no avail. With one out, Janssen departed in favor of the lefty, Scott Downs whose mission it was to retire the Mighty Big Papi. Downs has been a workhorse for Toronto this year, making his 76th appearance. Ortiz hit a fly ball to medium right for the second out. Downs did his job and Gibbons turned the ball over to the Jays’ closer, Jeremy Accardo. Ellsbury stole second with a headfirst dive…all for naught as Lowell went down swinging.

“Teacher’s Pet” Timlin came on for the eighth to face “the meat of the ohdah”. Timlin plunked Rios square on the back. Why does the manager continue to trot out this glorified mopup artist in crucial situations?

Rios stole second and Thomas walked. GET TIMLIN OUT OF THERE! Timlin stayed and Hill hit a 1-4 sacrifice that he nearly beat out for a single. Now runners were at second and third when Zaun was (wisely) intentionally walked. Papelbon was then called to salvage another crisis. Nice going, Timlin. How is it that the Yankees can call up about 20 kids from the farm who can make contributions from the bullpen while Boston continues to rely on retreads and patchwork soultions? With two outs, Papelbon took Adams to 3-0, then 3-2 before Adams (sitting back) waited on a fastball and walloped it about 500 feet for a grand slam, 6-1 Toronto.

Things are getting pretty quiet on the bandwagon…don’t see too many pink hats around…the Yankees won again and the lead is down to 1 ½.

If a team ever needed a day’s rest to regroup, this one’s it.

...and never forget, folks, it's only a game.