« Game story: PawSox split doubleheader
Main
Late Red Sox notes »
August 24, 2007
BY SEAN McADAM
Journal Sports Writer
CHICAGO – The forecast for the day was bleak. For the Red Sox, the reality was far sunnier.
Expecting to dodge the rain the entire day, the Sox instead played under blue skies and shone themselves Friday, sweeping the White Sox in convincing fashion – 11-3 in the first game and 10-1 in the nightcap.
The two victories meant they would lose no ground in the standings to the Yankees, who were playing the Tigers in Detroit late Friday/early Saturday after a 4-hour and 2-minute rain delay. When the Yankee game started, the Sox' lead was six games, five in the loss column.
The 21-run surge for the Sox may signal an offensive awakening for the Red Sox, who in the last week have scored eight or more runs five times. In the night game, the Sox belted three homers – two from David Ortiz – for the first time in almost a month.
According to Elias Sports Bureau, yesterday marked the first time since in a half-century that the Sox had scored 10 runs or more in two games on the same day. They last did it against the Kansas City Athletics on June 23, 1957.
For the two games, the Sox pounded out 28 hits. Ortiz homered in the fourth to put the Sox ahead 2-1, then hit a second shot – this one solo -- an inning later. Later that same inning, Kevin Youkilis socked a 410-foot wallop to left, just his second homer in the last 22 games, a three-run drive that increased Boston's lead to 9-1.
Curt Schilling went six innings in the second game to pick up his second straight win, allowing just one run on three hits in what was clearly his best effort since coming off the disabled list earlier this month.
For the two games, the Red Sox bullpen pitched a combined 6 1/3 innings of scoreless ball.
The sweep gave the Sox a 4-1 record to date on their last long road trip of the season.
Accustomed to playing before sellout crowds, with their nomadic fans often outnumbering those of the home team, the Sox in the early game saw a U.S. Cellular Field that was almost silent, with perhaps a couple of thousand fans in the seats, the result of a makeup date from the night before.
The energy level was almost non-existent.
''This,'' Mike Lowell would say later, ''was like a Thursday day game between the Marlins and Pirates . . . with the threat of rain.''
Lowell, of course, lived through more than a few of those in his seven seasons in Florida. So, too, did Josh Beckett, yesterday’s starting pitcher.
Perhaps, then, it was no surprise that Lowell and Beckett were two of the principal contributors to the Red Sox’ first-game win.
Lowell, now regularly installed as the Sox’ No. 5 hitter, produced three hits, two runs and two RBI while Beckett overcame a shaky first inning to become baseball’s first 16-game winner.
Beckett gave up a two-out double in the first to A.J. Pierzynski, then walked three straight hitter, a temporary lapse in control that was hardly typical. In his previous 13 outings, Beckett hadn’t walked more than two hits in a game .
''His stuff was good,’’ said manager Terry Francona. ''He just made a few mistakes. A guy hit a double and then he lost the strike zone.’’
Beckett, however, rediscovered it in time, catching Juan Uribe on a called third strike and limiting the damage to one run.
''Three walks in an inning – I wasn’t too excited about that,’’ Beckett said. ''I was lucky to get out of it with just one run.''
He then held the White Sox scoreless until the fifth, while the Red Sox offense caught up against Chicago starter Jon Garland.
Beckett wasn’t typically sharp, perhaps owing to the fact that he was pitching with seven days’ rest, the result of the spot start by Julian Tavarez Sunday and Thursday night’s rainout.
''It’s easy to be great when you have great stuff,’’ said Lowell. ''But what counts is what you do when you don’t have your best stuff. Josh was able to grind it out today.’’
There were plenty of offensive sparks. Six different hitters produced multihit games, led by Lowell with his three hits. Additionally, six different players chipped in with at least one RBI, including Bobby Kielty who didn’t get into the game until the eighth and produced two sacrifice flies in two plate appearances.
Lowell, in particular, has taken to the No. 5 spot in the batting order. A notorious first-half player, Lowell has hit a sizzling .375 in August and has 15 RBI in 21 games.
''I love hitting fifth,’’ said Lowell, who has displaced J.D. Drew in most games in that spot. ''I think my mindset works better there. I like it. My production, my power, my mindset is right for that. And hitting right after Manny (Ramirez) and David (Ortiz), you’re going to have opportunities (to knock runs in).’’
And the miniscule crowd and early afternoon start? It didn’t impact the Red Sox, who generated their own energy.
''At this point in the season,’’ Lowell said, ''every game is important to us.’’
Posted by Corey Bourassa 
at 11:09 PM to McAdam
| Permalink
