July 27, 2008

G106: Red Sox 9, Yankees 2

Yankees - 000 020 000 - 2  10  0
Red Sox - 311 202 00x - 9 15 0
Do you ever wonder when Manny Ramirez last felt pressure during a baseball game?

After his comments of a week ago and his knee problems evolved into a weekend media frenzy, playing before a national television audience for the second straight day, and with his team facing the possibility of being swept by the Yankees and falling into third place in the AL East, you might think Manny would be concerned about having a good game.

Maybe he was nervous. But once the rain cleared and the game began around 9 PM, it looked like Manny didn't have a care in the world. He made a superb catch deep in the left field corner, over by the side door, to end the top of the first inning, gliding over cool as a cucumber. In the home half, he doubled to right-center on the second pitch he saw, driving in the Red Sox's first run of the night. That RBI also gave him the distinction of having the most career RBIs of any Dominician Republic-born player.

Manny ripped another double in the third (and later scored), hit a bomb that was hauled in by Melky Cabrera at the very deepest point in the park, singled in a run in the sixth, and skied to right in the eighth.

He was ably assisted by -- going down the lineup card -- Dustin Pedroia (single, double, run, RBI), Kevin Youkilis (single, 2 runs), David Ortiz (single, home run, 2 runs, 3 RBI), Mike Lowell (single, 2 RBI), J.D. Drew (2 walks), Jason Varitek (double, RBI), Alex Cora (2 singles, run) and Jacoby Ellsbury (2 singles, double, run).

Most of the Sox had their way with Ponson (4-10-7-1-1, 77), as 12 of the 22 batters to face him reached base.

Lester (7-9-2-1-8, 113) was aces once again, stranding one runner in each of the first four innings, falling into trouble in the fifth by allowing four straight singles and a walk before recording an out, then retiring his last nine batters.

It was a perfect, feel-good night -- a welcome tonic before the Angels series that begins Monday night.

***

Sidney Ponson (4.02, 103 ERA+) / Jon Lester (3.20, 137 ERA+)

Ponson's four starts with the Yankees:

22.2 IP, 28 H, 11 BB, 11 K
4.37 ERA, 1.72 WHIP, .318/.412/.477

Boston has scored more than four runs only once in the last nine games (4-5). In that stretch -- dating back to July 13, the game before the break -- they are batting .248 and slugging .356.

The current Boston roster has hit .379/.452/.546 against Ponson in 199 PAs, with David Ortiz (.444/.563/.722) and Manny Ramirez (.404/.481/.511) leading the way.

A loss tonight will drop them to third place.

Win.

Also: Rays/Royals, 2 PM -- Update: Royals 6-1!

648 comments:

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laura k said...

Eww, it was gross! I missed it earlier.

I think moderation is coming back on...

laura k said...

601 = me

Rob said...

Sox have to face Weaver, Lackey and Saunders next three days. Would be nice to see some payback the next three days.

Steep hill to climb...

But Lackey usually displays THE FACE in Fenway Park.

laura k said...

And it's Weaver's face to begin with. (Actually it was his brother's face, but whatever.)

allan said...

Yes, it is. Gotta get out of here, go home, have a beer and bang out a recap!

(I eat this shit for breakfast, apparently!)

Rob said...

And off to bed.

Gasp. A Red Sox/Yankees game that was UNDER three hours.

Joe Grav said...

Take a few hits from the official JoS bong first

Rob said...

Bang on, Allan. Bang on.

Sarah Haendler said...

I have no fear of any mystical, probably non-existant being who I have never seen before, who offers wisdom in the form of the written word - except for L-girl

Will the fear remain after you've seen the source of the wisdom at JoS 1?

laura k said...

I have no fear of any mystical, probably non-existant being who I have never seen before, who offers wisdom in the form of the written word - except for L-girl

Hey, I exist!

laura k said...

Good night, all! See you for another win tomorrow!

SoSock said...

A nice job by Lester tonight. And I for one am DAMN glad that Manny showed some of the non-believers that he is still the man, on the field and at the plate!
How fortunate that he got several opportunities tonight to prove them all right, and lo and behold he did just the opposite!
Cool.
And I will NOT start into any stories about opium, acid, hashish, speed, ludes,.......where was I?
Oh yeah. And I will NOT mention that my LL team won both games of a doubleheader today and are 1 win away from a district championship.
Not gonna do it.

Sarah Haendler said...

Good night all. See you tomorrow night.

Joe Grav said...

I have no proof of your existence... sorry

Zenslinger said...

A real live must-win win. Thank you Manny and Lester and...and Timlin. Thank you.

Joe Grav said...

Will the fear remain after you've seen the source of the wisdom at JoS 1?

The fear will probably increase, along with the admiration

That's how the biblethumpers say the deity thing works, right?

laura k said...

Will the fear remain after you've seen the source of the wisdom at JoS 1?

