Red Sox Lose 3-2 In 11 innings To A's In 1st Half Finale But There Is Plenty To Be Excited About

Technically we're well past the halfway point of the 2013 MLB regular season but this afternoon in Oakland represented the unofficial end of the first half as the A's (56-39 overall, 30-15 home) snuck away with a 3-2 win in 11 innings over the Red Sox (58-39 overall, 27-23 away) thanks to Josh Donaldson's walk-off bloop single. Despite losing the series to the A's (2-1), Boston only needs to go 32-33 after the All-Star break to reach 90 wins which is a good marker for possible playoff squads.

With the most wins in MLB, Boston is up 2.5 games on Tampa Bay and 4.5 games on Baltimore for first place in the American League East. Nobody expected them to play this well so far and I mean absolutely nobody. Losing the final two contests in Oakland and scoring a grand total of two runs in those games means that the Red Sox hit the All-Star break at the perfect time.

In his first MLB start, Brandon Workman had a no-hit bid ended in the top of the seventh and no outs when Coco Crisp legged out an infield single. Workman's day was over soon after that but he should be proud of what he accomplished: 6.1 IP, 2 ER, 2 hits, 5 strikeouts and 1 walk. Former Red Sox legend Bartolo Colon (6.1 IP, 2 ER, 8 hits, 4 strikeouts) was nearly as sharp which is impressive since the 2013 All-Star must have been daydreaming about all the food he'll throw down in New York this week.

Boston was 2 for 11 with runners in scoring position and they left nine runners on base so it's not hard to figure out why they lost. Jacoby Ellsbury (3 for 5, run) wrapped up an excellent (minus the vanishing power) first half with another three-hit game. Dustin Pedroia (2 hits, double, walk) put the Red Sox up 1-0 with an RBI single in the sixth and Brock Holt made it 2-0 with an RBI single of his own in the seventh.

The A's only managed five hits as a team with Donaldson providing all the thunder: he tied it with a two-run bomb (438 feet) to dead center off Workman in the seventh.

Fittingly, the Red Sox bullpen was busy. Craig Breslow got five outs and Koji Uehara pitched two scoreless innings with two strikeouts. Matt Thornton's (0-4) Red Sox debut was not a memorable one, at least for the right reasons, as he walked two and allowed Donaldson's game-winning single.

Sean Doolittle got five outs for Oakland then Grant Balfour struck out the side in the ninth. Ryan Cook (2-2) was shaky but he ended up with two scoreless innings after striking out Holt (looking) to end the Top of the 11th with the bases loaded.

I wouldn't say this about many teams in MLB but the Red Sox definitely earned a four day break. Clay Buchholz (still on the DL), David Ortiz and Pedroia head to New York for the All-Star Game at Citi Field while the rest of the team gets a short vacation.

Boston just survived a 10-game road trip (5-5) so when they return to action on Friday, it'll be the start of two series at Fenway Park: three vs. Yankees (51-44 overall, 4th in AL East) and four vs. Rays. Their next home game isn't until July 26 at Baltimore which is only five days before the trade deadline.

Enjoy your time away from baseball (I'm not counting the silly Home Run Derby and All-Star game) although these next four days have to be the worst in the sports calendar every single year with so little going on of any importance.

Tweet


Follow @RichSlate

Red Sox Fall To A Mighty Depressing 2-4 On West Coast Trip Thanks To 3rd Walk-Off Loss

It's a good thing that A) nobody is watching or B) that nobody really cares about the Red Sox this season because this current West Coast road trip would give you nightmares all summer, trust the sucker that has watched or listened to most of it.

Tonight, Boston (42-39, 21-18 away) suffered another mind-numbing loss, 3-2 to Oakland (40-42, 21-19 home) at O.co Coliseum.

This was the 81st game of the season for the Red Sox-the exact halfway point-meaning that they are on pace for 84 wins. How mediocre.

