 |
|
BRAD HAWPE |
A
POWERFUL CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM
The Rockies rock the Red Sox
June 13, 2007
...
Curt
Schilling was sitting and waiting as the media walked into the Fenway
Park interview room minutes after a 12-2 Red Sox' loss to the
Rockies, his hands folded, his blue button-down shirt crisp, and his
manner all but screaming his desire to get this done, fast. Betrayed
by his defense twice in the first two innings and assured there would
be no repeat of last week. In a series of frustrating ways, with all
the runs allowed by Schilling, six total, five earned, coming with
two outs, that one-out-away sensation permeated the start.
Having
allowed singles to the first two batters of the fifth inning, Schilling seemed
on his way to getting out of it with Brad Hawpe coming to the plate. But all it
took was a single pitch, a changeup, which Hawpe deposited into the right-field
stands for a 6-2 lead.
Before
that home run, it was 3-2, and the 36,808 in attendance still likely felt
confident that it would be Rockies starter Josh Fogg (1-5, 5.06 ERA coming in)
and not Schilling who would fall apart. But it wasn't only the three-run shot
that put the game out of reach. The three runs in the first and second innings
contributed, both times aided by an error.
First
there was the ball thrown away by Lugo on Willy Tavares' single to open the
game. Then there was the suddenly shaky Lowell's 12th error of the season (his
career high is 14). A single by Kaz Matsui brought home the second run, and
Lowell's errant throw allowed Troy Tulowitzki to score the third.
In what
appeared to be a mismatch with Schilling coming off a one-hitter, and Fogg
coming off a six-run outing, but the Rockies were the ones to have success on a
night more suited for October. The Red Sox, meanwhile, continued to have trouble
scoring, getting two or fewer runs for the sixth time in eight games.
|
.jpg) |
|
MIKE LOWELL |
And
though Lowell hit his 12th homer in the second and Kevin Youkilis, David Ortiz,
and Manny Ramirez produced another run with consecutive singles in the third,
that wouldn't be enough on a night when Schilling just couldn't get that third
out in multiple innings. Of course, those who followed him did no better, with
three more two-out runs coming in a sixth inning in which Kyle Snyder walked the
bases loaded and Javier Lopez allowed a Todd Helton double to clear them.
Those
runs and the runs after, three more off Joel Pineiro in the eighth, were just
piling on. In retrospect, the villain was that changeup, the one whose
development was the focus of Schilling's spring training, the one whose last
sighting came as it settled into the seats in right field.
One day
after being named the team's leadoff hitter, Pedroia sat to give Alex Cora a
start against Colorado's Josh Fogg, against whom Cora was 5 for 9 with a home
run in his career. Cora, who hit eighth while Coco Crisp took over at the top of
the lineup, was 1 for 4. Manny Ramirez's single gave him 1,550 RBIs for his
career, tying him with Fred McGriff for 37th place all time.
The 12
runs scored by the Rockies were the second most allowed by the Red Sox this
season. Atlanta scored 14 in the second game of the May 19 doubleheader. |
