All Coming Together: Sox-Tigers gamer VI

A pair of rookies face off tonight, both having fine beginnings to their respective careers. But for one shellacking against the Yankees, Clay Buchholz would be the toast of baseball right now, while Armando Galarraga is also having a terrific but unheralded season.

So here's rooting for a sixth straight win, and a nice performance from our rookie to beat their rookie. Comment away!

Red Sox

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

Clay Buchholz, SP

Tigers

1. Curtis Granderson, CF
2. Placido Polanco, 2B
3. Carlos Guillen, 3B
4. Magglio Ordonez, RF
5. Miguel Cabrera, 1B
6. Gary Sheffield, LF
7. Matt Joyce, DH
8. Edgar Renteria, SS
9. Ivan Rodriguez, C

Armando Galarraga, SP

Comments

[Dionysus]

Nice to see Dustin getting a needed day off.

Also, I JUST fully realized that Baltimore has lost five in a row and lost 8 of their last ten and is below .500. They clkearly have talent for the future, and for the sake of the ballclub, I'm glad their insane run has slowed. It will allow them to keep trading pieces like Roberts to improve the club.

[Dionysus]

Weird freakign inning. Jed slipping and falling causing a double play, PAPI testign granderson's arm and winning...

Too bad we could have scored. Or seen some pitches.

[SF]

Damn that was a sweet curve to get Guillen.

[SF]

Or, changeup. I couldn't tell. Whatever it was it moved.

Fly ball to end the inning. Nice, Clay!

[Dionysus]

Whew. Clay gets out of it. Good job, rook.

[Dionysus]

Damn Guillen. Robbed Lowell. Still keep ABs like that up.

[SF]

Ah, another inconsistent home plate ump. So dependable.

[Paul SF]

Clay sounds like he's pitching very well. Strikeout and broken bats for the three outs.

[Dionysus]

He's racking up a few too many pitches. Going 3-0 on two consecutive batters really didn't help at all.

[SF]

GO AWAY JULIO.

[SF]

Reverse jinx baby!

[Dionysus]

Lugo hears SF and doubles to spite him.

Knock him in, Jacoby!

[SF]

I have to say that I have heard very few objectionable comments from these Detroit announcers. There have been moments when calls didn't go the Tigers' way when someone like Michael Kay would have predictable called the decision wrong, or emphasized very heavily it's borderlineness, but these guys have been very fair. I am impressed, even as I am sure they have made some silly comments - as most announcers, even our own, make.

Meanwhile, Ellsbury looked very poor there. He's hit a slump it appears.

[Dionysus]

SON OF A GOD DAMN BITCH! THAT WAS A BALL!

[SF]

Too high from Lowrie, Lugo stuck at second for the remaining two outs. Drat.

[rootbeerfloat]

I walk away for 5 minutes - what is going on??

[SF]

MELTDOWN!!!

[Atheose]

I picked a bad time to get home. Buchholz bringing the suck.

[rootbeerfloat]

There is talk on the radio about Julian coming in.... it's been a while since we've seen his goofy mug.

[Atheose]

Yeah, it's been a while since it's been Tavarez Time. Buchholz is up over 50 pitches, if we're still down a lot I'm sure we'll see him.

[Atheose]

Oh my god that was the slowest F-ing pitch I've ever seen, aside from the Eephus pitch thrown to ARod a few years back. Jesus christ.

[Atheose]

Did anyone else see that Eephus? Please tell me I wasn't the only one.

[rootbeerfloat]

no idea what you're talking about Ath....

[Atheose]

YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUK!

[Atheose]

Galarraga threw a Eephus pitch, which is a giant rainbow pitch usually around 50 mph.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=zGHvD2kZwgY&feature=related There's a link

[rootbeerfloat]

That looks like how we pitch them in Little League!

[Atheose]

There was one to ARod a few years back that was on youtube, but for some reason I can't find it. It's crazy insane.

[rootbeerfloat]

injury delay?? what injury delay??

[Atheose]

I'm watching the game live and I didn't see any delay, though Buchholz dove to try to make a play on a grounder. He was fine though.

[rootbeerfloat]

gameday was being overly dramatic then. Whew

[Atheose]

Lugo's hit, two on with no outs!

[Atheose]

F*cking Renteria steals a hit from Ellsbury.

[Atheose]

Lugo steals 2nd!

[Atheose]

They just showed the replay of the Eephus pitch. It was hilarious, Ortiz was standing at the railing in the dugout talking to himself for several minutes after getting struck out. Pretty funny.

Varitek tags up on a fly-ball, and then Ortiz drives another in! 4-5 game now.

[Atheose]

Oh wow, Buchholz not coming back for the 5th despite only at 82 pitches. Tavarez coming in. Is it wierd that I have confidence in him?

[Atheose]

Announcer: "Lowell has the highest fielding percentage out of any 3rd baseman in the history of the game."

How the hell am I just now learning this?

[Atheose]

Shit.

[SF]

GO AWAY JULIAN.

Seriously, you bring in Tavarez, who hasn't pitched in like a month, in a one run game? WTF Tito?

[Atheose]

Wow Lowell makes a great over-the-shoulder basket catch in foul territory.

[Atheose]

Ellsbury!

[Atheose]

Ellsbury BARELY steals 2nd. That's the closest I've ever seen it. I wonder how many people have stolen twice off Ivan Rodriguez in the same game?

