Red Sox and Indians

When I got home today from school, the Sox were down in the bottom of the 8th, 4-3. Mike Timlin had just been summoned to pitch for the Red Sox, and the graphic showed his ERA this year was an impressive 81.00. That went down tonight, as Mike got the Indians 1-2-3.

So that set the stage for the ninth. The Indians brought in closer Joe Borowski. Due up for Boston were Julio Lugo, Coco Crisp and Dustin Pedroia. Last year, it would have been in everyone's best interest to just skip Lugo and Crisp and have Pedroia hit with two outs to see what he could do. However, with Cleveland in a prevent defense, Lugo led the ninth off with a double down the left field line. Coco Crisp came up and bunted one down the third base line in a beautiful place, past Borowski forcing Indains third base man Casey Blake to come up and field it, meaning Lugo moved up to third. Instant replays show Crisp beat the throw by a step, but the umpire, who MLB.com identifies as Jerry Lame...I mean Jerry Layne inexplicably called him out. Crisp put up a small argument, and Francona went to the top step of the dugout, but didn't leave. So, man on third, 1 out with Dustin Pedroia up to bat.

After a first pitch strike, Borowski threw one at Pedroia's head that had me jump off the couch shaking my fist at the seasick bum. Jerry Remy remarked that either the radar gun at the stadium was broken or Borowski was only throwing 83ish. The Rem Dawg will not accept any of that weak low 80s head hunting stuff. If your gonna hunt heads, it better be mid 90s. Anyway, Pedroia shoke himself off and the very next pitch hit a long fly ball out to the warning track in left. Lugo tagged and scored on the sacrifice fly. That brought David Ortiz up, and the trademark shift where everyone in the infield moves over to the right of the field besides the third baseman who plays where a shortstop would play for a normal lefty and the outfield goes straightaway back to the track. Ortiz popped up right behind where the third baseman should stand, but since the third baseman was on the wrong side of second and the left fielder was in the bleachers, it dropped in for a base hit. Fracona pinch ran Jacoby Ellsbury for Ortiz, which turned to be inconsequential since Manny Rameriz was up next. I said as soon as Manny stepped up it was a mistake pinch running for Ortiz. I was proven right, and it's a shame no one was there to hear me, cause Manny hit a rocket about 15 rows back over the left field wall. 6-4 Red Sox. And that's how it ended.

Once again, I would like to point out Ortiz had a shot to hit a game winning homer, but couldn't. Once again, I would like to point out Manny bailed him out. I do like Ortiz, but I think he often gets a free pass from Boston whereas everyone always jumps down Manny's throat. It's my goal to fix this injustice, one reader at a time.