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Late Notes -- Tigers 3, Red Sox 2, 13 innings

By STEVEN KRASNER
Journal Sports Writer

DETROIT -- A day of rest, apparently, did wonders for Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz.

In his first at-bat, Ortiz took advantage of a fat changeup from outstanding Detroit starter Jeremy Bonderman (9-1) and launched it into the right-field seats, giving the Red Sox a quick 2-0 lead.

It was the 14th homer of the year for Ortiz but his first in 14 games and his first in 55 at-bats.

"I may see my pitch once a night, so when I see it, I can't miss it, especially from a pitcher like that guy," said Ortiz, who has been frustrated lately by a power outage and a sore right quadriceps.

Ortiz didn't see many pitches to hit, or even swing at last night, for that matter. He pulled a double into the right-field corner in his sixth-inning at-bat, but he walked in his four other plate appearances. The last three were intentional walks.

"I'm not frustrated," said Ortiz of the walks. "You've just got to deal with it. I just have to be patient and take my walks."

Detroit manager Jim Leyland was rolling the dice by walking Ortiz intentionally because then the Tigers had to pitch to Manny Ramirez, the Sox' cleanup hitter. The strategy worked for Detroit.

In the eighth, after a free pass to Ortiz put runners on first and second with one out, Ramirez hit a hard bouncer to third that should have been a double play, but was bobbled by Brandon Inge, who was able only to get a forceout. The Sox didn't score, though.

In the 10th, another intentional walk to Ortiz again put runners at first and second with one out. This time Ramirez hit a first-pitch grounder to Inge, who started an inning-ending double play.

In the 12th, Ramirez followed Ortiz's intentional walk by drawing an unintentional walk, filling the bases. But again the Sox came up empty.

GABBARD PITCHES WELL

Rookie left-hander Kason Gabbard pitched well enough to win, but he was up against one of the Tigers' aces, and he was partially undone by his only two walks of the game.

Gabbard walked Magglio Ordonez and Carlos Guillen, the first two batters he faced in the fifth. They ultimately scored on Craig Monroe's two-out double over Ramirez in left, tying the game at 2-2.

Overall, Gabbard gave up only three hits in 6 1/3 innings.

HERE AND THERE

The Sox went 1 for 12 with runners in scoring position, failing on their last 11 opportunities after Ortiz's first-inning homer. J.D. Drew had a particularly tough time. He took a called third strike on a full-count fastball down the middle with Ortiz at third and one out in the sixth, and he flailed and missed three sliders from Jeremy Bonderman for an eighth-inning whiff with runners at first and third and two outs.

Kevin Youkilis, who was held out of the starting lineup for the fifth time in the last six games because of a strained left quadriceps, was called on to pinch hit for Drew with the bases full and two outs in the 12th. He flied out to right.

The Sox made three outstanding defensive plays in support of Gabbard.
Second baseman Dustin Pedroia went two steps to his right, made a diving backhanded pickup of Placido Polanco's bouncer, popped up quickly and threw to first for the out.
With two on and one out in the fifth, first baseman Eric Hinske draped himself over the tarp along the first-base line and caught a foul popup.
In the sixth, shortstop Alex Cora made a leaping, lunging stab of Gary Sheffield's line drive, robbing him of a hit.

Rookie Jeff Bailey, playing first base, and catcher Jason Varitek had communication issues on a foul popup near the Boston dugout with the bases loaded and two outs in the 11th. Bailey, who had entered the game in the top of the inning as a pinch hitter, reached out at the last second and gloved the ball about thigh high.
He batted twice, grounding sharply to third for a forceout in the 11th and bouncing out to the pitcher in the 13th, making him 0 for 6 in the big leagues. Bailey, who was called up from Pawtucket on Friday, is likely to start today's series finale against left-hander Nate Robertson.

Posted by Steven Krasner  at 1:31 AM | Permalink

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marksman | July 8, 2007 2:10 AM link