Game 2: Boston Plays Small Ball
With the Boston Red Sox scorching the Colorado Rockies pitching for 13 runs in Game One, it was up to their right-hander, Ubaldo Jimenez, to quiet the Boston bats, at least enough to give the offense a fighting chance to make this a series again.
The 23 year-old Dominican answered the call to arms, limiting Boston to two runs and three hits through 4 2/3 innings, a remarkable achievement, considering how hot the Red Sox bats have been over the past four games of the post-season. But as the Rockies head home, down two games, after dropping game two, it was their offense who pushed them a foot deeper into the grave, in particular Matt Holliday, who was picked off first base in the 8th inning, an unconscionable base running blunder, with slugger Todd Helton standing at the plate with a chance to put the Rockies ahead with one mighty swing.
Padre fans, no doubt, relished watching the Rockies left-fielder finally being called out by an umpire, knowing he’s largely responsible for the Padres, some would say unfairly, sitting out another post-season.
Game two was a reminder to those who think the Red Sox are only about violent swings, long singles, Manny being Manny civil disorders, an unfathomable amount of extra base hits, and final scores resembling NFL shootouts. Boston reminded us all that they can pitch too, and manufacture runs, just like any small market club. The Sox had all those ingredients Thursday, an essential part of any championship club. There were no majestic swings over the Green Monster , merely workmanlike single runs in the 4th (a sacrifice fly by Jason Varitek to score Mike Lowell), then a hard hitting double to deep left by Lowell in the 5th (to score ``Big Papi’’, David Oritz), to put Boston up 2-1, and as it turns out, that’s all the American League champs would need.
Curt Schilling was at his grizzly October best last night on a cold bitter night at Fenway, pitching another monumental game, and now carrying an 11-2 post season record— the highest winning percentage in post-season history, among pitchers with at least 10 decisions.
The right-handed veteran, who may very well have pitched his last game in a Sox uniform, made it count on a night his teammates bats finally went cold—pitching 5 1/3 innings, giving up four hits, two walks, and surrendering one run, enough to set the table for the Japanese flamethrower Hideki Okajima, who mowed down seven straight Rockie batters, striking out four; this from a pitcher, who had to be shut down on September 20th due to a tired arm after allowing a career-high four runs, in one-third of an inning in an crushing 8-7 loss to the New York Yankees.
It only took Jonathan Papelbon 16 pitches to finish off the Rockies, recording his first World Series save, to send the series back to Colorado, with the Boston up 2-0. Okajima and Palpelbon working their magic last night, brought back vivid memories of the invincible one-two punch of Mariano Rivera and John Wetteland during the New York Yankees 1996 world championship season.
So while the Rockies try to figure out a way to resurrect some offense, having scored only two runs over the last 18 innings, Boston’s biggest predicament will be which one of their big boppers, Ortiz or Kevin Youkilis will have to sit Game three out, when Terry Francona won’t have the luxury of penciling in a designated hitter in a national league park.
What a nice problem to have.
-Bill Lucey
billlucey@bellsouth.net
The 23 year-old Dominican answered the call to arms, limiting Boston to two runs and three hits through 4 2/3 innings, a remarkable achievement, considering how hot the Red Sox bats have been over the past four games of the post-season. But as the Rockies head home, down two games, after dropping game two, it was their offense who pushed them a foot deeper into the grave, in particular Matt Holliday, who was picked off first base in the 8th inning, an unconscionable base running blunder, with slugger Todd Helton standing at the plate with a chance to put the Rockies ahead with one mighty swing.
Padre fans, no doubt, relished watching the Rockies left-fielder finally being called out by an umpire, knowing he’s largely responsible for the Padres, some would say unfairly, sitting out another post-season.
Game two was a reminder to those who think the Red Sox are only about violent swings, long singles, Manny being Manny civil disorders, an unfathomable amount of extra base hits, and final scores resembling NFL shootouts. Boston reminded us all that they can pitch too, and manufacture runs, just like any small market club. The Sox had all those ingredients Thursday, an essential part of any championship club. There were no majestic swings over the Green Monster , merely workmanlike single runs in the 4th (a sacrifice fly by Jason Varitek to score Mike Lowell), then a hard hitting double to deep left by Lowell in the 5th (to score ``Big Papi’’, David Oritz), to put Boston up 2-1, and as it turns out, that’s all the American League champs would need.
Curt Schilling was at his grizzly October best last night on a cold bitter night at Fenway, pitching another monumental game, and now carrying an 11-2 post season record— the highest winning percentage in post-season history, among pitchers with at least 10 decisions.
The right-handed veteran, who may very well have pitched his last game in a Sox uniform, made it count on a night his teammates bats finally went cold—pitching 5 1/3 innings, giving up four hits, two walks, and surrendering one run, enough to set the table for the Japanese flamethrower Hideki Okajima, who mowed down seven straight Rockie batters, striking out four; this from a pitcher, who had to be shut down on September 20th due to a tired arm after allowing a career-high four runs, in one-third of an inning in an crushing 8-7 loss to the New York Yankees.
It only took Jonathan Papelbon 16 pitches to finish off the Rockies, recording his first World Series save, to send the series back to Colorado, with the Boston up 2-0. Okajima and Palpelbon working their magic last night, brought back vivid memories of the invincible one-two punch of Mariano Rivera and John Wetteland during the New York Yankees 1996 world championship season.
So while the Rockies try to figure out a way to resurrect some offense, having scored only two runs over the last 18 innings, Boston’s biggest predicament will be which one of their big boppers, Ortiz or Kevin Youkilis will have to sit Game three out, when Terry Francona won’t have the luxury of penciling in a designated hitter in a national league park.
What a nice problem to have.
-Bill Lucey
billlucey@bellsouth.net
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