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October 6, 2007
By STEVEN KRASNER
Journal Sports Writer
BOSTON -- The titanic home run launched by Manny Ramirez with two outs in the ninth inning, the monstrous rocket that gave the Boston Red Sox a walkoff 6-3 victory over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-five ALDS, was the dramatic, memorable moment that will live on from last night's game at Fenway Park.
But lost in Ramirez's exultant home-run trot and the resulting raucous home-plate celebration was the work of the Boston bullpen, which no-hit the Angels for the final 4 1/3 innings after starter Daisuke Matsuzaka was lifted.
Javier Lopez, Manny Delcarmen, Hideki Okajima and Jonathan Papelbon combined for the stellar relief work, shaking off whatever rust they may have had in pitching for the first time in at least five days.
"We pride ourselves on being one of the best bullpens in the league," said Lopez, who retired the only batter he faced. "We've been doing it all year and we showed it again today. For some of us -- myself, Manny and Okajima -- this was our first playoff experience. It was exciting for all of us. And then Pap came in. He can dominate. And even when he doesn't have his best stuff he can get outs."
"We all feel we can do the job," said Delcarmen, who retired four of the five batters he faced. "Tonight we just picked each other up, the way we've been doing it all year."
Manager Terry Francona's first call to the bullpen went to Lopez. He brought in the situational left-hander to face Kendry Morales with runners at first and third with two outs in the fifth and the Red Sox trailing, 3-2.
That forced the switch-hitting Morales to turn around and bat from the right side, where he hasn't been as successful. It took Lopez only two pitches to escape the jam, getting Morales to bounce into a forceout.
Delcarmen was next. With the score tied at 3-3, Delcarmen took over in the sixth. The right-hander from nearby Jamaica Plain worked a spotless inning, notching one whiff, and retired the first batter in the seventh. He was lifted in favor of Okajima after hitting Vladimir Guerrero with a pitch.
Okajima nailed down the final two outs in the seventh, one on a whiff. And after retiring the first two Angels in the eighth, the last one on another strikeout, Francona called for Papelbon with the game still tied at 3-3.
Papelbon should have had a one-pitch inning, but Mike Lowell bounced a throw to first on Howie Kendrick's grounder for an error, and a short time later, thanks to three stolen bases and a walk, Papelbon was pitching with runners at second and third and two outs.
But he won a battle with leadoff man Chone Figgins, freezing him with a splitter for a called strike three.
"That was the biggest pitch of the night," said Papelbon. "That was a momentum shift for us."
Papelbon worked around a two-out walk in the ninth, but he ended the inning by retiring Macier Izturis on a popup, and wound up the winning pitcher when Ramirez crushed the walkoff homer.
"I think from top to bottom the bullpen was lights out," said Papelbon. "It all started with Javier going out there and setting the tone and then everybody follows suit. Once we get the ball rolling down there in the bullpen, we feed off each other as go along."
And partly as a result of the bullpen's solid performance, the Red Sox were able to taste victory last night.
Posted by Steven Krasner 
at 1:26 AM | Permalink
