Pitchers' Duel, Take 2: Indians-Sox ALCS Gamer II

Well I think it's fair to say that last night's game went a little differently then one might have expected from a duel between the American League's top two Cy Young candidates. Josh Beckett pitched six strong, efficient innings, allowing 2 runs on just eighty pitches against a solid Cleveland offense. C.C. Sabathia, on the other hand...well, I'd say that was just about as bad as you'll ever see from an ace in a playoff series.

And tonight should be a low-scoring affair. On the hill for Boston is Curt Schilling, whose playoff efforts have already earned him one World Series MVP and a bloody sock in Cooperstown. He isn't the pitcher he was in 2001, or even the guy who came to Boston in '04, but he seems to be handling the transition from power to finesse about as well as anyone could have hoped.

And then there's Carmona. We'll be seeing the replays all night long, but the last time he came to Fenway Park he blew two games on consecutive days and looked completely shellshocked and overmatched in the process. To say he's come a long way since his miserable attempt as a closer would be a bit of an understatement, as Fausto and his overpowering mid-90's sinker bounced back in a big way in 2007. I suspect there's a case to be made for Fausto as his team's MVP, and he should pick up more then a few Cy Young votes as well. Oh, and he pitched a pretty good game against New York in the ALDS, too...

So here we go, what looks to be another classic October pitchers' duel. I keep reading that if Cleveland ekes out a victory here in Game 2 they head back home having negated Boston's home-field advantage. I suppose that might technically be true...but given how terrible Jake Westbrook and Paul Byrd are Boston's edge in the 3-4 slots of the rotation, I'd have been somewhat satisfied if promised a split of the first two games before the series began.

I wonder if Ortiz or Manny will make an out tonight?

Indians

1. Grady Sizemore, CF
2. Asdrubal Cabrera, 2B
3. Travis Hafner, DH
4. Victor Martinez, C
5. Ryan Garko, 1B
6. Jhonny Peralta, SS
7. Kenny Lofton, LF
8. Franklin Gutierrez, RF
9. Casey Blake, 3B

Red Sox

1. Dustin Pedroia, 2B
2. Kevin Youkilis, 1B
3. David Ortiz, DH
4. Manny Ramirez, LF
5. Mike Lowell, 3B
6. J.D. Drew, RF
7. Jason Varitek, C
8. Coco Crisp, CF
9. Julio Lugo, SS

Comments

[Ron Newman (SF)]

So, yesterday our Sox had two walk-in runs (both by Manny) and Colorado had one, which won their game for them. Three in one day. I bet the typical MLB regular-season day doesn't have even one such run.

[SF]

GO SOX!!!!

No dinner plans tonight, but the blogging might be light anyhow - getting ready for our son's third birthday party!

[Dionysus]

Fox takes too long to get to the damn game.

[Dionysus]

Carmona had more groundball outs than Wang?! That.. surprised me.

[Jackie (SF)]

Agreed, Dio. I'd almost forgotten how much I loathe Jeannie Zelasko...

[Dionysus]

When the mlb website says the game starts at 8.. that mean FIRST PITCH should be at 8pm.. not 20 minutes of postgame coverage begins at 8!

[Ron Newman (SF)]

today's Boston Globe says 8:21

[Dionysus]

So.. I have aquired these.. chocolate-covered (with little thin m&mish shell) sunflower seeds. Actually, pretty darn good.

[Dionysus]

*will listen to the Globe before mlb.com from now on then*

I gotta say.. I think this one goes against us. We pulled one off last night and I think we get punished for it tonight. Carmona is jsut too darn good.. unless he's REALLY missing his stuff, this wont go well.

[Dionysus]

Anon was me...

Off-season keeps lookign crazier and crazier.

Mitchell report will reveal names, A-Rod's contract, Santana's possible trade, the Yankees situation, where Bonds will end up... so many stories.

[Dionysus]

Here we go...

[Paul SF]

Fully expecting a loss tonight. Games like last night's are a gift from the baseball gods. Twice would just be extravagant...

