Game 7 Running Blog

Posted by Adam Hart October 19, 2008 at 8:33 pm

One shall stand, and one shall fall.

What do the Bruins, the BC Eagles, the Celtics and even the Red Sox all have in common? That’s right, they’re all winners this weekend. In respect of Terry Francona’s managerial style — there will be no big pre-game speech. Just this: Don’t ruin the sweep, boys. All right, game on.

Dennis Eckersley during the TBS pre-game show: “I am afraid for the Rays, I am desperately afraid for the Rays.” Eck knows what’s up.

Cal Ripken: “I’d want to be Tampa right now.” What does he know? Not how to kick back and take a day off, that’s what. He won’t want to be Tampa when this game is finished. Unless he loves crying into his pillow at night.

TOP 1
Coco Crisp shows bunt, but takes a ball on the first pitch of the game from Matt Garza, the psycho. Trying to get into his head, I like it. But once you get it, I fear there is no getting out of that loony bin.

Crisp lays down a successful bunt, and Garza fires the ball to first baseman Carlos Pena. No need for that. Unless you’re a little wired. Are you wired, Mr. Garza?

Giddyup! Dustin Pedroia smokes Garza’s offering into the seats in left. Sox up by 1. That ball got out in 1.4 seconds. Thanks for setting that up, Coco.

After David Ortiz draws a walk on a questionable pitch, Garza goes high and tight on Kevin Youkilis. He hangs over the plate just like Derek Jeter, and I always applaud Sox pitchers going up there on the Yankees captain. I have no problem with that. So long as he doesn’t hit Youk. Then it’s on.

Rocco Baldelli sprints toward the line in right to catch Youk’s liner. That was a long run. Nap time.

Yo, check with the third base ump!!! JD Drew checks his swing on a ball in the dirt, but the home plate ump calls it a strike on the swing. What swing?! You can’t just do that. And I’d be careful. You saw what Jason Varitek did to Derryl Cousins last night. He’s not afraid to do it again.
BOS 1 TB 0

BOT 1
I told you in my pre-game post what the Sox need from Jon Lester. Let’s see if he listened.

Chip Caray informs us that Lester has not lost consecutive starts in his major league career. As he tells us that, Akinori Iwamura grounds out to second, leading off the Rayhawks attack. Or lack of attack.

BJ Upton lines out to the warning track in right. Looks like Upton has made the adjustment to the outside pitch. Now you go high and tight. Make him hit the deck.

See ya. Pena goes does swinging on a sweeping breaking ball. Lester needs no warm up innings.
BOS 1 TB 0

TOP 2
Garza wears his emotions on his sleeve, as he strikes out Jason Bay on a check swing. Don’t worry. The Sox will rip his sleeve off and stomp it to pieces. Gross, dirty, filthy pieces.

My boy Mark Kotsay his a slow bouncer up the middle, and Jason Bartlett makes the play on it. It’s okay. He’s still awesome.

Varitek is seriously battling in this AB. Just so you folks at home know, Mike Giardi called last night’s home run, and he called another for tonight. We shall see…

Not this time. He gets frozen on a nasty breaking ball.
BOS 1 TB 0

BOT 2
I didn’t watch. Had to run to the kitchen and grab the bag of Charleston Chews that I put in the freezer for our crew tonight, who is staying late for the umpteenth time. They’re delicious. Also had to put together a Joe Biden video for NECN.com. But checking the Yahoo! box score and play-by-play, I see that Lester has faced six batters and retired all six. Dare I say they will not need Papelbon tonight? And there’s only one scenario in which that happens…
BOS 1 TB 0

TOP 3
Bases are cleared for Caballito, which I don’t think anyone calls him. Talking about Pedroia. I believe the nickname is “Little Crusher”, not “Little Horse”. But on the AB prior, Crisp’s bat must have had a hole in it, because he wiffed on a breaking pitch. He didn’t look all that great in doing so.

Garza drills Pedroia right on the forearm portion of the elbow. Pedroia refuses to even rub it once. Could say the same about a lot of the girls I’ve met… Anyway, he’s a hard nosed player. If there is one player on the Sox that could take Garza, it’s Pedy. And maybe Kotsay. JD Drew wouldn’t even try.

Garza then strikes out Big Papi on a fastball at his eye balls. Garza is the one who is supposed to be emotional, undisciplined. Someone tell Brad Mills to calm these guys down.
BOS 1 TB 0

BOT 3
Lester starts the inning by striking out Dioner Navarro. But this is what I’m afraid of — Caray says, “7 up, 7 down for Lester.” Remember Game 1, when Matsuzakasan had a no-hitter going into the late innings, and Caray took every possible moment to mention that fact? “No hits allowed by Daisuke.” “Matsuzaka has not given up a hit, yet.” “A no hitter for Daisuke. Yeah, I know the Red Sox are up right now, but I just thought I’d throw an extra jinx in there. For good measure.”