[Atheose]

MIKE LOWELL TIES THE F*CKING GAME OH MY GOD!

[I'mBillMcNeal]

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE HAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!

[Atheose]

MIKE LOWELL TIES THE F*CKING GAME OH MY GOD!

[Paul SF]

So I leave, and it's 0-0. Come back at 8-8. Crazy...

[stuck working]

Just dropping by to say: HOLY SH*T!

I had totally written this game off after Tavarez came in and went for a run. Shows you what I know.

[SF]

Aardsma for another inning!?

[I'mBillMcNeal]

Lopez.
Great.

[SF]

Wait, LOPEZ?!

[Atheose]

Lopez is in for the 7th. PLEASE get us to Oki/Paps? Please?

[Atheose]

Woah, what's Youk arguing about? Watch it Youk...

[SF]

Honestly, I know he's raw, and this is "pressure", but I wouldn't have minded seeing Hansen here.

[Paul SF]

Sox come back to tie. Yankees losing in the ninth. These last couple games have been a lot of fun...

[I'mBillMcNeal]

Agreed. Rish says MDC is up now in the pen.
Rish is doing a nice job tonight, by the way.

[I'mBillMcNeal]

Yes, Paul.
Really broke me up hearing Joba blow it last night.

[SF]

Two outs! Two outs!

(why I don't manage a major league team...)

[Paul SF]

The Tigers are marveling a lot about the Sox' 8-0 home run advantage in the series thus far. Let's hope that continues for the next couple innings.

Lopez, knock on wood, has been surprisingly decent the last couple games. I'm still not a fan, but maybe -- maybe -- he's getting in a groove.

Clean inning!!

[SF]

Thank you Javy. Accept my gratitude until your next appearance, at which point I will probably complain again.

[Paul SF]

*ahem* The Tigers' announcers obviously. Not sure if the Tigers themselves care very much.

[I'mBillMcNeal]

OK, Lopez!!!

[Paul SF]

Switching GameDay to the Yanks, keeping XM on the Sox...

[Brad]

what a game.

[rootbeerfloat]

That'll teach me to get stuck in traffic - I missed everything. Did Javy Lopez really just have that inning?

[Brad]

I'll save you a minute. They lose. Come back

[Paul SF]

Ballgame in New York. Now let's get a couple more runs! Good start, as Drew walks...

[SF]

GO AWAY JULIO

[Paul SF]

Drew with the SB! Nice. Single plates him now...

[SF]

JD channels JE

[Paul SF]

Reverse jinx working well tonight, SF!

[Paul SF]

I smell a good result from Jacoby here...

[Paul SF]

So the Sox have stolen eight bases this series, as well, I believe. That's amazing to me...

[SF]

Come on, Jacoby...

[SF]

Gah, not a good result.

[Paul SF]

And by "good result," I meant "strikeout."

We cannot afford a squander here, and Pedroia comes in to pinch hit! Good move by Tito...

[SF]

Gameday showing the 3-0 pitch to be at Pedroia's clavicles, still called a strike.

[Paul SF]

High drama on the 3-2 count. A solid hit likely scores two with the runners going.

[Paul SF]

PEDROIA with the go-ahead RBI!!!!

[SF]

In play (runs)

YES! And I have no clue what happened...

[Paul SF]

And now the Wild Pitch advances the runners... Do they IBB Ortiz to get to Manny with the bases jacked?

[I'mBillMcNeal]

OUTSTANDING!

[stuck working]

SF, you never got MLB.tv to work?

[Paul SF]

Well, Papi grounds out, but a lead! And Okajima presumably coming on (and no inhereted runners to let score)...

[I'mBillMcNeal]

Oki's in with no inherited runnes to allow to score.

[Paul SF]

Kudos to the Tigers' radio announcers, as well. They're very solid, not overly biased. (I don't mind an announcer rooting for their team, as long as they acknowledge when the opponents field good players, make good plays, etc.) They're very even-handed.

The Rays' radio announcers, OTOH, are abominable...

[Atheose]

Great comeback by the Sox. Hopefully Oki and Paps can put it away here.

[Atheose]

Agreed Paul, these guys are great. The Diamondbacks announcers are also very solid.

[Paul SF]

Aw crap. A pair of singles, now the 3-for-3 Sheffield is on.

[Paul SF]

0-2 to Sheffield. Don't lose him, Oki. Strikeout or a GIDP.

[Atheose]

Goddamnit Oki, settle down!

[Paul SF]

DOUBLE PLAY!!!!

STRIKE HIM OUT, THROW HIM OUT!

[I'mBillMcNeal]

STRIKEOUT!

[Atheose]

Damnit Sheffield why won't you chase shitty pitches?

STRIKEOUT THROW-OUT!

[I'mBillMcNeal]

That's some sexy sh!t, man.

I kinds feel sorry for Leyland. He's trying everything and got bit in the a$$.

Todd Jones again in non-save situation. See my post from Monday.

[Paul SF]

A double for Lowell. Boy, he got hot in a hurry, didn't he?

[Atheose]

Lowell is the man tonight--a triple short of the cycle.

[I'mBillMcNeal]

3 HR game from Yooks?

[I'mBillMcNeal]

Come on JD. We need you.

[I'mBillMcNeal]

Pitching around Drew?

[I'mBillMcNeal]

Make 'em pay, Tek. He's 5-11 lifetime vs. Jones.

[Paul SF]

Would've liked some insurance there. Papelbon time!