LESTER ROCKS SEATTLE
July 22, 2008
What more could I possibly say about our rotation that hasn't been said already? A LOT! Since the All-Star break our starters have managed to go almost a complete game which is something that WE need in order to take the burden off of the bullpen. Jon Lester pitched a picture-perfect game last night. The only time he really struggled was in the seventh inning then again in the eighth inning which would turn out to be completely harmless. Lester got a nice long rest thanks to the slight rotation change and All-Star break. He came out rested and completely energized. If you want my opinion, Jon Lester is our Ace this season. He has some incredible command and control over his pitches and even made Ichiro dance around in the second inning with that horrible swing-and-spin and then fall down deal. He pitched 7 1/3 shutout innings and didn't walk ANYBODY! He gave up a total of eight hits and struck out six making this the sixth start that he's held the opponent scoreless. This man has overcome so much personally and professionally. This outlook and warrior mentality has now elevated him to an 8-3 record. After managing to get an out in the eighth, Paps would be called into the game in a bases loaded situation. All he needed was five outs to secure the win for our Ace and he surely did that. He caused Raul Ibanez to hit into a 6-4-3 double play to quickly get out of that messy situation. He would look sharp in the ninth and be able to get those final three outs and secure the win for Lester.
Jason Varitek. At this point in the season he would be willing to take anything to come out of that slump. The game was scoreless until the fifth inning when our Captain stepped up to the plate with a runner on base. He snapped that tie with a two-run shot which is something he's needed something fierce after suffering an 83 at-bat home run drought. He also hit a single in the third inning. I did get a little nervous as we got a little later in the innings. Just because we had managed to let two-run leads slip out of our grasps lately. Not the case last night at all. In the top of the eighth Jed Lowrie blasted a two-run double extending our lead to 4-0. Jed Lowrie also made an outstanding defensive nab later in the game preventing any runs from scoring.
That win was something that we needed for our on the road slump. Jon Lester rocked his hometown area and I saw a standing ovation from the crowd as he walked off the field. Speaking of walking off the field, did anybody else get a little bit nervous when that ball hit his leg? Thank God he's okay though. Tito also proved last night why he's been refusing to pinch-hit anybody for Tek. A lot of people have been asking him during the press conferences and I've even heard people ask on this site why Tito won't allow anybody to pinch-hit for him. Francona has a lot of Faith in his players and flat out said that he just refuses to let somebody hit for Tek knowing that Tek can pull his own way out of his own slump. He said that he has Faith in him and will always have Faith in him. That's something every single one of us needs to do as well. I've seen too much doubting around here as far as Tek goes and I really hope he did shut mouths last night with that single AND home run. The man takes a lot of pride in himself and is even harder on himself that anybody could possibly imagine being on him.
Tonight we're calling on our 10-1 man to hopefully secure another victory on the road against Seattle. Daisuke may have walked a bunch of guys in the first half of the season, but he didn't allow any earned runs. He'll be going up against Dickey who is 2-4. Dickey is a knuckleball thrower so we'll have to keep our eyes peeled and our minds open. We know how devastating the knuckleball can be so be prepared for a lot of walks and a few strikeouts if this guy is any good. Let's show our team support and give Tek a round of applause and Lester a round of applause for a job well done!
GO SOX!
-BoSox Hooligan - RSM™
| 
