Big Win
August 24, 2008
Define: Big win…well, when you’re in the same division as the Tampa Bay Dev--excuse me, Rays, every game is a must win in order to keep pace with a red-hot ball club. With the Rays and White Sox duking it out in the windy city, every game is critical for the Boston Red Sox for an opportunity to pick up a game in either the AL East or Wild Card standings. With the Red Sox battling for first place in the AL East with the Rays now four games back and holding a slim lead on the White Sox in the AL Wild Card standings, Red Sox Nation has started their annual scoreboard watching.
The Red Sox past two visits to Toronto have not been ones to remember having been swept on both occasions. With a thrilling eleven inning victory over the Blue Jays, the Red Sox managed to take two out of three from a team that has given them trouble not only this season but in recent seasons as well. The White Sox walked off with a win against the Rays to inch the Red Sox closer to first place in the division but the Red Sox will take an entry in the post season however they can get it. All you have to do is get in to win it all.
Suffering injuries to key players on the team in Josh Beckett, JD Drew and Mike Lowell along with placing David Aardsma on the disabled list and having Tim Wakefield out of the rotation for a couple of starts, the Red Sox have still been successful going 4-2 on their road trip. The bottom of the order has picked up the slack in the absence of the big bats and that showed most in Sunday’s victory over the Jays. A three home run day for the Red Sox powered the victory with a big three-run home run by Dustin Pedroia. A clutch solo shot for Coco Crisp tied the game up at five and Jed Lowrie launched his second home run of the season and first from the left side of the plate in the eleventh inning to set up Manny Delcarmen for his first save of the 2008 season.
This win would not have been possible without the spectacular defense by Jacoby Ellsbury who was shaken up on an amazing catch in right field that saw him crash into the wall as he was shaken up a bit but would stay in the game. A sure web gem by Jason Bay robbed Alex Rios of extra bases late in the game and a relay to the plate by Jason Bay again to Jed Lowrie to set up a play at the plate prevented the Jays from taking the lead and ultimately the game itself.
Daisuke Matsuzaka’s sixteenth win of the season was put on hold today with a no decision. Matsuzaka hurled six innings of work giving up five earned runs on eight hits but kept his team in the game while striking out eight. The stat of the day would be just his one walk that was intentional. The Boston bullpen was lights out on Sunday with Masterson and Okajima pitches a combined two scoreless innings. Jonathan Papelbon entered the game in the bottom of the ninth in a 5-5 tie and was perfect. Papelbon threw two innings to pick up the win and only needed sixteen pitches to collect six outs. After Jed Lowrie’s solo shot, Manny Delcarmen slammed the door on the Jays in the eleventh to seal the deal.
The Red Sox will get a much needed day off before they get set to take on the Yankees in their final series at the legendary Yankee Stadium. Tim Wakefield will make his return to the rotation in the series opener matched up against the veteran lefty, Andy Pettitte. Wakefield will be filling the spot in the rotation left by Josh Beckett who’s start was once again pushed back due to the tingling and numbness that he is still feeling in his pitching arm. Wakefield has been on the disabled list since August 7 but in his two starts prior to his DL stint he was 1-0 with a 0.73 ERA in 12.1 innings pitched. Andy Pettitte has not been flawless against Boston this season going 1-1 with an ERA of 5.06.
-Jared Carrabis
-Jared Carrabis
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