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March 21, 2007
It's over. Final score: Red Sox 7, Pirates 3. Check the box score, courtesy of mlb.com.
We'll post a story as soon as it becomes available.
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Little ball! Dustin Pedroia (two walks and a double in four at-bats) doubles, moves to third on a grounder and then scores on a chopper to second base -- even though the infield was in -- by Jason Varitek. The ''fog'', as Jerry Remy calls in, is now settling in, as players with numbers in the 60s, 70s and 80s dot the field, and the Sox have the lead, 5-2, in the seventh as it does.
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Inning over. After six, it's Red Sox 4, Pirates 2.
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Delcarmen's spring struggles continue. The first batter he faced, Ronny Paulino, hit a long homer to left field, making it Red Sox 4, Pirates 2.
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What a way to end it. After retiring Duffy on a liner to center, Matsuzaka had a long battle with Kelly, spiked with numerous foul balls, that he ended by firing a 3-and-2 fastball that Kelly swung at and missed for strike three. With Matsuzaka's pitch count apparently reached -- we'll put the number in when we get it -- manager Terry Francona came out and removed his starting pitcher, who bowed and smiled when when Francona reached the mound.
He waved his cap to the fans who gave him a nice ovation as he left the mound.
The final line:
5 2/3 innings
1 hit
1 run
1 earned run
1 walk
7 strikeouts
1 hit batter
And Drew came within a whisker of catching the only Pirates hit with a sliding dive in the first inning. (See below.)
Manny Delcarmen is on in relief. We'll let you know how he does.
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The outing isn't over. Matsuzaka batted in the top of the sixth with two outs and nobody on. He struck out, of course -- he and all other Sox pitchers are ordered not to swing when they bat in exhibition games -- but that means he's going back out for the bottom of the sixth with a 4-1 lead.
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The answer (see question below) is . . . not much at all. Matsuzaka did walk a batter, ending his string of consecutive-batters retired at 11, but no one else reached. It's still Red Sox 4, Pirates 1 after five, and Matsuzaka's line at this writing is:
IP H R ER BB SO
5 1 1 1 1 6
''I don't think he had his best stuff today,'' third baseman Mike Lowell said in an on-air, in-game interview on ESPN, ''but when you can go out there and give up one run in five innings without your best stuff . . . that's pretty good.''
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Finally over. Lowell flied out with runners at first and third, ending the inning. We'll see how the long layoff affected Matsuzaka. Red Sox 4, Pirates 1 after 4 1/2 innings.
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A long (in terms of time) inning for the Sox, but a productive one. After they'd loaded the bases on three walks, the Sox pushed across a pair on a single up the middle by Drew. They're still batting, with the score Red Sox 4, Pirates 1.
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Matsuzaka's smoking. One-two-three again, with two more strikeouts. After four, Red Sox 2, Pirates 1.
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Sox go down in order in the top of the fourth. Red Sox 2, Pirates 1
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Matsuzaka came within one pitch of striking out the side: With two outs and a 2-and-2 count, Don Kelly spiked a fly to left that was tracked down by Ramirez. Even so, it was another one-two-three performance, and Matsuzaka has now retired seven in a row. After three, Red Sox 2, Pirates 1
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Sox threaten -- one-out walk to Hinske, two-out walk to Ramirez -- but don't score in the top of the third. Red Sox 2, Pirates 1
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A quick, one-two-three inning for Matsuzaka, as he retires all three batters on grounders. Red Sox 2, Pirates 1
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Sox go down in order in the top of the second. Red Sox 2, Pirates 1
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A mixed bag for Matsuzaka. He hit the leadoff batter, Chris Duffy, with a breaking ball off the knee. He retired the next two batters on grounders, enabling Duffy to get to third. Adam LaRoche then dropped a single to right, on which Drew just missed making a diving catch. But Matsuzaka ended strong, by striking out Jason Bay. Red Sox 2, Pirates 1
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Inning over. Let's see how Matsuzaka does . . . Red Sox 2, Pirates 0
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And yet another (see below). Drew doubles up the gap in the left-center, hit so far and so well that even the slow-footed Ramirez could make it home from first. Red Sox 2, Pirates 0
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A quick run for the Sox. Pedroia leads off with a walk and, after Hinske files out, moves to second on a chopper to short by Varitek. Ramirez then bloops a single into center, knocking in Pedroia. Red Sox 1, Pirates 0
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Today's starting lineup for the Red Sox:
Dustin Pedroia 2b
Eric Hinske 1b
Jason Varitek c
Manny Ramirez lf
J.D. Drew rf
Mike Lowell 3b
Wily Mo Pena cf
Alex Cora ss
Daisuke Matsuzaka p
Posted by Art Martone 
at 1:01 PM | Permalink
