Sox Recap - game from September 2nd, 2009

Where oh where has our little Josh gone ????

I start today's post reminding you of my thoughts after Josh Beckett's last outing....

Fast forward to last night.... 6 innings pitched, 5 runs, 7 hits, 9 punch-outs... TWO HOME RUNS !!!! - that's 14 long balls in his last 5 starts... he gave up 10 dingers in his first 22 starts......

We're in the middle of a playoff race here... will the REAL Josh Beckett please stand up ?!?!?!... or sit out.... After coming out of the gates slow this season, Beckett was clearly one of, if not THE, most dominating arms in all of baseball... but in his last 4 starts, he's given up 24 runs - watching his ERA rise from 3.10 to 3.87... NOT the Fever Pitch we want here...I prefer PENNANT FEVER !!!! I don't dare say DL, DO I ?!?!?! C'mon Farrell... working on mechanics for FOUR starts ?!?!?... That's 3 WEEKS, man !!!!!!!!! Nuf Ced

Luckily, the Boston bats have been able to bail Beckett out, and he personally has only been tagged with 1 loss in those 4 ballgames (the team has split the 4)... last night was no exception... uh, well the bullpen was an exception..... promptly giving back the lead... and the game after the Sox had valiantly come back to tie it in the 8th...

After giving up 1 run in the first, 3 in the second and another in the third (thanks to the Sox "adept" fielding) ... our boys were down 5-1... but Beckett DID buckle down and retired 8 straight to end his outing... an obvious case of too little too late.... Nuf Ced

But our bats (and bases on balls - the Sox walked SEVEN times) didn't say die as they continued to chip away at the deficit, scoring 2 in the 4th and single tallies in the 7th and 8th... an 8th inning that saw the Sox "rally" to tie the game.. an 8th inning that took 30 minutes and saw 4 pitching changes by the Rays... an 8th inning that left me scratching... uh.... my head !!!!!!

Our boys DID tie the game thanks to 3 walks and a wild pitch... BUT, with the bases loaded and 1 out.... uh, and one of the hottest bats on the team on the bench... Tito opted to let Gonzo bat.. granted Gonzo has been hitting well and already had a double last night.... BUT TITO.... WHY THE FREAK DIDN'T MIKEY (Lowell) HIT THEN ?!?!?! instead of with 2 out and 1 on in the 9th.... GAH, or at least for Jacoby in the 8th with 2 outs and 2 on ??? - as Gonzo and Jacoby both fanned... ending a great chance to take the lead... Nuf Ced

The inning became a further disaster when the Rays came to the plate... RamRam (Ramon Ramirez) had pitched a great 7th... BUT had to wait 30 minutes as the Sox "rallied" in the 8th to knot the score... surely Tito would send in a fresh arm, right? I mean sitting for a half hour will cool any arm off... WRONG !!!!!!!!!!! Tito sent RamRam back out for the 8th who promptly gave up a double, a single AND the lead.... NOT your fault RamRam.... your night should have been over after that 7th.... Nuf Ced

The Rays sunk the Sox ship when Manny "belly-itcher" Delcarmen came in and gave up a big fly, making the score 8-5, Rays..... Nuf Ced

Our boys certainly didn't blister the ball, collecting only 6 hits... it was Tampa Bays "ability" (uh, DISability) to walk Boston batters all night long that even made the game close....

Youkah continued his fire with 2 doubles and a walk; JBay had an rbi TRIPLE; VMart banged out a hit, walked twice and had an rbi; JD had a hit, a walk and an rbi; and Gonzo had a double.... that's it... 6 hits... 1 well placed hit with the bases loaded in the 8th would have changed the complexion of this post... Nuf Ced

Sox' young Buch (Clay Buchholz) takes the hill tonight.... hopefully picking up where he left off with the gem he threw last time out. Our boys need another effort like that as Texas beat Toronto again, closing the gap to 2-1/2 games... AND Tampa Bay still has a RAY of hope left....

And, did you hear? Brad Penny pitched 8 SCORELESS innings againt the WORLD CHAMPION Phillies last night!!! WTF ?!?!?!?!.... and the head-scratching continues.....

As always..... it's been real..... it's been fun..... and it really has been lot's of fun.....

NUF CED