July 11, 2008
Lester's Effort Wasted by Bullpen, Sox Hold on in 10th
Boston 5, Baltimore 4 (10)
Jon Lester's quest for victory number ten will have to wait until after the All Star break after Manny Delcarmen surrendered three runs in one-third innings before the Sox battled back in extra innings to take game one of the three game series against the Orioles.
Delcarmen's three runs allowed were the most by the young right-hander since his last outing against the Orioles, where he surrendered three, including a two-run home run to Alex Cintron. Last night, against the Orioles with a 3-1 lead, Delcarmen got into trouble again. After surrendering a lead off double to Melvin Mora in the eighth, Delcarmen struck out Luke Scott for the first out of the inning. With a 1-2 count against Brian Roberts, Delcarmen went for the strikeout after five fouls, but was unable to locate his fastball, and watch Roberts put the ball off the Wall in left for a RBI-double. Nick Markakis followed one pitch later, lofting a 1-0 curve into the visitor's bullpen to put the Orioles ahead.
The Red Sox had jumped to an early 3-0 lead in the 3rd when Baltimore starter Daniel Cabrera loaded the bases on a pair of singles to Brandon Moss and Jason Varitek and a walk to Coco Crisp. With two outs, David Ortiz launced a long flyball to center field that landed over the head of Nolan Reimold for a bases-clearing double. Reimold, in just his fourth major league game, looked to have lost the ball in the deep centerfield, thinking that Ortiz had enough to clear the ballpark.
With a three run lead, Lester worked quickly through the Orioles lineup, managing to surrender just a pair of singles in the third before running into trouble in the sixth. Luis Hernandez led off the sixth with a double to right-center. Lester followed that by striking out Brian Roberts and Nick Markakis before former Red Sox Jay Payton singled home Hernandez to cut the lead to 3-1. Lester recovered to strike out Adam Jones to end the inning, his seven and last victim of the game.
Trailing 4-3 going into the ninth against Baltimore closer George Sherril, the Sox looked to the bottom of their order to come through. In his last outing against the Sox, Sherrill surrendered two runs in the ninth, before having to be replaced by Chad Bradford to close out a 5-4 O's victory. After retiring Dustin Pedroia with a ground-out to first, Brandon Moss singled to center. Jason Varitek followed with a four-pitch walk, advancing Alex Cora, who pinch ran for Moss, to second. Sherrill faced down J.D. Drew and struck out the slumping slugger (3 for his last 19), putting the Sox down to the last out. Coco Crisp, who had fared pretty well versus Sherrill this season, slapped a single past Hernandez at short to bring Cora home without a throw to tie the game. Kevin Youkilis, hitless in four atbats on the day, grounded out to Aubrey Huff at first to end the inning.
Lee Gronkiewicz, leading the American League in WHIP and R/9 for relievers, worked a perfect tenth for the Sox.
With the left-handed hitting David Ortiz due up to lead off the tenth for Boston, Orioles manager Dave Trembley stuck with his trusted closer despited a .406 avg. by lefties against the southpaw. After fouling fof the first pitch of the at-bat, Big Papi launched a bomb to deep right field that cleared the bullpens and landed an estimated 382 feet away.
W: Gronkiewicz (4-1) L: Sherrill (2-4)
Player of the Game: David Oritz (3-5, 2B, HR (20), R, 4 RBIs)
Around the League:
...Houston Astros activated RF Hunter Pence from the disabled list...New York Yankees RF Bobby Abreu (.298, .406, .827) was activated from the disabled list...Cincinnati SP Edinson Volquez (8-7, 2.69 ERA) was placed on the 15-day disabled list with wrist inflammation...SS Clint Barnes (.216, .237, .297), released by the Colorado Rockies, signed with Aguascalientes of the Mexican League...