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Woo Hoo for 500!

By Joe McDonald
Journal Sports Writer

BALTIMORE _ The Brothers Woo literally caught history last night.

Sitting in Section 94, seats 15 and 16 Saturday night at Orioles Park at Camden Yards, Damon and Jason Woo caught Manny Ramirez’s 500th home run ball. Actually Damon, 40, was the one who ended up with it. He caught the ball on the fly and dropped to the ground as his brother covered him until Baltimore police quickly made their way to their seats and escorted the two to the Red Sox clubhouse.

“Nobody was going to take it away from us,” said Woo.

The two brothers played golf earlier in the day at Andrews Air Force Base and Damon joked that he would be the way to catch it. He’s not going to hang onto it, however, because as soon as the Red Sox beat the Orioles 6-3, Damon gave it back to Ramirez.

“It belongs to him,” said Woo. “It’s his accomplishment. It’s his achievement. It’s his ball. He said I could borrow it for the night, but it’s his. That’s the right thing to do.”

Actually Woo and his brother were hanging around the Sox’ clubhouse waiting for it to clear out so he could officially give it back to Ramirez, who plans on giving it to a local children’s charity in Boston.

A ball of this significance could make Woo a nice sum of money, but the Nahant, Mass., native and Manhattan resident felt it best to return it to the rightful owner.

“They are so nice, and I’m just happy to have the ball,” Ramirez said.

He said he wanted to take a picture with it with his children before handing over to his local charity. In fact, Ramirez is donating $1,000 for every homer he hits this season. No. 500 was his 10th of 2008.

Manny might have his ball back, but teammate Julio Lugo has the bat that Ramirez hit the homer with. Ramirez promised Lugo the bat a while ago, and before anyone could talk to Lugo he placed the bat in a white sanitary sock, tied it up and scooted out of the clubhouse.

Woo and his brother made a few phone calls, but they couldn’t get in touch with anyone back in Boston and New York.

“They must be out drinking in the bars, watching the game and enjoying it,” said Damon Woo. “Hopefully they saw me for a moment.”

Posted by Joe McDonald  at 11:55 PM | Permalink

Manny hits 500th home run

Manny Ramirez hit his 500th career home run in the seventh inning of tonight's game at Baltimore. The solo shot off former Red Sox reliever Chad Bradford put the Sox on top, 5-3. Ramirez is the 24th member of baseball's 500-home-run club.

Posted by Mike McDermott  at 9:33 PM | Permalink

Sox move Thursday night starting time to 6:05 p.m.

Because Game One of the NBA Finals will be tipping off shortly after 9 p.m. Thursday night, the Red Sox have changed the starting time of their home game that evening, against the Rays, from 7:05 to 6:05 p.m.

Most baseball games last around three hours, so the Sox game should be over by the time the Celtics' game begins.

"We have decided to start our game on Thursday one hour earlier in order that fans may enjoy not only Red Sox baseball but also Game 1 of the NBA Finals," club president/CEO Larry Lucchino said in a statement released by the team early Saturday evening. "On behalf of everyone in our organization, I want to congratulate the Boston Celtics on their Eastern Conference Championship, and we will be rooting for them in their quest to bring another World Title to the fans of Boston and New England."

The Sox also have home games on the same days as Games Two, Three and Four. There should be no conflict for Game Two, on Sunday, June 8 -- the Sox' game against the Mariners is scheduled to begin at 1:35 p.m., while the Celtics and Lakers again won't play until 9 -- but they will be facing the same situation for Games Three and Four. On both nights (Tuesday, June 10, and Thursday, June 12) they're scheduled to play the Orioles at 7:05 at Fenway and the Celts and Lakers will play in Los Angeles at 9 Eastern time. It will be interesting to see if they switch the starting times of those games, as well.

The Sox are on the road when the Celtics are playing Games Five, Six and Seven, and thus will have no control over their starting times.

