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MIKE CARP CELEBRATES |
The Red Sox get a walk-off on a
second straight day
July 10, 2014 ...
Mike Carp spent much of June watching his teammates struggle offensively from his couch, wishing he could
do something about it. The lefty embraces his role as a matchup pinch-hitter who is often called on in late-game situations. Carp said it was sometimes hard to watch, and he wanted to turn the TV off when the Red Sox couldn't cash in on late chances. While recovering from a broken bone in his right foot, there was nothing
Carp could do.
But on Thursday as a pinch-hitter, Carp slapped a line drive to left field with one out in the 10th to score Daniel Nava and give the Red Sox a 4-3 win over the White Sox at Fenway Park. Thanks to some timely
hitting, Boston salvaged a split of a four-game set and finished its homestand 3-7 with consecutive walk-off wins.
Nava walked to begin the 10th after pitch-hitting for Jonny Gomes, then Mookie Betts moved him over with a sacrifice bunt. Chicago
intentionally walked Stephen Drew, then Carp, pinch-hitting for David Ross, singled off Ronald Belisario. Carp took a fastball away down 1-2 in the count to Belisario, then figured the righty would try to bust him in. The next pitch, a sinker, caught too much of the plate. Carp put it through the hole to score Nava, who slid under
Tyler Flowers while the catcher reached up to grab a high throw.
Carp became the hero only because of a Chicago rally in the ninth, though. To start that frame, Koji Uehara was late getting to the bag when
Alexei Ramirez grounded a ball softly to first. Despite being called out, a challenge by White Sox manager Robin Ventura overturned the ruling and Ramirez was ruled safe. Two batters later, pinch-hitter Conor
Gillaspie snuck a line drive inside Pesky's Pole to tie the game. It was the infielder's third homer of the series and fourth of the season.
Junichi Tazawa pitched a perfect eighth to give Uehara a save opportunity. Andrew Miller got into some trouble in the 10th, putting
runners on second and third, but got Ramirez to ground out back to the mound to end the inning. The White Sox struck in the first on an RBI double by Jose Abreu, but after that, it was all
Jon Lester. The lefty allowed a run on seven hits while fanning 12 over seven frames. He showed his best swing-and-miss stuff, striking out two batters in each of the first five innings. The now three-time All Star
didn't allow a walk, and each of the five singles he allowed weren't particularly hard hit. They just found their way through.
Of concern for the Red Sox, though, was that White Sox lefty Jose Quintana was even better through five innings. Quintana retired their first 15 batters on just 61 pitches before walking Drew and Ross on full counts
to start the sixth, ending his bid for a perfect game. Jackie Bradley Jr. then singled between first and second for the Red Sox's first hit to tie it. Bradley missed on two bunt attempts during that at-bat
while trying to get runners to first and second.
After Quintana forced a pair of groundouts, David Ortiz slapped a double off the Green Monster to score Ross and Bradley, giving the Red Sox a 3-1 lead. Quintana allowed just two hits, two walks and three runs
with seven strikeouts over seven frames. But as its been for much of the last two years -- Quintana led the Majors with 17 no-decisions in 2013 -- it wasn't enough, and the Red Sox head to Houston for one last series before the All-Star break winners of two straight. |