And while I was doing all that jibber-jabbering, Lester K’d Rocco and got Bartlett to ground out.
BOS 1 TB 0

TOP 4
Boston is letting the crazy man settle in. He is getting them to swing at bad pitches. One run might do it, but that’s not humiliating enough of a win. I want double digits and I want them now.

JBay strikes out again. I will keep my mouth shut. But people with holes in their swing should sit fastball.
BOS 1 TB 0

Commercials of note: 007 wants me to visit a website. Two kids talk jibberish for 30 seconds. Here’s a question: Does anyone else hate the Toyota “Saved by Zeeeero” commercials? Like, I want to find out whoever came up with that idea, and then do something that he wouldn’t be happy about. I’d need to learn more about him. It would take time, but I’d win in the end.

BOT 4
Well, goodbye no-no. Iwamura leads off the inning with a base hit. Now Upton is at the plate. I fear him. I really do.

Except when he strikes out swinging. Then he’s like a little kitten. A declawed, little kitten.

Lester starts Pena off with the same pitch he struck him out on in his first AB. So smart. …And then he taps a grounder to second. With the shift on, Pedroia throws to Youk at second base and barely gets Iwamura, the lead runner. Pedy is the man. Can’t stress that enough.

Good. Great. Grand. Wonderful. Evan Longoria slaps and outside fastball opposite field and it finds its way into the corner. Pedroia’s relay throw to the plate is a step too late, as Pena scores all the way from first. Game tied. Furious.

Lester strikes out Carl Crawford to end the inning. But the damage is done. The Sox need to man-up and get something done at the plate.
BOS 1 TB 1

Commercials of note: Sprint thinks it’s better than it is. Old guys go to the bathroom, a lot. Oh, and there are side effects if they try to remedy the situation.

TOP 5
Kotsay leads off by popping out to Iwamura. Are we really leaving this up to Varitek again? Is this what you want, Boston Red Sox lineup? Because it isn’t going to happen. He just grounded out. See, I’m not lying.

Alex Cora doesn’t lift the bat off his shoulder. They allowed Garza to find a groove. There’s only one way to undo it — Crisp must successfully bunt for a hit, and hope that Garza throws the ball away. That would unravel his loosely bound strings for good.
BOS 1 TB 1

Commercials of note: Frank Television. Still won’t watch it.

BOT 5
Willie Aybar just almost hit a leaning forward, one handed swing home run. Instead it hits off the wall for a double for a leadoff double. Lester needs to step it up, or move out of the way.

Buck Martinez slips and calls Joe Maddon by the wrong name — John Maddon. Where’s Frank TV to capitalize? Boom! Bam! …Or whatever his stick is.

Infield hit for Navarro. My fury grows as the Rayhawks near the top of the order.

Rocco hits a dribbler through the left side. One run scores. I’m trying to be nice with my wordage here, so my description will be minimal. Still no outs. Rayhawks lead.

MDC is in the bullpen. I said it the other day — bullpen management is a crapshoot. But I wouldn’t feel great if he got the call. I need a triple play. Immediately.

Lester strikes out Bartlett. And a double play ball seems more realistic here, with Iwamura at the dish. That triple play nonsense was me being nervous. Sorry. And Iwamura taps out back to the mound. Two runners now in scoring position. Upton is at the plate. If Lester gets out of this inning, the Sox win. If he doesn’t, the Sox win. It’ll just take a little more effort.

Upton fists a liner to Cora. Inning over. A one run lead is far from insurmountable.
BOS 1 TB 2

Commercials of note: Crappy TNT show. Gas station worker watches an attractive broad on the security camera; not creepy in any way. Seriously. Blackberry likes the internet. I will murder “zero”. Then who will it save? Nobody, that’s who. Only my sanity.

TOP 6
Nobody better than Crisp to leadoff this inning. Except he’s not showing bunt. I want a single. And here’s a good sign, on NECN’s 10pm newscast, we’re rocking my girl — Viviana Hurtado. All signs point to me being happy at the end of the night. A Red Sox win is what that hinges upon.

Crisp taps out to the pitcher. Garza makes the play. He fields his position well. But now he’s facing Pedroia, Little Crusher.

Fighting off pitch after pitch, Pedroia messes with Garza by stepping out as he’s ready to throw a 3-2 pitch. After tightening his batting gloves, Garza throws a breaking ball in the dirt. Papi needs to prove that he wants to do something with his life. Right now.

Strike ‘em out, throw ‘em out. Ortiz down swinging on another high fastball. Papi needs to reevaluate his idea of the strike zone. Swear words.
BOS 1 TB 2

Commercials of note: Taco Bell is bad food. Brooke Shields wants to have my babies or something.

