Wild Orioles Give Red Sox the Win, 4-3

by Ben Buchanan on Apr 23, 2010 11:14 PM EDT in Game Stories

Well, this isn't exactly how the Red Sox would have drawn it up, but a win is a win.

David Ortiz got the start at DH and got the Red Sox started by hitting his first home run of the season into the monster seats in left-center. The Sox would add a couple more on a sac fly and GIDP.

Jon Lester was better than he had been before, but not exactly outstanding in his 4th start of the season. He struck out 7 and allowed 0 runs, but the 8 baserunners and 4 walks show he's not exactly all the way back yet. He failed to get out of the 6th inning, loading the bases with 2 outs, but left with a 3-0 lead.

The bullpen ended what had been a relatively solid streak of games when Daniel Bard allowed a 2-run homer in the 7th inning to Adam Jones. Julio Lugo would score the tying from 3rd in the next inning on a groundout after pinch running for Matt Wieters, who had doubled off Hideki Okajima.

With 2 outs and the bases loaded thanks to a J.D. Drew single, an intentional walk to Victor Martinez, and a base on balls from David Ortiz, Adrian Beltre came to the plate with a chance to put the Red Sox on top. Remarkably, Jim Johnson could not find the strike zone even against one of the biggest free swingers in the league, and walked in the go-ahead run.

Papelbon got the save in shaky fashion, giving up a walk and allowing a hit, but was bailed out by Bill Hall, who threw a strike to second on the ball off the wall to catch the runner by a good few feet.

Not pretty, but right now, the Red Sox will take it.

Game Notes:

Adrian Beltre tripled his walk total with 2 on the night.
The defense had another underwhelming night, as Beltre was noticeably sluggish with a number of throws, costing the Red Sox a valuable out (should have been 2, but they got lucky on the call). Marco Scutaro, for his part, tried to start a double play on a runner who had been off with the pitch. The underhand toss to second actually hit Wieters while he was standing on the bag.
Orioles pitching did not record any strikeouts on the night.
Dustin Pedroia has one hit in his last 20 at bats. This trip to the 3-hole has not been a successful one.

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Comments

At this point

I’ll take a W any way we can get it, pretty or not

"Here's to girls and gunpowder" - Gregory Peck

by DocOne on Apr 23, 2010 11:22 PM EDT reply actions

Papi bashers

thank him for this win ……………….oh ya i must give bill hall some man love as well!

by RED SOX are #1 in my heart on Apr 23, 2010 11:35 PM EDT reply actions

Why am I thanking him for this win?

Because he hit a homerun? Just because he hit his first longball doesn’t mean he is off the hotseat.

I didn't like the old one very much. I didn't see the ball there very well. - Julio Lugo on the old Yankees Stadium.

by Charged on Apr 23, 2010 11:41 PM EDT up reply actions

Haven't seen you around much lately.

USG

by Ben Buchanan on Apr 23, 2010 11:42 PM EDT up reply actions

Been tweeting much more than anything.

Ill slowly begin to make my comeback.

I didn't like the old one very much. I didn't see the ball there very well. - Julio Lugo on the old Yankees Stadium.

by Charged on Apr 24, 2010 12:05 AM EDT up reply actions

did not say off the hot seat

but you must give him the credit he is due!

by RED SOX are #1 in my heart on Apr 24, 2010 12:13 AM EDT up reply actions

He is due credit, but not that much.

He hit a home run, yes, but Lester is what won the game for the most part. If he pitched longer it would have been much more obvious, but because he couldn’t even make a full six, it seems like he did nothing.

I didn't like the old one very much. I didn't see the ball there very well. - Julio Lugo on the old Yankees Stadium.

by Charged on Apr 24, 2010 12:39 AM EDT up reply actions

I gave lester his props on the other thread

but will give them again !

by RED SOX are #1 in my heart on Apr 24, 2010 1:53 AM EDT up reply actions

disagree

Not about Papi, but about Lester. Let’s get one thing straight. Lester did not pitch well. This was not a good outing for him, it was the Orioles that were terrible. He walked too many, he allowed too many hits. Garrett Atkins came up twice with the bases loaded and was an embarrassment. Don’t thank Lester for this win, thank the Orioles.
I saw some reassuring things. The defense, for the most part (apart from Scutaro’s decision-making), actually looked good, which was reassuring to see. I felt like the Red Sox batters were showing more of the patience that they should be showing and hitting the ball well (even if most resulted in outs).

But no, this was not the Lester that we love and rely on. This was a pretty bad, lucky pitcher who would’ve been destroyed if he were facing a team with a major league level offense. Plus their defense was little league quality.

by wolf9309 on Apr 24, 2010 2:50 PM EDT up reply actions

Totally agree

Lester did not pitch well. He hasn’t pitched well in any of his four starts. Only once has he pitched six innings this year.

In fact, Sox starters have only gone 6+ innings 9 times in 17 games:

Beckett – three times
Lackey – twice
Wakefield – twice
Lester – once
Buchholz – once

No wonder the bullpen is logging so many innings.

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

by Drugs Delaney on Apr 24, 2010 3:10 PM EDT up reply actions

2nd year in a row

I’ve been in the bleachers for Papi’s first bomb. It was glorious, and seeing Wifebeater end the game was even better. And how the hell did I see beltre WALK in the winning run?

Building Fenway from the ground up - Virtual Fenway

by Sean O on Apr 24, 2010 12:08 AM EDT reply actions

ugh

I almost went to this game but decided not to yesterday. Oh regrets.

by wolf9309 on Apr 24, 2010 2:51 PM EDT up reply actions

Take a win anyway we can get one.

Let’s find a way to beat this young lefty tonight.

" Play Ball "

by went9 on Apr 24, 2010 2:03 AM EDT reply actions

Sox could fall to 7-12

With Matusz pitching tomorrow, as well as he has been pitching, against the Sox anemic offense, this has the very real potential of being another 3-0 shut out and a no-no is not out of the question. Sunday will be the real test of the club, can they muster enough support for Wake? I have a really bad feeling here.

by NJ Native on Apr 24, 2010 5:21 AM EDT reply actions