There was absolutely nothing to laugh about.
Aaron Laffey was stellar out of the bullpen for the Cleveland Indians and any jokes made about Carl Pavano entering the contest were squashed, quickly.
Laffey, who was scheduled to start Thursday against Boston, was moved into the bullpen in favor of starting Jeremy Sowers for tomorrow’s game. The move paid huge dividends for the Indians.
Laffey pitched three scoreless innings — two hits and one strikeout — to earn his first save of the season backing a strong performance from Carl Pavano.
Pavano went six innings, yielding two runs on six hits, three walks and four strikeouts for his second win of the season.
The Red Sox got out to an early 2-0 lead in the second inning but Cleveland took over after that, especially Victor Martinez.
Martinez was 3-for-5 with four RBI’s and three runs. He drove home two in the fifth on a double, singled a run across in the seventh and added a solo-shot in the ninth inning.
Goat of the Game – Masterson
His performance wasn’t Masterful to say the least. Masterson surrendered eight hits over 6 1/3 innings pitched giving up six runs and three walks but struck out six batters.
Next Game – 5/07 vs. Cleveland Indians – Sowers/Tim Wakefield
Wakefield will look to start another home winning streak as Boston’s nine-game home winning streak was snapped with the loss.
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I had a great time at Fenway, in spite of some less than perfect aspects. Sure, the game sucked, and it became crazy cold in section 15 around the third inning, but overall just a hell of a time.
Story time! When I got to the park I noticed they were having a silent auction to benefit the New England Sports Museum, right behind the plate (near the now-converted ticket booths, at the top of the big ramp). Most of it was generic auction crap, but there was a blueprint of the 1934 renovations to Fenway signed by Curt Schilling. So I figured what the hell and tossed my name in as the first one on the list, then came back around the third and re-added my name a second time after somebody else. They said they were going to call people in the 6th and I didn’t get a call, so I figured I’d been outbid.
So during Sweet Caroline in the 8th I get a call from a 617 number and lo and behold, it’s the Sox saying I’d won. Take care of payment, and then kinda realize that I hadn’t prepared to carry around a bubble wrapped 24×36″ framed blueprint on the freaking T, let alone carry the thing there. So my fiance and I take turns carrying the frame down Ipswich, across Boylston, and onto Mass Ave, past the Boston Pops, and onto the orange line.
Fenway Park is always interesting, and endlessly surprising. Great night. Plus, I received the Nap Lajoie-model double-knob bat for my wedding today from Cooperstown Bat Co., and the thing is just epic. Can’t recommend them enough: the bat is perfectly made, the engraving crisp and faultless, and the design is just wonderful.
DR, sorry we didn’t meet up, I realized that I had no way to access fire brand once I left work since it’s still dysfunctional on the iPhone. We’ll converge on Fenway at some point.
Great, great story. LOL, anyone make fun of you?
Does anybody still think Nick Green’s the answer at shortstop? His BA is deflating rapidly, and he’s racking up the errors at a record pace. That clumsy throw on the grounder up the middle last night, technically not an error, opened the door for the Indians’ big inning.
@JVwalt: I’ll still take him over Lugo. I really want to see how Lowrie will be though. Green is still…well he’s still green. I say give him some more time since I still think he’s better offensively.
This loss didn’t bother me too much since the Yanks lost too. The Cs pounded the Magic and sadly what really concerned me was the Bs loss to Carolina.
Let’s hope we can get them today.
Oh and I got tickets to Sunday’s 8PM game against Tampa only to find out to my horror it’s Garza vs. Beckett. I immediately became apprehensive. My gf has been to only two Sox games, both losses. I don’t want this to be another one…
Colin: Nick isn’t “green” in the sense of untested or still learning the job; he’s a 30-year-old utility infielder. Offense-wise, he’s returning to his established level of performance — which is a little worse than Lugo. Defensively, Green does seem to be overtaxed by daily duty at SS. I’m starting to think Lugo is a better defender.
So if the choice is Green vs. Lugo everyday, I’d have to take Julio. Not that I like either option, not at all. I’m with you on preferring Lowrie among players currently on the roster. How much longer will he be out?
JVWalt: Couldn’t tell you about Lowrie. Hopefully soon…I like that lil’ bugger.
Saying you’d take Lugo over Green is like saying you’d rather have Bubonic Plague than the flu. Neither is fun, but while Green isn’t a regular at least he isn’t a guy like Lugo who manages to do less with more better than anyone I’ve ever seen in a Sox uniform.
Any chance you could post pictures of either the print or the bat? I’d love to see them, and I’m sure others would, too.
Sure, though I will apologize for the picture quality in advance; the iPhone camera isn’t the greatest in the universe.
http://yfrog.com/7743316162881963752400496jx
You can see the double knob on the bat, which was used by Nap Lajoie circa 1904. The batter was supposed to curl his lowest finger around the higher knob, which was supposed to add increased precision, to “hit ‘em where they ain’t.” Nap hit .376 with a 205 OPS+ in 1904, so it couldn’t have hurt.
The framed blueprint is a little harder to make out, but Curt signed with black marker right over the diamond. There’s Osbourne Engineering Co. details all over the print, which is a ground plan of the entire 1934 renovations. After a quick period of studying the print,
I finally figured out one of the biggest mysteries I had of Fenway, which is where the Autograph Alley ramp used to go. Apparently before they put in the restrooms above and behind the plate, there used to be a ramp connecting Autograph Alley with the concourse behind section 18 or so. This is going to be invaluable when I draft Fenway.
VERY cool. Thanks for posting those. Next, of course, I’ll be asking you to post photos of the bat in its role at your wedding ceremony. In fact, maybe you should just post video of the whole ceremony here…
When is the big day? Congratulations in advance!
Thanks! It’s in August, and we really didn’t want the generic DJ-’n-Dancing type feel of most weddings, and since we’re on the grounds of an old victorian castle, we figured we’d do a victorian base ball game. Anyone who wants to will play in their suit, otherwise everyone else will have picnic blankets to watch from the sidelines.
t’s going to be amazing.