Sunday, July 01, 2012

Another Loss At Home Plate

I could accept the loss to Seattle last Thursday night. The Red Sox faced Felix Hernandez, still one of the top quality starters in the game. No shame in getting no runs against him, as he's done that to some even better offensive clubs.

Last night was simply brutal. The Mariners are absolutely one of the worst offensive teams in the game (the lower half of last night's Seattle lineup were all around the .200 mark in BA for 2012), and their starter, Erasmo Ramirez, left the game after retiring the first eight hitters with an injury. So the Sox were also into the Seattle bullpen, which is no great shakes either.

They get just two runs last night. One on a fielder's choice, and another on a passed ball (which was really a wild pitch) in the seventh. The Sox wasted big chances in the ninth and tenth, as they had first and second in both and came up empty.

And like on Thursday, the game ended at the plate, on a throw from the outfield Jarrod Saltalamacchia couldn't handle. Nothing like staying up until 2 AM and watching your club lose to a vastly inferior team. The Red Sox suffered their fifth loss in extra innings, and they still haven't won one in extra time.

Josh Beckett pitched very well coming off the DL, allowing his first hit in the 5th, and two of the first Seattle runs in the 6th. Seattle won it on Chone Figgins sac fly in the 11th off Alfredo Aceves.

A win today for the Red Sox would garner a split in the series. Felix Doubront will try to make that happen.

And a fond farewell to Darnell McDonald, who was DFA'd before last night's game, as Beckett was activated off the DL. Darnell was a great guy in the clubhouse, and I had the pleasure of meeting him at the BLOHARDS meeting back in 2010. I wish him well wherever he lands, as he's a class act.

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