[Jackie (SF)]

Bloody Sock mention - take a drink?

[bostondreamer]

And we begin with a double. Damn

[Dionysus]

Well, shit!

[Paul SF]

Blech. Leadoff double from Sizemore. Fat pitch from Schilling.

[Atheose]

Joe Buck: "This is Schilling's first postseason start since the 2004 World Series"

Wow these announcers have started getting things wrong early.

[bostondreamer]

Yes! Popped up bunt. 1 down.

[Paul SF]

Yay, poor bunting skills from the rookie!

[Dionysus]

Wow. Huge break there!

[Dionysus]

Not getting the up and away tonight.

[Paul SF]

Wow, nice camera angle on that Hafner HR last night from Fox. That was one of the worst things about TBS' coverage, the lack of quality angles for replays...

[bostondreamer]

c'mon Curt...need this out...and they show a stat that begs for trouble..and....
wow...at the wall..

[Paul SF]

Whew, that looked like trouble.

[bostondreamer]

Manny doing fielding practice? I like hearing that..

[bostondreamer]

0 and 2..put 'im away

[Paul SF]

Manny does a lot more fielding practice than people realize, esp. in spring training.

[Dionysus]

FRAK!

[Atheose]

The splitter ain't splitting. Martinez doubles in a run.

[bostondreamer]

listen to that crowd...damn...off the wall..run in...lots of fly balls tonight..not a good sign

[Paul SF]

Gah, Curt. Played with fire once too often.

The Wall gaveth the hit on that one.

[Jackie (SF)]

Ugh, double on an 0-2 pitch. Not cool.

[Atheose]

Groundout ends the inning. 1-0 Injuns.

Come on Pedroia, we need a good lead-off from you for once.

[Paul SF]

Well, just one run. No one realistically expected a shutout anyway. Would have rathered avoiding the first-inning deficit though...

[bostondreamer]

keep it at one, Curt...grounder to Lowell...
let's get it back...bad feeling about this game

[Paul SF]

Come on Pedroia, we need a good lead-off from you for once.

Yeah, he sucks.

[Jackie (SF)]

Ah, I see what Curt is doing here: Setting up the same pattern as last night. Let them score one in the 1st, then we'll come back and get to their starter. Interesting strategy.

[Dionysus]

Jaems.. Taylor?

[Jackie (SF)]

I love James Taylor, but this is not a great lineup reading.

[Atheose]

Wow, James Taylor shows us all that he's HORRIBLE at talking. Jesus.

[bostondreamer]

James Taylor seems a bit..off

[Dionysus]

He doesnt know the lineup, I dont think. He looks lost.

[Paul SF]

No, Joe. No, he doesn't.

[bostondreamer]

Oh he does NOT, Buck

[Dionysus]

So.. Carmona = Nasty

[bostondreamer]

already 0 and 2..ugh

[Atheose]

Yeah, he sucks

He's sucked in the postseason so far. If we haven't gone 4-0 so far we would be calling for Pedroia's head.

Carmona quickly gets ahead of him.

[Paul SF]

Pedroia looks a lot more jumpy this postseason. Still got some nerves, I think.

[Tom sf]

James Taylor is not witty. And he looks like a grandfather. Crap, that meakes me feel old.

[Dionysus]

Pedroia looked ugly there. This is gonan be a depressing night.

[bostondreamer]

bad start..K..at a nasty pitch too

[Jackie (SF)]

Oh, Pedroia. I did not think the whole "needs 50 ABs to adjust to a new level" thing would hold for the playoffs as well, but it seems like it does.

[bostondreamer]

Man, let's hope we get more than 10 pitches

[Paul SF]

He's sucked in the postseason so far. If we haven't gone 4-0 so far we would be calling for Pedroia's head.

Are you serious? I agree he's had a bad postseason, but didn't people learn their lesson in April when they called for his head? We're going to base "his head" on 17 (now 18) at-bats?

Seems extreme to me.

[bostondreamer]

Gets it full. C'mon Youk...

