ALDS GM 1: Running Blog

Posted by Adam Hart October 1, 2008 at 10:38 pm

Before we begin, I just want to say that I watched the Dodgers-Cubs game. Listening to Tony Gwynn, I want his accent. Not his body type. Just his accent. Rally time! …I mean, Game 1 time!

Top 1
– Collins is out in Anaheim for this game. He says it’s muy caliente out there. And it’s muy Frank Caliendo on TBS right now. That’s all I got.
– Jacoby Ellsbury leads off with a double to right center. Chip Caray tells us that John Lackey does not get rattled easily. I doubt it.
– Dustin Pedroia grounds out to the pitcher. He fails to move Ellsbury along.
– With the shift on, David Ortiz ground out to shallow right… sounds strange, but it’s true.
– A waste of a leadoff double. Kevin Youkilis grounds out to Chone Figgins at 3rd. Lackey did not appear rattled. I can’t be this detailed every inning. I’ve got double stuff oreos to eat.
Bos 0 LAA 0

Bot 1
– Garret Anderson ropes a single to right past the dive of Pedroia.
– A single lands in front of Ellsbury, batted by Mark Teixeira.
– A lazy fly to right by Vlad Guerrero, and JD Drew camps out underneath it. No roasting marshmallows, though. Doesn’t want to risk tweaking his back.
– Bases juiced now. 2 out. Howie Kendrick at the dish. Mobile-city! Mikey Lowell fields an easy chopper and steps on 3rd to get out of the jam.
Bos 0 LAA 0

Top 2
– 3 up, 3 down. Lowell hits a sharp rope to left, but the equally immobile Anderson makes the catch.
Bos 0 LAA 0

Bot 2
– Craig Sager’s suit is stylin’ and profilin’. Wonder what KG has to say about it…

– 2 outs in the inning, and Caray begins his talk about Jon Lester’s cancer. Why isn’t Don O. doing this game?
– Lowell doesn’t even need to move to field this grounder. Stop making it so easy, LAAofA.
Bos 0 LAA 0

Top 3
– Nice glove flip by Kendrick, but no way they’re doubling up Ellsbury.
– Caray comments on the size of Ellsbury’s lead, saying it’s short. I don’t think that’s of any importance. It’s not the size of the lead, it’s what one does with it.
– Some chick sitting in the screened in field level area has some weird white thing between her legs. Like some sort of battery operated device. A mini fan maybe… Wonder what she thinks of Ellsbury’s lead.
– Oh yeah, runners on 1st and 2nd with Papi at the dish. …And he flies out to short.
Bos 0 LAA 0

Bot 3
– Lester wiffs Figgins. But as I listen to Caray, I can’t help but wish his grandfather was still alive to call this game. Or that Will Ferrell would reprise his Harry Caray impersonation to call this one.

– Why was there a split screen for a five minute discussion with LAAofA pitching coach Mike Butcher? I hate in game interviews. Almost as much as I hate those Viagara commercials. Although, without The Watney on the sidelines, maybe it’s necessary for all those old dudes watching the game.
– This home plate ump’s strike zone is dubious. I never thought I’d say this… but where’s the Amica pitch zone?
– “The check swings are certainly going the Red Sox way in this 3rd inning“, says Caray. If by “going the Red Sox way”, he means that the Angels aren’t checking their swings, then yes. He is right on the money with that observation.
– Jed Lowrie makes an error while rushing to flip the ball to Pedroia at second base. 2 on, 2 out. Torii Hunter is at the dish. The Sox need Lester’s pitch count to stay low. Lowrie’s doing him no favors. I don’t want to see the Sox bullpen until the 8th.
– Well, that’s nice. Hunter hits a shallow fly to left, but Jason Bay was a bit too deep to catch it. A run crosses the plate. Bay and Lowrie better combine to make up for it with something cool. Like a giant bottle of maple syrup from Bay’s home country of Canada.
Bos 0 LAA 1

Top 4
– I went to the 161st game of the season, and let me tell you — Jason Bay LOVES striking out. But he’s a good guy. He’ll do something memorable by the time this series is over.
– Lowell, too.
Bos 0 LAA 1

Bot 4
– Looks like Will & Grace and Ed are teaming up for an awesome TNT program. Zzzz…
– Lowrie makes a nice backhanded play on a GMJr. grounder. 2 outs. This inning is moving right along for Lester.
– Another grounder hit right to Lowell. The LAAofA aren’t making him work for it at all. It’s like he’s a hot girl in a chemistry class filled with nerds. Mike Lowell bats an eyelash and he gets a room service grounder.
Bos 0 LAA 1

Top 5
– Varitek makes solid contact, but flies out to right. Whenever Tek gets two strikes on him, the pitcher elevates with a fastball… and he ALWAYS swings at it. ALWAYS. But I clearly have no problem with it.
– Ellsbury bunts to get on base. He’s 3-for-3 getting on base. If you count that fielder’s choice in his 2nd AB.
– TomTom just called a homer for Pedy. Let’s see if it happens…
– Ellsbury swipes second base with 2 outs. Hopefully Pedy can produce. …He lunges at an outside pitch and flies to right to end the inning. Looks like Ellsbury will need to steal home if the Sox plan on scoring.
Bos 0 LAA 1

Bot 5
– I have to say, both teams have had some hard shots tonight, but the defenses are placed in perfect position.
– Hold on for a second. Because Jason Bay is consistently playing on the warning track. Teixeira drops another hit in front of Bay.
– Vlad follows that with a groundball single to right with 2 outs.
– Hunter grounds out to Lester to end the inning. He knows he’s not on the Twins anymore, right? Oh yeah, I forgot. The LAAofA are chokers, too. 80 pitches for Lester through 5. Not looking good for a 7 inning performance tonight.
Bos 0 LAA 1

Top 6
– Papi wants to murder someone, as he pops out again. He looks angry.
– JD Drew strikes out, what do you know. I swear, he keeps the same swing plane on every pitch. It the ball is outside that plane, tough luck — JD isn’t hitting it. Buck Martinez called that 90 mph fastball “Something off-speed”. Good call.
– TOLD YOU SO!!! Jason Bay goes deepstick to left. A two-run homer. Sox up 2-1. He is one lanky, powerful guy. Now let’s do this!

