|
|
Sox Split Back To Boston
October 12, 2008
10.12.
08, 4:10 PM
ALCS Game 2: Red Sox 8, Rays 9 / 11 Innings
Sox Split Back To Boston
Home Run Derby Ends With Rays On Top
By: Jared Carrabis
In a game where the Tampa Bay Rays found themselves in a “must win” situation early in the series, the Red Sox and Rays battled it out for eleven grueling frames. What was at stake for the Rays? Their home field advantage would have meant nothing if they could not defeat Boston in Game 2. Having lost Game 1 of the series and the next three games of the series were to be played at Fenway Park, it was imperative to split the first two games. What was at stake for the Red Sox? Nothing. The Red Sox had the Rays right where they wanted them in the series after taking Game 1. Josh Beckett on the hill in Game 2 and three straight games at home with Jon Lester on the mound in the first game and a pitcher who no-hit the Rays through the first six innings of work in Game 1 and shut them out through seven.
Needless to say, both of these teams wanted to win Game 2 badly, whether it be to keep the series alive or put a strangle hold on the series, the Red Sox and Rays sent their aces of the staff to clash in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series. They may have been classified as “aces” because of their position in the rotation during the regular season, but neither Josh Beckett nor Scott Kazmir were very ace-like on Saturday night. Josh Beckett of course suffered an injury to his oblique before the start of the postseason and received an anti-inflammatory to treat it. It is clear now that Josh Beckett is not pitching anywhere near 100% and it showed once again in Game 2.
Scott Kazmir on the other hand has no excuse that we know of. The left-handed former Red Sox killer has struggled mightily in his last two outings against Boston including Game 2. This game will not be remembered for the dramatic finish in the eleventh, rather it will be remembered for all the long balls that led to that eleventh inning conclusion to Game 2.
Boston knows full well that the Rays bullpen is strong and does not allow many runs with an ERA under 3 in the postseason. Therefore, if they were going to win this game, they needed to get to Kazmir early, and they did. A two out rally in the top of the first inning started by a David Ortiz walk followed by a single by Kevin Youkilis set the stage for Boston’s secret weapon in October, Jason Bay. Bay roped a 3-2 fastball deep into the left field corner that missed being a 3-run home run by about a foot. With two outs, Ortiz and Youkilis came around to score, 2-0 Boston.
As quick as the lead had come, it was gone just as fast. All eyes were on Josh Beckett as fans wondered if his first postseason appearance for Boston in 2008 was a fluke and that everything was fine with the oblique and through the first two batters it really looked that way. Beckett retired Akinori Iwamura on two pitches before striking out BJ Upton on a 93 MPH fastball. That’s when fan’s opinions may have shifted back to their pregame thoughts. Carlos Pena ripped a two out double to left to put a man in scoring position for Evan Longoria. On a 3-1 count, Beckett served up an 87 MPH “fastball” that Longoria hit a ton to tie the game at two.
Both starters had very shaky starts but were both known for regaining composure and pitching well the rest of the way, Saturday night was not the case for either. In the top of the third inning, Dustin Pedroia led off with a solo jack to on a line drive to left field to give Boston a 3-2 lead. It appeared that Pedroia’s postseason slump was done but for those that weren’t sure, he changed those minds later in the game. With a one run lead to protect, Josh Beckett coughed up the lead as soon as he got one once again by giving up a solo home run to BJ Upton. The home run to Upton made it the second straight postseason game where Beckett has given up two home runs or more. Later in the inning, it was the usual suspects again. Evan Longoria drove a double out to left field and Carl Crawford drove him in on a two out RBI single to give the Rays the lead.
It was clear then that Beckett just “didn’t have it” but the main concern was if this injury was going to result in ineffective pitching from Josh Beckett throughout the remainder of the postseason. Tampa Bay extended their lead to 5-3 when Cliff Floyd teed off on a Josh Beckett fastball that he belted to straight away center field with authority. If the Rays wanted to play a little home run derby, the Sox were ready to showcase their long ball skills in the top of the fifth. Down by two, Dustin Pedroia led off the inning with his second home run in as many at bats but this one was no line drive shot and got out of the Trop in a hurry. After a David Ortiz fly out, Kevin Youkilis got in on the fun by hitting a shot down the left field line that landed in the seats to tie the game up at five but the Red Sox weren’t done.
