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DANIEL NAVA |
BOSTON STRONG -
THE ROAD TO REDEMPTION
Nava's dropped catch costs
the Red Sox the game
June 23, 2013 ...
Whether it was a catch by Daniel Nava or a drop, as ruled by the umpires, the mishap haunted the Red Sox in a 7-5 loss to the Tigers on Sunday afternoon at Comerica Park. With the game locked in a 4-4 tie, Avisail Garcia led off the bottom of the eighth with a fly ball to deep right
against Boston lefty Andrew Miller. Nava drifted back, then settled for what looked to be a basket catch. As Nava reached to his glove to throw it back in, the ball squirted out. Second-base umpire Mike DiMuro ruled it as a drop, and Garcia scooted to second.
Fuming Red Sox manager John Farrell was ejected for his vehement protest of the call. It was Farrell's first ejection this season.
Almost predictably, things only got worse for the Red Sox after that controversial call. Up next was Bryan Holaday, and he dropped down a sacrifice bunt. Miller picked it up and tried for the safe out at first. However, his throw was off the mark, and Dustin
Pedroia -- who was covering -- was pulled off the bag. It was ruled an error on Miller. After Austin Jackson walked to load the bases, right-hander Alex Wilson came on to replace Miller.
The Tigers' Torii Hunter did his job, lofting a sacrifice fly to center to bring home the go-ahead run. Following an intentional walk to Miguel Cabrera, lefty Craig Breslow came on to face slugger Prince Fielder. That didn't go well either, as Fielder laced a
two-run single up the middle.
There were three errors, including the one by Nava. There was also a passed ball by Ryan Lavarnway that led to a run, and also another tough outing by Andrew Bailey, who gave up two hits and a run in his first outing since being removed from the closer role.
Pedroia was involved in a strange play in the seventh. With Austin Jackson on first, Hunter hit a knuckling liner to second. Pedroia dropped the ball, and then threw to Mike Napoli at first. Napoli stepped on the base before tagging Jackson. If he had done the
opposite, it would have been a double play.
It was a tough loss for the Red Sox, considering they ground their way to a 4-3 lead against Detroit ace Justin Verlander, making him throw 112 pitches in just five innings. The Tigers took three out of four in a matchup of first-place teams.
Shane Victorino, who has missed 30 games this season with back and hamstring injuries, was pinch hit for in the eighth inning. Victorino injured his lower back in the fourth inning when he ran into the corner in right field to make a catch to end the inning
and leave two runners stranded. He crashed into the wall and stayed in the game for three innings before leaving.
Clay Buchholz will need a minor league rehabilitation assignment, according to John Farrell. Buchholz hasn't pitched since June 8 and that layoff could require at least two bullpen sessions before he gets into a game. He is at least 10 days away from
rejoining the rotation. David Ortiz was 3 for 5 and is 12 for his last 28 with four extra-base hits and six RBIs. His batting average is back up to .316 Jose Iglesias was 0 for 3, but he was hit by a pitch in the second inning and that extended his
streak of reaching base successfully to 26 games. Red Sox pitchers allowed 27 runs (23 earned) over 33 innings in the series. Righthanded reliever Clayton Mortensen, who went on the disabled list June 11 with what the team said was a groin strain, has
pitched two games for Triple A Pawtucket. He allowed two runs on three hits and a walk Saturday night at Toledo.
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