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RYAN DEMPSTER |
BOSTON STRONG -
THE ROAD TO REDEMPTION
Ryan Dempster returns with
a win over Chicago
August 30, 2013 ... Twelve days after he plunked Alex Rodriguez and later earned a five-game suspension for his actions, Ryan
Dempster showed up to Fenway Park to professionally, and successfully, do his job. Dempster didn't hit any batters, carried a no-hitter into the fifth inning and left in the seventh with a lead as the Red Sox beat the White Sox, 4-3. The Red Sox also extended their American League East
lead to 3 1/2 games following the Rays' 4-3 loss to the A's in Oakland.
Walking the first two batters of the game rarely ends well, but the White Sox No. 3 hitter, Alexei Ramirez, is a notorious free-swinger, and Ramirez was beat on a low splitter that
resulted in a double play. Dempster eventually settled in.
Shane Victorino reached base three times to continue his torrid second half, Dustin Pedroia had a key double
off the Green Monster to keep the fourth inning alive and David Ortiz broke out of an 0-for-23 skid with a two-out, two-run single to put the Red Sox ahead for the rest of the game.
Ortiz' slump-busting hit was a hard line drive just out of reach of Gordon Beckham, who was playing second base from shallow right field. Hits like those have been going the other
way for Ortiz lately, but this one was big. Farrell called it a pivotal moment in the game. Victorino is 21 of his last 48 with 10 extra-base hits, 14 RBIs, and 14 runs. He leads the Sox with 22 RBIs this month.
Dempster got one out in the seventh before he was taken deep by Avisail Garcia, the former Tigers outfielder who went to the White Sox in the deal that sent Peavy to Boston and
Jose Iglesias to Detroit. John Farrell was then crafty with his bullpen, using Junichi Tazawa for three
outs, Franklin Morales for one and closer Koji Uehara for four.
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KOJI UEHARA |
Uehara earned his 15th save, but just his second in which he was asked to get four outs. At 60 1/3 innings this season, the 38-year-old is approaching his career high, set in 2009 when he threw 66 2/3 innings for the Orioles. Uehara, who has a 0.63 WHIP, is
the best for a reliever in the majors, with 20 consecutive scoreless outing under his belt in a span of 23 innings. He's the fourth Red Sox pitcher to string together 20 consecutive scoreless outings, joining Daniel Bard (25 in 2011), Papelbon (21 in 2011),
and Ugueth Urbina (20 in 2002). During the streak, he has allowed just seven base runners -- a walk, two doubles, and four singles.
It might be of no coincidence that Dempster was pitching on the same day as Clay Buchholz was throwing at Triple-A Pawtucket, rehabbing from his injured trap/shoulder that's kept him out of action since June 8. With John Lackey, Jon Lester, Felix Doubront and
Jake Peavy all pitching well in the rotation, Dempster could slide easily into the bullpen, where he's made 225 relief appearances compared to 348 starts.
The Sox have won five of their last six games and are 3-1 on a homestand that has five games remaining. At 80-56, they have the best record in the American League. They have allowed only 20 runs in their last 10 games, their starters posting a 2.11 ERA.
The PawSox defeated Syracuse, 2-1, to win the International League North title. Clay Buchholz, who was scheduled to throw 50-55 pitches, departed after throwing 53 (34 strikes), leaving with one out and one on in the fourth. He worked 3 1/3 innings, allowed
seven hits, one run, and two strikeouts without a walk. He topped out at 94 miles per hour on McCoy Stadium's radar gun. |