BOT 6
Lester is having a quick inning. Pena, Longoria and Crawford all fly or pop out. I love how Caray ramps up his voice every time the Rayhawks make contact. It’s no a race to see who can call a home run. You don’t need to start your call early, like David Ortiz does his swing. You’re the only one calling the game (on television). Let the play breathe a little.
BOS 1 TB 2

Commercials of note: Applebee’s thinks I’ll like their food better if I am allowed to combine multiple dishes.

TOP 7
Do you even want to win? Those swings don’t look like determined swings. I want to see some quality hacks. I say this as Youk pops out behind the second base bag. Be aggressive. Go out and get some. Let’s do this!

Drew draws a four pitch walk. Maybe JBay will decide to wiggle the stick here, and hit an RBI double. (That’s me telling him to hit an RBI double right now, or get out of my life.)

A basehit will suffice. Now he can stay. But Kotsay needs to step up. If not, it’s the land of no return.

A sacrifice fly won’t do it. Kotsay flies out to right, and Drew moves up to third. Two outs. One bonus, Kotsay broke the bat over his knee while jogging to first. He’s a beast. I’m praying for a passed ball. Or a throwing error. Yes, Varitek is at the plate.

Sucks, sucks, sucks. Strikes out on a ball in the dirt. You think he’d get tired of swinging at that crap. ‘Cuz I’m tired of watching it.
BOS 1 TB 2

Commercials of note: Old guy talks about investing, good timing. Those kids are back, still can’t understand a word they’re saying.

BOT 7
Lester returns to work the 7th. Martinez says that you can’t blame the Sox outfielder for playing with their backs against the wall, because of the Rayhawks and their home runs. Last I knew, you could catch home runs 10 rows deep.

Oh, what do you know. Aybar just crushed a fat pitch for a homer. Solo job. I’d say the bullpen would have been a good call to start the 7th. But that’s just me.

After I let the frustration out, Bartlett flies out. If Jacoby Ellsbury doesn’t bat for Alex Cora to lead off the 8th, I quit.
BOS 1 TB 3

Commercials of note: Not very funny Frank TV. Progressive lady is strange. I criticized the “zero” commercial, but I LOVE the Subway “5 dollar footlooooong” jingle. It’s fun. Those old guys are still going to the bathroom with frequency.

TOP 8
Well, Cora is still in there. I’m flabbergasted. He hits a grounder to Bartlett, but he boots it! He boots it bad.

Garza gets the hook for… Dan Wheeler. Aaaaaa hahahahahahahaha. Let’s watch this unravel.

He gives up a base knock to Crisp. Runners on first and second with nobody out. Six outs? That’s a tall order for this Rays pen, according to Mr. Giardi.

Pedy flies out to left. No one advances. That means Papi must be disciplined for one at bat. He must trust his hands. He must get a big hit, or else I’m going to be the one crying in my pillow tonight, not Ripken.

Ortiz grounds out to Iwamura, who goes to second for the out. Crisp would have been safe, had he gone for the bag. Instead, the Rayhawks only get one out. The Sox have runners on the corner with Youk at the plate and Chad Bradford on the hill. He should be outlawed from throwing like he does. It’s not normal.

Hey, what do you know? It’s another pitching change. Bradford walks Youk. And Maddon trots out the rookie lefthander, David Price. It’s their best versus our best big time hitter, JD Drew. Let’s do this.

Drew strikes out. On 4 pitches. On a check swing, that the home plate ump called a swing without checking with the 3rd base ump. He got some balls, that guy.
BOS 1 TB 3

BOT 8
Okaji in the game for the Sox. And the replay shows that Drew’s check was too close to call for the home plate ump. It may have been a strike, but you don’t make that call in the 8th inning of Game 7 of the ALCS. The guy Hoculi’d it.

Okaji gets three outs, as expected.
BOS 1 TB 3

TOP 9
Bay. Kotsay. Varitek. They must handle Price’s straight fire.

Bay is fighting off some tough pitches from Price. JBay offers at a pitch, and it is not called strike three. Blue checks with the first base ump. The Sox get a break. And Bay draws a leadoff walk. Kotsay is the tying run. Hopefully he isn’t forced to break his bat again.

Kotsay attempts to bunt his way on. It does not work. He taps it foul. Kotsay takes strike three on the outside corner. Tough pitch. Also, someone needs to teach the Red Sox hitters how to bunt for a hit. Or bunt period. They all jab at the ball and turn their bat head toward the ground. It’s pop out city.

Tek batting right handed against Price. Not a favorable matchup for Tek. Due to the straight fire Price is hurling. Tek K’s, swinging. Bails out entirely.

Jed Lowrie is their final hope.

Series over. Lowrie punches out to second base. It was a fun season. Manny would have helped this team in the playoffs. Too bad he wanted out.

BOS 1 TB 3, FINAL

At least the Celtics start soon.