NOTE TO MODS: Facebook and AOL Mail are currently unavailable because these work computers SUCK. Please leave this up for 24 hours so I can transfer the article when I get home, then you can delete it if you must.
This current West Coast road trip by the Red Sox has seen great starting pitching but absolutely horrendous offense and relief. Yesterday Daisuke Matsuzaka pitched 6 strong innings allowing only 1 run before the bullpen once again faltered.
Tonight it was more of the same but a little bit different against the LA Angels. Clay Buchholz (11-5) pitched 7 superb innings in his second start since coming off the disabled list. After allowing a 1st inning homer to Bobby Abreu, Clay settled down allowing no further runs and lowered his ERA to 2.71. Once again the bullpen faltered as Scott Atchinson came on in the 8th and allowed a 2 run bomb by Hideki Matsui before Jonathan Papelbon shut the door.
On this night however, the offense woke up. Fueled by the return of starting catcher Victor Martinez, David Ortiz hit a solo home run and a 2 run shot to combine with V-Mart's rbi single giving the Sox a 4-3 going into the 9th inning. In the 9th, JD Drew hit a 2 run double to give the Sox 6 runs for the first time since Game 1 of this road trip. In the bottom of the frame, Papelbon survived a leadoff hit before getting the next 3 to end the game and pick up his 23rd save.
The win keeps pace with the Devil Rays who celebrated Matt Garza's first career no-hitter. The Sox now turn to John Lackey (coming off an 8 inning 1 run masterpiece) who opposes the AL strikeout leader Jared Weaver in game 2 against LA. Boston is now 4-3 on the road-trip and are getting healthier by the day. Getting their catcher back eliminates the black hole that was there previously and are one step closer to getting their opening day lineup. With 5 starters able to pitch 1 run 7 inning ball, a comeback is not out of the question.
This current West Coast road trip by the Red Sox has seen great starting pitching but absolutely horrendous offense and relief. Yesterday Daisuke Matsuzaka pitched 6 strong innings allowing only 1 run before the bullpen once again faltered.
Tonight it was more of the same but a little bit different against the LA Angels. Clay Buchholz (11-5) pitched 7 superb innings in his second start since coming off the disabled list. After allowing a 1st inning homer to Bobby Abreu, Clay settled down allowing no further runs and lowered his ERA to 2.71. Once again the bullpen faltered as Scott Atchinson came on in the 8th and allowed a 2 run bomb by Hideki Matsui before Jonathan Papelbon shut the door.
On this night however, the offense woke up. Fueled by the return of starting catcher Victor Martinez, David Ortiz hit a solo home run and a 2 run shot to combine with V-Mart's rbi single giving the Sox a 4-3 going into the 9th inning. In the 9th, JD Drew hit a 2 run double to give the Sox 6 runs for the first time since Game 1 of this road trip. In the bottom of the frame, Papelbon survived a leadoff hit before getting the next 3 to end the game and pick up his 23rd save.
The win keeps pace with the Devil Rays who celebrated Matt Garza's first career no-hitter. The Sox now turn to John Lackey (coming off an 8 inning 1 run masterpiece) who opposes the AL strikeout leader Jared Weaver in game 2 against LA. Boston is now 4-3 on the road-trip and are getting healthier by the day. Getting their catcher back eliminates the black hole that was there previously and are one step closer to getting their opening day lineup. With 5 starters able to pitch 1 run 7 inning ball, a comeback is not out of the question.
