The Opening Homestand Continues…

The Tampa Bay Rays (minus one M. Ramirez) came to Fenway for a three-game set with the Sox starting on Monday night. The Rays had an even rougher start than Boston at 1-8 and will struggle without Evan Longoria, who’s out for the foreseeable future with an oblique injury. The Rays have already lost Carlos Pena, Dan Wheeler, Rafael Soriano and Carl Crawford to free agency. They also traded away Matt Garza to the Cubs and have virtually brand new bullpen and are rebuilding on the fly after drastically slashing payroll. The Rays are among the best run organizations in the game but it’s not known whether the franchise can sustain itself playing at the Trop in St. Pete. It’s not the most geographically convenient venue in the Tampa Bay area nor is it demographically centered. That’s a big reason why the team suffers at the gate except when the transplants show up to watch the Yanks and the Sox.

Game 10 v. Tampa Bay (4/11/11):

In the opener, Daisuke (0-1, 5.40) started against Jeremy Hellickson (0-1, 4.76) (yet another of the bright young pitching prospects in the Rays’ stable). Johnny Damon returns tonight and perhaps the Fenway Faithful will give him that long overdue ovation. He didn’t get many cheers but did whack a solo homer into the bullpen in the top of the first. Hellickson walked two in the bottom of the first but got out of the jam when Ortiz grounded out 3-1. Zobrist doubled down the line in left to open the second. After BJ Upton walked, Felipe Lopez ripped a line drive single to center to load the bases. Jaso then doubled off the wall, scoring two. Brignac followed with a single to right, scoring Lopez and Jaso, and then New Hampshire’s Own Sam Fuld wrapped a two-run homer around Pesky’s Pole and, just like that it was 7-0, Rays. Daisuke was putting everything down the middle of the plate and was getting hammered. After Daisuke recorded the first out, a huge mock cheer went up from the crowd. Upton singled leading off the third and Lopez walked. That was it for Daisuke (2+, 8H, 7ER), and he really heard it from the crowd as he exited. Wakefield entered in relief and picked off Upton at second. With two outs in the bottom of the third, Pedroia walked and scored on Gonzalez’ triple to right. Fuld doubled to center with one out in the fourth and scored on Damon’s single up the middle. Ortiz tripled off the wall in center leading off the bottom of the fourth and scored on Drew’s single up the middle. The Rays made it 9-2 when Jaso doubled in Upton from first on a well-executed hit-and-run. Crawford led off the bottom of the fifth with a ground rule double, and then Fuld made a nice diving catch of Pedroia’s fly ball to left. Fuld then tripled to the triangle in center leading off the sixth and then Damon walked. Fuld scored on a passed ball and Joyce followed with a single up the middle. Damon and Joyce scored on Zobrist’s double to right to make it 12-2, and that was the night for Wake, who was relieved by Aceves. Hellickson’s night ended after he walked Saltalamacchia and gave up a single to Ellsbury. The Sox loaded the bases in the seventh when Crawford singled and Pedroia and Lowrie walked. But Youkilis lined to Zobrist, who flipped to Brignac for the double play. After a pitching change, Ortiz drove in Crawford with a single to make it 12-3. Ellsbury homered into the bullpen with one out in the eighth to make it 12-4. Dan Wheeler came on to pitch the ninth, and he allowed five hits and four runs, ugh. The Sox pushed across a meaningless run in the ninth. What a dreadful night of baseball that was…

Game 11 v. Tampa Bay (4/12/11):

After last night’s 16-5 Daisuke Debacle, there were loud voices in the media and on the talk shows demanding that Matsuzaka be traded for anyone or anything, up to and including a bag of baseballs. It’s not going to happen, at least not in the short term. It’s almost as if Daisuke said, “If you want me to throw strikes instead of nibbling on the corners, there you have it.” Everything the Rays hit last night was over the heart of the plate, and his pitches were mashed. And, other than Aceves, which pitcher stood out in relief? The answer would be, uh, none. One can only hope that last night’s game was an outlier rather than a trend.

