For the first time ever the Colorado Rockies (31-33) got to face knuckleballer Tim Wakefield (6-7) and it was not pretty for the Rockies lineup who lost 2-1 to the Boston Red Sox (41-22).
Wakefield only allowed four hits through 8 innings pitched while striking out three, giving up one earned, and one walk.
Cruising through the first seven innings, Wakefield gave up his lone run in the eighth on an RBI single driven up the middle by Yorvit Torrealba.
Tied at 1-1 going into the bottom of the eighth inning the Red Sox batters picked up Wakefield giving him his sixth win that was much deserved considering Wakefield reached a season high in innings pitched with eigth in the start.
With Alex Cora on first base, David Ortiz doubled setting up Manny Ramirez with the chance to knock in the go-ahead run. Although, the Rockies had other plans.
Colorado elected to intentionally walk Ramirez with first base open yielding the game to J.D. Drew.
Drew hit a sacrifice fly to center field giving the Red Sox their second lead of the game at 2-1.
Jonathan Papelbon came to save the game and it was a breeze. Papelbon struck out two in the inning, going 1-2-3, picking up his 15th save of the season.
Aaron Cook (4-3) suffered the loss for the Rockies going 7.1 innings pitched on seven hits, two earned runs, two walks, and four strikeouts.
Notes:
Julio Lugo was dropped to ninth in the batting order for tonight’s game. I am sure that made a lot of MVN readers very very very happy.
The only batter to ever face Wakefield in this lineup before tonight’s matchup is Todd Helton. He was 0-1 entering tonight’s game against Wakefield.
Congrats to Justin Verlander throwing a no-hitter!
