July 23, 2007
...
Facing any batter with the bases loaded, even one as talented as
Grady Sizemore, doesn't even register among the most difficult
moments of the past year for Jon Lester. But, since Lester wants the
focus back on baseball and away from cancer, last night was marked
most indelibly by Lester's ability to extricate himself from a
bases-loaded situation. Not only did the lefthander turn in a
remarkable start in his return to the major leagues, he was also able
to grab his first win of the season and the eighth of his career, his
first in exactly 11 months. He threw 96 pitches and struck out six
over six innings, with two runs allowed on five hits and three walks
in a 6-2 triumph over one of the best teams the American League has
to offer. It was not an insignificant test for him and for his
teammates.
Because with
the tremendous run totals being generated by the Yankees, the Red Sox' offensive
renaissance (and good starting pitching) has offered a way out of their recent
slide, as demonstrated last night in front of 32,439 at Jacobs Field. Four
first-inning runs never hurt.
After
getting through the first two innings unscathed, Lester allowed a one-out single
to center by Josh Barfield. Up walked Sizemore. After traveling 383 feet,
Lester's pitch landed in the right-field seats. But that two-run home run, which
narrowed the gap to 5-2, couldn't bring the Indians close enough. Lester made
sure it stayed that way, getting Sizemore swinging to get out of the one-out,
bases-loaded jam in the fourth.
Before
Lester had emerged from the dugout for his first warm-up tosses, the Sox already
had scored four runs for him. Starting with a single by Coco Crisp, who had four
hits for his third straight game with at least three hits, the Sox plated each
of their first four batters. Dustin Pedroia followed Crisp with a single, then
Kevin Youkilis walked to load the bases. Former Indian Manny Ramirez doubled
home two runs, and a single from J.D. Drew and double-play ball from Mike Lowell
scored two more.
When the Sox
snapped their three-game losing streak Friday night with a 10-run outburst
against the White Sox, it started an offensive uprising that has coincided with
a similar trend by the Yankees. Those 10 runs were followed by 11 on Saturday,
eight on Sunday, and another six last night. And three of those games were
without the injured David Ortiz.
Crisp scored
three runs, backing up his third baseman's contention. After scoring the Sox'
first run, Crisp doubled and scored in the second (Youkilis single) and in the
ninth (infield single, throwing error by third baseman Casey Blake, passed ball,
Pedroia single).
In the end,
though, the questions only related to Lester. About how much it helped, how much
it calmed him to take the field with a four-run lead. They were about him and
about his comeback and about how well he pitched. (Varitek contended Lester
isn't much different than he was last August, just with a slightly better feel
for his pitches.) About how it was to watch him back on the mound. For his
teammates, the excitement was palpable. Both in the dugout and in the stands.
They saw the signs, felt the emotion.
Joel
Pineiro was officially designated for assignment with Jon Lester's addition to
the roster.
