Nobody is really paying attention yet (and why should they?) but the Red Sox certainly aren't doing anything special to make us want to watch good old April baseball. By losing 3-2 to the Yankees on Sunday night at Yankee Stadium, Boston (5-8 overall, 3-4 away) showed that they still lack any type of spark to get them going. They scored a combined total of 11 runs in the four games. Who knows, maybe manager John Farrell's ejection in the fourth inning-disputing a double play that ended up scoring a run for New York (7-6 overall, 4-3 home)-will be the start of something.
Dustin Pedroia was a late scratch to the lineup with a sore wrist (something that'll be checked in Boston tomorrow) while Derek Jeter was already out with a quad injury. So yeah, ESPN must have been thrilled that two of the biggest stars in the game were on the bench or in the clubhouse for a primetime game. Oh and Koji Uehara was still unavailable but he did throw long toss so that is a positive development.
It was a classic Felix Doubront (1-2) start as he looked terrible but somehow ended up with good numbers (6.2 innings, 3 earned runs, 7 hits, 2 strikeouts and 3 walks). Ivan Nova (2-1) was another guy coming off a horrid previous start yet he bounced back with 7.1 innings, two earned runs on eight hits with four strikeouts and zero walks.
You knew that it was going to be a strange game when Jonathan Herrera's RBI single in the second inning plated the first run. Carlos Beltran (3 hits, double) hit a two-run homer in the third, a Yankee Stadium special that went 353 feet (one or two rows deep in left field).
Francisco Cervelli hurt his hamstring on the play but he was ruled safe at first in the fourth which allowed Brian McCann to score a run. Mike Napoli cut it to 3-2 with a solo shot (his 3rd of the season) in the sixth inning.
The Red Sox had enough chances to score again but they couldn't take advantage. Public Enemy No. 1 in that regard was Mike Carp who struck out with the bases loaded to end the eighth inning. You have to wonder if his days are numbered here, especially when Shane Victorino returns. They also hit many balls that landed on the warning track or that Yankee outfielders (Jacoby Ellsbury and Ichiro) made great plays on. David Robertson is on the DL and Mariano Rivera is retired but Shawn Kelley retired Boston 1-2-3 in the ninth with two strikeouts for his third save of the season.
Boston gets a day off on Monday, only their second of the season and first since the day after Opening Day when they went to the White House. I'd say that this team needs another break. They'll return on Tuesday for three games in Chicago against the White Sox (7-6 overall, 2nd in AL Central). All 8:10 p.m. starts, Jake Peavy (0-0) faces his former club and rookie Erik Johnson (0-0) on Tuesday, Clay Buchholz (0-1) takes on John Danks (0-0) on Wednesday and Jon Lester (1-2) meets fellow ace Chris Sale (3-0) on Thursday in what should be a beauty of a pitcher's duel.
Tweet
Follow @RichSlate
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment