Tonight the Sox go for another win in Camden Yards, hoping to extend their current dominance over the men from Baltimore to a gaudy thirteen games. Last night’s brilliance from Josh Beckett should serve as a reminder to Curt Schilling that he doesn’t have to blow guys away (which Beckett did), but that he has to be on top of all of his pitches (which Beckett was) in order to facilitate blowing them away. That, as far as I was concerned, was the key to Beckett’s stellar effort: control. Without that tonight, we may still be lamenting the six-score and 13 pitches Schilling threw one cold night in April and it’s purported residual effects on our old ace’s arm. Here’s hoping Curt makes it a non-issue, and at least looks a bit like his early-April bad self.
Chat about tonight’s game here.
They really need to get to Chen early today, and not let him settle into a groove with them. He has a knack of doing so against them. Stuck at work, so I have the delight of listening to Joe tonight.
1-2-3 they go for Schilling. No very hard-hit balls that I saw (though I might have missed a solid foul).
KABAM goes Ramirez on the 0-1 pitch. Sox up.
Purely anecdotal: I swear there’s no one like Manny for treating every at-bat and its outcome in the same way. He sits there in the dugout drinking water calmly; I wouldn’t know if he’d struck out or hit a granny or what if I hadn’t seen it happen. He only seems to have emotion afterward if the situation is very big.
Varitek K’s. Lowell grounds to short.
Bruce Chen = Dr. Bunson Honeydew
TROT!
2-0.
Nixon hits a solo shot to right-center off a lefty. The universe does not end.
Devine: Not only does Manny treat every at-bat that way, I swear he also treats every pitch that way.
I sometimes get the sense that he doesn’t seem to think or care what the count is. 1-0 is the same as 3-2. He just relies on his eye, pitch by pitch.
And on-base machine Wily Mo Peña draws a walk.
But Gonzo wastes it with a soft 6-3 groundout.
Wily Mo works the walk off 0-2. I love it!
Hudson, agreed. I hadn’t really considered how he seems to not care about pitch count (unless he feels he got hosed by the umpire, though he’s less constantly harping on the topic with the umps than Papi).
What do you know? A-Gon grounds out.
On MLB.tv, they aren’t showing commercials, just a commentary-free view of the scene with crowd noise and the O’s music.
It appears someone in Baltimore management bought a “Best of the 80s” disc from the bargain bin at K-Mart for the between-inning entertainment. First inning: “Our House.” Second inning: “Freeze Frame.”
Devine: I started noticing that when I’d see Manny often start out at bats 0-2 or 1-2, and then work the count full.
Away Update: Yanks down 2-0, top 2nd.
Literally every foul ball this inning, thus far, has gone back behind the plate.
But then a single is stroked with 1 out.
Away update: 2-0 Texas, who now have the bases loaded with 1 out in the second. Pour it on!
2 down. Bear down, Curt, get the Sox back on O.
Texas has the bases loaded with one out.
A double for Corey Patterson? Come on, Curt. Yeesh.
Curt gets out of it with a flyout to Wily Mo Leatha.
I’m here for a cup o’ tea, then off to dinner, then I’ll be back for good.
I arrive to see the Sox in good shape, but Schill trying to give the runs back again…
How’s he looked today, guys?
They strand 2 in scoring position! Onward.
Phew. Javy Lopez hacks at the first pitch and flies to WMP.
It’s 4-0 in the Bronx.
And Michael Young brings home two more, 4-0 Texas ahead of the Yanks, just in the top of the 2nd.
Rangers up 4-0 :-)
Teixeira scores two more on a double. 6-0.
Looks like I’ll be using MLB’s GameCast tonight… ESPN’s is refusing to update unless I hit refresh, and that’s just annoying…
Texeira doubles in two more, 6-0. Chacon unraveling (46 pitches, 4 outs).
He’s looked ok. I would say he’s spotted his fastball pretty well, and his splitter has been good. But he still seems to be missing that third pitch, whether it’s a changeup or a curveball. So far I’d say he looks decent, not overwhelmingly good.
Paul: Curt looked solid in the 1st, shakier in the 2nd.
