It's easy to blame Valentine but what is he supposed to do with this group of unlikable losers? He's tries to make them accountable and they immediately bristle at the thought of doing anything differently despite the fact that they've finished in third place two years in a row and ran their last manager out of town.
All this needless drama just makes nights like tonight even more painful or laughable depending on your sense of humor. The AL's best team, the Texas Rangers came into Fenway Park and pounded the crap out of Jon Lester and the Red Sox, to the tune of 18-3.
I'm sure by the end of the season it will be a long list but for now, this has to be the most embarrassing loss. Yes, even worse than the two meltdowns in the same game against the Tigers two Sundays ago. At least in that one, they tried. Texas (9-2, 4-0) looked like the powerhouse they are while Boston (4-7, 3-2 home) lost its second in a row, already erasing any good feeling left over from taking three of four against the Rays over the weekend.
In their fifth straight win, the Rangers set a season-high for hits (21) and hit their most homers (6) in a game since August 2008.
Lester (0-2) was done in the third inning, after only recording six outs. He gave up seven runs (all earned) on eight hits with two strikeouts and four walks. The Rangers hit five total home runs: one against Lester, one against Scott Atchison and three against poor Mark Melancon, who has to be a basketcase after allowing five home runs already this season in limited work. There's a real possibility that he could be sent down to Pawtucket. Talk about a hard fall.
Colby Lewis (2-0) allowed a two-run homer to Dustin Pedroia (his 3rd of the season) in the first but settled down after that to go seven innings. He allowed two earned runs on eight hits with seven strikeouts and no walks.
Josh Hamilton (3 hits, tying his career-high with 5 RBIs), Mike Napoli (3 runs, 3 hits, 4 RBIs) and Nelson Cruz (3 runs, 3 hits, 2 RBIs) treated Red Sox pitchers like it was the Home Run Derby. Even Craig Gentry was 3 for 6 with three runs. Fantasy Baseball tip: pick up any Rangers.
Napoli got it started with a two-run shot in the second inning to tie it, from there the Rangers scored 16 straight runs. After scoring four in the second, they tacked on three in the third, one in the sixth, eight in the eighth and two in the ninth. Napoli ended the incredible barrage with a two-run blast in the ninth. In between, Michael Young, Hamilton, former Red Sox 3B Adrian Beltre and Cruz all went deep as well.
Adrian Gonzalez (2nd of the season) had a solo homer in the eighth for the other Boston run. Ryan Sweeney was 3 for 4 with two doubles.
Tomorrow night (7:10 p.m., NESN) Josh Beckett (1-1) gets to prove if his win against the Rays on Opening Day at Fenway last Friday was a fluke or not. Derek Holland (1-0) starts for the Rangers in the finale of this two-game set.
UPDATE 4/18: Melancon was sent down to Pawtucket and Junichi Tazawa was called up to take his spot in the bullpen. Wow.
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