| 04 May 2009
We've got a busy day here at The Bottom Line HQ, so this weekend update will be short...
On Friday, Justin Masterson pitched well into the 5th before th Rays exploded for 6 runs, powered by an Evan Longoria grand slam.
The Red Sox never recovered and the Rays won 6-2.
Andy Sonnanstine, who had been struggling badly until this game, held the Sox to just two runs, despite allowing 8 hits and 2 walks. The Rays bullpen did the rest and the Sox finished with 16 runners stranded.
Pedroia had three hits in the game and Youkilis has two, buet Ellsbury was 0 for 5 at the top and Ortiz was 0 for 4 with a walk.
On Saturday, the offense woke up and helped Tim Wakefield earn his third win of 2009, despite a shaky start. Wake only made through five innings, allowing five runs on seven hits and two walks, but the Sox put six up early and added a few runs later while the bullpen held the Rays in check, completing the 10-6 win.
"The offense won the game," Wakefield said. "I was lucky enough to get through five, and the bullpen really picked me up."
Jacoby Ellsbury made up for a poor game on Friday with two hits and three steals and Dustin remained hot going 2 for 3 with two runs scored and two walks. Youk and Drew combined for five runs and Lowell added a homer in the 7th. Ortiz walked two more time and went hitless again...
Okajima, Ramirez and Saito closed out the game.
Sunday did not go as well. Brad Penny pitched well, fanning eight Rays and haloding them to three runs through six innings, but two weak hits put the Rays up 3-1 in the 4th and Rays starter James Shields kept the Sox bats quiet and earned the 5-3 win.
Carl Crawford stole six bases thanks to Penny's slow delivery and his own amazing speed. He also went 4 for 4 with a walk, proving that if you put a speedster on the bases - he WILL run.
Th Red Sox had their chances, particularly in the 8th when Youk homered to make it 4-3. But after a single from Drew and a walk fopr Jason Bay. Mike Lowell flied out to end the threat. Bay, Lowell, Varitek and Lugo combined to go 0 for 14 with a pair of walks at the bottom of the order.
Ortiz was o for 3 with a walk and told the media before the game that he plans to continue to take the walks and wait for his pitches.
"Well, I'm not happy," Ortiz said. "Why should I be? But let me tell you what. I'm the kind of guy that, 100 at-bats in two weeks, I can wipe my [expletive] with. You know what I'm saying? I'm just going to keep it cool, keep playing the game, not worry about too many things. I'm not going to worry about all the negativity, all the bull [expletive]. Because, it seems like it's never enough. People, all they like to see is people fail, so they have a reason to talk [expletive]. So that's why I'm trying to stay away from talking. Because I don't need to talk. I need to do things right now. You know what I'm saying? I will do things. Believe me. Regardless. I will.
"It's going to come slowly, and it will. I'm just not trying to do ... what I can do in a week, I'm not trying to do in one day anymore. I was. I'm not going to lying to you. I was trying to get five hits in one at-bat. So right now, I'm just taking it slowly. If they want to walk me, they don't want to give me [expletive] to hit, I won't swing. If you give me something, I'm going to try to hit. If I don't hit a home run today, I'm going to hit a home run tomorrow."
Bottom Line: It was an ugly series. The Rays are awake now and we have a two game set with the Yankees starting today.
Sounds like a great time for The Large Father to hit that first diong dong...
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