M-Lor continues the hot hitting! Avg now at .281…
Loretta singles.
Texas keeps it going, runners at 1st and 3rd, still just one out in the 2nd inning.
Not sure what happened, but from Gamecast it looks like Jeter may have missed a pop-up.
I know the statheads are loathe to use BA as a measure of goodness, but do you know the Sox have five hitters with .300 batting averages, and another two who probably will be there at the end of the year? Wow.
Torre lifts Chac-ca-con, brings in Small.
I wonder where John YF is now that Chacon is nowhere near the 18 game winner he predicted earlier in the year. The guy is garbage.
Either Loretta is really really fast, or Chen is afraid of Papi…
Blalock homer off of Small makes it 9-0 Texas.
The Yankee thread may hit a new low for posts tonight.
Texas 9-0 in the second. Bwaaahahahahaha.
3 run dinger in NY! Small being what he’s always been, much like the rest of that staff with the exception of RJ and Moose.
Bleck. Force out… Dinnertime! Be back!
Mench singles to keep the Texas monster inning alive.
Much as I love the Sox, monitoring the Yankees getting massacred is a bit more entertaining just now.
The carnage is over (for now) in Texas. End of the top of the 2nd inning, 9-0.
I think the Sox need 5 runs tonight, at least.
Tek Ks again, leaves MannyOrtiz on base.
The O’s are playing what sounds like Black Sabbath between the top and the bottom of the 3rd.
I read somewhere today that Schilling is averaging more pitches per hitter than anyone in the majors. (Can’t remember the source.)
He slaps it foul this way and that way and works the count full…
…before Markakis finally pops one high for Wily Mo on pitch 11.
Texas 9 Yankees 1. Don’t call it a comeback.
Yanks rallying. 9-1, 2 on and one out in the 2nd. We should all remember that the Yankees have a good team and the Rangers’ pitchers, uh, still suck.
I would say that Schilling does not look overwhelmingly good tonight. Again.
I would say that Schilling does not look overwhelmingly good tonight. Again.
Bullet right at Lowell thankfully. 2 down.
Phew. It’s been a bit touch and go with Schilling tonight. But he’s through 3.
Nice – Tejada pops up.
MLBtv stinks tonight. Terribly choppy feed, it’s like watching a still photo summary of the game.
A double for Mike Lowell?! Incomprehensible.
It’s been said before, but it’s just such a shame about his bat speed this year…
Oof. Ugly play by Gibbons there, dropping the fly ball. 3-0 Sox.
HA…
Imagine if that bat was as quick as the normal player and not so slow!
Youk! Double scores WMP, 4-0 Sox.
Is there a reason to play these games out? The O’s might beat the Sox in 2011. And that’s not a certainty.
Seriously, I feel more confident that the Yanks will come back to beat the Rangers than the O’s will even make this into a game.
But there’s the start for the O’s.
it seems like every run Schilling has allowed this season has come on a home run
Nick, are you trying reverse psychology? You say it’s hopelss for the O’s, and they immediately hit a hr. No offense, but shut the hell up.
Hell yeah, Papi! Opposite way double way over near the corner.
Manny the space case either thought that was not yet ball 4 or thought it was a strike. Either way, he eventually gets told to meander down to 1st.
Tom, don’t worry. This game is in the bag.
I am definitely starting to worry about Tek. He seems to be suffering from Posadaitis.
Booooo. Tek hits it right back to the pitcher for the DP and Lowell flies to right.
i think Tek will be back in form sooner rather than later. seems like the break from the routine brought on by the WBC effected different players in different ways.
yikes 4-3
Heh heh. Not gonna be an easy one, then.
When Brandon Fahey hits a dong off you there’s something wrong. 133, everyone. 133.
Order Up: Tar and Feathers to dump on NickYF ;)
i have this mental image of SF wandering the streets at 3 AM muttering “133…133…”
Schilling at 92 pitches. Anyone up in the bullpen?
Seriously, why should we believe that outing had no effect on Schilling? It obviously had an effect on him, just like a lot of people said it would.