[Paul SF]

Youk also looks off balance. I think we end up heading to Cleveland with the 1-1 tie...

[Paul SF]

Well, hey! A walk. Cool!

[bostondreamer]

Ball four! Yes!

[Jackie (SF)]

Paul - based on 2 ABs? Seems a little extreme to me. ;)

[Dionysus]

Nice job gettign the walk, Youk

[Atheose]

YOUK! 8-pitch at bat. David "Carmona-killer" Ortiz at bat.

[Atheose]

Boo, Dan Shaunessey reference. Seriously Buck?

[Tom sf]

McCarver just said Carmona wants Papi to lead off the next inning. That would be nice, we bat around and our #3 hitter leads off the second.

[Dionysus]

3-0 on Papi

[bostondreamer]

green light on ball four i think

[Paul SF]

Shaugnessy's column today made me very nervous. Too much talk of being a frontrunner and a favorite and all that.

Now Ortiz to 3-0. And the four-pitch walk. Come on, Manny!

[Dionysus]

Walk! Ok ManRan... please? Please?

[Atheose]

Ortiz "intentionally" walked. Manny up.

[bostondreamer]

or not

[Paul SF]

Wow, that crowd is as loud as I've ever heard it on TV.

[bostondreamer]

Manny, please Manny please Manny please Manny please

[Atheose]

6 straight balls from Carmona. 1-0 count to Manny.

Bah, double play called by McCarver.

[bostondreamer]

no, Tim, no he doesnt

[bostondreamer]

hell, no way that was a strike

[Atheose]

it's SIX straight balls McCarver, not 5. God these guys are horrible.

[Paul SF]

Sweaty palms...

[bostondreamer]

Damn, swing and a miss...and the next pitch is...ball! should be 3 and 1 (grumble)

[Paul SF]

Man, if Carmona could locate, he'd be lethal. Hits 96-97 on the sinker every time.

[Paul SF]

F*ck.

[bostondreamer]

DAMN

[Dionysus]

FUCK!

[Atheose]

FUCK, double play. Fucking McCarver.

[Atheose]

I have a feeling Schill will settle down this inning.

[John - YF (Trisk)]

Just checking in. Looks like Carmona doesn't have his "A" game working, maybe it's the cold weather. Well regardless, best of luck Sox Fans. Represent the AL East well.

[Tom sf]

The double play sucked, but Carmona had to throw 21 pitches. They are going to make him work.

[bostondreamer]

Now, I think we can get to Carmona..but Schill needs to get them quick here.

[Paul SF]

Hey, llok at that, Fox actually cuts off its commercials for the game!

After the abomination that was TBS, I'm resolving to avoid complaining about Fox...

[Ron Newman (SF)]

it's not nearly as cold as yesterday

[Dionysus]

OH boy.. this is gonna be ugly

[bostondreamer]

let's get the first one, Curt..2 and 1...3 and 1...foul, 3 and 2...crap..single..way to charge it, JD

[Atheose]

GODDAMNIT, line drive to right field which Drew should have had. Instead it lands at his feet, a lead-off single.

[Paul SF]

Curt's not as sharp tonight. But maybe he'll settle down like he did last time. Only problem is that Cleveland's offense > Anaheim's offense.

[bostondreamer]

McCarver, say something about a doubleplay here, please

[Paul SF]

That really didn't look catchable to me. Now THAT was catchable -- and is caught. :-D One down.

Our turn for the double play. Except that every ball off Curt has been in the air.

[Atheose]

This ump's strikezone is all over the place.

[Paul SF]

On Aug. 31 against the White Sox, Carmona allowed six walks and seven hits. On Aug. 26 against the Royals, he gave up 10 hits.

That's my attempt at getting the mojo working against Fausto...

[bostondreamer]

oh, really Tim, they know they have to hit the ball? they dont realize that when they are at the plate?

[Paul SF]

Couls dplit on the 2-1. Too bad he didn't chase.

[Dionysus]

Our turn for the DP!