Making matters much worse, it came on a walk-off sacrifice fly by old punching bag Coco Crisp in the bottom of the ninth that scored Cliff Pennington. Alfredo Aceves (0-6) blew his fourth save of the season but he wasn't helped out by Ryan Kalish's error on the RBI single by Brandon Moss that tied it at two. Compounding that, Bobby Valentine decided to pitch to Crisp with runners on the corners and one out. Ugh.

It was a Tour De Force of shitty baseball from the Red Sox who have scored two or less runs in four straight games and five of six overall on this swing (2-4) through the dredge of the AL West. Boston had runners on first and second with no outs in the top of the ninth but somehow didn't score a run as Nick Punto bunted into a double play (really) then Kalish was caught stealing third base. How that's possible outside of Little League, we'll never know.

Jon Lester's best outing in a month and a half went all for naught. He allowed a lead-off homer to Crisp (his 3rd of the season) in the first but he was locked in after that, going 6.2 innings and allowing one earned run on four hits with a season-high nine strikeouts and one walk.

Former Red Sox doughboy Bartolo Colon was similarly on point, he went six innings and allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits with three strikeouts and a walk. Not bad for a guy making his first start off the DL.

Then again, anybody could shutdown Boston's limp lineup right now. They had seven hits and all but one was a single. Even worse, they were 0-for-8 tonight with runners in scoring position.

Jarrod Saltalamacchia (16th of the season) tied it with a solo homer in the second then David Ortiz scored on an error in the fourth, giving Boston the temporary 2-1 advantage.

Mr. Single himself Adrian Gonzalez was 2-for-4 (both singles of course) to extend his fraudulent hit streak to an MLB-best 14 games. Woo, feel the excitement.

After striking out pinch-hitter Seth Smith to end the seventh, Vicente Padilla managed to not allow a run in the eighth despite facing runners at 1st and 2nd with no outs after an error by Mike Aviles and a single. Oakland had a sacrifice and intentional walk but he struck out the last two batters to record his 18th hold of the season. If Aceves ever gets demoted, Padilla should be the next closer. Just saying.

Lefty Jerry Blevins (2-0) got the last five outs for the A's to receive the unexpected win.

The Red Sox will try to restore a shred of dignity while they close out this miserable road trip (their last before the All-Star break) tomorrow afternoon (4:05 p.m., NESN). Aaron Cook (2-1) faces rookie AJ Griffin (0-0) on the Fourth of July and I doubt that you have better plans than to watch what should be one of the better pitching matchups of the season. Haha! Plus, does it get more patriotic than Oakland?

Tweet


Follow @RichSlate

Yankees Win Eighth Straight, Take Over AL East Lead

Well it's officially on, the Boston Red Sox are now looking up at the New York Yankees.

The Bombers (69-42) came to Fenway Park for a three-game series and opened it up with a tidy 3-2 win tonight over the Red Sox (68-43).

With it, New York cut the season series to 8-2 in favor of Boston and more importantly, the eighth straight win for the Yanks vaulted them to the top of the AL East for the first time in nearly a month.

The pitching matchup was Bartolo Colon vs. Jon Lester, one that clearly favors the Red Sox but that's not how it turned out unfortunately.

Boston did a nice job of getting the injected/juiced up Colon out in the fifth inning but that led to five Yankees reliever combining for 4.1 scoreless frames. Colon went 4.2 innings, allowing two earned runs on six hits with a walk and two strikeouts.

Boone Logan (3-2) came on to get Adrian Gonzalez (0 for 4) to strikeout with the bases loaded to end the fifth inning. Not surprisingly, that turned out to be a pivotal moment as New York handcuffed the Red Sox offense from there while they got all the runs they needed in the sixth.

Jacoby Ellsbury had driven in Marco Scutaro with a wall ball double in the third while David Ortiz crushed his 21st homer of the season in the fourth for Boston's two runs.

