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J.D. DREW |
A
POWERFUL CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM
J.D. Drew continues hitting the Twins
September 29, 2007
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J.D. Drew hit a three-run home run off Twins rookie call-up Nick
Blackburn in a four-run seventh inning that lifted the Sox to a 6-4
win over the Minnesota Twins. Drew's home run enabled Tim Wakefield,
who allowed six hits and four runs (three earned) in seven innings,
to match his career high in wins with 17. Drew also singled in the
second and tripled and scored in the fourth, lifting his average to
.270. Drew, who hit six home runs through his first 375 at-bats
through Aug. 25, now has five home runs in 91 at-bats since. He is
batting .393 (24 for 61) in his last 18 games, and after his eighth
game this season with two or more extra-base hits, he has lifted his
average to its highest point since May 4, when he was batting .276.
Drew, who has maintained a low-key demeanor during his prolonged
slumps this season, was as relaxed and affable tonight with
reporters as he has been all season, flashing a sense of humor that
has made only rare appearances in postgame settings.
Wakefield
gave up bases-empty home runs to Rondell White in the third and Joe Mauer in the
fourth, but did not walk a batter in putting an end to a slide in which he had
gone 0-4 with a 10.70 ERA in his previous four starts. Things had gone south so
much on Wakefield, he even lost last weekend in Tropicana Field, the Florida
dome in which he had never lost.
Manager
Terry Francona had PR man John Blake announce that Curt Schilling would skip
pitching the regular-season finale this afternoon, even before the Red Sox
learned they would finish no worse than tied with Cleveland for the best record
in the American League, giving them the choice of what day their Division Series
would open against the Los Angeles Angels. By virtue of their 5-2 record in
head-to-head play against the Indians, the tiebreaker belongs to the Sox.
The only
plans Francona was willing to make public yesterday were that the team will have
an optional workout tomorrow, have a scouting meeting tomorrow night, then meet
with the players Tuesday before working out that day. Last night, the Sox rested
DH David Ortiz, even though he is in the midst of a hot streak in which he had
reached base in 13 of 15 plate appearances and had hit .593 (16 for 27) with 5
doubles, 4 home runs, 10 RBIs, and 9 runs. |
