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Game Story: Kottaras' walk-off homer lifts PawSox

When teammates plaster a shaving-cream pie in your face after a game it can only mean good things.

That’s exactly what happened to Pawtucket Red Sox catcher George Kottaras last night after his three-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning gave the PawSox a dramatic 6-5 come-from-behind victory over the Ottawa Lynx at McCoy Stadium.

Kottaras, who entered the game with a lowly .195 average this season, went 2-for-4, including his second homer of the season and a perfectly executed hit-and-run.
Defensively he threw out a would-be base stealer and almost a second.

“That has to feel so good for him right now,” said PawSox manager Ron Johnson. “I am so happy for that kid. The ball jumps off his bat, it explodes. He’s scuffled but he showed signs of coming out of it on the road trip.”

Kottaras made the most of it with his heroics at the plate that proved crucial last night.

He crushed a fastball off Ottawa reliever Brian Sanches that hit the roof of the concession stand behind the visitor’s bullpen for the victory.

“It felt great,” said Kottaras. “It was a confidence booster as well. My plan when I go up to the plate is just to have a good at-bat, see the pitches and put something in play. I just try to hit it hard on the barrel and I was able to do it tonight. I’m stressed about my batting average. I’m just trying to go out there and have fun and help the pitchers because that’s my primary goal.”

Even though Kottaras ended the game in theatrical fashion, teammate Bobby Scales had an outstanding game. He went 3-for-3, including a single, a RBI-triple and a two-run homer.

“He’s a manager’s dream,” admitted Johnson. “You get quality at-bats from both sides of the plate and he can play every position in the field. His presence is great in the clubhouse, and it was good to see.”

--JOE McDONALD

Posted by Corey Bourassa  at 10:48 PM to PawSox | Permalink

FINAL: Pawtucket 6, Ottawa 5

PAWTUCKET -- The PawSox' George Kottaras just hit a three-run homer to give Pawtucket a dramatic come-from-behind 6-5 walk-off victory in the bottom of the ninth inning at McCoy Stadium.

We'll have more after heading down to the clubhouse. . .

Posted by Joe McDonald  at 9:59 PM | Permalink

Red Sox option Lester to Pawtucket

The Red Sox today activated lefthanded pitcher Jon Lester from the 15-day disabled list and optioned him to Triple-A Pawtucket of the International League.

The announcement was made by Executive Vice President/General Manager Theo Epstein.

Lester, who had been on the disabled list for the entire 2007 season, had been on his second rehab assignment at Pawtucket since May 19. In that span, he is 1-1 with a 1.93 ERA (5 ER/23.1 IP) in five starts. He lost to Ottawa in his last appearance on Saturday, allowing five hits and three runs in 2.2 innings.

The lefthander opened the year on the disabled list while continuing his recovery from lymphoma that required off-season treatment. He was sent to Single-A Greenville on rehab assignment on April 5 and made three starts for the Drive, posting a 2.08 ERA (3 ER/13.0 IP). Lester was assigned to Pawtucket to continue the rehab stint on April 27 and was 0-1, 2.25 (2 ER/8.0 IP). He experienced muscle cramping in his left forearm on May 2 versus Indianapolis and was recalled from the rehab assignment after that start. He spent the next two weeks undergoing treatment before beginning the second rehab stint with the PawSox.

Overall, Lester is 1-2 with a 2.01 ERA (7 ER/31.1 IP) in seven starts with Pawtucket this season.

Lester, 23, made his major league debut with the Red Sox in 2006, going 7-2 with a 4.76 ERA in 15 starts.

--BOSTON RED SOX

Posted by Corey Bourassa  at 5:11 PM | Permalink

Tina, Manny and LMonstro

In case you didn't see Tina Cervasio's hotel-room interview with Manny Ramirez and his hair stylist -- a guy named LMonstro -- click here to view the tape.

