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June 5, 2007
THE BEST GAME YOU NEVER SAW: They flew all night to the West Coast after an emotionally draining, four-plus-hour loss to their archrivals. They didn't get to bed until just about 13 hours before the first pitch. They intentionally rested three of their regulars, and didn't start a fourth because of illness. They had their No. 5 starter on the mound and they'd made a predetermination they wouldn't use their two best relievers, both of whom had worked back-to-back games Saturday and Sunday. Oh, and just to make it interesting, they were facing the American League ERA leader.
If ever a game screamed lifeless, one-sided defeat, this was it.
Guess again.
The Red Sox didn't win, at least not on the scoreboard. But they rallied for two runs with two outs in the top of the ninth inning to tie it; escaped a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the bottom of the ninth to preserve the tie, and had the go-ahead run thrown out at the plate in the top of the 10th before finally succumbing to the A's, 5-4, on Eric Chavez' two-out homer in the bottom of the 11th off Kyle Snyder (AP Photo, above) at about quarter of 2 this morning Eastern time.
Steven Krasner has all the details, plus postgame reaction, in his game story, and it's worth reading. Because if you're like me -- who went to bed with the Red Sox trailing, 3-1, figuring they'd get no closer -- you're going to want to hear more about this remarkable night.
COMING THROUGH: Julian Tavarez' pitch count was at 72 after three innings, on a night the Sox were short in the bullpen. But he hung in for 5 2/3 innings by getting some clutch outs. (projo.com) J.C. Romero was the one who wiggled out of the bases-loaded, no-out jam in the ninth, recounted in full detail by the Boston Herald's Rob Bradford.
DON'T WANT TO SAY I TOLD YOU SO, BUT . . . Terry Francona's patience with Dustin Pedroia -- patience not shared by a large segment of the fan base over the first month of the season -- is paying off big-time. (projo.com)
OLD NEWS: You read this story if you visited this blog yesterday afternoon -- it was posted not long after it was filed, immediately following the PawSox' doubleheader sweep of Norfolk -- but in case you missed it, here's the recap of another strong start by Jon Lester. (projo.com)
OPENING SALVO: The Herald's Gerry Callahan is the first -- but probably not the last -- media member to take aim at the underachieving duo of J.D. Drew and Julio Lugo . . . and, by extension, the Red Sox front office for investing $106 million in them.
IF YOU WALK, YOU DON'T STREAK: Wade Boggs predicted that Kevin Youkilis' disciplined batting eye would prevent him from getting his hitting streak into the 30s or 40s. ''He’ll probably go 0-for-2 with two walks,'' Boggs said just before Youkilis' streak was snapped at 23 games by going 0-for-2 with three walks Saturday. (Nashua Telegraph)
MOMENTUM IS THE NEXT DAY'S STARTING PITCHER: And since their starting pitcher last night was Matt DeSalvo, that meant the Yankees had no momentum at all one day after their stirring comeback win over the Red Sox. (New York Post)
YOU'D RATHER FACE ROGER THAN MATT DeSALVO?? Ozzie Guillen wishes the Yankees had pitched Roger Clemens last night. ''I was prepared to answer questions about Clemens pitching, and now it's going to be, 'Why are you guys playing so [lousy]?''
OLD-TIMERS DAYS: The Yankees say Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte aren't seriously hurt, but they also aren't ready to say they'll make their next starts. (New York Post)
LET'S GO. NOW. Kevin Kernan of the New York Post says enough is enough; it's time for Roger Clemens to get out on the mound so the Yankees can find out what they have with him.
FREUDIAN SLIP? The Yankees apparently have an out in Roger Clemens' contract, but Brian Cashman says "It's not something I'm thinking about right now." Right now? (espn.com)
QUESTION TIME: Rick Maese of the Baltimore Sun says it's time we started asking why Clemens got so much better after the age of 34 . . . and I think you know what answer he expects to find.
TIME TO GO: Steven Goldman, writing in the New York Sun, says the Yankees should trade Alex Rodriguez.
TIME TO STAY: But the Yanks say they won't trade Bobby Abreu, at least not for Jermaine Dye. (New York Daily News)
REST YOUR WEARY MIND: Speaking of A-Rod, Joe Torre thinks he's been through a lot in the last week and would like to give him a little time off. (New York Post)
PASSAGES: Clete Boyer, the former Yankee third baseman, has died at the age of 70. (New York Daily News)
WHY, IN MY DAY . . . Omar Wessel of Cumberland, Maryland, has little use for ballplayers in general and some members of the Orioles in particular. (Cumberland Times News)
NOT HAPPENING: Lou Piniella and the Cubs deny that his volcanic style is already wearing thin in the Chicago clubhouse. (Chicago Sun-Times)
ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST: The snake-bitten Blue Jays have lost first baseman Lyle Overbay for four to six weeks because of a broken hand. (yahoo.com)
(VIDEO) AND FINALLY . . . AP has 2 minutes and 12 minutes of raw video of Phillip Wellman, manager of the minor league Mississippi Braves, going on a major league tirade after being ejected from Friday night's game in Chattanooga. The tirade cost Wellman a three-game suspension. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
-- ART MARTONE
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