Tavarez pitches, Sox win
Julian Tavarez on the mound facing Roy Halladay and the Blue Jays. Sox have no chance… or do they? Tavarez pitches into the sixth inning - giving up 6 hits and 3 runs (all earned), with no walks and 4 strikeouts. Almost as important as the walks (at least to Tavarez), he got 10 ground balls and 2 fly balls. Now that doesn’t include the 2 fly balls that ended up over the fence (also called “home runs”… baseball term) - but still… he pitched his game and gave the Sox a chance to win.
And the Blue Jays bullpen then did their part. With a 3-1 lead in the 8th inning, Manny hits a 2-run HR to tie it. Then Timlin surrenders a leadoff double to Wells in the bottom of the eighth, and with men on first and third and one out, gets a DP to get out of the inning. Sox led off the ninth with a Hinske walk (and didn’t PR Lugo, since I guess Hinske is so fleet afoot) - and Pedroia lays down a bunt to the 1B, who throws Hinske out at 2B. They then have Lugo come into PR for Pedroia (now on first)… ok-ay…
Anyhow, Alex Cora hammers a triple to drive in the go-ahead run. Coco Crisp follows with a sac fly to add insurance. For the record, absolutely no surprise that Cora came through with the big hit. It just seems like *every* time that guys is in the lineup, he does *something* to help the team… at the plate, on the basepaths, and/or in the field. What a valuable luxury for the Sox to have Alex Cora as their utility infielder. Believe that.
And… ho-hum… Papelbon comes in to close things in the ninth. Still unscored upon this year (albeit only two weeks into the season, but still). The one thing: The Yankees come into town this weekend, and Papelbon will now not be available tomorrow night. Its not that beating the Yankees is more important than beating the Blue Jays (except that it’ll likely be the Yankees who will contend with the Sox for the division so beating the Yankees actually *is* more important than beating the Jays… but I digress). The Yankees lineup is clearly far superior to the Jays lineup. I want my team, especially my staff, at full complement going into a Yankee series - and we won’t have that.
I guess Tito is expecting ol’ Schill to hand the bullpen a big lead so that Pap won’t be needed (geez I hate those Francona nicknames for his players). If someone is needed tomorrow night (or when Papelbon isn’t available), Donnelly would seem to be the logical choice. Donnelly’s appeared in six games thusfar, and has yet to surrender a run - either on of his own runners (only one hit and one walk in 3.2 IP), or any inherited runners (0/4). I suspect its Donnelly’s early-season performance that gave Francona a tad more confidence going into a Yankee series without Papelbon available for the first game.
So the Sox are 1-1 in Tavarez-started games. Who knows? I might actually win back all the Pounders I gave out on Jason Johnson last year (heck… a guy can dream).
Okay, I’m done now.