I know. I know. I’ve shown this video 100 times. Whatever, it’s still hilarious. Just watch it.
Bos 2 LAA 1

Bot 6
– Lester is looking like a #1 stud. He K’s Mike Napoli and makes him look foolish doing so.
– So nasty. 6 K’s for Lester. He’s at 100 pitches.
Bos 2 LAA 1

Top 7
– Okay. Game over. Caray and Martinez have told us that once the LAAofA get to their bullpen in the 7th, the game is virtually over. Their bullpen is THAT good. …During the regular season. By now, Scioscia has worn out his relievers’ arms like I’ve worn out my welcome at multiple gymnasiums around the state, on account of my intimidating weightlifting skills. ……..Not true.
– Apparently, the LAAofA have decided to stick with Lackey. And the home plate ump calls Lowrie out on a clear check swing. All Jed can do is smile and walk away. That was a bad call.
– Ellsbury ropes one to right, GMJr. loses it in the lights and Jacoby strolls into third base with 2 outs.
– Papi strikes out to end the threat. He’s struggling in this game. But we don’t know how bad that wrist is. At least Bay did something tonight.
Bos 2 LAA 1

Bot 7
– Some fan holds a sign reading “Calling All Angels”. What? That team is reduced to prayers to get a win in the playoffs? Call me when they have some respect for themselves.
– The look on Scioscia’s face says it all. Lester just picked apart the outside corner to strike out Figgins. I think Scioscia is going to snap. Beckett takes a seat and the Sox don’t miss a beat. That rhymes. Aaaaa-thank you.
– He has the LAAofA batters all sorts of confused. I say Tito needs to bypass the bullpen until they get to the 9th. And I’m not even trusting Papelbon all that much anymore.
Bos 2 LAA 1

Top 8
– Youk bends one just foul down the left field line. Darren Oliver is in for the LAAofA. He’s part of their “great” bullpen. Didn’t he suck for the Red Sox like 8 years ago?
– Now Scot Shields is in the game to face Bay. A couple curve balls and Bay adjusts, slapping a double to right. This LAAofA team is dead right now. And I didn’t even wear black.
– Lowell tweaks the hip on a check swing, but still musters a groundout to Kendrick on the next pitch. No doubt he is a tough son of a gun.
Bos 2 LAA 1

Bot 8
– Speed is a weapon. Ellsbury sprints in on a bloop by Teixeira and makes a nice sliding catch. Oh yeah, and Justin Masterson is in the game, facing the heart of the order.
– Vlad grounds a single to left.
– Youk is a gamer. A seeing-eye-blooper lands just past Youkilis, but he throws from his knees right to third base and catches Vlad being greedy. 2 outs on a smooth play by Youk.
– Masterson gets a groundout to end the inning. We see a shot of K-Rod and his 60-whocares saves in the bullpen, sitting down with his glove on. Like that horrible kid on the Little League team who never sees the field. Poor K-Rod. Take a look at Giardi’s statistical analysis of this series. You’ll like what you see.
Bos 2 LAA 1

Top 9
– RBI single for Ellsbury on a bleeder. Lowrie comes around to score from second base. Ellsbury reaches base 5 times in this game. He loves the postseason.
– Papelbon is up in the bullpen… and Ellsbury steals another base. After some struggles in the middle of the season, he is back!
– Ellsbury moves up to third on a grounder back to the pitcher. Shields stops it with his hand. It wasn’t hit all that hard. He’ll stay in the game.
– 3 home runs in the last 5 ABs for Papi, but he hits a bleeder up the middle through the shift. Ellsbury scores. Ortiz extends his ALDS hitting streak to 12 games.
– I hate you Mike Scioscia. Changing pitchers again? I need to be at work at 4am. Jose Arrendondo enters the game.
– Alright, time for Paps.
Bos 4 LAA 1

Bot 9
– I wish the Sox earned home field advantage. Then we wouldn’t need to sit through 9 full innings. Hopefully Papelbon makes this as uninteresting as possible.
– Gases Napoli for a strikeout. 1 out.
– Kendry Morales singles to right. Paps left the fastball up in the strike zone. Ut-oh! Watch out. It’s Rally Monkey time. He’ll throw poop at you and pick bugs out of your hair. He’s a nasty one.

– Aybar goes down swinging on a sick pitch in the dirt.
– Game over. Figgins goes down swinging. Best team in baseball, huh? Break out the brooms. Oh, and those “WE BEAT LA” shirts from the NBA Finals? They’re multi-seasonal.

Bos 4 LAA 1 Game over at 1:22am

Ellsbury: 3-for-5, 1 run, 1 rbi
Bay: 2-for-4, 1 run, 2 rbi
Lester: 7 IP, 6 H, 0 ER, 7 K