Game 71: Playing the Nats is nice

by Randy Booth on Jun 25, 2009 12:00 AM EDT in Game Stories

While the Nationals may be the worst team in the league, they don't always look like that -- at least on some nights.

The Red Sox knocked off a valiant Nats team tonight, 6-4, behind an OK performance from Jon Lester and a good offensive showing.

Lester logged a "quality start" by going six innings and surrendering just three runs. He gave up six hits, two walks and struck out six. It certainly wasn't one of his best starts on the year, but he kept that lowly Nats offense down. That's good enough for me if that means a win.

The runs came from somewhat unlikely spots. David Ortiz - if you didn't know already - is hot. He hit another dinger tonight. Jason Varitek also had a two-run home run which scored Ortiz. Ortiz's was a three-run shot while Dustin Pedroia singled for the team's first RBI.

The bullpen was pretty good. Justin Masterson gave up one run in 1.2 innings of work, Hideki Okajima allowed a walk (0.1 innings) and Jonathan Papelbon had a spotless 9^th to earn the save. It is Papelbon's 17^th save of the season.

The series finishes Thursday with a highly-anticipated start from John Smoltz, who is making his Red Sox debut. The Nats will send out Jordan Zimmermann against the future Hall of Famer.

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As long as it's a win, and nobody gets hurt, I'll take it

I seriously can’t wait to see Smoltz pitch tonight. Him & Pedro are my all-time favorite pitchers. There’s a damn huge party that I’m going to have to skip to watch the game, but sometimes you have to make sacrifices.

A solid effort by Smoltz and the offense & a sweep are on my wishlist today.

by Brad West on Jun 25, 2009 7:06 AM EDT reply actions

(Bench)
Lugo – 1.007
Kottaras – .988
Baldelli – .907
Kotsay – .611

I gotta go 'cause I'm probably definitely gonna nod out again.

by Drugs Delaney on Jun 25, 2009 9:02 AM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, it's been an odd month.

by Ben Buchanan on Jun 25, 2009 11:31 AM EDT up reply actions

That’s a good bench line. Plus Kotsay’s is a small SS.

OverTheMonster.com

by Randy Booth on Jun 25, 2009 3:22 PM EDT up reply actions

I was about to start cursing Kotsay. He's been playing great D when we've been forced to put him out in CF.

Lowell is just sad.

OverTheMonster - ALLERGEN WARNING: May contain peanut butter.

by bdalebs on Jun 25, 2009 3:47 PM EDT up reply actions

Masterson didn't look very sharp.

He wasn’t hitting his spots, though he seemed to have good movement.

"You know you're having a bad day when the fifth inning rolls around and they drag the warning track." - Mike Flanagan, Baltimore Orioles pitcher, 1992.

by SoxDevil on Jun 25, 2009 2:00 PM EDT reply actions