The home run by Youkilis chased Scott Kazmir from the game after four and a third innings pitched, five earned runs on six hits, three walks, giving up more home runs (3) than strikeouts (2). Next up was Jason Bay and not to be outdone by his teammates that homered to left field earlier in the inning, Jason Bay hit a moon shot that landed way, way back in the seats in left field. A lot of fans over in that section went home with souvenirs that night. The seven home runs hit by both the Red Sox and Rays combined is a new ALCS record and it tied a postseason record.
So once again, the Red Sox offense gave Josh Beckett the lead, and once again he gave it right back. Back-to-back RBI hits by Carlos Pena who singed to tie the game and Evan Longoria who doubled to take back the lead (again) chased Josh Beckett from the game with Beckett still responsible for Longoria on second. Javier Lopez entered the game and on the first pitch gave up an RBI single to Carl Crawford to put the Rays up by two and officially close the book on Josh Beckett. He lasted just as long as Kazmir going four and a third giving up eight earned runs on nine hits, three of them home runs but managing to strike out five. It didn’t take a genius to draw that conclusion that something is not right with Josh Beckett. This is not the pitcher that he knows he can be.
The Red Sox refused to let the Rays relentlessness intimidate them as Jason Bay drove home Dustin Pedroia who walked with two outs in the top of the sixth inning to bring the Sox back within one. Still down by one in the top of the eighth, a little bit of fortune played a hand in Boston’s tying of Game 2. Dustin Pedroia started the inning off with a hit for the third time on the night. Pedroia ended up at second following a walk to David Ortiz and wound up at third after Kevin Youkilis grounded into a double play. With two outs and Jason Bay at the plate, the only way to get Pedroia in would be a hit or an error, right? Wrong. With the pressure of a one run game in the mind of Rays reliever Dan Wheeler and the tying run standing just 90 feet away at third base, Wheeler let one fly and the pitch sailed to the backstop allowing Dustin Pedroia to come home with the game tying run.
The two teams began firing all of their bullpen weapons at each other into extra innings and into the late hours of the night or early hours of the morning, however you want to look at it. After the departure of Josh Beckett, the Red Sox bullpen was locked in. Manny Delcarmen (1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER), Hideki Okajima (2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER), Justin Masterson (0.2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER) and Jonathan Papelbon (1.1, 0 H, 0 ER) were lights out against the Rays offense out of the bullpen setting up an 8-8 tie in the bottom of the eleventh. Mike Timlin and Paul Byrd were the only two remaining pitchers left in the Red Sox bullpen.
The advantage of going up 2-0 and then heading home would have meant the series for the Red Sox. Personally, I would have gone with Paul Byrd before I went to Mike Timlin. I understand that Terry Francona wants to save Byrd for an emergency start if Tim Wakefield just doesn’t have it in Game 4, but Paul Byrd could have given the Sox 2-3 innings and still have been available for Game 4. He throws strikes; the Rays were going to put the ball in play with a great defense behind Byrd. Instead, we got Mike Timlin and two no out walks to start the bottom of the eleventh to seal the Red Sox fate in Game 2. The two walks ultimately led to a bases loaded, one out situation that was capped off by a walk-off sacrifice fly by BJ Upton.
This was Boston’s game to win. Unfortunately, the Red Sox stranded thirteen runners on base throughout the course of the game. Usually when you strand thirteen runners in a game you’ll spend the entire postgame talking about the lack of timely hitting, but that’s not the case here. The Red Sox had plenty of timely hitting in this game but just enough to break this game open and suffocate the Rays when they had the chance. So instead of being up 2-0 and heading home for three, the series is reborn at one game apiece. Even though winning Game 2 would have been huge for Boston, the Red Sox are still playing really good baseball. The Red Sox are now 4-2 in postseason play with both losses coming in extra innings meaning that if you want to beat this team, it’s not going to be easy. Just think of it this way, now it’s just a best of five series and the Red Sox have home field advantage with Jon Lester on the mound in Game 1.
Sounds better that way, doesn’t it?
-Jared Carrabis
-Jared Carrabis
|
