The Clutch Mart is Open! Victor Leads the Sox to a Win
Pinch hitting with 1 out and the bases loaded, all Victor Martinez needed to put the Sox on top was a sacrifice fly. Instead, he took the first pitch he saw —a fastball begging to be hit
Martinez' double capped another strong offensive night for the Red Sox, who managed 15 hits and 5 walks in the 7-5 win. In the first inning, Jason Bay put the Sox on top 2-0 with a 2-out base hit. Then, in the 4th, the Red Sox scored perhaps their most unusual run of the season. Mike Lowell reached first on an error after a low throw from 3rd baseman Melvin Mora bounced out of Ty Wigginton's glove, and then stole 2nd base as Varitek took a pitch in the dirt on a hit-and-run attempt. Varitek, 0-for-his-last-14, then doubled him in. The Sox would add another odd run in the 6th, then down 1, as Dustin Pedroia scored Joey Gathright (pinch running for Jason Varitek) from 3rd after bouncing a pitch off of pitcher Matt Albers. Every Sox starter recorded a hit except Alex Gonzalez.
Paul Byrd managed to keep the Sox in the game, dancing around 6 hits, 3 walks, and a ton of hard-hit balls to limit the Orioles to 2 runs over 5 innings. Manny Delcarmen pitched disastrously, loading the bases on 2 hits and his own fielding error before issuing a 4-pitch, bases-loaded walk to Brian Roberts. He recorded only 1 out. Ramon Ramirez allowed another of Delcarmen's runners to score on a single by Felix Pie before averting further harm by sitting down the next 2 batters on strikes. Billy Wagner had yet another 2 strike out inning in the 7th. Daniel Bard would strike out two, but allow the tying run to come to the plate by giving up a single and a walk before Jonathan Papelbon ended the 8th with a 1-pitch out. Paps would again induce some Drama, allowing a run to score in the 9th and again having the tying run come to the plate, but recorded the save on a Ty Wigginton pop-out.
The Sox stay 2 games up in the wild card race on the Texas Rangers, who blew out the Indians 10-0. Tampa Bay is coming to Boston for the two teams' final series of the season, while the Rangers host division rival Seattle.
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Forsooth, will we now exclaim Ye Sox as in days of olde?
If such be our new path – verily, me likee.
by Mister Snitch on Sep 10, 2009 11:51 AM EDT up reply actions
I know the Yankees seem like world beaters right about now...BUT
I am starting to get a good feeling about the 09 Red Sox. Right now i am routing for the Tigers to win, but in things are going to be much different the next time Boston and NY meet up.
VMart, Wagner, Bay is back, Youk is not beating people up, Papi looks dialed in, Buchholz is pretty nasty, Beckett looks to have put his mini slump behind him. Its finally time for both teams, healthy, to meet up and see who is really the king of the hill in the AL.
MDC and RamRam don't look that great...
Ramirez is a better pitcher than what he is pitching recently….. I don’t know what is going with MDC, but they got to plug the gap in the later innings. If they are pitching against the MFY, they can’t walk the bottom of the order to face Jeter, Godzilla and this is difficult for me to write, even Judas…
I can tell you what's up with MDC.
It’s his standard inconsistency. This is nothing new, and why I wanted to capitalize on his value early in the season.
by Ben Buchanan on Sep 10, 2009 1:34 AM EDT up reply actions
Though as far as our pen is concerned
Wagner is looking like a great pickup, and I think Bard is coming back. Oki needs to be shut down for a few weeks, I think. Saito needs to be relied on more. Generally speaking our problem is that we’ve got a bunch of guys good against lefties and only 2 guys (Ramirez, Bard) who can be good middle inning guys against right handed batters. Historically, though, Wagner has faired just fine against them, so maybe he can be our savior there.
Still, Tito needs to play matchups a little more. Ramirez can’t face lefties, Oki can’t face righties (new to this year, but the splits are MASSIVE), and MDC can’t face anyone in a close game.
by Ben Buchanan on Sep 10, 2009 1:49 AM EDT up reply actions
100% agree
MDC cannot be used as anything other than mop up. He is the last guy that should be used in critical situations. I dread him like I did Timlin last season. (yes I know MDC is better than Timlin)
Victimized. But still here.
