May 5, 2007

G29: Twins 2, Red Sox 1

We heard Sonny Rollins at Massey Hall tonight, so I missed this game. (box)

Looks like S. Lips pitched quite well (6-4-2-3-7, 98). Pedroia and Manny each had two hits. Two walks and a Pena error in CF helped the Twins scored twice in the second and Santana (5-7-1-2-5, 98) and four relievers made it stand up.

***

Julian Tavarez (7.58) / Johan Santana (3.60), 7 PM

Boston's 6.5 game lead is their largest advantage since the end of the 1995 season, when they won the East by 7 games. The Red Sox have won 12 of their last 16 games.

Santana's last five starts against the Red Sox:
            IP   H   R  BB  SO   SCORE
050903 Home 5 4 0 1 3 Win 5-0
080104 Home 8 2 3 1 12 Win 4-3
080605 Home 6 7 3 1 2 Loss 1-2
061306 Away 8 5 1 0 13 Win 5-2
092106 Away 5 6 4 3 3 Loss 0-6

Career 50.2 46 24 14 53 3.55
.241/.290/.366

16 comments:

Sean O said...

Let us all hope the Sox can keep their monumental 6.5 game lead better than my fantasy team's 14.5 point lead, which has crapped away to 1 point over 3 days.

Supernatural vs. Sexy Lips is really wrong on paper, but you never know what can happen. That Schilling / Santana matchup last year (on my first day after moving back to Mass), was incredible, but frustrating.

tim said...

So basically if he doesn't fan at least 10, we'll be in good shape ;-)

tim said...

(from yesterday's game comments)
they still lost because Igawa was terrible (typical - Cy freaking Young vs Sox sucks against everyone else)

It's the fact that he's a lefty that doesn't bring a lot of heat. They suck against lefties that throw FBs at 85-88...I know because I've been to several Chacin/Lilly games in Toronto, and they were disasters.

For everyone's sake, I'm going to avoid this series in Toronto because the past 3 years whenever I've gone, they always lose. It started back in 05, I showed up Bottom 1 and it was already 6-0 Toronto. Don't think I went to another that year :P

Went to the first one last year (Lilly v Beckett) when Manny hit his first two jacks of the year, Ortiz and Tek hit solos...was a Beckett start and the HRs flew, Glaus hit a huge bomb, Russ Adams had one, and Wells had a couple...Sox were up 6-2, but ended up losing 7-6 in 12...it was a Friday game, I know that. I think Seanez blew it....ohh the shitty bullpen of 2006.

Also went to another Beckett start at the end of may and it was disgusting. Another loss (this time to Chacin).

Went to the Dice-K start this year and sat behind the plate, was amazing. I was surrounded by all sorts of scouts taking notes on everything he did. The 2-1 loss, I don't need to rant about that.

I am considering going to his start on Wednesday, but I really want to see Wake and Thursday works better for my schedule. Although Beckett is pitching on $2 Tuesday....Hmmmm.

allan said...

Well, I'm going to all three games at Skydome.

Don't get all CHB with the bad luck/vibes. The Sox are in town! Go!

(We were at that Beckett BP game too. Wells hit 3 that night, only two off JB, though. Glaus had 2 also, if I recall.)

tim said...

There was one thing that really bugged me during that game...there was a nice couple from New England, part of the baby boomer generation (lol), and they were sitting in my row trying to enjoy the game...there was this completely obnoxious drunk kid, in his 20s, just yelling and swearing at them the whole game, and throwing shit at them...like really, that's just wrong. I felt so bad for them...probably cause they reminded me of my mom and step-dad going to a game...but oh well, the guy got ejected so good for him.

I'm living in Hamilton and working in Guelph so it'll be a pain to get down there for every game, if I lived closer I would be there for sure...

Do people ask you if you come down from boston for the games? cause i get that so much.

As another tangent - best jays game i went to last yr was July vs. NYY...Wellls hit a walkoff off Rivera in bottom 10 and a-rod made a couple errors. sat next to a huge sox fan from Mass, and we had a great time.

laura k said...

