The Sox haven't scored 15 runs in a game since August of 2005. As a team, we went 21 for 42 at the plate (that's .500 if you're horrible at math), and walked 10 times. As a team, we slugged .714, and had an OBP of .596. Nine Sox batters had hits, 11 reached base, 8 had multiple hits, 3 had multiple RBIs, and both Crisp and Lowell had 5 RBI nights.
And believe it or not, we could have had more. We left 13 men on base and grounded into 3 double plays. But 15 runs is enough, especially with Beckett on the mound.
The Man of the Game is Coco Crisp who went 2 for 5 with a Grand Slam, an RBI walk, and a double. It was Coco's 2nd career granny, his first in a Red Sox uniform. When he hit it, he essentially ended the game.
Honorable Mentions:
Mike Lowell: 5 for 6, 3 runs, 5 RBI
David Ortiz: 3 for 5, 4 runs
Josh Beckett: 6 IP, 3 ER, 9 K
Just a side note:
Josh Beckett hit Jonny Gomes with a pitch in the top of the 4th inning. In true Devil Rays fashion, Gomes got overly angry and there was nearly an incident. This happens a lot when Tampa Bay plays the Sox. It was a 13-2 game at that point, and Gomes was probably a bit frustrated, but he flipped out far too much. You'd think the D-Rays would be used to losing by now.
Oh, and could people stop calling the D-Rays the "Devil Dogs." As a whiner line caller pointed out this afternoon, that's very insulting to the Marine Corps to compare them to the Devil Rays. (Devil Dog is a nickname for the Marines). Personally, I prefer calling them AAA Tampa Bay, or the Tampa Bay Double A's.
OKAJIMA NAMED TO ALL-STAR TEAM
Red Sox Nation is 3 for 3 in Final Man votes for All-Star games. Johnny Damon in 2002, Jason Varitek in '03, and now Hideki Okajima. Every time a Sox player has been on the ballot for the final spot on the AL roster, he has won.
This honor for Okajima is just even more proof of how valuable he has been. What a great signing that was! Just think, anybody in MLB could have signed him if they wanted him.
