WEDNESDAY NIGHT PITCHING
PITCHES STRIKES
Jon Lester 107 69
Rudy Seanez 20 12
Manny Delcarmen 12 6
Julian Tavarez 20 12
NATIONALS
PITCHES STRIKES
Shawn Hill 110 67
Mike Stanton 18 9
Saul Rivera 16 11
Gary Majewski 14 7
BOSTON RED SOX (42-28)
SWEEPS WEEK: The Red Sox tonight completed a 3-game sweep of the Nationals to extend their winning streak to a season-high 6 games, the club’s longest since a 6-game run August 7-13, 2005…including a 3-game sweep in Atlanta last weekend, the Red Sox have swept 2 series in a row of at least 3 games for the first time since July 29-31 (3 vs. Minnesota) and August 2-4 (3 games vs. Kansas City) in 2005…the Red Sox are now a season-best 14 games above .500 . . . The Red Sox have now swept consecutive interleague series for the first time in club history…the Red Sox also improved to a perfect 9-0 against the Expos/Nationals franchise all-time at Fenway Park.
MORE INTERLEAGUE INTRIGUE: With tonight’s win, the Red Sox have now won 17 of their last 19 interleague games beginning June 12, 2005, a whopping .895 winning percentage…Boston’s 6 interleague wins in a row match the franchise’s best streak established June 19, 2005 – May 20, 2006.
A GRAND TIME HAD BY ALL: David Ortiz slugged his 5th career grand slam to give the Red Sox a 4-0 lead in the 2nd inning…all 5 of his grand slams have come at Fenway Park, one as a Twin on September 7, 2000 and the other 4 as a Red Sox…David’s slam tonight was his first since July 15, 2005 off the Yankees’ Buddy Groom . . . According to home run czar David Vincent, Ortiz is one of only 3 major leaguers to own at least 5 career grand slams and have all 5 come in the same ballpark…the others: Cecil Cooper, with 5 career slams at Milwaukee’s County Stadium, and Ken Williams, with 5 career slams in Sportsman’s Park in St. Louis…Cooper played from 1971-87, his first 6 seasons with the Red Sox…Williams played from 1915-29, his last 2 seasons with the Red Sox.
PICKING UP THE PACE: David Ortiz now leads the American League with 64 RBI this season…he is on pace for 148 RBI, which would match his career high set in 2005…through 70 team games in 2006, Ortiz has 21 homers with 64 RBI…through 70 team games in 2005, Ortiz had 18 homers and 62 RBI.
HIT PARADE: With 17 hits last night and 16 tonight, the Red Sox now have at least 16 hits in back-to-back games for the first time since June 12 at the Cubs (17 hits) and June 13 vs. Cincinnati (16) in 2005 . . . Also, the Red Sox now have 12 or more hits in 5 games in a row for the first time since June 7-12, 2003 (5 straight games).
STREAKING OFF THE TOP: Kevin Youkilis singled in his first at-bat tonight to extend his hitting streak to 7 games, batting .355 (11-for-31) with 2 doubles, 2 homers, 3 RBI, 6 runs scored and 4 walks during the run…it is his 2nd-longest hitting streak of the season, 2 games shy of his 9-game run from May 24-June 2. . . . Mark Loretta went 3-for-5 to extend his hitting streak to 6 games…he is batting .429 (12-for-28) with 2 doubles, 3 RBI and 3 runs scored during the tear…Mark’s best hitting streak this season is a 15-gamer from May 15-31, also the longest by a Sox this season.
LESTER SHINES: Sox starter Jon Lester limited the Nationals to one run on 3 hits and 2 walks, striking out 10 in 6.0 innings…the 10 strikeouts are the most by a Red Sox rookie since Casey Fossum struck out 10 on September 18, 2002 vs. Cleveland…the 10 strikeouts are also the most by a Red Sox pitcher this season.
THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT: Alex Gonzalez went 2-for-4 and is now batting .341 (15- for-44) in 12 games in June, continuing positive monthly progressions this season that saw him hit .186 (13-for-70) in 21 games in April and bat .270 (20-for-74) in 22 games in May.
A NIFTY 50: Alex Gonzalez tonight also extended his club record by playing his 50th consecutive errorless game at shortstop.
WASHINGTON NATIONALS (32-42)
ON THE HILL: Nationals starter Shawn Hill allowed 8 runs on 12 hits and 2 walks in 5.2 innings…he had combined to allow 8 earned runs in his first 4 starts this season (covering 26.0 innings) before allowing 8 earned runs tonight.
1,800 AND COUNTING: Royce Clayton tonight collected his 1,800th career hit with a 7th-inning single.
