The Red Sox (1-0) try to keep their drive to 162-0 alive tonight when they host the Rays (0-1) at Fenway. Yesterday Boston won their opener 5-3 behind 7 dominant innings from starter Josh Beckett. (2 hits, 1 run, 10 strikeouts). Jon Lester hopes to get his '09 season started on the right foot after a breakout year in '08 (16-6, 3.21 ERA). He will be opposed by Tampa's Scott Kazmir (12-8, 3.49 ERA last season). Hopefully Jacoby Ellsbury, the only Sox starter without a hit yesterday, can get going and help Boston make it two in a row. Let's go Red Sox!
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Tough not to be encouraged by the Sox yesterday, with the exception of Ellsbury, Oki & Jedi. Not going to get too worked up over 1 of 162 though. 7 innings from our starters like that and Boston will be tough to beat all year.
My greatest concern for this team generally, strategically (non-injury related) is leaving men stranded on base. Though I wasn't able to watch every game last year I found that nearly all the ones I saw there were 3 or 2 men left on in at least one inning. Bottom line, we gotta make those runs count this year.
Rocco to play tonight - benching Drew vs. Kazmir. Kapler starts for Rays!
Red Sox
1. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B
3. David Ortiz, DH
4. Kevin Youkilis, 1B
5. Rocco Baldelli, RF
6. Jason Bay, LF
7. Mike Lowell, 3B
8. Jed Lowrie, SS
9. Jason Varitek, C
-- Jon Lester, LHP
Rays
1. Jason Bartlett, SS
2. Carl Crawford, LF
3. Evan Longoria, 3B
4. Carlos Pena, 1B
5. Pat Burrell, DH
6. Dioner Navarro C
7. Ben Zobrist, RF
8. Gabe Kapler, CF
9. Akinori Iwamura, 2B
-- Scott Kazmir, LHP
hoping lester gets off to a strong start to prove last year was no fluke. obviously i dont think it was but it would be nice to come flying out of the gates to prove it. his success is going to be huge for the sox this year
Kazmir walked 2 and fanned 2 in a 25 pitch first. Lester threw 21 pitches.
terrible calls on Baldelli and Youk btw
Theme of the day = striking out looking.
Is it just me, or does it seem as though Kazmir's velocity is down quite a bit?
wow. Lester strikes out side after walking the leadoff guy. So good.
CBSSports describes the weather like this: 44°F - Broken clouds. Nippy.Wind: 10mph/SW
Nippy!
Such a Baseball term
3 pop outs by the Sox (Bay, Lowell, VTek) with a nice walk prior to Tek. Pop ups on the infield = it is cold out.
Our bats looked better yesterday. We look real good to start off the year.
Ortiz is up
1-0
low inside called strike
fouls it off his foot
hobbles about
1-2
1 out man on second.
fouls off another
foul off to left
on a slightly more than check swing
called strike 3 up the middle.
Youk takes a low ball
and a 2nd low ball
2-0
Youk had a single up the middle, great hit! Pedroia makes it home.
Youk caught in pickle between 2nd and 1st. Last out of inning.
Back to the C's for now.
I hate to compliment an opponent but that was a brilliant suicide safety squeeze by Bartlett. He is a pesky mofo.
0 outs - Lester in trouble - wait - great double play. 3-1 Tampa Bay. Could be a ton worse.
Carlos Pena just destroyed a 3-1 fastball. 5-1 Tampa. Ouch.
3 - 1 Tampa
til a 2 run homer to dead center.
5 - 1
Yanks getting whooped. 7-1 Os in the 5th
So funny - the Sox have the Yanks in last place on the LF scoreboard - yet they are tied with TB for last at 0-1 and they usually go in alphabetical order (New York prior to Tampa)....but....they put the Yanks in last whenever possible at Fenway. Great stuff!
Looks good to me!
so did that hit by Ellsbury
This game is a snooze. Kazmir's changeup is sick tonight.
Nice drop by Youk to shallow right.
Nice hit by Baldelli.
Bay is up with runners on first and second.....1 out. Need a hit here. Bay = AWFUL swing. 1-2.
go for broke swing from Bay, I like it
Full count to Bay.
gets called on an outside strike.
I want to see the movie Sugar by the way - anyone else see the preview? A must watch it seems.
3-2 on Bay....here we go...crowd coming alive...STANDING NOW....here we go......pitch to BAY....HORRIBLE CALLED STRIKE THREE!
Holy shit that was awful. that was ball 4
2 Outs, 1 -2 to Lowell.
man on 1sr & 2nd
Lowell now. 1-2 on him. I feel deflated after that ump called that low and outside strike 3. Should be bases loaded with 1 out. damnit.
Here we go Lowell....ground out. zzzzzzzzzzzz
grounder to 3rd. throw to second. end of inning.
Beckett gives $100,000 to Children's Hospital. Nice!
Okay, I feel partially responsible for this loss since I wasn't on here. I was watching however. Very tough loss...but it seemed clear pretty early (definitely after the squeeze play) that this just wasn't the Sox night.
Highlights for Boston:
* Ellsbury gets a hit
* Rocco made a sweet catch
* Youk with 3 hits
* Solid bullpen work by MDC & Ramirez
It's only the 2nd game so I'll choose to dwell on the positive...even after a 7-2 loss.
Sox 3 MVPs...
1-Youk
2-Ortiz
3-Bay
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