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October 25, 2007
BY SEAN McADAM
Journal Sports Writer
BOSTON – It’s one thing to score runs at will during the regular season, when the schedule frequently offers up bad teams and worse pitching.
But in October, it gets more difficult.
That’s the theory, anyway. But somebody had better tell the Red Sox lineup.
Against the best pitchers from baseball’s best teams, the Red Sox are seemingly scoring at will.
It happened again last night when the Sox tattooed Colorado Rockies’ ace Jeff Francis for six runs on 10 hits in four innings on their way to a 13-1 romp in Game One of the 2007 World Series..
''It gives us a lot of confidence,'' said shortstop Julio Lugo, ''knowing that we can hit anybody.''
Indeed, this phenomenon didn’t start last night -- it’s been a hallmark of the Sox’ surge through the postseason.
In the American League Division Series, the Red Sox rocked 19-game winner John Lackey of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim for four runs in the first three innings.
It was more of the same in the American League Championship Series when the Sox chased Cleveland’s C.C. Sabathia – a certain candidate to finish in the top three for the A.L. Cy Young Award -- with seven hits and eight runs in just 4 1/3 innings in the series opener.
Sabathia then got a second chance in the ALCS in Game Five. But with an opportunity to clinch the Indians’ first pennant in a decade, he stumbled again and was knocked around for 10 hits and four runs in six-plus innings.
Finally, there was Francis, whose stock in trade is throwing the ball to both sides of the plate without leaving it in the middle. But last night, Francis fell behind to Red Sox’ hitters and when he tried to get even, they predictably took advantage.
''We’ve got a good offense,'' said Dustin Pedroia, whose leadoff homer in the bottom of the first began the barrage. ''We find ways to grind out at-bats. We’ve got guys who work walks and see a lot of pitches, and (the opponents’) starters are up to 100 pitches by the fifth inning. That’s the biggest thing – we wear down their starters.''
And how. The Sox had three runs in the first, sending eight hitters to the plate. They added another in the second, then finished off Francis two more runs in the fourth. He did not come back out for the fifth, having thrown 103 pitches.
As has been the case throughout October, David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez helped lead the way. Ortiz had a run-scoring double and a single in his three at-bats against Francis while Ramirez had an RBI-single, a walk and a double in his three plate appearances against the lefty.
But they weren’t the only ones doing damage.
''We’re getting contributions from everybody in the lineup,'' said hitting instructor Dave Magadan. ''That’s what you have to do to put up runs like we’ve been doing – everybody needs to do their part.’’
For a stretch in the middle of the ALCS, the Red Sox became too dependent on the long ball. From the middle of Game Two through the end of Game Four, every run the Sox scored against Cleveland came as a result of home runs.
But starting in Game Five, the Sox got back to their usual approach – wearing down opposing pitchers, exercising selectivity at the plate and taking a relentless approach.
The result? The Sox have totaled 43 runs in the last four games, an average of nearly 11 runs per contest.
''We’re getting back to having big innings,'' said Magadan, ''scoring six and seven runs at a time. To do that, you’ve got to get guys one through nine (in the order) doing some damage. When you can’t pitch around David (Ortiz) and Manny (Ramirez), it’s tough on pitchers.''
As the Sox continue to pile up runs at a record-setting pace, their confidence is correspondingly sky-high. One offensive breakout leads to another, and the Sox fear no one.
''Confidence,’’ said Magadan, ''is huge in hitting. When you have that, everything becomes easier at the plate. You feel that, in any situation, you can hit any pitch.''
And, he might have added, any pitcher – as the Sox have demonstrated in all month long.
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