Red Sox Avoid The Sweep in Toronto, Thanks to Napoli and Sandoval's Blasts

With their pathetic downward spiral to last-place in the AL East over these last few weeks, the Red Sox had basically become unwatchable. I only saw bits and pieces of the carnage, because who could devote three plus hours to that trainwreck every day/night in early May? At least Boston (14-17 overall, 7-8 away) salvaged something from the trip to Canada with a 6-3 win this afternoon on Mother's Day at Rogers Centre vs. Blue Jays (16-16 overall, 9-7 home).

Clay Buchholz (2-4) actually pitched pretty decently by his very low standards (6.1 innings, 3 earned runs, 7 hits, 3 strikeouts, 3 walks) while Mike Napoli hit a three-run bomb and Pablo Sandoval (double, 2 runs) added a two-run shot of his own. Koji Uehara pitched a scoreless ninth with one strikeout for his sixth save of the season and 100th of his career (combined between MLB and Japan).

It sounds pretty simple but the Red Sox have excelled when they have scored first this season (they are now 9-2). That's why today's start was basically perfect: Mookie Betts tripled to lead off the game and Dustin Pedroia knocked him in with a groundout. Later that inning, Napoli launched his third homer of the season to center. Haha if only Boston could play R.A. Dickey (6 innings, 6 earned runs, 7 hits, 0 strikeouts, 3 walks) more often, then they would be getting somewhere.

Sporting a new gross haircut (hard to believe, I know), Buchholz actually held that four-run lead for over three innings which was a cause for celebration. Framingham native Chris Colabello (3 for 4) continued his hot streak with an RBI single in the fourth which cut it to 4-1. Sandoval's two-run home run to right center in the fifth was also his third of the season.

The Blue Jays got a run in the fifth on Josh Donaldson's RBI double and their final run came in the seventh on a groundout. After getting outscored 7-0 on Friday night and 7-1 on Saturday afternoon, it was nice to see the Red Sox show a slight pulse. Buchholz pitched long enough that new pitching coach Carl Willis (in his first day on the job) only had to see Junichi Tazawa (1.2 scoreless innings) bridge the gap to Uehara. No need to use any of their far less reliable relievers.

In their first West Coast action of the season, Boston headed for Oakland (12-21 overall, 5th in AL West) where they will play three games against the reeling A's. Then it's off to Seattle (14-17 overall, 3rd in AL West) for four games. They don't return to Fenway Park until a week from Tuesday against Texas. Haha who knows what kind of shape the hometown team will be in by then?

In the series opener tomorrow night (10:05) it is Rick Porcello (3-2) vs. former Rays great Scott Kazmir (2-1). Justin Masterson (2-1) faces Drew Pomeranz (1-3) on Tuesday night (10:05. NESN) before things wrap up on Wednesday afternoon (3:35, NESN) with Wade Miley (1-3) taking on Sonny Gray (4-0). If the Red Sox have any hope of becoming a good team in 2015, they need to take at least two out of three vs. the awful A's.

Tweet

Hey R.A. Dickey, Welcome To The American League East

It was only the first week of the season but if you're a Red Sox fan, you have to be happy with how they have looked in this tiny dose of 2013. They won two of three in New York against the Yankees and they followed that up by taking two of three North of the border in Toronto. This afternoon, they bludgeoned the Blue Jays (2-4 overall, 2-4 home) 13-0 at Rogers Centre.

Boston (4-2 overall, 4-2 away) got six homers as a team, led by Will Middlebrooks (career-high 3) while Daniel Nava, Jacoby Ellsbury and Mike Napoli all had roundtrippers. Jon Lester (2-0) pitched like an ace, going seven shutout innings as he allowed five hits with six strikeouts and no walks.

Poor R.A. Dickey (0-2)-last year's NL Cy Young winner with the Mets-was introduced to the AL East and the results were not pretty. In 4.2 innings, he allowed eight runs (seven earned) on 10 hits with five strikeouts and two walks. Dickey served up the first two homers to Middlebrooks before Dave Bush was rocked for five runs (four homers) in relief.

The Red Sox built a 5-0 lead in the first inning so this one was never really in doubt. Dustin Pedroia (2 for 4, 2 runs, walk) began the barrage with an RBI single, Napoli added a two-run double then Middlebrooks hit an opposite field home run (his second of the season) to drive in Napoli.

Nava had a sacrifice fly in the third inning then Ellsbury knocked in Jose Iglesias (2 hits, double, run) with an RBI single in the fourth inning. Boston's final six runs all came via homers, they were 5 for 7 in this game with runners in scoring position. Two things that very well might not happen again this season.

Middlebrooks had solo shots in the fifth and seventh (first time a Red Sox has hit 3 HRs in a game since Pedroia in June 2010 vs. Colorado), Nava )first of the season) went deep in the seventh, Ellsbury had a solo homer (first of the season) in the eighth and Napoli wrapped it up with a two-run bomb (second of the season) in the eighth.

Boston comes home for its Fenway opener tomorrow afternoon (2:05 p.m., NESN) vs. Baltimore (3-3, 2nd in AL East) as Clay Buchholz (1-0) opposes Wei-Yin Chen on fittingly what is supposed to be a beautiful day. The teams are off on Tuesday then Ryan Dempster (0-1) takes on Miguel Gonzalez (1-0) Wednesday night (7:10 p.m., NESN) and Felix Doubront (0-0) vs. Jake Arrieta (0-0) is the series finale on Thursday night (7:10 p.m., NESN).

I have no issues with the idea of Opening Day at Fenway but what makes me sick is all the useless pregame crap that the shameless Red Sox owners put on every season. It's all a sell job with them trying to get you to buy something or other. That's why I skip all that bullshit, there's a time and place for it (after a championship) but not now following the last two miserable seasons.

Tweet


Follow @RichSlate

R.A. Dickey, one step closer to his true calling of porn actor

So far so good in the Emerald City as the Red Sox took game two vs. the Mariners, 4-2, last night at Safeco Field.

Another outstanding start by a Boston (59-43) pitcher was the story. Dice-K breezed through seven scoreless innings before the Mariners (38-62) scored twice in the eighth to make it competitive.

Matsuzaka (11-1) was economical with his pitches (throwing 99 total) and lasted 7.1 innings, giving up five hits with three walks and six strikeouts.

Since winning the MVP at the All-Star game last week, J.D. Drew had been M.I.A. until last night. He drove in the first two Sox runs with a solo homer off Seattle knuckleballer R.A. Dickey (2-5) in the first and a sacrifice fly in the fifth. Drew also had a single and a walk.

Mike Lowell (2 hits, walk) doubled in Dustin Pedroia in the fifth to make it 3-0 before Jed Lowrie (hit) knocked in Manny Ramirez with a sac fly of his own.
The Mariners cut it to 4-2 in the eighth with an RBI double by Ichiro (2 walks) and an RBI single by Jose Lopez that scored Ichiro.

Hideki Okajima was put into an important situation-for the first time in ages-and he got two outs to quiet the Seattle rally in the eighth.

Jonathan Papelbon had a 1-2-3 ninth for his 30th save. He's the first Red Sox closer to record three consecutive thirty save seasons. He now has career 102 saves, third in Boston history behind the late Dick Radatz (104) and Bob Stanley (132).

A sweep will be tough to complete as the Sox have to face Mariners ace Felix Hernandez this afternoon in the series finale. Boston pitcher Clay Buchholz will try to give his team some additional momentum as they head home to face the Yankees and Angels.