Posted by Art Martone  at 6:00 PM | Permalink

Tonight's lineups:

BOSTON

Ellsbury, rf
Pedroia, 2b
Ortiz, dh
Ramirez, lf
Lowell, 3b
Youkilis, 1b
Varitek, c
Crisp, cf
Lugo, ss
Lester, sp

BALTIMORE

Roberts, 2b
Markakis, rf
Mora, 3b
Millar, 1b
Huff, dh
Hernandez, c
Payton, lf
Jones, cf
Cintron, ss
Olson, sp

Posted by Joe McDonald  at 5:34 PM | Permalink

Pregame notes: Dice-K talks

By Joe McDonald
Journal Sports Writer

BALTIMORE -- Red Sox pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka met with the local and international media just a few minutes ago and assured everyone he's fine.

The right-hander was placed on the 15-day disabled list on Friday with a mild rotator-cuff strain. He was removed from his last start in the fifth inning last Tuesday in Seattle. While the Red Sox traveled here Thursday, Dice-K returned to Boston where he underwent an MRI Friday morning.

He rejoined the team here Friday night and was working out at Camden Yards today. He admitted he wasn't too concerned with his shoulder, but was glad to know everything is fine after the testing.

"I know everybody on the team is tired," he said. "Even though I might feel okay, the club has told me to take this time and rest up and heal. Even though I appreciate the rest and protection I'm getting, I do feel bad I'm the only one getting rest at this time."

Matsuzaka is 8-0 this season, but he doesn't want to dwell on this setback too much.

"Dwelling on it won't help me heal any faster," he said. "It's too bad that no matter how hard I work out right now, it won't affect the outcome of the game. I'm going to treat this like a mini-camp."

Posted by Joe McDonald  at 5:15 PM | Permalink

Pregame notes: Buchholz optioned to Pawtucket

By Joe McDonald
Journal Sports Writer

BALTIMORE -- Pitcher Clay Buchholz has been reinstated from the disabled list and optioned to Pawtucket.

Red Sox manager Terry Francona made the announcement earlier today. The Sox held a conference call with Buchholz, GM Theo Epstein, Francona, pitching coach John Farrell and PawSox manager Ron Johnson.

"We just want to make sure he understood what we're trying to do," said Francona. "We're trying to take out the [element] of him concerning about the linescore. He can go be consistent and pound the strike zone with his fastball. He can work on his arm slot and things like that."

Buchholz finished spring training strong and made the rotation out of camp. The Red Sox didn't want him to think this was some kind of demotion. This will be a chance from the young right-hander to continue to hone his skills without any added pressure at this point.

"There were some things that needed to be worked on," said Francona. "This is probably the best opportunity to do it."

One of the main things, according to Francona, was Buchholz's ability to be consistent with his fastball.

"His off-speed stuff is probably as good as anybody's in the game," said the manager. "Again, some times you just need a little more time to finish up what you're doing. We'll continue to monitor it, because of how important he is to where we're going."

Posted by Joe McDonald  at 4:57 PM | Permalink

Postgame notes: This and that

By Joe McDonald
Journal Sports Writer

BALTIMORE -- Red Sox pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka was back with his teammates Friday night after undergoing an MRI in Boston the same morning.

The right-hander was placed on the 15-day disabled list due to a mild rotator-cuff strain. He arrived here late Friday, but manager Terry Francona told Dice-K to go to the team's hotel instead of the ballpark.

***Red Sox first baseman Kevin Youkilis snapped an 0-for-18 skid with a single in the 13th inning Friday night.

***The Orioles struck out a season-high 17 times Friday night. Red Sox starter Josh Beckett recorded 10 of them.

Posted by Joe McDonald  at 3:28 AM | Permalink

Postgame notes: Lugo's defense

By Joe McDonald
Journal Sports Writer

BALTIMORE -- Red Sox shortstop Julio Lugo leads the majors with 12 errors this season, including five in the last 16 games. He almost cost the Red Sox again lFriday night with his defensive, but thanks to quick reflexes – and an extremely slow Kevin Millar – Lugo was saved.

In the bottom of the 12th inning with two runners for Baltimore, Millar hit a routine grounder to Lugo. It appeared to be an easy double play, but the shortstop bobbled the ball and was forced to hurry the throw to first to at least get one out, which he did.

The runners now stood at second and third, so with first open the Sox decided to intentionally walk the Orioles’ Luke Scott. That proved crucial because reliever Mike Timlin got Ramon Hernandez to fly out to left field to end the inning and threat.

