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

[rootbeerfloat]

ok, paps can do this

[Micah-SF]

When did Youk turn into Jack Cust? 2 HRs, 3 Ks.

Would've liked some more runs there, but I have faith in the Papelbon.

[Atheose]

Shippin up to Boston, wooooooah woaaah wooooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaaah

[Paul SF]

They play "Eye of the Tiger" at Comerica. Not sure if that's only when they need a rally or what, but it's a good choice...

[Paul SF]

Infield hit on a check swing. What a sucky way to have the winning run at the plate.

[SF]

f-ing cheap

[rootbeerfloat]

ugh

[Paul SF]

E-6. Unbelievable.

[Atheose]

Is anyone else shocked Renteria isn't bunting the runner over?

[Atheose]

I just screamed "ASSF*CK", and now my roommate is pissed off. Goddamnit Lugo.

[SF]

JFC Julio.

[Paul SF]

I-Rod with the bunt, I imagine.

[I'mBillMcNeal]

There's mopment. The old Mr. E-6 Renteria reaches on error by the new Mr. E-6 Lugo.
Christ.

[SF]

Honestly, can we end the Lugo era, somehow? Is that like 45 errors already?

[Paul SF]

Successful bunt. 2nd/3rd, 1 out.

Commence with the strikeouts, Jonathan.

[SF]

Well, a single ends it, probably. Thanks for that, Julio, you useless tool.

[Atheose]

Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit.

[I'mBillMcNeal]

Let's try that again ...
There's a moment. The old Mr. E-6 Renteria reaches on error by the new Mr. E-6 Lugo.
Christ.

Come on, Paps. You're on your own out there.

[Paul SF]

Now Papelbon overthrowing. Arrrgh. On the one hand, we don't really have a right to expect a win down, 8-4. But there should be two outs by now and a runner on second.

[Atheose]

Holy jesus that ball almost flew 5 feet over Varitek's head.

[Paul SF]

Game tied on the groundout. Shit.

[Atheose]

Why aren't we IBB'ing him?

[Bostondreams]

Julio Lugo. Thanks alot.

[SF]

Thanks, Julio.

FUCK YOU JULIO. There, I said it.

[Paul SF]

That's a good question, Ath. The runner at first wouldn't matter. Not sure why they didn't IBB there.

[I'mBillMcNeal]

Son of bitch. Sh!t.

Why the hell didn't we IBB him? This is crazy.

I hate Julio Lugo with the fire of a thousand burning suns.

[I'mBillMcNeal]

Why can't Lugo get the Blown Save?

[SF]

Screw it with the BS, just give Lugo the LOSS.

[Atheose]

I thought it was common knowledge that you issue the IBB to put the force on, give them a chance for a DP.

[I'mBillMcNeal]

God damn it.

[Paul SF]

Son of a BITCH. Not a single hard hit ball that inning, and that's how it ends -- with a broken freaking bat.

[SF]

LFRS. By a mile. For over a year now. And he ain't going anywhere. Grrrr.

[Atheose]

*throws computer out of window*

[I'mBillMcNeal]

Lugo=Loss.

[Micah-SF]

Whoops, the Lugo hate was me earlier. Did I say thousand? I meant MILLION.

My god, what a way to end it. Two incredibly cheap hits and JULIO FUCKING LUGO BLOWING IT AGAIN.

Box score should read Lugo (BS, L) 0-1.

[Paul SF]

I assume both those runs are unearned. How dispiriting.

Check-swing single. Error. Sac bunt. Groundout. Broken-bat single. That's how it ends. I would have rathered back-to-back homers and the end of it.

Or just they not have rallied at all and lost it 8-4.

[rootbeerfloat]

Wow, that really really sucked.

[SF]

Two games this year scoring nine runs, both losses. Terrible.

As for Lugo, nothing left to say. I refuse to acknowledge his hideous existence on the Sox from this point on.

[Paul SF]

I hate losses like this. They keep me up at night, with that churning feeling in my stomach. I just want to go punch something...

[SF]

Tito gets a D for tonight's game too, let's not forget, brining in a ridiculously rusty Tavarez in a one-run game. That will be forgotten in the ninth inning BS. Tito and LFRS can take this one home with them.

[Paul SF]

Never mind the decision not to IBB Granderson to set up a potential DP for Polanco. He may or may not have hit a ground ball, but Papelbon probably pitches him differently when he still has the lead to protect.

In reality, the Sox were lucky to even be in a position to win this game, let alone actually have the lead in the ninth. I'm trying to focus on that so I can actually get some sleep...

[SF]

Never mind the decision not to IBB Granderson to set up a potential DP for Polanco

Not the worst decision - Granderson was terrible at the plate, a K possibility. Defensible. He brought in Tavarez and left him in to get shellacked. In a one run game, after not pitching for weeks. With better options available.

Why is Tavarez on the team, exactly, if he's never used and then when used is pitiful?

[Atheose]

The fact that Papelbon gets stuck with the loss, despite not pitching poorly, pisses me off most. Ugh, what BS.

[Atheose]

Okay, I'm done bitching now. 2 outta 3 ain't bad. We won the series.

[SF]

LFRS on a pace for 50 errors. Nice. Once his bat regresses to the mean, which it will, he'll be one of the shittiest players in the entire league.

[SF]

There's one more tomorrow, Ath, I believe.

[SF]

By the way, what is up with the Sox playing 20 of 27 on the road for this current stretch? That's gotta be one of the rougher results of the computer's schedule-making, I would think. Tough luck, for sure.

[Atheose]

Whoops, my bad.

Yeah, this road stretch is especially crappy because it means Manny probably won't hit #500 in Fenway.

[dc]

i can't believe i'm offering condolences to you guys, but you are still in first place, and still putting yourself in a position to win every game, even after falling behind last night, and your closer still looked good, despite having to take the loss...i mean, an infield single, an error, and a broken bat bloop single...tough loss, but you've won a few that way too...that stuff evens out, sort of, but i don't blame you for being bummed with papelbon on the mound and a one run lead, that's usually in the bank...on the other hand, buch didn't look so good [ignoring the 6 k's], and hoolian continues to be maddening for sox fans to watch...[yeah, i know, i have no room to talk]