Another lead in the game, another lead blown.
Daisuke Matsuzaka filled up the base paths in the top of the sixth all by himself walking leadoff hitter Tadahito Iguchi, then Jim Thome, and then Paul Konerko consecutively with no outs that eventually lead to the two-run inning in the rain delayed loss to the Chicago White Sox (43-51).
A.J. Pierzynski singled home Iguchi and Thome giving the ChiSox a 3-2 lead. Matsuzaka was relieved by Manny Delcarmen and he finished out the inning striking out Jermaine Dye, Josh Fields to ground into a force out at home, and Juan Uribe to fly out to the shortstop, but Pierzyski’s second and third RBI on the night demoralized the Boston Red Sox who had a chance to take a game against the Yankees who lost to the Blue Jays earlier in the day.
Pierzynski was 3-4 on the day with three RBI’s as Pierzynski singled home Thome in the top of the first inning to pick up his first RBI of the game.
What has also plagued Boston in these close games is the inability to hit in the clutch and this time it was Kevin Youkilis who failed as he stranded Dustin Pedroia at third base in bottom of the seventh by striking out to end the inning.
Konerko added some insurance in the next frame hitting a solo-homerun off of Hideki Okajima to lead off the eighth inning.
Boston (56-39) out hit Chicago 11-6 but did not get the “one that mattered” when it counted leaving 14 runners on base and leaving three runners on base in scoring position with two outs.
Javier Vazquez earned his seventh win of the season going 6 1/3 innings, on nine hits, two runs, two walks, and five strikeouts. White Sox closer, Bobby Jenks, finished off the bottom of the ninth inning with an easy 1-3 inning earning his 26th save of the season.
The wildness came back to hurt Matsuzaka as he allowed six base runners free passes getting his seventh loss of the season only pitching 5 innings, two hits, three runs, and six strikeouts. Three out of the six batters Matsuzaka walked ended up scoring in the game. Thome’s walk in the first and sixth inning and also Iguchi in the sixth inning.
It is not that the White Sox hit Matsuzaka around the park, but they hit runners in when they needed to in key situations. Boston needs to take some notes.
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Those stats are convincing Sabes, but I think you can agree there are some players that you just like and dont like. Right now Lugo totally falls under that category.
Thanks for the stats by the by.
Sabes, I do not know if you are aware of the book, but I am sure you are Baseball Between the Numbers: Why Everything You Know About The Game Is Wrong. I wonder where Lugo and Cabrera would fit under their formula for best clutch hitters considering the fact that since 1972 Mark Grace is the best clutch hitter in baseball and Jason Kendall is third on the list.
Their formula is intriguing and shows a different argument than your stats. Just something I figured I would share.
Shawn:
How have you not killed yourself yet from having to write about them every night?
I respect you greatly for that.
And I thank God for Dustin McGowan.
On another note: GUARANTEED WIN TOMORROW AGAINST CONTRERAS. If we lose, I will pledge allegiance to only one team: the Brewers.
DR, thanks for the respect and yes I think that someone’s death is on the horizon, but not mine. That death – what I thought was going to be one of the best Red Sox seasons ever has turned into something I cannot watch without wanting to yelling I WANT ORLANDO CABRERA BACK or JD IF YOU PLAYED IN THE 80′S YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN PUNCHED FOR BEING A SOFTY.
I’d say first one to hit Drew, Spaceman!
But it is indeed frustrating!
No chance of killing myself yet. Unless Aaron Boone does something awful, again!
correction, yell*
why do people want cabrera? sure he’s better than lugo but isn’t everybody? career .272, .320, .424. lugo is .271, .335, .395, hardly a difference. he’s never even hit .300 in a season, not even once, only once over .282. ok he had a lot of singles early this year now he’s batting .125 in July. if we want to pipe dream about improving shortstop why not pick someone who could really help. or if they make silly handshakes an important stat then cabby would be the guy to get.
Cabby was a perfect fit for this team that year and would be this year. I don’t know about you but Cabby to me is a better fielder and better in the clutch. Show me a good stat for that because from what I have seen Lugo is awful in the clutch.
And JD Drew is becoming a cancer to this team. I cant stand him right now.
In addition, I am huge on team chemistry and Cabby was all about it. Sure made Manny and Papi feel comfortable. That is something no stat can measure except maybe the results in the win loss column and I dont like the way this season is headed.
i see. chemistry and clutchyness. gotcha.
just fyi in case you want to see some stats:
lugo (last 3 years)
bases loaded: .859 ops
close and late: .781 ops
runners on: .763 ops
scoring position 2 out: .668 ops
runners on, 2 out: .725 ops
cabby:
bases loaded: .304 ops
close and late: .627 ops
runners on: .696 ops
scoring position 2 out: .610 ops
runners on, 2 out: .643 ops
******clutch********
he better add several wins through chemistry to make up for that.
The 1977 WS champion, NY Yankees, are the #1 example that clubhouse chemistry is a myth. Team chemistry doesn’t win games. I’m sure you will point up that Youk is playing through pain. Why can’t Drew, that cancer??? I’m glad Drew sat because he isn’t contributing with his sore hamstring. As for Youk, the last two weeks he should have gone on the DL.. These are his July numbers:171-243-229. June was :264-394-368. Do we see a trend here??? Tito does the team a diservice running this guy out there and batting him 5th.It’s having another Doug Mirabelli in the line up. Sore quad or not, he is not helping. I’ll gladly take his Aug ‘06 numbers: 274-363-443. Hope they show up soon.