Withdrawal
| Game 79: June 30, 2007 | |||
 Rangers |
5 | W: Ron Mahay (1-0) H: Joaquin Benoit (9) H: Akinori Otsuka (10) S: Eric Gagne (9) |
33-47, 1 game winning streak 9-15-2 series record |
| Red Sox | 4 | L: Josh Beckett (11-2) | 49-30, 1 game losing streak 18-7-2 series record |
| Highlights: Pawtucket center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury took the spot of Joel Piñeiro on the 25-man roster after the latter was placed on the 15-day disabled list. Unlike Scott Proctor, Piñeiro did not start a bonfire with his equipment. Ellsbury legged out an infield single in the third, surprising Michael Young with his acceleration. | |||
The Fourth of July falling on a Wednesday has wreaked havoc on barbecue schedules. The friends with whom I spend the holiday with decided to have their annual get-together yesterday. They are not baseball fans but rather pinball and video game fanatics and just installed a huge projection screen in their arcade room. As tempted as I was to ask them to use the Wii to navigate over to SoSH for the latest happenings, I thought it might be unseemly to do so.
Despite the terrific food, gorgeous weather, and good company (for the most part; I had to excuse myself from a discussion about immigration), when seven o’clock tolled my baseball withdrawal symptoms were inescapable. I had already managed to mention the Red Sox to a guy that is a racing enthusiast. Bidding farewell to the gang I hopped into the car for the 60-mile drive back home.
Existing in a baseball vacuum for most of the day (save for a few innings playing Wii Sports Baseball), imagine my surprise as I tuned in to WRKO to hear that Jacoby Ellsbury was playing in the game. He donned number 46, most recently worn by Devern Hansack.
His first at bat was disappointing; he nubbed the ball just in front of home plate without it touching him so it was fair. There was more and greater disgruntlement to come.
For despite the home nine building a lead of four runs in the first two innings, the game would be lost.
A grass-searing RBI single off the bat of David Ortiz in the first. A sacrifice fly to the left field wall by Mike Lowell with the bases loaded. A Monster seat shot following up an Alex Cora triple by Kevin Youkilis in the second.
It was paltry offensive production against the lowly Ranger pitching crew. They are second-to-last in the entire league for ERA (5.29) and walks allowed (325).
Josh Beckett looked as if he played for Texas rather than just being born there. In the fourth a cavalcade of singles capped by a Brad Wilkerson double notched three runs for the visitors. Kenny Lofton singled to plate Wilkerson to tie the game.
Sammy Sosa homered in the next inning to win the game, as the Boston bats fell silent for the next five innings.
Julio Lugo junked the chance to tie the game in the eighth by running into the final out at third base with Youkilis at the dish ahead in the count, 2-1.
There’s another 23-year old whose first name begins with “J” that the Red Sox could consider promoting to replace Lugo.
