August 5, 2007
...
The Red Sox throttled Ichiro, cracked the Mariners' vaunted bullpen,
pounded out 13 extra-base hits in two days, including eight in
today's 9-2 win, and received back-to-back rousing starts from
Daisuke Matsuzaka and Josh Beckett that made their nine-game losing
streak here seem like a distant memory.
J.D. Drew
tripled in a run and scored when the Sox broke open a 3-1 game with two runs in
the seventh, as the Sox adding three more in the eighth and another in the
ninth, all at the expense of a Seattle bullpen that had put up nothing but
zeroes in the first two games of the series
Beckett
struck out seven in the first three innings and nine in 6 2/3 innings overall en
route to his 14th win, matching Carlos Zambrano of the Cubs, C.C. Sabathia of
the Indians, and John Lackey of the Angels for most in the majors. There was
shortstop Julio Lugo, slipping undetected behind Raul Ibanez for a pickoff play
at second that squashed a Mariners threat in the fourth. There was Manny Ramirez
hitting his 19th home run and David Ortiz stealing his second base, a surprise
of such magnitude that no one on the Mariners bothered to cover the bag, catcher
Jamie Burke's throw sailing into center field. And there was Ichiro, going 0 for
5 for the second straight game, 1 for 14 in the series, and 5 for 36 against the
Sox this season.
Coco Crisp
doubled twice and walked, scored twice, hit a sacrifice fly, and made another of
his belly-flop catches. All of which was nothing, he said, compared with darting
out of the way of a four-wheel all-terrain vehicle commandeered by the Seattle
mascot, which clipped Crisp on the knee as he was heading out to center field
for the bottom of the fifth but very easily could have left him with moose
tracks not easily laughed off. Normally, Drew said, he and Crisp run out to
their positions together, but today Drew had a bit of a headstart and thus
didn't see the Moose, who was making a lap around the field and failed to yield
to Crisp crossing in front of the Sox dugout. At first, Drew said, he thought
Crisp had gotten away without a scratch. He learned differently when they jogged
back to the dugout.
The Sox
dugout was steamed, most notably pitching coach John Farrell, who could be seen
giving the mascot and other stadium personnel an earful. Mortified Mariners
general manager Bill Bavasi quickly sent down apologies, Francona said. And
Crisp promised he wouldn't hold a grudge. When someone asked him if he'd be
willing to have dinner next time in with the mascot, Crisp didn't miss a beat.
Dustin
Pedroia's day off was scheduled, but he still managed an at-bat, doubling home a
run in the ninth. Alex Cora, who started at second base, doubled and scored a
run, and made a terrific diving catch of Jamie Burke's liner in the fourth.
Top Sox
prospect Jacoby Ellsbury, who had missed the previous 15 games with a strained
groin, celebrated his return to the Pawtucket lineup with three hits and a walk,
two runs, and a stolen base. Ellsbury batted leadoff and played center field.
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