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DOUG FISTER |
BOSTON STRONG -
THE ROAD TO REDEMPTION
Doug Fister shuts-out the Red Sox
September 2,
2013
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The Detroit Tigers beat the Red Sox, 3-0, hanging another tough loss on Lackey. The Red Sox have been shut out 11 times this season, six times with Lackey on the mound.
Today the Sox went 0-for-11 with runners in scoring position and stranded eight runners, including five at third base. Catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia sympathized with Lackey regarding the righty's lack of run support
and that he maintains his composure. The fact Fister plus Phil Coke, Bruce Rondon and Jose Veras (21st save) were able to blank the Red Sox
was noteworthy because Boston stepped on the Fenway Park grass having scored the second-most runs in the Major Leagues.
Lackey's 3.22 earned run average is 12th in the American League and his WHIP of 1.17 is 11th. Lackey is averaging 7.71 strikeouts per nine innings and is sixth in the league in walk-to-strikeout ratio. This level of production has come from a 34-year-old pitcher who missed all of last season
recovering from Tommy John surgery.
Detroit still fielded a "good lineup" even though it was lacking last year's American League MVP, Miguel Cabrera (strained abdominal muscle). The Sox strengths were mitigated by
Fister, who showed an ability to keep his pitches down as evidenced by the fact that 12 of his 21 outs were recorded on grounders, including three double plays.
The Tigers finally unlocked what had been a scoreless tie in the seventh. Victor Martinez singled and scored when
Andy Dirks crushed a pitch to dead center for a triple. Omar Infante walked and the Tigers scored their second run on a somewhat unusual play.
Don Kelly hit a bouncer to second baseman Dustin Pedroia, who threw to first baseman
Mike Napoli. Given the out at first, Napoli's throw to shortstop Stephen Drew resulted in Drew having to tag
Infante for the second out. In the process, Dirks scored from third base.
Detroit mounted another threat in the eighth with one out. Austin Jackson singled, stole second and stopped at third on Torii Hunter's single to center. But an alert Hunter sped to second when Jacoby Ellsbury overthrew the cutoff man. John Farrell removed
Lackey in favor of lefty Matt Thornton with Prince Fielder due up. Fielder lined the first pitch to right for
a sacrifice fly that produced a 3-0 lead. |