Curtis Granderson started New York's rally with an RBI single that plated Eduardo Nunez. With the bases loaded and no outs, Lester got Robinson Cano to ground into a double play (with the tying run coming across). Nick Swisher (2 hits) came through with the go-ahead RBI, a ground-rule double down the left field line.

Lester (11-5) was on for a while until his pitch count started to get really high in the sixth and he couldn't find the plate while the Yankees patient lineup waited him out. He went six innings, allowing three earned runs on five hits with four walks and seven strikeouts.

Logan earned the win by going an inning. Something named Cory Wade got the last out of the sixth which set it up perfectly for Rafael Soriano (seventh), David Robertson (eighth) and Mariano Rivera (ninth). That's a formidable late-innings trio for New York.

After Ortiz grounded out, Carl Crawford (2 hits) got an infield hit against Rivera but the greatest closer in MLB history calmly struck out Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Josh Reddick (2 hits)-both looking at nasty cutters-to end it and gain his 29th save of the season. Rivera has 15 straight years of 25+ saves.

CC Sabathia faces John Lackey tomorrow afternoon in what can only be described as a lock for the Yankees. Barring something crazy (Bigfoot, UFOs landing on the field, Sabathia skipping the game to pig out at Legal Sea Foods all day), this does not look good on paper for the Red Sox. However, the reverse lock might be in effect here too. We'll probably know quickly as Lackey is likely to give up about eight runs in the first two innings.

Follow @RichSlate


Tweet

Beating the Yankees cures all

After a slow start to his 2011 season, Red Sox pitcher Clay Buchholz has settled in during May. He's 3-0 so far this month and shows signs that last season wasn't a fluke and likewise he won't be suffering much of a sophomore slump.

Boston (18-20) won 5-4 last night at Yankee Stadium behind another strong outing from Buchholz (4-3), a nice start to an important series against the Yankees.

He went seven innings, allowing five hits, two earned runs, one walk and seven strikeouts.

After his shady stem cell surgery, Yankees (20-16) pitcher Bartolo Colon (2-2) is pitching like it's 2005. He went six innings, allowing five hits, three runs (two earned), three walks and four strikeouts.

I for one am not surprised at all that he's throwing in the upper 90s again. Makes total sense really, haha!

The Red Sox got out to a 2-0 lead in the fourth on a solo homer by Adrian Gonzalez (eighth of the season) and a ground out by Carl Crawford, which scored Kevin Youkilis.

Russell Martin, that noted Boston killer, tied it with a two-run bomb in the fifth (his seventh of the season). Once again, I'll note that we could have had him for peanuts this season.

Gonzalez put the Red Sox back ahead with a sacrifice fly in the seventh and Youkilis followed with a two-run blast (his sixth of the season) off his nemesis Joba Chamberlain.

Daniel Bard came in for the eighth and he was erratic. Curtis Granderson scored on his wild pitch but he survived by only giving up the one run.

Jonathan Papelbon entered in the ninth and also gave up a run, on an RBI single by Granderson (which scored Jeter) but he did enough for his sixth save of the season.

Jacoby Ellsbury had two hits, a run and stolen base in the win.

Josh Beckett and the Red Sox will try to build some momentum as he takes on CC Sabathia tonight in the Bronx. Beautiful scheduling there by MLB, three straight night games. Don't ask me why today isn't an afternoon game, especially with the Bruins-Lightning series starting tonight at 8 p.m. Just Bud being Bud.

The Bartolo Colon Experiment's Dark Side

For a guy that cost virtually no money and that we had very low expectations for, Bartolo Colon has already been a huge success. Still, last night at Citizens Bank Park in Philly was a painful reminder of how quickly it can change for a major league pitcher.

Colon (4-2) had nothing and as a result, the Phillies (42-30) blew out the Sox (44-29), 8-2, in the first game of a three-game set.

