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KEVIN YOUKILIS |
A LOST YEAR WITH
BOBBY V ...
Kevin Youkilis leaves the
Sox with a good show
June 24, 2012 ... The
Red Sox wanted to give David Ortiz a day off and that opened a spot
for Kevin Youkilis against Atlanta lefthander Mike Minor. In the end,
it worked to perfection. Youkilis contributed to a 9-4 victory
against the Braves and before the game was over had been traded to
the Chicago White Sox.
The
spontaneity couldn't be beat. As the trade was about to be consummated, Youkilis
was due up in the seventh inning and Cherington sent word to Valentine to get
the third baseman out of the game. Valentine told the players in the dugout what
was going on as Youkilis went to the plate. With two outs and a runner on first,
Youkilis hit what looked like a routine fly ball to right-center. But center
fielder Michael Bourn and right fielder Jason Heyward each thought the other had
it and the ball fell between them. Youkilis, running hard in his last steps as a
member of the Red Sox, slid in with a gift triple. Nick Punto, who was going to
replace Youkilis either on the bases or in the field before the next inning, was
rooting for the ball to drop.
Youkilis
hugged Punto as their paths crossed, then he saluted the wildly cheering crowd
of 37,565. After being engulfed by his teammates in the dugout, Youkilis took a
curtain call at the urging of Valentine, two men who didn't get along very well
the last few months finally agreeing on something. With that, Youkilis went down
the small tunnel and up the stairs to the clubhouse. The nameplate above his
locker was gone by the time the game was over.
Adrian
Gonzalez, now the full-time first baseman, was 2 for 3 with a walk and a home
run. With Youkilis off the roster, Gonzalez won't be playing right field any
more. Gonzalez hit .254 with a .648 OPS in 18 games as a right fielder. In his
last five games, all at first base, he is 7 for 20 with three walks. Returning
full time to his regular position could be what gets Gonzalez going offensively.
Ross was in
right field for the fifth straight game. He is 7 for 22 with six extra-base hits
and 10 RBIs in six games since coming off the disabled list. His return
contributed to the trade, the Red Sox knowing it made no sense to keep using
Gonzalez in the outfield.
Will
Middlebrooks, whose play at third base was what ultimately pushed Youkilis out
the door, was 0 for 2 as the designated hitter. But he walked and scored a run
and drove in another with a sacrifice fly. Middlebrooks has driven in at least
one run in seven of his last eight games. The rookie has 34 RBIs in 41 games,
something not accomplished to start a career since the Angels' Wally Joyner had
39 RBIs in his first 41 games in 1986.
The Red Sox
have won seven of their last eight games, their rise coming with Youkilis going
to the bench and Middlebrooks assuming a lead role. At 38-34, the Sox are four
games over .500 for the first time this season.
Aaron Cook
got the win, allowing two earned runs over five innings in his second start of
the season. Cook started May 5 and suffered a deep cut on his left knee while
covering home plate, putting him on the disabled list. He lasted 79 pitches in
his return but felt he could have thrown 10 or 15 more.
Minor (3-6)
walked Dustin Pedroia and Middlebrooks to start the fourth inning before Ross
sneaked a home run over the wall in left. Gonzalez followed with a blast the
same way, his closer to the foul pole. Ross added a two-run shot in the fifth, a
ball that cleared everything. Daniel Nava chipped in two hits and an RBI.
The
going-away party was a success, too. |
