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Red Sox-Dodgers: Game called because of rain with Sox leading, 5-1

AP photo / Julie Jacobson
Daisuke Matsuzaka takes cover as the rain falls in Vero Beach, Fla.

2:10 p.m.: Well, that didn't take long. The game has been called because of rain.

It won't count in the standings, but it wasn't a bad day for the Sox, who were leading 5-1 when the game was stopped with one out in the top of the third. Daisuke Matsuzaka pitched two innings and allowed three hits and a run, with no walks and three strikeouts. Wily Mo Pena, Jason Varitek and Eric Hinske all homered.

The Sox return to Fort Myers tomorrow for a 1:05 p.m. game against the Reds.

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1:50 p.m.: It can't rain hard enough for the Dodgers. After Youkilis struck out for the second time, Eric Hinske hit one of the longest home runs of the spring. It flew over the right-field fence and landed near the Dodger offices. The Sox' third homer of the day, coming as it did with Matsuzaka and Ellsbury on base, made it 5-1 Boston.

And that's it. With the count 1-and-2 on Pena, the umpires have called a halt to the proceedings in a driving, pouring rain. It seems unlikely the teams will be able to continue. Check back here for more information, which we'll post when it becomes available.

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1:45 p.m.: Daisuke Matsuzaka was ordered not to swing at any pitch in his at-bats today. So what happened?

He walked!

Hong-Chih Kuo poured over two quick strikes, and then missed with four consecutive pitches (even though Matsuzaka thought the third pitch was over the plate and started back to the dugout). The inning got worse for Kuo when he hit Ellsbury on the wrist with a pitch, putting runners at first and second.

Bad news for both teams: It has begun to rain.

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1:41 p.m.: Matsuzaka breezed through the lower third of the Dodger order, retiring the side on two grounders and a strikeout. Red Sox 2, Dodgers 1
The rain appears to be imminent.
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1:34 p.m.: Pedroia, Bailey and Cora all were retired, ending the top of the second. Red Sox 2, Dodgers 1
One other note -- Bad weather is forecast for later in the afternoon at Vero Beach, and once it begins to rain it's not supposed to stop until tomorrow.
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1:32 p.m.: A little late, but here's the starting lineup:
Jacoby Ellsbury, cf
Kevin Youkilis, 3b
Eric Hinske, rf
Wily Mo Pena, lf
Jason Varitek, c
Dustin Pedroia, 2b
Jeff Bailey, 1b
Alex Cora, ss
Daisuke Matsuzaka, p
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1:30 p.m.: Well, well; back-to-back homers. Jason Varitek homered to left, making it 2-1 Red Sox.
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1:28 p.m.: Wily Mo Pena tied it with a monstrous home run to right-center field. Red Sox 1, Dodgers 1.
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1:25 p.m.: Crisis averted. Matsuzaka got out of the inning with two strikeouts. After an inning, Dodgers 1, Red Sox 0
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1:18 p.m.: After Juan Pierre bunted Furcal to third, Marlon Anderson blooped a single over shortstop into left field. 1-0, Dodgers. Olmedo Saenz followed with a line single to left, moving Anderson to second.
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1:15 p.m.: Not a good start for Daisuke Matsuzaka. Rafael Furcal doubled into the right-field corner on Matsuzaka's first pitch.
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1:12 p.m.: The Red Sox went down 1-2-3 in the top of the first. Jacoby Ellsbury and Kevin Youkilis struck out, and Eric Hinske flied out.

Daisuke Matsuzaka is taking the mound for the Sox as we speak.

Posted by Art Martone  at 1:12 PM | Permalink

Comments

Jeff | March 16, 2007 1:52 PM link