If you were enough of a loser (like me) to sit through five hours and 17 minutes (spoiler: I didn't really pay attention until hockey was over), at least the Red Sox rewarded us with a 6-4 win in 14 innings over the White Sox are U.S. Cellular Field. We could get wrapped up in the details like Chicago's (8-7 overall, 6-3 home) losing pitcher-Luery Garcia-is actually a utility infielder. Nope, Boston (6-9 overall, 4-5 away) snapped its three-game losing streak despite going 3 for 17 with runners in scoring position and leaving 16 on base.
The Red Sox only had six total hits so this victory was all about Chicago's wretched bullpen which allowed 15 walks. Each team had a golden opportunity to end it much earlier but both obviously choked. The White Sox were up 3-1 in the eighth before they allowed a sacrifice fly to A.J. Pierzynski in the eighth and Grady Sizemore in the ninth.
Jonny Gomes put Boston up 4-3 in the 11th thanks to a-you guessed it-sacrifice fly. Temporary closer Edward Mujica failed as he allowed an RBI single by Tyler Flowers in the home half of the frame. Things finally came together in the 14th as Chicago had run out of pitchers so they were forced to use Garcia who allowed a two-run double to Jackie Bradley Jr. Chris Capuano (1-0) had two scoreless innings of relief and he recorded the first two outs of the 14th before Burke Badenhop got the last out with a runner on first for the vultured save.
Boston led 1-0 in the first on Xander Bogaerts' (2 walks, stolen base) RBI single. Chicago tied it in their first at bats thanks to a throwing error by Ryan Roberts. Alexei Ramirez smoked a two-run homer in the sixth for a 3-1 White Sox advantage.
Dustin Pedroia returned to go 2 for 6 with three runs, two walks and a stolen base. The unsung heroes that made this all possible was Boston's bullpen: 8 innings, 4 hits, 1 earned run, 1 walk and 9 strikeouts. Craig Breslow got four outs, Junichi Tazawa had two outs and Andrew Miller worked two scoreless innings.
It felt like it happened a week ago but Clay Buchholz (6 innings, 6 hits, 3 runs, 2 earned runs, 2 walks & 6 strikeouts) and John Danks (6 innings, 3 hits, 1 earned run, 4 walks, 3 strikeouts) were both pretty good on another chilly night in Chitown.
Both teams will be going for the series clincher tomorrow night (8:10) as young ace Chris Sale (3-0) faces Jon Lester (1-2). Runs have been at a premium for Boston all season but they'll really need to dig deep to get anything vs. Sale. Lester has only allowed two earned runs in each of his three starts. For your sake, I hope you haven't seen much if anything of the last two night's games. I know more playoff hockey is on but you should at least click over to what should be a wonderful pitchers' duel.
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Showing posts with label John Danks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label John Danks. Show all posts
Thursday, April 17, 2014
Friday, April 27, 2012
Red Sox Continue To Feast On The AL Central
In this soft as puppy poo portion of their schedule, the Boston Red Sox are taking advantage of bad pitchers and mediocre teams.
The Red Sox (9-10, 6-5 away) won their fifth straight game, 10-3 tonight against the White Sox (10-10, 3-6 home) at U.S. Cellular Field.
Darnell McDonald (2 hits, 2 runs) knocked in a career-high four RBIs, Daniel Bard (2-2) picked up his first career win as a starting pitcher and David Ortiz (2 hits, 2 runs) shows no signs of slowing down as he slugged a two-run bomb.
On a frigid night (39 degrees) in the Windy City, Bard lasted seven innings: throwing 96 pitches, 63 for strikes. He allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits with six strikeouts and a walk. This was a fine start and quells talk of moving him back to the bullpen until his next outing and/or the next bullpen implosion.
John Danks (2-3) tried to be a hero in short sleeves and he was no match for Boston's deep lineup. In 5.2 innings, the lefty allowed seven earned runs on six hits with four strikeouts and four walks.
Many of the Red Sox wore ski masks aka head condoms but it didn't seem to affect them at the plate since they still managed to pile up 13 hits.
