A pair of rookies face off tonight, both having fine beginnings to their respective careers. But for one shellacking against the Yankees, Clay Buchholz would be the toast of baseball right now, while Armando Galarraga is also having a terrific but unheralded season.
So here’s rooting for a sixth straight win, and a nice performance from our rookie to beat their rookie. Comment away!
Red Sox
1. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
2. Jed Lowrie, 2B
3. David Ortiz, DH
4. Manny Ramirez, LF
5. Mike Lowell, 3B
6. Kevin Youkilis, 1B
7. J.D. Drew, RF
8. Jason Varitek, C
9. Julio Lugo, SS
Clay Buchholz, SP
Tigers
1. Curtis Granderson, CF
2. Placido Polanco, 2B
3. Carlos Guillen, 3B
4. Magglio Ordonez, RF
5. Miguel Cabrera, 1B
6. Gary Sheffield, LF
7. Matt Joyce, DH
8. Edgar Renteria, SS
9. Ivan Rodriguez, C
Armando Galarraga, SP
Nice to see Dustin getting a needed day off.
Also, I JUST fully realized that Baltimore has lost five in a row and lost 8 of their last ten and is below .500. They clkearly have talent for the future, and for the sake of the ballclub, I’m glad their insane run has slowed. It will allow them to keep trading pieces like Roberts to improve the club.
Weird freakign inning. Jed slipping and falling causing a double play, PAPI testign granderson’s arm and winning…
Too bad we could have scored. Or seen some pitches.
Damn that was a sweet curve to get Guillen.
Or, changeup. I couldn’t tell. Whatever it was it moved.
Fly ball to end the inning. Nice, Clay!
Whew. Clay gets out of it. Good job, rook.
Damn Guillen. Robbed Lowell. Still keep ABs like that up.
Ah, another inconsistent home plate ump. So dependable.
Clay sounds like he’s pitching very well. Strikeout and broken bats for the three outs.
He’s racking up a few too many pitches. Going 3-0 on two consecutive batters really didn’t help at all.
GO AWAY JULIO.
Reverse jinx baby!
Lugo hears SF and doubles to spite him.
Knock him in, Jacoby!
I have to say that I have heard very few objectionable comments from these Detroit announcers. There have been moments when calls didn’t go the Tigers’ way when someone like Michael Kay would have predictable called the decision wrong, or emphasized very heavily it’s borderlineness, but these guys have been very fair. I am impressed, even as I am sure they have made some silly comments – as most announcers, even our own, make.
Meanwhile, Ellsbury looked very poor there. He’s hit a slump it appears.
SON OF A GOD DAMN BITCH! THAT WAS A BALL!
Too high from Lowrie, Lugo stuck at second for the remaining two outs. Drat.
I walk away for 5 minutes – what is going on??
MELTDOWN!!!
I picked a bad time to get home. Buchholz bringing the suck.
There is talk on the radio about Julian coming in…. it’s been a while since we’ve seen his goofy mug.
Yeah, it’s been a while since it’s been Tavarez Time. Buchholz is up over 50 pitches, if we’re still down a lot I’m sure we’ll see him.
Oh my god that was the slowest F-ing pitch I’ve ever seen, aside from the Eephus pitch thrown to ARod a few years back. Jesus christ.
Did anyone else see that Eephus? Please tell me I wasn’t the only one.
no idea what you’re talking about Ath….
YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUK!
Galarraga threw a Eephus pitch, which is a giant rainbow pitch usually around 50 mph.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=zGHvD2kZwgY&feature=related There’s a link
That looks like how we pitch them in Little League!
There was one to ARod a few years back that was on youtube, but for some reason I can’t find it. It’s crazy insane.
injury delay?? what injury delay??
I’m watching the game live and I didn’t see any delay, though Buchholz dove to try to make a play on a grounder. He was fine though.
gameday was being overly dramatic then. Whew
Lugo’s hit, two on with no outs!
F*cking Renteria steals a hit from Ellsbury.
Lugo steals 2nd!
They just showed the replay of the Eephus pitch. It was hilarious, Ortiz was standing at the railing in the dugout talking to himself for several minutes after getting struck out. Pretty funny.
Varitek tags up on a fly-ball, and then Ortiz drives another in! 4-5 game now.
Oh wow, Buchholz not coming back for the 5th despite only at 82 pitches. Tavarez coming in. Is it wierd that I have confidence in him?
Announcer: “Lowell has the highest fielding percentage out of any 3rd baseman in the history of the game.”
How the hell am I just now learning this?
Shit.
GO AWAY JULIAN.
Seriously, you bring in Tavarez, who hasn’t pitched in like a month, in a one run game? WTF Tito?
Wow Lowell makes a great over-the-shoulder basket catch in foul territory.
Ellsbury!
Ellsbury BARELY steals 2nd. That’s the closest I’ve ever seen it. I wonder how many people have stolen twice off Ivan Rodriguez in the same game?