He'll be staying here in a few weeks, coming up with a million people to see the Sox at Skydome. (All million are not staying with us, tho.)

So soon any notions of mysticism and intimidation will be dispelled.

Sarah Haendler said...

(All million are not staying with us, tho.)

Probably for the best. That would take more than the aforementioned backyard, I suspect...

Joe Grav said...

(All million are not staying with us, tho.)

That's what you think

Sarah Haendler said...

That's how the biblethumpers say the deity thing works, right?

Dunno... I don't talk to them anymore, they just make me mad.

SoSock said...

Zen - I could tell you had a hard time getting Timlin's name in there.

Joe Grav said...

The best thing is, given the nature of these JoS conversations, you can not complain if I show up to your house sloshed on saturday night

...

:-p

Jack Marshall said...

Just got back from watching the game with my Mom and Dad.

What a perfect game!

All is well in the Land of the Red Sox.

Joe Grav said...

Maybe I'll leave a 'thank you' gift of John McCain bumper stickers

laura k said...

We are the last people who would complain about a friend showing up sloshed. Just make sure you get in the right house.

If people are speaking Polish, leave right away.

laura k said...

Maybe I'll leave a 'thank you' gift of John McCain bumper stickers

That, on the other hand...

Drunk, high, insane: all fine. Republican: go next door and learn Polish.

laura k said...

Probably for the best. That would take more than the aforementioned backyard, I suspect...

There's a school with a soccer pitch nearby.

laura k said...

That's it, folks. Comments will have to wait for Allan to come home. G'night.

Joe Grav said...

Night!

Joe Grav said...

redsock, I've been meaning to ask you - are you familiar with the pre-I Don't Like Mondays-era Boomtown Rats? their first three albums?

I think you'd like them.

laura k said...

Old Boomtown Rats sounds more like my department. I saw them when their first album came out.

laura k said...

Why am I still awake???

Joe Grav said...

OMG really??? I am so jealous. They are my all-time favorite

allan said...

are you familiar with the pre-I Don't Like Mondays-era Boomtown Rats? their first three albums?

I have no idea what they sound like.

I remember hearing "Rat Trap" -- as far as I know the only other old song I have heard (we got a Montreal FM rock station in northern VT). I see that is on their 2nd record.

Joe Grav said...

Because the Red Sox are awesome

Joe Grav said...

I am sending you "A Tonic For the Troops" tout suite.

Joe Grav said...

i'll email you tomorrow and put some files up on sendspace. if you enjoy them i can bring some copies to the Palace in a few weeks.

g'night!

Joe Grav said...

i can't go to bed without RECAP magic

nixon33 said...

what do you guys think about this whole manny thing? (kidding)
but in all seriousness, if what gammons is saying is true (this is manny's last year as a red sock) i will most definitely be depressed about it.
how can you replace him. i understand if you give me a whole bunch of numbers, but his presence. his fucking magic.
would you guys be ok with the manny ers over? and then, what if he became a MFY? It would make more sense for him to go to the mets... but there's always a chance of MFY sticking it to us, even if its just for one year.

nixon33 said...

thats manny era, rather.

allan said...

would you guys be ok with the manny ers over?

I can't see any other possibility, but I'm not ready for it to end. No way. But I also know that the Red Sox can do a lot with his $$ off the books.

there's always a chance of MFY sticking it to us, even if its just for one year.

Manny will not sign anywhere for one year. Gammo mentioned a four-year deal (at a possible $25 per, which is insane, and something I think Gammons must be making up), but which AL team would give MBM a deal until age 40?

allan said...

I hope that if Manny now knows he'll be a free agent, he'll starting raking like a MFer for the rest of the season, doing everything he can to wow whoever his new employer might be.

(But that's also why he might sit out a game rather than risk a knee injury -- that wouldn't be good for his next deal.)

nixon33 said...

but which AL team would give MBM a deal until age 40?

probably none, thats why he'll probably become a met, no? with pedro there as well, it'd def help.
thats all i hear them complain about on WFAN "the mets need a LF that can hit, wah, wah, wah..."

i know nothing gold can stay, but i just don't want that day to come sooner rather than later.

laura k said...

probably none, thats why he'll probably become a met, no?

The Mets, where greats-in-decline go to die.

i know nothing gold can stay, but i just don't want that day to come sooner rather than later.

Ditto.

laura k said...

They are my all-time favorite

I know this. :)

I didn't continue to follow them, but I liked them at the time. About a million years ago.

9casey said...

nixon33 said...


i know nothing gold can stay, but i just don't want that day to come sooner rather than later


Amen, Ponyboy

nixon33 said...

The Mets, where greats-in-decline go to die.


ha. i was thinking the same thing last night, but in terms of the national league.
oh the national league, where where the greats are put out to pasture!

nixon33 said...

Amen, Ponyboy

yeah... or robert frost ;)

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