F*cking Francona…
arghhhhhhhhhhh
Gopher ball to Gibbons. 5-4 Orioles.
Yikes. Yank him, then? Tsk.
I’m with SF. The 133-pitch game was a watershed.
On the Orioles broadcast right now they have a nice angle to see the huge freaking fork in Schilling’s back.
no need to worry: Mike Holtz is warming up!
*grabs bottle of scotch
Who pitches the 6th? The Orc?
i think the orc is busy creating a new batch of fighting uruk-hai over in isengard
Schilling is becoming a 4-inning pitcher.
Holtz? Really? Are we not interested in winning?
(Fine, maybe he’ll do great this time.)
Nick, let me know if you ever going to be in Memphis. So I can kick your ass. BTW, Johnson looked MUCH better his last outing. I think he is a shoe in for 20 wins. Giambi’s neck will not prevent him from winning the triple crown.
Trot gets it started with a BB.
Texas 10, NY 5. Texas has no chance.
This ought to be a Tavarez-to-Timlin-to-Foulke-to-Paps night. If we see Holtz… Oy.
This is turning into one of those nights…
WiMPy advances the runner at least
Wily Mo-ves Trot over to 2nd base with a groundout.
Ok, productive out for WMP. Drive him in, someone.
time for some Bathroom Break magic!
Well, it’s nice to see what happens when I’m gone. Wow.
Is it realiztic to figure a Schilling start more than two weeks ago is still affecting him now? If it is, maybe he should be on the DL…
Gonzo moves Trot to 3rd, unproductively. 2 out. C’mon, Kevin.
A-Gon gets Trot to third. Time for Youk to come through in the clutch…
Youk walks on four. M-Lor’s hot bat is up…
Greek God of Walks does his thing. It’s all on Loretta.
Do I not get credit for a well-played jinx, Tom? Instead, this rage and violence! Whose team is down by 5 right now? No sympathy for the weak?
there it is! Youk nice aggressive advance to 3rd.
M-LOR!!!!!
Loretta ties it up with a single, Youks to 3rd!
Maybe Tito will reconsider Holtz now.
I’m using that nickname ’til it sticks, dammit.
This would be a heckuva time for Papi to be Papi.
Drives him in with a single! Good enough.
Mannytime.
Heck yes. More hitting if possible, but bring some pitching now.
PAPI GOES CLUTCH and the Sox take the one-run lead!
Watch Francona bring Schilling back out.
i bet he does, hudson.
With the lead, we need to use someone without a 20 ERA. I trust DiNardo more than Holtz, no matter how nice a guy Holtz is (good piece on him today by Edes)…
Nick–No. No sympathy whatsoever. Troll.
Looks like they’d rather face Tek so far in this at-bat with Manny…can’t blame ’em.
Manny, why?
But they get him.
It seems Tito needs to start putting Trot, Lowell and Pena ahead of Tek in the lineup… Manny would be seeing much better pitches to hit if a guy with 25 XBH were behind him instead of a guy hitting .230…
I kind of like how MLB.tv is just broadcasting the raw, uncommented feed in between innings. It’s very Moment of Zen.
Ooh, nice little rally while I was tending to my sick kid.
(why is Schilling still pitching?!!?!?)
Manny should have watched one more pitch at least.
Yup, and sure enough, here comes Curt again. Francona should at least have someone up and ready. Can’t look…
Schilling back! 105 pitches and counting. Tito is gunning for 134.
I cannot say I like Schilling on the mound right now.
Schilling’s still in there. C’mon, big guy. Stop giving up 30 home runs an inning…
Leadoff single. What a goddamned train wreck Francona is when Schilling pitches.
Oops, another Wily Mo-ment. A little less jogging and he would have had it.
How very frustrating.
*SMASH*
And he promptly gives up the leadoff single. This is amazing.
Tweedledum and Tweedledee — i mean, Seanez and Holtz up in the pen.
Schilling’s at 107.
You know, this bullpen needed some work with the days off. This would have been a good time, it seems to me.
What is Tito on tonight?
Seanez and Holtz? Wow.