MDC and RamRam
as far as yesterday, let’s not equate RamRam and MDC in that inning. Sure, RamRam allowed a run to score with the bases loaded mess that MDC created, but his 2 Ks were HUGE (against perhaps the O’s 2 most dangerous hitters) when a fly ball would have netted another run. RamRam is not consistent and is pretty poor against LHB (although he handled Markakis pretty well), but right now MDC just flat out stinks. I hope those out there that still think Tito made mistakes by shying away from him (eg in the Tampa game when he started a second inning with RamRam) reconsider that view. He is a poor pitcher right now. I agree about Saito. Might as well give him some of the slots MDC used to take.
Not so sanguine about Ortiz, but
the rest of your list is solid, SA. And let me add: Drew – already hot – gets damn clutch this time of year, Gonzo is playing out of his mind, Lowell is, uh, stealing bases (OK, forget that one, but at least he’s hitting consistently), Lester can go toe to toe with anyone, Ells is quietly having a fine, record-breaking year, and Dice-K had a very encouraging final tune-up start in Salem (here’s hoping).
by Mister Snitch on Sep 10, 2009 11:58 AM EDT up reply actions
"In the first inning, Jason Bay put the Sox on top 2-1 with a 2-out base hit."
The O’s scored their first run in the second.
and
“Paps would again induce some Drama, allowing a run to score in the 5th and again …”
I guess u mean the 9th
by German Red Sox Fan on Sep 10, 2009 6:38 AM EDT reply actions
Martinez
One of the best deadline moves in recent memory. I can’t praise what he has done for this club enough. I know Lowell is a little unhappy about playing time, but Martinez has enabled Lowell the ability to stay healthy and that’s very important. I hope we can lock Martinez up to a 2-3 year extension this off season. next season have him catch 3, 4 days a week, DH a little, 1B a little etc… He is the one guy on the team besides maybe Youk that I expect to deliver in almost every situation and don’t worry about.
Victimized. But still here.
You mean: The best deadline move...
…since last year. See, the Sox were in a bind and had to let a legendary left fielder go. Then, under enormous pressure, they picked up this little-known Pirate and…
You make just one move of this caliber per year and you’ve already done more than most front offices in all of baseball.
by Mister Snitch on Sep 10, 2009 12:04 PM EDT up reply actions
ah
I see now that USG’s new article dwells on the subject of my comment. OK, never mind.
by Mister Snitch on Sep 10, 2009 12:16 PM EDT up reply actions
Four major trade deadline moves in six years.
2004: Nomar Garciaparra for Orlando Cabrera and Doug “Eyechart” Mientkiewicz
2007: JKason Gabbard for Eric Perdue Gagné
2008: Manny Ramirez for Jason Bay
2009: Justin Masterson for Victor Martinez
Three of those have been absolutely enormous moves, with only the 2007 one flopping miserably.
I can’t think of any other GM who’s had such a great return on trade-deadline moves during Epstein’s tenure? Anybody? (I’m serious—-is there anybody else who’s made as many moves, with an equal or better success rate?)
Can't think of a GM myself
who’s made this kind of splash, pretty consistently, deep into the season under deadline pressure. Delivering real impact players without giving up too much (Manny notwithstanding – he WANTED out, and was as good as gone anyway). You’d figure those would be the worst circumstances under which to trade, and the best you might do is break even. Yeah, it’s a remarkable record and it’s good to see it acknowledged as such.
by Mister Snitch on Sep 10, 2009 5:23 PM EDT up reply actions
The key in the Manny trade was getting Bay back
Manny wanted out—and the Sox would have gotten two draft picks for a $20 million per year player. Getting Bay as a return was absolutely enormous, and a completely out-of-the-blue return. There was no way that deal should have gone forward, except that Pittsburgh (as always, it seems) was looking to dump high-priced talent.

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