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SWEPT AWAY BY A "RALLY MONKEY" ... May 8, 2009 ... It seems every time Jason Bay is up in a big situation in the late innings of a game, including in the sixth inning tonight, the left fielder has managed to convert. Through it all, through the comparisons to Manny Ramirez, and the questions about Ramirez, and the steroid allegations against him, Bay has done nothing more than become Manny Ramirez at the plate. He did it again, his three-run homer in the sixth tying the game at 3-3, with the Sox taking the lead on a two-run shot by J.D. Drew shortly after that. Having lost five of their last six against the Rays, the Sox were eager to prevail in front of the 37,745 at Fenway Park, doing so in a 7-3 triumph in which the sixth inning provided the margin of victory for the second straight night. With James Shields generally mowing down the Sox through five innings and Brad Penny unable to contain Carl Crawford yet again, the Sox entered the sixth trailing by three runs. It was, of course, the sixth inning in which the Sox exploded for 12 runs the night before. The outburst last night didn't quite match that for intensity, but it wasn't bad. Yes, there was Bay again. After Dustin Pedroia earned an infield single on a ball that went off Shields's glove to second base, the pitcher walked David Ortiz. He then faced Bay, who blasted an 0-2 pitch out to left, which hit the Sports Authority sign and bounced back onto the field. As Shields watched the pitch head out he vented his frustration. He spun around, his pitching hand striking the mound, kicking up some clay. It would get worse, and quickly. Lowell tried to stretch a single into a double for the second time in as many at-bats. And after being thrown out in the fourth, he got lucky with a bad throw in the sixth, making it safely. Drew followed with a home run into the Rays' bullpen, giving the Sox five runs before the first out of the inning. Over the past two sixth innings, the Sox have scored 17 runs on 14 hits and four walks. So as four hits by Pedroia were lost amid the momentous moments of Bay and Drew, the offense certainly has been clicking recently. It took a nice at-bat from Ortiz to get the Sox to that point, a full-count, seven-pitch walk noted by multiple people in the clubhouse, so the new clutch threat could perform his magic. By the fifth, Carl Crawford already had three-quarters of a cycle (just missing a homer), had scored two runs, and had a steal, his 24th in a row against the Sox. The last time Boston caught him was Sept. 21, 2005. He hasn't been caught by anyone in his last 23 attempts. But the Sox were able to overcome the steals and the three early runs, as Brad Penny turned in his second straight quality start. He hasn't exactly been stellar, but he has quality starts in four of his six outings this season, continuing to shrink his ERA to 6.90, still an ugly figure. But he's 3-1, and this one easily can be credited to the left fielder and the right fielder. Each of Bay's last seven home runs have come with men on base. His last three, and four of his last five, have been three-run shots. The only solo homer for Bay came April 11 against the Angels. The four-hit game for Dustin Pedroia was his second of the season. Over his last eight games, Pedroia has 16 hits in 33 at-bats (.485) with 2 doubles, 5 RBIs, 11 runs, and 6 walks. On a night to honor the late Dom DiMaggio, Sox groundskeeper Dave Mellor mowed DiMaggio's No. 7 into center field. |
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