« A call from Venezuela
Main
This and That, Game 2 of ALDS »
October 5, 2005
During Monday's press conference, Chicago manager Ozzie Guillen discussed his strategy regarding the Red Sox' two sluggers, David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez.
Guillen said he would not let Ortiz, a left-handed hitter, beat Game 1 starter Jose Contreras, that he would take his chances in that game with Contreras against Ramirez, a right-handed hitter.
Contreras, a right-hander, easily handled Ramirez in Chicago's Game 1 14-2 win.
Guillen also said that, with left-hander Mark Buehrle on the mound for Game 2, he wouldn't let Ramirez beat the pitcher, preferring a Buehrle-Ortiz, lefty-lefty matchup.
In the first inning of Game 2, Buehrle whiffed Ortiz with runners at second and third and none out. That brought Ramirez to the plate with first base open.
Guillen, though, didn't have Buehrle pitch around Ramirez, opting not to issue an intentional pass that would have filled the bases with one out. Instead, Buehrle challenged Ramirez, and lost the challenge.
Ramirez ripped a first-pitch two-run double over the head of left fielder Scott Podsednik, giving Boston a quick 2-0 lead.
Guillen didn't want to make the same mistake twice. In the third, again with runners at second and third with one out, Guillen called for an intentional walk, filling the bases.
That strategy didn't work for Guillen, either. Jason Varitek drilled an RBI single to right and Trot Nixon hit a run-producing bouncer to first, putting Boston on top, 4-0.
Posted by 
at 7:18 PM | Permalink