The White Sox showed a brief pulse in the beginning of the game as A.J. Pierzynski had an RBI double in the first. Ortiz (4th of the season) crushed his two-run homer to right in the second but Chicago added a run in the third on a passed ball and ageless Paul Konerko (5th of the season) had a solo home run to left in the fifth to make it 3-2.
The roof caved in on Danks quickly in the sixth as he coughed up five runs in the blink of an eye. Cody Ross (2 hits, 2 RBIs) began the rally with an RBI single then McDonald cleared the bases with a three-run double. Marlon Byrd (2 hits) added an RBI single.
Ross and Kelly Shoppach produced RBI singles in the seventh and finally, McDonald (1st of the season) hit a solo home run to center in the ninth.
Jon Lester (0-2) looks for his first win of the season tomorrow night (7:10 p.m., NESN) against Jake Peavy (3-0), who's off to a surprisingly great start. Lester has not been himself in his last few starts so maybe he can put it all together, that would be nice. Boston desperately needs an ace or something resembling a No. 1 or 2 starter. Peavy has been impressive but this is the same guy who looked washed up the last few seasons. Let's see if he can hold down this red-hot lineup.
Boston will also try to reach the .500 mark for the first time this season. Haha high stakes!
Earlier in the day, the Red Sox sent lefty reliever Justin Thomas down to Pawtucket while they recalled lefty Rich Hill. Hopefully the local guy (Milton, MA) can regain the form he showed last season before he got injured. Boston desperately needs another left-handed reliever not named Franklin Morales to match up with all the good lefties in the AL (Cano, Hamilton, Teixeira, Pena). Thomas was clearly in over his head, at least for now he can't hang that this level.
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The Red Sox (9-10, 6-5 away) won their fifth straight game, 10-3 tonight against the White Sox (10-10, 3-6 home) at U.S. Cellular Field.
Darnell McDonald (2 hits, 2 runs) knocked in a career-high four RBIs, Daniel Bard (2-2) picked up his first career win as a starting pitcher and David Ortiz (2 hits, 2 runs) shows no signs of slowing down as he slugged a two-run bomb.
On a frigid night (39 degrees) in the Windy City, Bard lasted seven innings: throwing 96 pitches, 63 for strikes. He allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits with six strikeouts and a walk. This was a fine start and quells talk of moving him back to the bullpen until his next outing and/or the next bullpen implosion.
John Danks (2-3) tried to be a hero in short sleeves and he was no match for Boston's deep lineup. In 5.2 innings, the lefty allowed seven earned runs on six hits with four strikeouts and four walks.
Many of the Red Sox wore ski masks aka head condoms but it didn't seem to affect them at the plate since they still managed to pile up 13 hits.
The White Sox showed a brief pulse in the beginning of the game as A.J. Pierzynski had an RBI double in the first. Ortiz (4th of the season) crushed his two-run homer to right in the second but Chicago added a run in the third on a passed ball and ageless Paul Konerko (5th of the season) had a solo home run to left in the fifth to make it 3-2.
The roof caved in on Danks quickly in the sixth as he coughed up five runs in the blink of an eye. Cody Ross (2 hits, 2 RBIs) began the rally with an RBI single then McDonald cleared the bases with a three-run double. Marlon Byrd (2 hits) added an RBI single.
Ross and Kelly Shoppach produced RBI singles in the seventh and finally, McDonald (1st of the season) hit a solo home run to center in the ninth.
Jon Lester (0-2) looks for his first win of the season tomorrow night (7:10 p.m., NESN) against Jake Peavy (3-0), who's off to a surprisingly great start. Lester has not been himself in his last few starts so maybe he can put it all together, that would be nice. Boston desperately needs an ace or something resembling a No. 1 or 2 starter. Peavy has been impressive but this is the same guy who looked washed up the last few seasons. Let's see if he can hold down this red-hot lineup.
Boston will also try to reach the .500 mark for the first time this season. Haha high stakes!
Earlier in the day, the Red Sox sent lefty reliever Justin Thomas down to Pawtucket while they recalled lefty Rich Hill. Hopefully the local guy (Milton, MA) can regain the form he showed last season before he got injured. Boston desperately needs another left-handed reliever not named Franklin Morales to match up with all the good lefties in the AL (Cano, Hamilton, Teixeira, Pena). Thomas was clearly in over his head, at least for now he can't hang that this level.
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