Game 63: Can't Win 'Em All

by Ben Buchanan on Jun 14, 2009 9:08 PM EDT

Though it'd certainly be nice to.

Final - 6.14.2009	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Boston Red Sox	0	4	0	0	0	1	0	1	0	6	11	2
Philadelphia Phillies	1	0	0	0	4	0	6	0	X	11	14	2
WP: Chan Ho Park (3 - 1) LP: Josh Beckett (7 - 3)

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After taking game 2 of the series 11-6, the Red Sox got a taste of their own medicine as the Phillies turned the score around and avoided the sweep.

The Red Sox again got out ahead of the Phillies in the early going, scoring 4 runs in the second thanks to back-to-back homers by Rocco Baldelli and Nick Green, a sacrifice fly by Jacoby Ellsbury, and an RBI single by Jason Bay.

Josh Beckett looked dominant up until the 5th inning, allowing only 1 run off a swinging bunt, an infield single, and something of a bloop to right. In the 5th, the Phillies managed to score 4 runs off of 4 singles and a double. There wasn't a lot of hard contact against Beckett, but the Phillies managed to make it work.

Beckett returned fire in the top of the 6th with a solo shot to left field to tie the game, but was pulled in the 7th after giving up a leadoff home run to Jimmy Rollins, and a single to Shane Victorino. The Phillies managed to pull away as Daniel Bard couldn't find the strike zone, allowing 4 runs on 3 walks and 2 hits in two-thirds of an inning, throwing only 11-of-31 pitches for strikes.

The Sox had plenty of chances early, and received significant contributions from unexpected guys like Nick Green, Julio Lugo, and George Kottaras (a combined 5-10 with 4 walks, a double, and a home run) but left 11 men on base and went 1-7 with runners in scoring position.

The Red Sox have an off day tomorrow to hopefully get their bullpen back in order, and then start a series in Fenway against the Marlins on Tuesday.

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Too bad both Penny and Beck won't be able to pitch against their former team.

At least we’ll see 2/3 of our pickings from the 03 Marlins. :)

by bdalebs on Jun 14, 2009 10:13 PM EDT reply actions

This next stretch should reveal a lot about the team

The Sox have just finished a 25-game stretch in which they played 18 games against division leaders, including the last 12. Overall, they finished 16-9, and 9-3 in their last 12 games. (Note that this is the first time since the start of interleague play that a team has had to play four consecutive series against four different division leaders.)

Currently, none of the teams they are playing between now and the All-Star break have winning records. While it will be nice to see the Sox not have to be engaged in a life-and-death battle every evening, we should also hope that they don’t grow complacent just because the competition is somewhat weaker than the gauntlet they just ran.

by lone1c on Jun 14, 2009 11:19 PM EDT reply actions

What's wrong with domination?

We’ll just have to make sure we scale our expectations for the competition.

by bdalebs on Jun 14, 2009 11:40 PM EDT up reply actions

Nothing

The only problem is that the Sox haven’t really been dominating weaker competition. Admittedly, some of that is related to having to play out West, where they have typically struggled. With the exception of having to play nearly twenty straight days at the end of the season, the Red Sox have a much easier schedule than most of our division rivals for the remainder of the year. They need to take advantage of that, and must start doing so in the immediate future.

by lone1c on Jun 15, 2009 12:07 AM EDT up reply actions