As untested as they are, I’d feel better if it were Lester and Hansen… At least the O’s have never seen them, and they’d have something to prove.
true, they could use the work, but they also must be anticipating hte brutal stretch ahead — 21 games in 20 days or whatever it is.
Go, Tito! Ride that arm!
Yanks rally to 10-8 on the Jeets ding!
Fly-out to Pena.
Double play needed, big time.
One out, but it looked well-struck.
Away update: Yanks only down 10-8 now. I called this one, back in the second inning.
That was a very nice inside corner strike by Schilling. If he gets through, I still won’t like it.
I actually hate it when Curt goes 0-2 in the count in the late innings. It’s become a gopher ball situation for him.
Okay, got one at 2nd, 5-4. Two gone.
Two down. Was that a good play to get the out at 2nd or a bad play to not get the DP? Gamecaast is so limited…
If we get out of this inning, I have three words: Foulke. Timlin. Papelbon. If Francona wanted to get in work for Seanez and Holtz, he should have worked them last night…
Good play – getting two would have been a great play. Just too slow a grounder deep to third.
Curt threw 116 and could still get the loss.
On the quasi-upside, if Holtz blows it here it may be the last we see of him.
Markakis’s name always reminds me of that CSNY song, “Southern Cross.”
But of course we bring in Holtz. grrrrrrr
Yes, exactly Paul. Francona’s head is up his ass.
Schilling cannot get the loss.
20.25 ERA. Here we go.
2-0. Something, please. Just one out.
My stomach is churning. Don’t like this one bit.
And a walk. WTF.
Aaaand he walks Markakis. 1st and 2nd, two gone.
Effing c*ck. Walk.
nice looking curveballs from Holtz.
Holtz is 5’9″… Welcome to Munchkinland.
The Sox are gonna need more runs to win this game.
compared with Fahey, Holtz looks like Andre the Giant
Holtz Hogan
Full count from 0-2! EFFFFF!
Argh, 0-2, now full count…
(10-9 Rangers, btw)
That’s as close as it could have been…
Hallelujah! Come on, bats, give us about five runs!
Ohhhhh, that was close. Dodged a bullet. (Especially as Seanez was up next if he didn’t get that batter.)
(Tito’s wondering: “Is there any way I can bring Schill back in?”)
Now, CUT HIM.
You just can never turn your back on those damned Yankees.
I’ll say it again:
Foulke.
Timlin.
Papelbon.
Period.
I knew the Rangers were overrated and had no pitching, but that’s ridiculous…
What about Timlin/Foulke/Papelbon?
(Total choke by Texas. We need them to hold on.)
what is the MLB record for blown leads? i gotta think 9 runs is pretty close
3 Ks for Tek.
He should bat 8th.
Tek down on three. Crap, I thought last night would be a turning point for him.
The Yankees are ahead. Can you believe it?
That GameCast for them has been on the bottom of the sixth for a while. How many runs in that inning for the MFY?
Yankees 11, Texas 10. Unreal.
Timlin warming.
Six, Paul, the last two on a single by Cairo.
Gamecast looks like Lowell got robbed or at least came mighty close to giving us the cushion…
C’mon Wily Mo!
The first ballgame I ever saw was at Fenway, the Sox vs. the Royals (in their George Brett era).
The Sox got an early 10-2 lead, but ended up losing 15-12.
I’ve never seen so much hitting in one game again.
Hudson: Best news I’ve heard all night.
Close-ish, but the outfielder never moved much just off the grass on the warning track.
Sad shadow of an AB by Wily Mo there.
Hate to be a budisnki on the sf thread, but seeing as you folks were coming over to ours to rub our noses in things over the last couple of innings, let me just say this: [insert Bronx cheer sound]
Five pitches out of the zone, Wily Mo takes two, swings at the rest. He’s not *quite* there…
Not me. Never me. I don’t root against the other team in their thread.
Me neither. I have enough problems staying up-to-date in this one…
Yay, Tito! Timlin on the mound! Maybe a 6-out save for Papelbon in the offing?
it seems the record for come-from behind victory is 12 runs, set in 1911.
