Wednesday, September 28, 2005

Sox Blog had tickets to Monday night's game, and when it was called on account of rain, I was pretty bummed out. For one thing, it meant we'd have to squeeze in a doubleheader while the Yankees got to play on their normal schedule, putting us at an obvious disadvantage. For another, it meant I wouldn't be able to watch Curt Schilling pitch, the only guy on staff I'd yet to see in person this season. Furthermore, the shuffled rotations would scotch the much-ballyhooed Schilling/Big Unit match-up in the Fens on Saturday. Blech.

As it turns out, it wasn't all bad. I took a half day yesterday -- as did an estimated 90 percent of the greater Boston workforce, to judge by the crowd -- and went to the park. Instead of a dark and stormy night, we got a gorgeous autumn day, crisp and clear, with bright sunlight a stiff breeze. If you ignored the slight chill, looking out on the glowing green field you could almost convince yourself it was a Saturday afternoon in July.

But it's not July, it's late September. And we're locked in the tightest pennant race this town has seen in years and years. Tim Wakefield knows this. So he took the ball for Game One, knowing full well that he'd be doing the same again in three days' time. Then he did just what we needed him to do: pitch a crisp, quick, economical game, casting a spell for seven masterful innings, giving up just three measly hits and a single unearned run while striking out six baffled Blue Jays hitters (ol' friend Shea Hillenbrand was a couple 'em).

The offense was hardly overpowering, but it was enough, and they got to it early. Johnny Damon led off with a single in the first inning, and suddenly-white-hot Edgar Renteria promptly doubled him over to third. David Ortiz grounded out to second, scoring Damon, and then Manny hit a ringing single right up the middle to score Renteria. That was it until the fifth, where a pair of doubles from Renteria (to left) and Ortiz (to right) put another one on the board, getting back the run the Jays had scored on Mirabelli's passed ball the previous half inning.

By the eighth, it was bullpen time. Sure, it was just the first game of the day. But you use your best pitchers in the most crucial situations, right? Every game is a must-win. So out jogged Jonathan Papelbon, who led off the inning by walking Red Sox arch nemesis Greg Zaun. He got Frank Catalanotto swinging, but then allowed Alex Rios to single Zaun over to third. Vernon Wells strode to the plate. Deep breath here. After a foul, a strike swinging, and a ball, Wells popped up over to the first baseline -- and John Olerud barely made it over in time to make the catch. Papelbon failed to cover first, but luckily Zaun didn't run. Flailing Hillenbrand swung three times at three filthy pitches, and the inning was over. I like this kid more and more every day.

Timlin in the ninth. But what if we need him tonight? He answered by closing out the inning with 11 pitches (two groundouts and a K), thanks in no small part to an incredible diving play by Alex Cora at second to end the game.

Maybe we should have used Timlin in Game Two. Instead, after shaky, prideful Curt Schilling, left in the game two batters too long, allowed the tying run to score in the seventh, we got to see Mike Myers walk the only guy he faced. Then we got to see Chad Bradford, pitching to lefties like he shouldn't, get out of one jam and then into another. Then we got to see green Craig Hansen come in with one out and two men in scoring position and surrender the go-ahead run on a sac fly. Then we got to see Chad Harville walk Hillenbrand, who'd struck out SEVEN TIMES that day, on four pitches, then give up Eric Hinske's double to deep center, and then hit Reed Johnson with a pitch. Then we got to see Jeremi Gonzalez come into one run game -- and give up another run having thrown just one strike.

Chad Harville and Jeremi Gonzalez! This is what we're forced to go with? Did Manny Delcarmen sleep with Tito's wife?

Damon, Renteria, and Ortiz went down with a whimper in the ninth. Game over.

And it hurt. It hurt because we shoulda had it. Because we'd driven Gustavo Chacin from the game after just three and two thirds, scoring five runs off ten hits. It hurt because we needed Schilling to come up big and he didn't. It hurt because our bullpen just wasn't up to the task. It hurt because we could be in first place right now, looking down on the Yankees and the Indians.

Walking home from the afternoon game, I'd seen a dead blue jay on the sidewalk on Brookline Street in Cambridge. Really. I took it as an omen for the nightcap. I was wrong.

We blew a golden opportunity. Lucky for us, so did everyone else. (Well, not these guys.)

And, if it's any consolation, while Schilling was merely mediocre, Mike Mussina was positively gruesome (seven hits and five earned runs in an inning and two thirds, his shortest outing in a decade). They face each other on the final game of the season. And while our bullpen gave up two runs, theirs -- seven guys! -- gave up a dozen. Maybe them other birds ain't dead yet after all? May they do it again tonight.

And, yeah, our pen got a workout yesterday, but so did theirs. (One rather important difference: theirs got the job done while ours did not.)

Let's hope Bronson makes that all moot tonight.

In the mean time, Curt? Johnny?

READ THIS GUY'S LIPS

We're in the middle of a pennant race here. We don't need this crap. Yesterday, my colleague Mark Jurkowitz quoted Tony Soprano in his Media Log item on Schilling's sad-sack tale: "Whatever happened to Gary Cooper, the strong, silent type?"

Indeed.

Or guys like Johnny Pesky, who for 59 years has held his tongue. "He hasn't alibied. He hasn't complained. But he says quietly, "In my heart, I know I didn't hold the ball." Happy belated birthday to Mr. Red Sox. 86 years young.

(Late breaking news: Curt is over it! Hooray! Still, the riddle of Dugout Deep Throat remains unsolved. Who is it? Take the poll!)

9/28/2005 12:59:00 PM by Mike Miliard | Comments [0] |  
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