“Sticking with that ball, I don’t want to say it had disaster written all over it, but he stayed with it enough and got the out. That was a huge play,” said Red Sox manager Terry Francona.

Lugo, who did not start the game, felt pretty confident after the victory.

“I just want to get one out,” he said. “I was trying to get two, but then I bobbled it. I went to first and got the out.”

Posted by Joe McDonald  at 3:26 AM | Permalink

Postgame notes: Suicide what?

By Joe McDonald
Journal Sports Writer

BALTIMORE -- The Red Sox tried something Friday night that you don’t normally see.

In the second inning with one out and Coco Crisp standing on third base, Red Sox manager Terry Francona called for a suicide squeeze with Alex Cora at the plate.

Crisp had previously reached on a walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch. He stole third when Francona gave the sign. Crisp broke for home, but Cora couldn’t execute the play successfully and missed the pitch. Crisp was tagged out only a few feet from home plate.

Francona explained that since Crisp did a lot of leg work to get to third, and since Cora is probably the team’s best bunter, the manager felt it was a perfect time to drop one down.

Unfortunately it didn’t work.

“Take note of it because you probably won’t see it again until spring training,” said Francona. “Next time you’ll see it is probably in Winter Haven, because it doesn’t work. You just need to stay out of the way and let good players play.”

Posted by Joe McDonald  at 3:18 AM | Permalink

Postgame notes: Sox set record

By Joe McDonald
Journal Sports Writer

BALTIMORE -- The Red Sox stole six bases Friday night against the Orioles to set a new franchise record. They had stolen five bases six times. Jacoby Ellsbury led the way with three, which is the most by a Red Sox player since Jerry Remy had a club record four on June 14, 1980.

Manager Terry Francona said after the team’s 5-2 victory, it’s not like he planned to run as much as the Sox did Friday night, it was just the right time to do son.

“It’s completely game situations,” said Francona. “A couple of them they weren’t going to throw through. A guy like Mike Lowell, we don’t ever tell him before a game that in the whatever inning he’s going to steal third. That’s just a heads-up guy taking advantage. We ran the bases aggressively, but smartly.”

Ellsbury now has 23 swipes this season.

“We weren’t scoring runs, but we were moving our legs and getting into scoring position,” he said. “We didn’t get the big hits, but we put ourselves in a position to.”

Even Mike Lowell stole a base in the 13th inning that set up a much-needed insurance run.

“Wheels,” joked Lowell.

Posted by Joe McDonald  at 3:09 AM | Permalink

Lowell's the hero

By Joe McDonald
Journal Sports Writer

If anyone listened very carefully Friday night at Camden Yards, you could almost hear the chants of “Sign Mike Lowell. Sign Mike Lowell. Sign Mike Lowell” that fans were screaming after he was named World Series MVP last October in Denver.

He obviously did resign with the Red Sox during the offseason, leaving a bigger pay check on the table to stay in Boston. And, he hasn’t let those fans down. Friday night was a perfect example.

The man fouled a pitch off the top of his foot in the sixth inning and was clearly in pain. That didn’t matter because he stayed in the game and provided the game-winning hit in the top of the 13th inning as Boston eventual won, 5-2.

With Manny Ramirez on second via a throwing error, Lowell delivered a RBI single off Orioles reliever Chad Bradford.

“I was just looking to get my hands out,” said Lowell. “Bradford is a really uncomfortable at-bat. He doesn’t throw hard – velocity-wise – but you don’t pick up the ball until real late. It gets on you quick and I can’t say I had a special formula or anything. I was just looking to put a good swing, maybe make him elevate it a little, and it worked out great. We were able to capitalize on some of their mistakes.”

Not only did Lowell provide the game-winning hit, he also stole third and later scored an insurance run because of his heads-up on the bases.

“I can talk about Lowell doing a lot of things,” said Red Sox manager Terry Francona. “Running the bases, making plays at third and we needed a hit at some point because we were getting (pitching) thin. . . He’s a tough guy and always has been. He plays the game. He’ll play nine or 12 or 13 (innings). He’s a good baseball player and he’s a tough kid.”