WMP whiffs with an ugly, slow swing, chasing a wide-and-low curveball. Shades of his early at-bats this season.
Texas 12, Yankees 11. LMAO.
Four pitches, two outs for Timlin.
YF trolls over here, Texas retakes lead with a 2 run homer. LOL!
Timlin get the job done.
I’d guess that Francona brings in Foulke on a short leash, i.e., with Paps warming.
Can’t Get Much Better Dept: Timlin in the 7th: 6 pitches, all strikes, three outs.
bring timlin back for the 8th. no brainer, right?
On 2 pitches each go the Orioles for Timlin. I don’t know the lineup, but if it’s favorable (righties), I say leave him in one or two more.
YF, this chat has a high “jinx” factor. Q.E.D.
Really, Timlin was so efficient, I could see him out there for a second inning…
What is a “Bronx cheer” anyway? Does it resemble a bloodcurdling scream at all?
no one warming in the Sox pen currently
No, it’s more like making a fart sound.
Gonzales just accidentally threw his bat farther than he’s hit a ball all game.
Youks walks.
Loretta to .288.
Loretta single.
Get it done, Papi.
M-Lor first-pitch swingin, but gets results… Two on for Papi. Time for the insurance, guys!
Semiproductive on the Ortiz out. Youk on third for Manny…
Long drive by Ortiz is caught in center, 1st and 3rd now, 2 outs for Manny.
Need some cushioning here.
I’m grateful to my parents for not naming me “LaTroy.”
Manny swings for the fences on what would have been ball 3. 2-1 count.
D’oh!
I really really really really hope that squander doesn’t come back to hurt us…
Manny pops out to the outfield. Damn.
From a distance, it looks like Timlin’s coming back in.
N.Y. threatening after an error and a bunt, 1st and 3rd, no out. Having fun, Yanks fans?
Timlin’s liking the pattern: Strike, out on four consecutive batters.
Conine breaks the trend, by popping up on the 1st pitch…
Timlin is being ridiculously efficient, 5 outs on 10 pitches so far. Knock wood.
Wow. Six outs on 12 pitches…
Make that 6 outs on 12 pitches.
Of the 12 pitches, 11 were strikes. Heck, we could bring him out for the ninth if we wanted to…
Texas 12, Yankees 12.
Wow, it’s like every pitch Lowell hits is either an XBH or caught deep…
Nixon on for Pena
Trot’s on base with two outs, Free (Swingin’) Wily at the plate.
Wily Wheels gets an infield hit on a blast to third. Mora saves a double.
A-Gon up with two on. Time for Snow or Cora, I think…
I don’t see the point of pinchrunning for Pena here.
Gonzo pops out.
A-Gon (surprise) doesn’t get it done. I assume it’ll be Paps to close it?
Yankee threat peters out, still 12-12, going to the top of the 8th.
And now, ladies and gentleman, may I introduce Mr. Jonathon Papelbon.
Snow’s a better pinch hitter than A-Gon is a regular hitter. I would have pinch hit Snow and used Cora for defense in the bottom half, but the chances either of them would have done better are slim…
someone’s got their nasty stuff tonight.
With Paps in, this game is over. The guy is automatic.
The K! Two more.
No more of that voodoo, Yankee fans.
Heck yes. Uno mas.
nice sno-cone from Youk right there!
AGon just made a beautiful play, nice pick by Youkilis as well.
Ohh, Spidey… Don’t you know the Paps is immune to jinxes? (Knock on wood, hehe)
Two down!
13 in a row
There it is! Ballgame!
They did it! Lucky thirteen!
Game ovah. 13 straight Sox victories over Baltimore.
Let’s go, Rangers.
14 saves for Little Papi.
Schilling didn’t earn that victory, but a great job by the bullpen and timely hitting saved him…
So much for making even a dent in the Papelhawk mystique. *sigh* One of these days, we’ll get to him…
Back to the Yanks.
The story of the night is the continued Schilling problems. I don’t know about that 133 pitch thing, but certainly he’s been less effective since then.
Do you know he’s thrown more pitches than any other MLB player? Not a good sign at all.