In four innings of work, Bartolo gave up four runs on six hits with two walks and four strikeouts. The three home runs he allowed were killer as were the Babe Ruth-like swings (and six misses) in his two plate appearances (both times, he ironically came up with two runners on and two outs).

As a result, Colon came out early with back pain aggravated from his comical swings. After one mighty cut, his batting helmet fell off. Really. No need to worry though as the early exit allowed him to get a jump on his postgame wheelbarrow full of cheesesteaks from Pat's.

On the other side, Phillies ace Cole Hamels (7-4) pitched seven effective innings, showing that he's the best lefty in baseball not named Johan Santana.

"Hollywood Hamels"-as my buddy from Philly dubbed him, scattered two runs on seven hits with two walks and five strikeouts. He also allowed two homers but that's pretty much par for the course in the Little League field known as the Bank.

Watching the game, I was reminded that when everyone is healthy, Boston and Philly probably field the top 1-5 hitters in their respective leagues.

Reigning MVP Jimmy Rollins led off the bottom of the first with a homer, on his way to a three hit, three RBI, two run night. Shane Victorino had two hits, a walk and a run. Chase Utley was 0 for 5 but nobody will remember that as slugger Ryan Howard was 3 for 4 with two homers and a triple (yes a triple). The former MVP drove in four and both of his bombs went to left. Even Pat Burrell reached base all four times he came up (two walks and two hits).

Down 3-0 right out of the gates (after the first) and 4-0 going into the fifth, the Red Sox scored both of their runs in the inning, fittingly on long balls.

Dustin Pedroia (3 hits) and the still on fire J.D. Drew did the honors with consecutive solo shots that made it 4-2 Phillies.

Any thoughts of a Sox win were extinguished when Mike Timlin gave up four runs in the sixth. Rollins had a two-run single and Howard tripled in Utley who reached on an RBI fielder's choice.

It'll be old school vs. new school tonight when Jon Lester takes on 46-year-old Jamie Moyer, who has been great this season. A quality start from Lester would be a big help since Boston had to use four relievers last night.

Restoring some order in the AL East

After another disastrous start to a road trip (1-5 through the first six games in Oakland and Seattle), the Red Sox have a chance to break even at .500 tonight as they wrap up their four-game series in Baltimore.

Boston won 9-4 yesterday behind Bartolo Colon (3-0) and four home runs.

The big righty had another decent start as Boston staked him to a 7-1 lead in the fourth inning. Colon ended up going six innings, giving up four runs on seven hits with two walks and five strikeouts. He left a couple meatballs over the heart of the plate but for the most part, he was hitting the mid-90's and painting the corners.

J.D. Drew (run, 2 hits, 3 RBIs) drove in Mike Lowell (2 runs, 2 hits, 2 RBIs) with a sacrifice fly to put Boston up 1-0 in the second.

Baltimore (26-29) got the run back in the bottom of the inning as Luke Scott was singled home by Adam Jones.

The Red Sox scored three in the third. Manny Ramirez (3 hits, 3 RBIs, 2 runs) knocked in Dustin Pedroia with an RBI double. Kevin Youkilis scored on Lowell's sac fly and Drew's RBI single plated Manny.

Boston opened it up in the fourth with three more runs. Manny hit a two-run shot (No. 501) and Lowell followed him (Ortiz was sitting with a wrist injury) with a solo homer.

Orioles starter Brian Burres (4-5) was charged with seven runs on twelve hits in four innings.

Luke Scott hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the fourth for the Orioles.

Drew added his solo homer in the seventh and then Jacoby Ellsbury (3 hits, stolen base, RBI) knocked in Coco Crisp with a single.

Kevin Millar closed the scoring with an RBI single in the seventh off Javier Lopez.

Tim Wakefield and the underrated Jeremy Guthrie take the hill in the series finale tonight.

