Game 46: Penny keeps Twins at bay

by Randy Booth on May 25, 2009 8:25 PM EDT in Game Stories

FINAL SCORE: Red Sox 6, Twins 5
PLAYER OF THE GAME: 1-5 (Ells, Pedey, Youk, Bay, Lowell -- 13 for 25, five runs, five RBIs)

Brad Penny, you're starting to look like a major league pitcher.

Penny struggled in the sixth inning, but ended up going 5.1, allowed three runs, six hits, no walks and struck out seven. That's what we like to see out of our No. 5 starter.

The offense was supplied from the top of the order (note: David Ortiz was on the bench). The 1-5 starters had 13 hits, including a 4 for 5 day from Mike Lowell. Kevin Youkilis and Jason Bay each had two RBIs.

Ramon Ramirez and Hideki Okajima were both perfect in relief. Ramirez went 1.2 without allowing a hit and striking out one. Oki worked an inning and struck out one.

Jonathan Papelbon worked the 9th and gave up a two-run home run to Joe Mauer, but the Sox still hung on to win 6-5.

Another game tomorrow: Jon Lester v. Nick Blackburn.

EDIT: In accordance to lone1c's preference, I must mention: Jeff Bailey hit a home run which, in the end, turned out to be the difference in the score. Thank you, Mr. Bailey. Now we know and knowing is half the battle.

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All this w/out Drew in the lineup. (I know he got in at the end) Mr. Ortiz may be looking at some time on the bench, especially with the division getting tight.

by matzushocka45 on May 25, 2009 8:29 PM EDT reply actions

Bails definitely deserves an honorable mention

His HR was the insurance run that kept the game from going to extra innings after Mauer’s HR off of Paps.

Heck, he deserves to be mentioned at least once in the summary!

by lone1c on May 25, 2009 11:02 PM EDT reply actions

“Jeff Bailey hit a home run.”

Happy? :D

OverTheMonster.com

by Randy Booth on May 25, 2009 11:28 PM EDT up reply actions

Almost.

I guess I should have italicized in the summary, too. :-P

by lone1c on May 26, 2009 12:36 AM EDT up reply actions

2 nights in a row for paps

Hopefully its out of his system and it only cost one game.
Also, does anyone else other than me think its possible for Mauer to hit .400?

by sydneysox on May 25, 2009 11:08 PM EDT reply actions

we were all worried

about Paps even before the Mets loss. So I doubt anyone is surprised. The walks have been a killer (11 or 12 already this year; If he keeps Sheff from a bb, we might not have lost Saturday’s game). But my bigger concern is the complete loss of his splitter. Where did it go? From mid last year on it is like he either does not want to throw it, or he throws a few in the dirt with no reall effect. Unless he can get that nasty pitch back, I think I will hold my breath each time he comes in with a small lead.

by Buzzy on May 26, 2009 9:09 AM EDT up reply actions

Paps is just throwing

super straight fastball, and no matter how fast these are, when major league hitters know they are coming, they can be hit. He needs to put more types of pitches in his delivery groupings, and his fastball needs to be either located more obscurely or must dance a bit. Otherwise, he will just revert to an average to below average pitcher!

by NG on May 26, 2009 9:10 AM EDT up reply actions

Not quite

but almost. he is getting tagged on the overthrown straight fastballs, which he is throwing too many of. He still throws the very good, riding fastball with late life. So that is the ptich he blew away Pena, Upton and Crawford with, and Wright and Reed with. The problem is that he has thrown the flat fastballs over the middle of the plate in the last two games too (and several other times this year).
He needs to get control of his splitter back so he can keep hitter more off balance.

by Buzzy on May 26, 2009 9:56 AM EDT up reply actions