Wellls hit a walkoff off Rivera in bottom 10 and a-rod made a couple errors.

It's like the most famous pitch of last season in Toronto. They show replays of it constantly.

allan said...

Do people ask you if you come down from boston for the games? cause i get that so much.

Do you mean "to Boston" for games? Not really. I'd love to be able to go to Fenway at least once a season, but that isn't very easy to do.

I think our last time there was July 20, 2005 -- our 20th anniversary of meeting! I don't think we went in 2006.

Jim said...

Just as I was going to post about a reversal of fortune, Wang loses his perfecto, no-no and shutout all in one swing (Broussard). Sweet.

Anyway, I'm going for all 3, first since '04. Time for a reversal of Sox fortune at the Dome. And yes, I get asked a lot (especially at the urinals), if I've come from Boston for the game. When I tell them, no, Kingston, much consternation ensues. Sometimes a Sox fan will think I mean Kingston, Mass., and more confusion ensues.

9casey said...

Hey Redsock, you like to score games.......

When there is a guy on base and a pitcher throws a wild pitch and the guy advances.........why no error?

Sean O said...

Who the hell is pitching for us tonight? I don't know this guy, but he's freaking great.

I thought sexy lips was starting, but its 2 to 1 against Santana. I am confused.

Sean O said...

Well, this was a kick in the balls loss tonight. Sexy lips pitches lights out and we lose anyway. Lord.

allan said...

why no error?

Is "because" an acceptable answer?

For whatever reason, wild pitches and passed balls are not scored as errors. Bad pickoff throws to a base, however, are errors.

s1c said...

Tim said...It's the fact that he's a lefty that doesn't bring a lot of heat. They suck against lefties that throw FBs at 85-88...I know because I've been to several Chacin/Lilly games in Toronto, and they were disasters.

While I agree with you as a whole, Lilly, surprisingly, has a losing record vs the Sox (thanks to the last three starts being losses). Since he is only 61 and 60 on his career, his Sox record is close enough to not be that big of a deal.

Chacin on the other hand is just frustrating. 25 and 15 overall with a 4.18 ERA while 6 and 0 vs Sox with a 3.83. He just has the Sox's number right now.

Overall this year according to MLB.com, the Sox are 6 and 2 vs lefties. However, since the Sox haven't faced Tampa Bay this year, you know that will get worse since they will probably face Kazmir 4 times (06) or 5 times (05). He is not a soft tossing lefty but has a 5 and 2 record with a 2.60 ERA vs the Sox (24-21 overall with 3.76).

tim said...

The thing with Chacin is that his average run support is like 9 or something...I'm going to take a GW Iraq stance on this one, and say that even though the facts state otherwise, I'm staying the course with my opinion that they get stymied by lefties!

Do you mean "to Boston" for games?

Nah, people see the Sox jersey/hat and ask if I've come down from Boston since tickets are so hard to get, and a lot of people make the trek i guess...

I'm pumped for September 14, will be my 2nd time ever at the Fens...first time was in '99. And it'll be vs. the Yanks, so it'll be even better. And as long as nothing screws up like last year, it'll be for the pennant.

I, like redsock, also missed this game due to attending a concert...in Buffalo. The Slackers, whom I saw last week in Toronto. The only difference - their lead singer had to rush home today for a family emergency, so it was like seeing a totally different band. Weird. But they pulled it off nicely.

s1c said...

9casey and Redsock!

From the rule book found at baseball almanac . Rule 10.13(f) Errors Because the pitcher and catcher handle the ball much more than other fielders, certain misplays on pitched balls are defined in Rule 10.15 as wild pitches and passed balls. No error shall be charged when a wild pitch or passed ball is scored.

laura k said...

Well, this was a kick in the balls loss tonight. Sexy lips pitches lights out and we lose anyway. Lord.

It's called good news. Losing 2-1, or losing to Santana at all, is not a big deal. Lips holding his own against Supernatural, that is tremendous.

Even in a great season, a team is going to lose around 60 games. Your testicles must get mighty sore.