David Ortiz Joins A Club Of Red Sox Elite, So Does Kevin Youkilis

A night that seemingly could not have gone any worse for the Boston Red So was a small cause for celebration for two Red Sox players.

Designated hitter David Ortiz entered last night's game with 299 career home runs as a member of the Boston Red Sox.  One shy of joining a group of Red Sox legends such as Ted Williams, Carl Yastrzemski, Jim Rice, and Dwight Evans as hitters who acheived at least 300 home runs in their careers with Boston.  

In the fourth inning of last nights game, Ortiz took a 2-2 fastball from Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano and crushed it over the Monster seats to not only give the Red Sox the early 2-1 advantage, but also cement himself as one of the best hitters in Red Sox history.  Not that he already wasn't considered to be one.

Another member of the Red Sox, Kevin Youkilis, also cemented his name in Red Sox history (a painful part, at least).  In the fifth inning, Zambrano hit Kevin Youkilis with a 92 mph fastball, marking the seventy-second time that he has been hit in his career.  With that plunk, Youkilis set the all-time Red Sox record in the HBP category with 72, moving him past Mo Vaughn, the previous leader. Interestingly, it was the same fastball that gave Zambrano the Cubs' club record for hit batsmen.

Youkilis' probably has Marlon Byrd to thank for it, as Zambrano was likely intentionally throwing at Youkilis intentionally after Byrd was hit in the face by Alfredo Aceves.  Either way, Youk took his bruise and record to first base without any incident.

Both have now cemented themselves in the Red Sox record books.  Ortiz has joined the Red Sox' 300 home run club, while Youkilis has the record for the amount of ice packs worn after the game (and for being one of the toughest Red Sox players).  Congratulations to both on their accomplishments