OTM's Top 10 Red Sox Moments of 2009: Honorable Mentions

Although the Red Sox's 2009 season didn't quite end like we had all wanted, there were some good moments last season. Nothing that ends with a playoff win, of course, but good moments nonetheless.

Today we start our top 10 list for top Red Sox moments of the season. Today is the honorable mentions; moments that received votes that could not crack our top 10 list. Our No. 10 moment will be posted tomorrow.

After the jump, find all six honorable mentions.

April 30 & Aug. 27: Jonathan Van Every and Nick Green aren't just position players

Check this off in the "you don't see this every day" column. You might not remember Jonathan Van Every 10 years from now, but if you do, you'll probably remember this game. In a blowout game, Van Every -- an outfielder -- came in and pitched for the Sox. He recorded two outs, allowed a hit and a walk but damn! If he didn't stop the bleeding! You'll have a better chance of remember Nick Green in 10 years. If you do, I hope you remember the shortstop's two inning of scoreless relief on Aug. 27. He faced nine batters and walked three of them, but I'll take two scoreless innings and no hits from a shortstop on the mound. Green's post-game money quote? "My fingers were as slick as crap."

May 20: David Ortiz hits his first home run of the season

One day after I posted an article about the Red Sox perhaps looking for a new designated hitter, David Ortiz did something he hadn't done since September of 2008. Hit a home run. And it was beautiful. It was 163 at-bats into the 2009 season for Ortiz before he hit that home run to left-center field. He would go on to hit 28 more home runs in the season and proved to be one of the best hitters in baseball from June 1 on. OTM user pedrewkilis may have said it the best: "It was like lemon lime Gatorade after 3 days in the Sahara."

June 12: Daniel Bard's first save is impressive

Daniel Bard's first career save wasn't just your normal save. He didn't just come into the ninth inning and work three outs. Nah, not like that. Instead, he came into the 13th inning against the defending World Series champions Philadelphia Phillies with a three-run lead and faced the heart of their order. This is how it went down:

After a leadoff walk, he struck out Jayson Werth, struck out Ryan Howard, hit Raul Ibanez (99MPH in the arm. That is a dent in the morning), and capped his first career save by striking out Shane Victorino. All three batters looked ugly in their Ks.

I'm not a man with an amazing memory for specifics. But I still remember how ugly the at-bats were by Werth, Howard and Victorino. Howard especially. That was just sweet.

July 6: Nomar Garciaparra returns home

If you shed a tear when Nomar Garciaparra came home in July, no one is going to blame you. Nomar received an amazing standing ovation when he was announced. It was just one of those moments where you're happy to be a Red Sox fan. Not every team does this for their former stars; Red Sox fans, well, we do that for guys that weren't even stars (see: Roberts, Dave). After the game, Nomar was appreciative: "You don’t know how things are going to play out," Garciaparra said. "There’s no script for that one. I think what you saw out there was just pure emotion, from the fans, from myself."

July 17: Julio Lugo is designated for assignment

If Ortiz's first home run was a sigh of relief, Julio Lugo's designation for assignment was a sigh of "finally!" Lugo's tenure as a Red Sox was officially over on July 17. The signing went down as a bust, but at least the Sox got rid of him. Lugo brought his crappy defense (-53 UZR/150 in 32 games with the Sox) to the Cardinals, while still getting paid from the Red Sox. But hey, at least he was gone, right?

Aug. 7: Red Sox, Yankees battle to 15 innings before A-Rod walk-off home run

A "top moment" doesn't necessarily have to be a good moment. The Red Sox and Yankees battled in a scoreless game for 14.5 innings before Alex Rodriguez hit a walk-off home run against Junichi Tazawa. It was Tazawa's professional debut. Heck of a way to start, huh? Despite the loss, it was an amazing game to watch. It was another Josh Beckett v. A.J. Burnett pitcher's duel, where either could have earned the win.

Over The Monster's No. 10 moment of the Red Sox's 2009 season will be posted tomorrow morning.