|
SWEPT AWAY BY A "RALLY MONKEY" ...
9th inning rally powers the Sox past Texas
August 14, 2009 ...
Trailing, 4-3, with two outs in the ninth inning, and men on second
and third, Victor Martinez laced a double to right field with two
strikes, scoring both runners for a 5-4 lead. But the Sox weren't
done, adding an RBI single by Jason Bay and a crowning two-run homer
by J.D. Drew in their 8-4 win in front of 40,311 at the Ballpark at
Arlington.
After
scoring just six runs while getting swept in three games here July 20-22, the
Sox rebounded with six runs in the ninth off closer Frank Francisco. It was a
rare late-inning victory for the Sox, who rank 27th in the majors in batting
average in close and late situations (.225). Only the Pirates, Royals, and Reds
ranked lower entering last night.
The Rangers
had gotten off to a great start. After Omar Vizquel walked on five pitches to
open the first, Young took an 0-1 pitch from Jon Lester and blasted a home run
to center field, estimated at 400 feet.
Rangers
starter Kevin Millwood walked five, but he still was good enough to keep the Sox
scoreless for five innings. His last walk, to Mike Lowell with two outs in the
sixth, would be his last batter. Lefthander Eddie Guardado came on to face David
Ortiz, and Ortiz launched a full-count pitch into the Rangers bullpen in right
for a tying two-run homer. But the tie was shortlived for Lester, a double by
Marlon Byrd and a single by Andruw Jones putting the Rangers ahead, 3-2.
Ortiz said
he wasn't bothered by being dropped to seventh in the lineup, the lowest he has
batted this season. Two extra-base hits and two walks later, he was even less
bothered, even though he had entered the game with a .114 average in August,
with just five hits (and no home runs) in 41 at-bats.
Clay
Buchholz ran for Jason Varitek in the ninth, but was thrown out at home on
Dustin Pedroia's double to left.
Jon Lester
had 11 strikeouts, giving him six double-digit strikeout games this season, the
most ever for a Sox lefty. |
