Lackey nearly throws no-hitter, Sox almost suffer worst loss in years but end up winning in 13 innings

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Friday, July 23, 2010
Lackey nearly throws no-hitter, Sox almost suffer worst loss in years but end up winning in 13 innings


To nobody's surprise, John Lackey has largely been a disappointment for the Boston Red Sox so far this season.

Last night though, he was on and he nearly threw a no-hitter. Lackey went 7.2 innings before giving up a hit and left with a 6-1 lead after eight innings (2 hits, 1 walk, 6 strikeouts). Game over right? Not so much with this car crash version of the Sox.

Boston (54-42) gave up five runs in the ninth to the awful Mariners (37-59) but somehow recovered to win 8-6 in 13 innings after Safeco Field thanks to Eric Patterson's two-run double.

Milton Bradley had walked, stolen second base, moved over on a grounder then scored in the second on a passed ball so Seattle had a 1-0 lead without a hit. It was crazy that they almost got no-hit after that.

Bill Hall gave Boston a 2-1 lead in the third with a two-run homer and David Ortiz (2 hits) drove in Marco Scutaro (2 hits, 2 RBIs) with an RBI single.

J.D. Drew added to the Red Sox tally with a two-run bomb in the sixth and Scutaro notched a solo shot in the seventh.

Manny Delcarmen completely melted down in the ninth against Seattle's pathetic lineup. Delcarmen gave up four runs (three earned), two hits and a walk; he didn't record an out.

Franklin Gutierrez cut it to 6-3 with a two-run homer and Casey Kotchman notched an RBI double. Jack Wilson grounded into a fielder's choice, allowing Bradley to score but then Hall threw away the relay to first and the tying run scored. With that, Jonathan Papelbon blew the save.

Hideki Okajima (3-2) pitched his best game of the year, getting two scoreless innings in the 11th and 12th, including wiggling out of a bases-loaded, one out jam in the 12th.

Ramon Ramirez pitched a clean 13th, with a strikeout to get his second save of the season.

So this game went from a revelation from Lackey, to the worst loss in years and then finally, an incredible win when it looked over.

Josh Beckett returns tonight and faces Jason Vargas, a quality lefty.

Clay Buchholz is settling into married life just fine

I think it sums up the 2010 Red Sox pretty well that at this moment Clay Buchholz is by far their most reliable starting pitcher.

Buchholz has always had great stuff (see: no-hitter in 2007) but we're still waiting for him to put it all together and become the front of the rotation guy he seems like he can be.

He did everything the Sox (10-11) needed last night as he went eight strong innings in their tidy 2-1 win over Toronto (10-11) at the Rogers Centre.

He's married to a woman that held a briefcase on Deal or No Deal (haha really) so Buchholz (2-2) seems to have finally found some stability in his life off the field. Dating a Penthouse Pet isn't the way to find that sense of calm, or so I hear.

He allowed one earned run on seven hits with two walks and four strikeouts. He also threw 117 pitches and most importantly saved Boston's bullpen which badly needed some rest.

Ramon Ramirez pitched the ninth for his second career save.

Shawn Marcum matched Buchholz for seven innings, giving up one earned run on four hits with three walks and five strikeouts.

The Blue Jays went up 1-0 in the first when red-hot Vernon Wells drove in Fred Lewis with an RBI double.

Boston tied it in the second with Jeremy Hermida's RBI single which knocked in David Ortiz.

Mike Lowell had the biggest play of the game, a bases-loaded walk in the eighth which ended up being the deciding run (Dustin Pedroia).

Jon Lester looks to get the sweep for the Red Sox tonight, he'll be opposed by Brett Cecil.

Our teams do not lose

Just like on Sunday, three of our teams played and all three won. It is ridiculous.

The Boston Red Sox (21-12) looked pretty lifeless last night, down 3-1 going into the eighth at Angel Stadium.

No problem, they tied it up in the inning then pushed across one more run in the ninth for a 4-3 win vs. the Angels (16-15).

Jered Weaver was great for Anaheim. He went seven innings, giving up one run on four hits with one walk and four strikeouts.

Justin Masterson kept the Sox in the game with six solid innings. He allowed two runs on five hits with four walks and three strikeouts.

Kendry Morales gave the Angels a 1-0 lead in the first with a sacrifice fly.

J.D. Drew (2 hits, 2 runs) answered with a solo home run in the second.

Playing Angels baseball, Maicer Izturis hit a RBI sacrifice fly in the fourth and Torii Hunter added an RBI single in the seventh to make it 3-1.

In the eighth, David Ortiz was hit by Darren Oliver (yes he's still alive) with the bases loaded. Jason Bay grounded with the bases loaded but it worked as Jacoby Ellsbury scored.

In the ninth, Jason Varitek (2 hits) knocked in Drew with an RBI double.

Ramon Ramirez (4-0) had another scoreless outing with a 1-2-3 eighth. How much of a steal has he been? He's one of the best setup guys in baseball and all we had to give the Royals was Coco Crisp.

Jonathan Papelbon earned his ninth save.