Famous result in Fenway. The Red Sox swept a 3 game series against the Yankees in Boston for the first time since 1990. The Red Sox hit back-to-back-to-back-to-back homeruns for the first time in their history. This also tied a MLB record for consecutive homeruns (only the 5th time ever), and was only the 2nd time in history a team has hit four homers in a row off the same pitcher. When the Dodgers hit 4 in a row in 2006, JD Drew was the second of the 4 homerun hitters, just like tonight. When the Indians did it in 1963, Terry Francona's dad was one of the hitters.
This series was important to sweep. New York is very weak right now, and it was important to take full advantage of that weakness. We fought hard, as did New York, but we just fought a little harder. Our starting pitchers weren't as good as they've been in previous starts, but our bullpen and offense performed very well and we were able to earn some victories against a divisional opponent.
The strange thing about this game is that we only scored 7 runs. We had 11 hits, 9 walks, 3 doubles, and 5 homeruns, but were only able to plate 7. We squandered some opportunities early on, and left 12 men on base, 8 of which were in scoring position.
Chase Wright escaped demolition a few ties early in the game, hanging curveballs and walking guys, but he finally paid for his pitching sins in the 3rd when Manny, Drew, Lowell, and Tek took him deep. The Sox bats were silenced by bean and Pettitte, but Scott Proctor woke them up.
Okajima was asked to pitch 3 days in a row, which demonstrates the lack of reliable depth in the Sox pen. Then Donneley was brought into a bases loaded situation and only allowed 1 of the runners to score. Papelbon was simply Papelbon and retired the side in the 9th for the win.
Something about this series kind of bugged me. Yesterday, Francona went with Beckett to start the 7th inning, and tonight, he went with Matsuzaka to start the 8th. We really do lack bullpen depth, and it forces Francona to do things like try to extend starters into games. Maybe, if Lester returns, and Tavarez goes to the pen, we'll get some more depth in there. And we're winning right now, but in terms of a 162 game season, things like this can turn into major problems.
Man of the Game is Mike Lowell, who went 2 for 4 with a pair of homeruns, 4 RBI, 2 runs scored, and a walk.
Honorable Mentions:
Brendan Donnelly: 0.2 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB, 1 of 3 inherited runners scored
JD Drew: 2/4, HR, double, RBI, 2 runs, walk
Jason Giambi*: 2/4, double, 3 RBI
The Sox continue their short homestand as the Blue Jays come to town. Toronto has been playing pretty poorly and just got swept by Baltimore. The Orioles are actually in 2nd right now, a mere game behind us. Wakefield against Ohka, then Tavarez against Halladay.
