|
 |
|
CLIFF LEE |
BOSTON STRONG -
THE ROAD TO REDEMPTION
Cliff Lee handcuffs the
Red Sox, 3-1
May 28, 2013 ...
When Cliff Lee has pinpoint control, there's just not much you can do. And there's not much Boston's hitters did do tonight, suffering a 3-1 loss to Lee and the Phillies at Fenway Park. The lefty was vintage in this one, firing an eight-inning
masterpiece in which he allowed just four hits and a run. Lee threw just 95 pitches, 69 for strikes.
So good, in fact, that Lee probably could have gone the distance. But Phillies manager Charlie Manuel knows a good subplot when he sees one. On came Jonathan Papelbon for the ninth in his first appearance at Fenway Park since he departed the Red Sox as a free agent following the 2011 season.
Amid a 1-2-3 ninth, Papelbon earned the save by retiring two of his closest friends from his Boston days, Dustin Pedroia and David Ortiz.
Though the Red Sox didn't have a win to show for it, Ryan Dempster broke out of a three-start slump with a fine performance against the Phillies. Unfortunately for the veteran righty, he was matched up with the wrong pitcher. Over seven innings, Dempster
allowed six hits and two runs. He walked three and struck out four while falling to 2-6 on the season.
|
|
|
.jpg) |
|
JEFF BAUMAN &
CARLOS ARREDONDO |
Michael Young put the Phillies on the board when he belted a solo shot over the Monster with one out in the first. The Red Sox rallied in their half of the first. Jacoby Ellsbury started it with a single to left. With one out, he stole second. Pedroia tied
the game with an RBI single to the opposite field in right. Just as the teams matched runs in the first inning, they would match zeros for several more after that. The Phillies finally broke the stalemate with a National League-style rally in the
seventh against Dempster. The way Lee was going, it didn't seem as if much insurance was needed. But Domonic Brown provided some anyway in the ninth, unloading a solo homer into Boston's bullpen in right-center. Then, it was time for Papelbon to do what he
did so well for six years in Boston.
Jackie Bradley Jr. is the likely candidate for the call-up. Since being sent to Triple A, Bradley has hit .360 with two home runs and nine RBIs, playing all three outfield positions. He went on the disabled list May 4 with biceps tendinitis, but since returning
May 17, he has hit .438 (14 for 32) with a home run and six RBIs.
Marathon bombing victim Jeff Bauman and his rescuer, Carlos Arredondo, threw out the first pitches. From his wheelchair Bauman, who lost both of his legs in the bombing, threw to Jarrod Saltalamacchia. Arredondo pitched to Ortiz. |