MIKE LOWELL TIES THE F*CKING GAME OH MY GOD!
YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE HAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!
MIKE LOWELL TIES THE F*CKING GAME OH MY GOD!
So I leave, and it’s 0-0. Come back at 8-8. Crazy…
Just dropping by to say: HOLY SH*T!
I had totally written this game off after Tavarez came in and went for a run. Shows you what I know.
Aardsma for another inning!?
Lopez.
Great.
Wait, LOPEZ?!
Lopez is in for the 7th. PLEASE get us to Oki/Paps? Please?
Woah, what’s Youk arguing about? Watch it Youk…
Honestly, I know he’s raw, and this is “pressure”, but I wouldn’t have minded seeing Hansen here.
Sox come back to tie. Yankees losing in the ninth. These last couple games have been a lot of fun…
Agreed. Rish says MDC is up now in the pen.
Rish is doing a nice job tonight, by the way.
Yes, Paul.
Really broke me up hearing Joba blow it last night.
Two outs! Two outs!
(why I don’t manage a major league team…)
The Tigers are marveling a lot about the Sox’ 8-0 home run advantage in the series thus far. Let’s hope that continues for the next couple innings.
Lopez, knock on wood, has been surprisingly decent the last couple games. I’m still not a fan, but maybe — maybe — he’s getting in a groove.
Clean inning!!
Thank you Javy. Accept my gratitude until your next appearance, at which point I will probably complain again.
*ahem* The Tigers’ announcers obviously. Not sure if the Tigers themselves care very much.
OK, Lopez!!!
Switching GameDay to the Yanks, keeping XM on the Sox…
what a game.
That’ll teach me to get stuck in traffic – I missed everything. Did Javy Lopez really just have that inning?
I’ll save you a minute. They lose. Come back
Ballgame in New York. Now let’s get a couple more runs! Good start, as Drew walks…
GO AWAY JULIO
Drew with the SB! Nice. Single plates him now…
JD channels JE
Reverse jinx working well tonight, SF!
I smell a good result from Jacoby here…
So the Sox have stolen eight bases this series, as well, I believe. That’s amazing to me…
Come on, Jacoby…
Gah, not a good result.
And by “good result,” I meant “strikeout.”
We cannot afford a squander here, and Pedroia comes in to pinch hit! Good move by Tito…
Gameday showing the 3-0 pitch to be at Pedroia’s clavicles, still called a strike.
High drama on the 3-2 count. A solid hit likely scores two with the runners going.
PEDROIA with the go-ahead RBI!!!!
In play (runs)
YES! And I have no clue what happened…
And now the Wild Pitch advances the runners… Do they IBB Ortiz to get to Manny with the bases jacked?
OUTSTANDING!
SF, you never got MLB.tv to work?
Well, Papi grounds out, but a lead! And Okajima presumably coming on (and no inhereted runners to let score)…
Oki’s in with no inherited runnes to allow to score.
Kudos to the Tigers’ radio announcers, as well. They’re very solid, not overly biased. (I don’t mind an announcer rooting for their team, as long as they acknowledge when the opponents field good players, make good plays, etc.) They’re very even-handed.
The Rays’ radio announcers, OTOH, are abominable…
Great comeback by the Sox. Hopefully Oki and Paps can put it away here.
Agreed Paul, these guys are great. The Diamondbacks announcers are also very solid.
Aw crap. A pair of singles, now the 3-for-3 Sheffield is on.
0-2 to Sheffield. Don’t lose him, Oki. Strikeout or a GIDP.
Goddamnit Oki, settle down!
DOUBLE PLAY!!!!
STRIKE HIM OUT, THROW HIM OUT!
STRIKEOUT!
Damnit Sheffield why won’t you chase shitty pitches?
STRIKEOUT THROW-OUT!
That’s some sexy sh!t, man.
I kinds feel sorry for Leyland. He’s trying everything and got bit in the a$$.
Todd Jones again in non-save situation. See my post from Monday.
A double for Lowell. Boy, he got hot in a hurry, didn’t he?
Lowell is the man tonight–a triple short of the cycle.
3 HR game from Yooks?
Come on JD. We need you.
Pitching around Drew?
Make ’em pay, Tek. He’s 5-11 lifetime vs. Jones.
Would’ve liked some insurance there. Papelbon time!
ok, paps can do this
When did Youk turn into Jack Cust? 2 HRs, 3 Ks.
Would’ve liked some more runs there, but I have faith in the Papelbon.
Shippin up to Boston, wooooooah woaaah wooooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaaah
They play “Eye of the Tiger” at Comerica. Not sure if that’s only when they need a rally or what, but it’s a good choice…
Infield hit on a check swing. What a sucky way to have the winning run at the plate.
f-ing cheap
ugh
E-6. Unbelievable.