Posted by Mike McDermott  at 12:31 PM to Projo Mannybeingmanny | Permalink

Duquette's baseball camp wins court ruling

HINSDALE, Mass. (AP) - Former Red Sox general manager Dan Duquette has won a legal victory that allows him to hold college-level summer baseball games at a sports camp he runs here.

A resident who lives near the Dan Duquette Sports Academy took Duquette, the town's Zoning Board of Appeals and building inspector to state Land Court two years ago in an effort to annul a special permit that allowed the sports academy to operate.
The neighbor, Patrick Mehr, also challenged the height of the light poles used to illuminate the stadium.

State Land Court Judge Alexander H. Sands III ruled last month that the ZBA wasn't wrong when it gave Duquette the special permits.

Duquette had wanted the Dukes - the team he has in the New England College Baseball League - to play in Hinsdale. But while the case was pending, the Dukes played at Wahconah Park in Pittsfield.

"Our home field would be Wahconah Park," Duquette said. "It's nice to know that we have the right to operate, and it's good that the judge supported that right based on the significant investment that we've made into that property."

Posted by Mike McDermott  at 11:53 AM | Permalink

Projo SoxTalk with McAdam: Time to get Lugo out of the leadoff spot

Sean McAdam, once again, is Art Martone's guest on projo SoxTalk. Click here to listen to the full audio file. Sean and Art agree that the Red Sox need to get someone else in the leadoff hole, because Julio Lugo is not doing the job. Sean also talks about what the Red Sox might be able to get in a J.C. Romero trade, and why he sees little need to get Jon Lester to Boston real soon.

Here are some excerpts from Sean's comments:

On last week's road trip: "I think when you look at how it started off, with three losses including one in extra innings, it certainly had all the makings of a disastrous trip. And in winning the final one in Oakland and then the first two in Phoenix, they at least made it a respectable one."

On Lugo: "Lugo has been given every opportunity and then some to find his hitting stroke, and it hasn't come. And he's hitting below .220 now, and you wonder how long they can be patient with that. I think he's still going to be the everyday shortstop, obviously, but it would stand to reason that the way that Pedroia's performing, and the fact that Youkilis has some experience in the leadoff spot -- there are other options, and i think they can no longer just send Lugo out as the number-one hitter and expect that things are going to turn around anytime soon."

On Lester: "All along there's been a feeling by some that the minute he was physically ready that he would be rushed to Fenway and inserted into the rotation. But when you look at how well Julian Tavarez continues to pitch in that fifth spot ... there's no sense of urgency to get Tavarez out of there."

Posted by Mike McDermott  at 11:27 AM | Permalink

Baseball Today: Monday, June 11

SALVAGE OPERATION: That's what the Red Sox were facing after losing the first three games of the road trip in Oakland. They didn't quite pull it off -- yesterday's 5-1 loss in Arizona, which made a tough-luck loser out of Daisuke Matsuzaka (right, only two runs allowed in six innings), kept them from sweeping the Diamondbacks and having a winning record on the trip -- but it could have been worse. Even so, Terry Francona came in for some second-guessing with his choice of who, and who not, to pinch-hit when the game was still close. (Both stories projo.com) (BTW: If you think I'm exaggerating, read this, courtesy of our friends at SOSH.) And Kevin Youkilis, among others, is still complaining about having to play in last Sunday night's ESPN game and then fly across the country for a game Monday night in Oakland, saying ''it definitely had an effect on us'' for the rest of the trip. (Boston Herald) It's over now, though, and the Sox get the day off before starting a week-long homestand against the Rockies and Giants.

THE HIGHLIGHT: When most people look back on this road trip, they'll remember Curt Schilling's near no-hitter. Me, I'll think of Julio Lugo's tag on Alberto Callaspo Friday night. How often do you see a fielder stand there with the ball as a baserunner picks himself up off the base? And how often does the runner lose contact with the base long enough to be tagged out? In 43 years of watching baseball for me, the answer to that second question was always 'never' . . . until Friday night.

