June 2, 2008
Baltimore 5, Boston 3
A 4 game split is not a bad thing, even if it did come against the struggling Baltimore Orioles. After starting their road trip with three consecutive losses to the Oakland A's, the Sox rebounded with a sweep of the Seattle Mariners before arriving in Baltimore. Now, the Sox leave town with a 5-5 record for their 10 game trip. Boston goes out on the road for one more 10 game trip at the beginning of July when they travel to Houston, Tampa Bay and New York.
But, right now, the Sox can't hang their heads in shame for letting the series finale get away from themselves. Tim Wakefield's knuckleball just was not fluttering today and the Orioles got to him. Unlike his approached with Beckett and Matsuzaka the previous to night, manager Terry Francona had an early hook for his veteran starter, yanking Wakefiel after he allowed 5 runs in three and two-third innings of work.
"I've seen Timmy enough over the years to know when it isn't there," Francona said afterwards. "You could tell by the way 'Tek [catcher Jason Varitek] handled him, there was a lot more breaking balls being called because the knuckle wasn't fooling them today. So, we went to the 'pen to shut them down and that's what they did. It was just [Radhames] Liz couldn't be solved."
Hideki Okajima and Manny Delcarmen combined to pitch four and a third scoreless innings, but the Sox couldn't manage much against Orioles starter Radhames Liz. The rookie improved his record to 6-3 with six and a third innings of strong pitching, allowing just two runs on six hits.
With a 2-1 lead, Wakefield started the third inning strong, striking out Tike Redman and Nick Markakis before allowing Aubrey Huff a two-strike double to right-center. After hitting Scott Moore and Kevin Millar to load the bases, a visit by pitching coach John Farrel wasn't enough to save the Sox. Freddy Bynum battled Wakefield for seven pitches before launched a deep fly to left that ended up in the fourth row of the bleachers and sent Wakefield to the showers. It was the second home run of the game for Bynum and his first career Grand Slam. Okajima finished the inning, but the damage was done.
Manny Ramirez added a solo home in the 8th off of Cory Doyne, but the Sox couldn't get anymore off the Orioles bullpen.
W: Liz (6-3) L: Wakefield (8-2) SV: Sherill (12)
Player of the Game: Freddy Bynum (2-3, 2 HRs, 5 RBIs)
Around the League:
...Texas RF Milton Bradley and Houston 1B Ty Wigginton were honored by MLB with Player of the Week Awards...The Toronto Blue Jays placed SS David Eckstein, LF Shannon Stewart, RF Matt Stairs and 1B/OF Brad Wilkerson on the trade block...