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DAVID ORTIZ |
David Ortiz joins the 400 home run club
August
16, 2014 ...
When it comes right down to it, tonight was David Ortiz's night at
Fenway Park. The slugger capped his monster performance with a
two-run double to the gap in left-center that finally created a
little breathing room for the Red Sox in a 10-7 victory over the
Astros.
Ortiz also
launched a pair of two-run homers, the first of which was his 400th in a Boston
uniform. And he wound up with six RBIs, matching a career high. As Ortiz exited
for a pinch-runner after his double, the roars of "Papi" thundered all around
him. He came out for a curtain call.
Ortiz joined
legends Ted Williams and Carl Yastrzemski as the only players in Red Sox history
to hit 400 home runs. Hall of Famers Williams and Yastrzemski both have statues
outside of venerable Fenway Park. It's easy to imagine there will be an Ortiz
statue in that same general vicinity at some point. At 38, Ortiz isn't just
filling out personal milestones. There are many nights when he is still putting
the Red Sox on his shoulders. This was one of them.
It was a
game that Boston trailed 5-1 and 6-3, but the Astros simply couldn't stop Ortiz.
Ortiz's second blast curled inside of Pesky's Pole in the fifth as part of the
four-run rally that changed the game for the Red Sox.
Right after
Ortiz's 401st homer with the Red Sox sliced the deficit to two runs, the Red Sox
got a significant break. Yoenis Cespedes hit an infield popup so high that first
baseman Jon Singleton dropped it after losing it in the lights. Cespedes roared
to second, and then stole third. That was all for Houston starter Brad Peacock,
as Josh Fields came on in relief. Mike Napoli worked a seven-pitch walk. Nava
hammered an RBI single to tie the game. And Jackie Bradley Jr. belted a drive to
the wall in center for a sacrifice fly that put Boston ahead at 7-6.
Rubby De La
Rosa, who has been mostly effective for the Red Sox, simply didn't have it. The
righty gave up nine hits, six runs and four walks over just four innings. Alex
Wilson was another player who bailed out the Red Sox. The righty came on in
relief of De La Rosa and notched 2 1/3 perfect innings, buying Ortiz and the
offense time to get back in the game.
With the Red
Sox down, 5-1, in the bottom of the third, Ortiz belted his milestone homer, a
rocket, two-run blast to center. It was the type of joyous moment that has been
lacking at Fenway Park for much of this frustrating season. But through it all,
Ortiz has kept hitting. And just because the Red Sox are no longer realistic
contenders for a postseason berth doesn't mean Ortiz will be taking it easy on
the opposition. |