Is anyone else shocked Renteria isn’t bunting the runner over?
I just screamed “ASSF*CK”, and now my roommate is pissed off. Goddamnit Lugo.
JFC Julio.
I-Rod with the bunt, I imagine.
There’s mopment. The old Mr. E-6 Renteria reaches on error by the new Mr. E-6 Lugo.
Christ.
Honestly, can we end the Lugo era, somehow? Is that like 45 errors already?
Successful bunt. 2nd/3rd, 1 out.
Commence with the strikeouts, Jonathan.
Well, a single ends it, probably. Thanks for that, Julio, you useless tool.
Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit.
Let’s try that again …
There’s a moment. The old Mr. E-6 Renteria reaches on error by the new Mr. E-6 Lugo.
Christ.
Come on, Paps. You’re on your own out there.
Now Papelbon overthrowing. Arrrgh. On the one hand, we don’t really have a right to expect a win down, 8-4. But there should be two outs by now and a runner on second.
Holy jesus that ball almost flew 5 feet over Varitek’s head.
Game tied on the groundout. Shit.
Why aren’t we IBB’ing him?
Julio Lugo. Thanks alot.
Thanks, Julio.
FUCK YOU JULIO. There, I said it.
That’s a good question, Ath. The runner at first wouldn’t matter. Not sure why they didn’t IBB there.
Son of bitch. Sh!t.
Why the hell didn’t we IBB him? This is crazy.
I hate Julio Lugo with the fire of a thousand burning suns.
Why can’t Lugo get the Blown Save?
Screw it with the BS, just give Lugo the LOSS.
I thought it was common knowledge that you issue the IBB to put the force on, give them a chance for a DP.
God damn it.
Son of a BITCH. Not a single hard hit ball that inning, and that’s how it ends — with a broken freaking bat.
LFRS. By a mile. For over a year now. And he ain’t going anywhere. Grrrr.
*throws computer out of window*
Lugo=Loss.
Whoops, the Lugo hate was me earlier. Did I say thousand? I meant MILLION.
My god, what a way to end it. Two incredibly cheap hits and JULIO FUCKING LUGO BLOWING IT AGAIN.
Box score should read Lugo (BS, L) 0-1.
I assume both those runs are unearned. How dispiriting.
Check-swing single. Error. Sac bunt. Groundout. Broken-bat single. That’s how it ends. I would have rathered back-to-back homers and the end of it.
Or just they not have rallied at all and lost it 8-4.
Wow, that really really sucked.
Two games this year scoring nine runs, both losses. Terrible.
As for Lugo, nothing left to say. I refuse to acknowledge his hideous existence on the Sox from this point on.
I hate losses like this. They keep me up at night, with that churning feeling in my stomach. I just want to go punch something…
Tito gets a D for tonight’s game too, let’s not forget, brining in a ridiculously rusty Tavarez in a one-run game. That will be forgotten in the ninth inning BS. Tito and LFRS can take this one home with them.
Never mind the decision not to IBB Granderson to set up a potential DP for Polanco. He may or may not have hit a ground ball, but Papelbon probably pitches him differently when he still has the lead to protect.
In reality, the Sox were lucky to even be in a position to win this game, let alone actually have the lead in the ninth. I’m trying to focus on that so I can actually get some sleep…
Never mind the decision not to IBB Granderson to set up a potential DP for Polanco
Not the worst decision – Granderson was terrible at the plate, a K possibility. Defensible. He brought in Tavarez and left him in to get shellacked. In a one run game, after not pitching for weeks. With better options available.
Why is Tavarez on the team, exactly, if he’s never used and then when used is pitiful?
The fact that Papelbon gets stuck with the loss, despite not pitching poorly, pisses me off most. Ugh, what BS.
Okay, I’m done bitching now. 2 outta 3 ain’t bad. We won the series.
LFRS on a pace for 50 errors. Nice. Once his bat regresses to the mean, which it will, he’ll be one of the shittiest players in the entire league.
There’s one more tomorrow, Ath, I believe.
By the way, what is up with the Sox playing 20 of 27 on the road for this current stretch? That’s gotta be one of the rougher results of the computer’s schedule-making, I would think. Tough luck, for sure.
Whoops, my bad.
Yeah, this road stretch is especially crappy because it means Manny probably won’t hit #500 in Fenway.
i can’t believe i’m offering condolences to you guys, but you are still in first place, and still putting yourself in a position to win every game, even after falling behind last night, and your closer still looked good, despite having to take the loss…i mean, an infield single, an error, and a broken bat bloop single…tough loss, but you’ve won a few that way too…that stuff evens out, sort of, but i don’t blame you for being bummed with papelbon on the mound and a one run lead, that’s usually in the bank…on the other hand, buch didn’t look so good [ignoring the 6 k’s], and hoolian continues to be maddening for sox fans to watch…[yeah, i know, i have no room to talk]