EARNING HIS KEEP: It was the least Lugo could do, since his offensive game has deteriorated to the point of being non-existent. Put it this way: He hit .209 in May, and he's almost 100 points below that in June. I realize the Sox don't really have a viable option for replacing him at shortstop, but geez Terry, ya think ya might want to get him out the leadoff spot?

BLAME IT ON LUCEN: Curt Schilling finally broke down the near no-hitter on his 38pitches.com blog. The best part: The fact that he read the Sons of Sam Horn game thread about the game and called out Lucen, one of SOSH's long-time posters, for using the term ''no-hitter'' while it was in progress. Lucen had already been, uh, chastised by fellow posters in saltier, NSFW terms while the game was going on. All of which prompted Lucen to start a discussion thread on the topic.

ALL'S QUIET: People in Denver don't expect the Red Sox to make another run at Todd Helton. (Denver Post)

IF YOU'VE GOT YOUR HEALTH, YOU'VE GOT EVERYTHING: SI.com's Cliff Corcoran has studied the issue and concluded the Red Sox have been the healthiest team in baseball so far this season.

BUT IF YOU AIN'T GOT A BULLPEN, YOU AIN'T GOT NOTHIN': Yogi Berra once said that, and NBCsports.com's Matt Casey looks at ''closers from the past 15 to 20 years who made . . . [a] living . . . turning the ends of games into nerve-wracking affairs.''. He includes Bob Stanley and Calvin Schiraldi on his list, which means all Casey really knows of the '86 Red Sox is what he happened to see in the last two games of the World Series. Because Schiraldi was lights out as the Red Sox closer for the last two months of the regular season -- see for yourself (baseball-reference.com) -- and the Sox wouldn't have won the A.L. East if he hadn't stepped in on Aug. 3 and stabilized the bullpen. Which is not to excuse what happened in the postseason or beyond, but to say he ''made a living'' at being terrible is to ignore the contributions he made to the '86 championship.

A-GAME: Alex Rodriguez is swinging the bat like he did in April, only this time the Yankees are turning production into victories. (New York Daily News) In that light, Filip Bondy says it's time for the Yanks to talk contract with A-Rod, who can walk away at the end of the season.

ME, TOO: Bobby Abreu is also come alive with the bat. (New York Post)

ALL OF WHICH EXPLAINS WHY . . . the Yanks are winning even though Miguel Cairo is their first baseman. (New York Daily News) Or maybe it's the absence of Jason Giambi more than anything else. (Newsday)

STUCK: Tom Glavine has stalled on 295 career wins (New York Daily News) and is next shot at inching towards 300 will come next weekend against the Yankees. Speaking of the Subway Series, Roger Clemens will pitch the opener for the Yanks on Friday night. (New York Post)

LOADED AND READY: SI.com's Tom Verducci, for one, thinks there's plenty left in the Rocket's tank.

THE SOLUTION: Fox Sports' Mark Kriegel says the ''only way for baseball to deal credibly with its long-running steroid scandal'' is to grant amnesty to all players who used performance enhancing drugs prior to the establishment of the Major League testing policy.

RATING THE LEFT: Our old friend The Baseball Crank, who once graced the pages of projo.com with his writings, looks at the best left-handed relievers of all time. (baseballcrank.com)

SEPARATE CORNERS: Michael Barrett won't be catching Carlos Zambrano tonight against Houston, but Lou Piniella says the fact that Barrett hasn't caught Zambrano since their dugout fight is just coincidence. (Chicago Sun-Times)

TELL YA WHAT WE'LL DO FOR YA: The Nationals are inquiring about troubled Devil Rays' rookie Elijah Dukes. (foxsports.com)

PLACE THE BLAME ELSEWHERE: The Dallas Morning News' Jean-Jacques Taylor says the Rangers' struggles aren't Ron Washington's fault.

NOW TO WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT: Peter Abraham took some time away from the Yankees this weekend and blogs, instead, on The Sopranos (yankees. lohudblogs.com)

-- ART MARTONE

Posted by Art Martone  at 7:03 AM | Permalink