The job Lowell has done and continues to do certainly doesn’t go unnoticed around the clubhouse. Red Sox starter Josh Beckett has played with Lowell in both Florida and Boston, and he’ll always sing his praise.

“He is one of the smartest baseball players probably to have ever lived,” said Beckett. “I don’t know what his success rate is on stealing bases (27-for-39), but he’s probably right up there with Ellsbury. He doesn’t have as many steals in a year as Ellsbury, but generally when he tries to steal a base he’s safe. He knows how to play the game. He made a great play in the 13th inning because that first out is always a big one.”

That play Beckett was talking about was the first out of the 13th inning for Baltimore. The Orioles’ Adam Jones hit a grounder to the left side, which Lowell snared and made an accurate throw to get the always crucial first out.

“It’s either going to end up in the 13th row or hit Youk right in the chest, so it worked out,” said Lowell. “The first out of the inning is very important with Pap because you’re able to squash anything they are able to get out of him.”

Most of the talk after Friday’s victory was the fact the Sox’ bullpen served up zeros after it came in relief of Beckett, who went six solid inning and allowed two runs on only four hits. But, it was the bullpen that credited Lowell with the victory.

“Mike’s awesome,” said Mike Timlin. “He plays the game right. He’s highly intelligent. He does the right thing at the right time. He doesn’t try to overdue anything. He stays calm in pressure situations and I love having him there.”

Posted by Joe McDonald  at 3:07 AM | Permalink

Boston 5, Baltimore 2 (13 innings)

By Joe McDonald
Journal Sports Writer

BALTIMORE _ When you’re not scoring runs, your pitchers can’t allow them.

That’s exactly what the bullpen was able to do for Boston last night as the Red Sox defeated the Orioles 5-2 in a four hour and 49-minute marathon that needed 13 innings to play here at Orioles Park at Camden Yards.

Entering the 13th inning the Boston Red Sox had scored a total of only five runs in the previous 43 innings of this current road trip. Not a very flattering statistics.

In the fourth extra frame last night, Boston scored three unearned runs the hard way en route to victory. After Manny Ramirez, who is still one homer shy of 500 for his career, reached on an error and advanced to second on the same play, Mike Lowell provided the would-be game-winning hit. The Red Sox pushed across two more before Jonathan Papelbon earned his 15th save of the season.

After a torrid trip (1-6) through Oakland and Seattle, the Red Sox were back at their home away from home at Orioles Park at Camden Yards last night. A sea of red, white and blue Red Sox jerseys and hats overwhelmed the Baltimore fans as a good number of the 46,199 in attendance were part of The Nation.

“This feels a lot better than losing,” said Lowell. “Our bullpen did a great job. . . Giving up only two runs in 13 innings is a pretty good job.”

The score was knotted at 2-2 from the fourth inning on, and after Josh Beckett worked six solid innings, allowing just two runs on four hits with only three walks and 10 strikeouts, his bullpen put up enough zeros to allow the offense to finally do something in the end.

Red Sox manager Terry Francona used a total of six relievers, including Hideki Okajima, Manny Delcarmen, Javier Lopez, Craig Hansen, Mike Timlin (3-3) and Papelbon.

“I think both the bullpens did a really good job,” said Beckett. “I was obviously happy with the way our guys did, but they had some guys do some good things, too.

The Red Sox needed their ace to come though in a big way last night.

Early yesterday afternoon Boston placed Daisuke Matsuzaka on the 15-day disabled list with a mild rotator-cuff strain, so Beckett wanted to give the Sox something to be happy about during this tough three-city, 10-game road trip.

“They made him work,” said Francona. “He’s facing a lineup that pretty much one through nine he has faced him a lot. They made him work and he was able to pitch out of a big jam late, and they made him throw a lot of pitches. Other than the home run and the other run early, he kept them at bay. That was good because after we scored those two runs (in the first inning, it took us about four and a half hours to get another one.”

This victory was key for the struggling Sox, and even though Francona always talks about living and play for that day only, everyone in the clubhouse after the game was relieved.

“This was a big win,” said Julio Lugo. “We needed it. Definitely we needed it.”

Posted by Joe McDonald  at 12:47 AM | Permalink