A Fine Time to Visit the Worst Team in Baseball

After being swept by Oakland over the weekend and losing seven in a row overall on the road, the Boston Red Sox met a welcome sight last night: the Seattle Mariners. Currently the worst team in baseball, the Mariners (18-34) cannot hit.

Bartolo Colon pitched a gem as the Red Sox (32-22) held on for a 5-3 win. Following his steller debut, Colon (2-0) was once again on the money. He went seven innings, giving up one run on five hits with a walk and four strikeouts. Most impressively, he outdueled Felix Hernandez (2-5).

Hernandez matched Colon for a while before he unraveled by giving up four runs in the eighth. King Felix went 7.2 innings, he was touched up for five runs on seven hits with five walks and five strikeouts.

David Ortiz made it 1-0 Red Sox in the fourth when he hit a solo homer.

In the fifth, Ichiro made an unbelievable jumping/basket catch to rob Jason Varitek of extra bases. He finished the catch by catapaulting himself against wall, feet-first.

The Mariners tied it up in the sixth on Raul Ibanez's RBI groundout.

With two outs, Dustin Pedroia started the eighth run rally by hitting a ground-rule double that scored Julio Lugo. Manny knocked in Pedroia with an RBI single. Then Mike Lowell hit an RBI single that third baseman Adrien Beltre stopped but couldn't do anything with. Finally, Varitek walked with the bases full.

Up 5-1 in the ninth, Jonathan Papelbon was inserted to get some work in but he almost blew it. It all started when he overthrew first baseman Sean Casey on a groundball. Later, Ichiro hit an RBI single and Kenji Johjima scored on a wild pitch. With Ichiro on third, Papelbon ended it on his 25th pitch as he got Jose Lopez to ground to second.

Colon finds time between his eight meals a day to get a win

Anyday now, Bartolo Colon could be pushing three bills but if he pitches consistently like last night, who cares? Get the guy a chalupa, would you?

Making his first start with the Red Sox (30-19), Colon was all you could ask from a fifth starter: he kept them in the game. Boston won 6-3 over the Royals (21-25), its sixth straight win on the currently unbeaten home stand.

Many moons have passed since Colon (with the Indians) and Pedro Martinez were dueling annually. Pedro is a shell of his former self with the Mets and might even walk away from baseball after this season. Who knows though, Pedro was always melodramatic. The great ones usually are.

Colon has won a Cy Young award and has been a 20-game winner twice but his career looked done the last few years after he battled various elbow and shoulder problems. It's no certainty that he'll win more than one or two more games this season but it's impressive that he's comeback this far.

American League rookie of the year front-runner Jacoby Ellsbury (3 hits, 3 runs, RBI, walk, steal) led off the bottom of the first with a home run.

The Royals tied it up in the third when good guy Jose Guillen knocked in Joey Gathright (3 runs, 2 hits, 2 walks, stolen base) with an RBI single.

Kansas City took a brief 2-1 lead in the top of the fifth when Alex Gordon knocked in Gordon with an RBI single but Boston put up four in the bottom of the inning.

Jason Varitek (2 hits) had a solo homer, Julio Lugo (2 hits) knocked in Coco Crisp with a single, David Ortiz had a sac fly (scoring Lugo) and Ellsbury scored on a wild pitch.

After the long inning, the Sox decided to call it a night for Colon (1-0). He went five innings, giving up two runs on six hits with two walks and four strikeouts. He threw 74 pitches and consistently reached the mid-90's with his fastball (although NESN's radar gun is probably juiced).

Craig Hansen, Javier Lopez and Manny Delcarmen combined for three clean innings, they collectively struck out three and didn't allow a hit.

Dustin Pedroia (3 hits) plated Ellsbury with the final Red Sox run in the eighth.

David DeJesus (3 hits) knocked in Gathright with an RBI single in the ninth off Mike Timlin (who should be the last guy out of the Boston bullpen) but that's as close as the Royals would get.

Boston goes for the four-game sweep this afternoon as Dice-K tries to stay unbeaten.