In Tuesday night’s game, Jon Lester started against very tough lefty David Price. Ortiz, Drew and Ellsbury all took a seat with Price on the hill. Sam Fuld had a career night on Monday, but grounded out to short to open the ballgame. Lester then struck out Damon and Upton to end the first. Price hit Crawford on the right hand to open the bottom of the first, but he was quickly picked off. Felipe Lopez singled off the wall leading off the second but Sean Rodriguez grounded into a ‘round the horn double play. Darnell McDonald homered into the Monster Seats leading off the third to put the Sox ahead. Lester struck out the side in the fourth as he was using his full repertoire with great efficiency. With one out in the fifth, Shoppach and Dan Johnson reached on singles, and then Elliot Johnson loaded the bases with a single to left. Fuld followed with a weak grounder down the line in first and Gonzalez fired home but Shoppach arrived home just in time to tie the score. Damon then singled up the middle, scoring two runs and putting the Rays on top, 3-1. Pedroia doubled to the gap in right center leading off the sixth and scored on Lowrie’s gapper double. Lester was through after seven and had a good outing (7IP, 7H, 3ER, 2BB, 8K) before turning things over to Daniel Bard. In the bottom of the eighth, Pedroia singled and Youkilis was hit by a pitch with two outs. Price was relieved at that point by Joel Peralta, who got Lowrie on a pop fly to left. Bobby Jenks entered in the ninth and retired the side in order. Farnsworth entered in the bottom of the ninth and struck out Ellsbury and Drew. Big Papi stepped up to the plate and hit a long fly to right that died on the warning track and the Sox are now 2-9…

After a rainout on Wednesday and a scheduled day off on Thursday, the Sox opened a four-game series with John Farrell and his Toronto Blue Jays. Prior to the game, the Sox finalized Adrian Gonzalez’ 7-year, $154-million contract extension and a brief press conference was held.

Game 11 v. Toronto (4/15/11):

On a clear, chilly (39°) Friday night, the Sox took to the field against the Jays. In honor of Jackie Robinson Day in MLB, everybody wore #42. Clay Buchholz took the hill against Brett Cecil. Yuniel Escobar (hitting .438) led off the ballgame and walked on four pitches. With one out, Buchholz threw a pitch and it looked like he stumbled, sending out the trainer and the manager, but he was all right. Bautista then walked and Adam Lind followed with a three-run homer around Pesky’s Pole. Since the ball barely snaked around the pole, the umps went into review the play. It was foul by about six inches. After a lengthy delay, it was ruled to be foul. Farrell vehemently protested the ruling but Lind went back to the plate. Lind grounded out to second and Aaron Hill struck out. So, the Sox dodged a big-time bullet. Crawford grounded out 3-1 (looking as if he beat the throw) and the manager came out to argue, to no avail. Youkilis walked leading off the second and then Drew reached when his fly ball was dropped by the leftfielder Travis Snider. With two outs, Scutaro walked to load the bases but Ellsbury struck out to kill that threat. In the third, Pedroia made a great diving stab and throw out of Escobar. With one out in the bottom of the third, Pedroia launched a bullet into the first row of the Monster Seats. After Gonzalez walked, Youkilis hit a long homer into the camera area in center and the Sox were up 3-0. In the fourth, Ellsbury made a nice running catch of Lind’s long drive to center. Buchholz walked Rivera and Nix with one out in the fifth prompting a visit from the pitching coach. With two outs, Corey Patterson tripled to right and it was suddenly a 3-2 ballgame. Buchholz then came back to strike out Bautista. Lind walked leading off the sixth and Hill singled to left, and that was all for Buchholz. Alfredo Aceves entered in relief and Arencibia grounded into a double play but Snider doubled off the wall and the tying run scored. Jenks entered in the seventh and walked Nix. Escobar then reached on an infield hit with Nix taking third. Bautista then hit a line drive single off the wall and Nix came in with the go-ahead run. Lind then singled to left and Escobar came in to make it 5-3. The Jays pulled a double steal and Bautista scored on a passed ball. Hill then singled in Lind and it was 7-3. Jenks was mercifully pulled at that point in favor of Felix Doubront. Jason Frasor then entered in relief of Cecil. Ellsbury singled, stole second and went to third on a bad throw by Arencibia. But he advanced no further as Crawford popped out and Pedroia grounded out to second. Youkilis and Ortiz walked with one out in the eighth but Drew struck out. Lowrie (pinch hitting) reached on a hard infield single to third, scoring Youkilis. Scutaro whacked a line drive double off the wall, scoring two to make it 7-6. Papelbon entered in the ninth and retired the side in order. With Jon Rauch now pitching, Crawford struck out leading off the bottom of the ninth. Rauch easily retired the next two batters and the Jays came away with the win. With the loss, the Sox are now 2-10.

Game 13 v. Toronto (4/16/11):

On a downright cold (46°) and cloudy Saturday afternoon, Josh Beckett took to the hill and turned in his second straight terrific performance as the Sox won 4-1. Jed Lowrie led the way offensively with three hits, including a two-run homer to left. The slumping Carl Crawford was benched for this game. Jo-Jo Reyes started for Toronto and ran into trouble right away. Lowrie singled leading off, Pedroia walked and Gonzalez followed with an RBI single to right. Youkilis then hit a sharp double to right, scoring Pedroia. Hill doubled off the wall with one out in the second and scored on Snider’s base hit to right. Ellsbury walked leading off the bottom of the second and came across to score on Lowrie’s two-run line drive that bounced off the light stanchion in left, to make it 4-1. After Pedroia singled and Gonzalez walked in the third, Reyes was relieved by Carlos Villaneuva. The story of the game was Beckett’s powerful performance over seven innings, allowing only three hits while striking out nine. Daniel Bard came on to pitch the eighth and caught John McDonald in a throw ‘em out, strike ‘em out double play. Papelbon entered in the ninth and allowed only a cheapie single, capped off by a nice sliding catch by Mike Cameron in left.

Game 14 v. Toronto (4/17/11):

It was a seasonably cool day at Fenway on Sunday afternoon (though much warmer than yesterday) as Jon Lester started against Jesse Litsch. The Sox stranded another runner in scoring position in the first as Youkilis struck out with Gonzalez on second base. Hill walked leading off the second and Arencibia singled but Snider grounded into a 6-4-3 double play. After Rivera walked and attempted to steal second, Hill scored on the throw and Rivera was caught in a rundown. With one out in the bottom of the second, Lowrie singled to left and Drew followed with a base hit up the middle. Saltalamacchia then singled to right and Lowrie came in with the tying run. Ellsbury then wrapped a long fly around Pesky’s Pole and the Sox were up 4-1. Both starters pitched well in the middle innings, though Litsch was more economical with his pitches as Lester was up to 100 through six. In the bottom of the sixth with two outs, Ortiz and Lowrie singled and Drew walked. Saltalamacchia then ripped a double down in the corner in right, scoring Ortiz and Lowrie but Drew was thrown out at the plate trying to score from first. In the top of the seventh, Arencibia reached on Lowrie’s bad throw and then Snider reached when Lowrie bobbled a routine grounder to short and couldn’t turn the double play. Bard then entered in relief and Juan Rivera lined into a double play, second to first. After Bard walked Nix, he came back to strike out Escobar to kill the Jays’ threat. Casey Janssen entered in relief of Litsch to open the bottom of the seventh, and he retired the side in order. Felix Doubront came on to pitch the eighth and walked Patterson leading off. With one out Lind walked but Patterson was then caught trying to steal third. Hill followed with a base hit up the middle, and Doubront was relieved at that point by Jenks, who struck out Arencibia. With Shawn Camp pitching in the bottom of the eighth, Gonzalez doubled off the wall in left leading off. Youkilis was then hit on the left arm with a pitch. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch and then Ortiz walked. Lowrie then reached on Lind’s fielding error, when he muffed a routine grounder to first, scoring Gonzalez and Youkilis to make it 8-1. Dan Wheeler came on for the ninth and pitched a 1-2-3 inning and the Sox won their second straight game for the first time all year.

Game 15 v. Toronto (4/18/11):

The Sox played their annual Patriots’ Day 11:00 am game on Monday to wrap up the series with the Jays and the home stand. Prior to the game, Felix Doubront was optioned to Pawtucket and Okey-Doke was recalled. Daisuke (0-2, 12.86) started, and the question was whether the Bad Daisuke would appear or the Good. Lefthander Ricky Romero (1-1, 1.66) started for Toronto. JD Drew led off with triple off the wall in center and Pedroia followed with a walk. With two outs, Ortiz walked and Jed Lowrie (who is absolutely on fire) lined a single to right, scoring two. In the bottom of the third, Youkilis led off with a double off the bullpen wall in right. Ortiz drove in Youk with a base hit to right. In the fifth, Ortiz walked and Lowrie followed with a two-run shot into the Monster Seats to make it 5-0. With one out, Varitek walked and that was all for Romero. In the sixth, Youkilis hit a long two-run homer into the bullpen and the rout was on at 7-0. With two outs, Lowrie singled and scored on Carl Crawford’s (who?) double off the wall. Daisuke was finished after seven, and pitched an absolute gem, allowing only one hit and one walk. The question was whether pitching to Varitek instead of Salty was the difference. Talk about Jekyll/Hyde…wow! Ellsbury led off the seventh with a homer into the bullpen and it was 9-0. With two outs, Gonzalez launched a ground-rule double into the triangle in center, missing a home run by a matter of a few feet. Alfredo Aceves pitched a clean eighth and Wake entered in the ninth and surrendered a one-out homer to Escobar to account for the 9-1 final. So, the Sox wrapped up the homestand with a modest three-game winning streak but face a tough road trip on the Coast. It was their best win of the year and Daisuke was amazing.