New York Mets 4 Boston Red Sox 9 (June 27, 2006)
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0 commentsNo extra-innings heroics by David Ortiz were needed tonight, as Boston notched their tenth straight victory, all of them over the NL East. 27-year-old Mets SP Alay Soler lasted a little more than 4 innings, allowing 10 hits, 8 runs (all earned), 3 walks, and 2 home runs, with no strikeouts. His ERA dropped to 4.68. 22-year-old Boston starter Jon Lester threw 5 innings, allowing 4 hits, 2 runs (both earned), 5 walks, and one home run, but also getting 5 strikeouts. His ERA dropped to 2.95 as he earned his third win of the season
The first inning started out well for Boston. Jose Reyes and Paul Lo Duca grounded out; Carlos Beltran got on base but was caught at first for the third out of the inning. In the bottom of the first, Kevin Youkilis started things off with a double, but was followed by two quick outs from Mark Loretta and David Ortiz. Then Manny Ramirez was walked, Trot Nixon was hit by a pitch, and the bases were loaded with two outs. Then team captain Jason Varitek, currently in a tight race with Ivan Rodriguez for the starting catcher's job in the AL All-Star vote, singled to right, driving Youk and Manny home. 2-0, Boston.
In the second, the Mets got their only run of the first four innings thanks to a Carlos Delgado solo shot to right field; Lester calmed down after that and got the next three outs fairly easily. 2-1, Boston. For Boston in the second, Coco Crisp started off the inning by grounding out, but shortstop Alex Gonzalez followed that up with a double. After Youkilis grounded out, Mark Loretta sent Gonzo home with a single, making it 3-1 Boston.
The third inning was largely uneventful for both clubs. In the fourth, things got rolling for the visitors, though. Paul Lo Duca got things started off right with a single, and then Carlos Beltran drew a walk from Lester. However, Carlos Delgado grounded to first Beltran was out at second, and suddenly the Mets had one on, one out. Next Lester walked David Wright and Julio Franco, loading the bases with two outs. Lester couldn't get out the next batter, either, and walked in a run, making it 3-2, Boston. Luckily for Lester, that would prove to be the only Mets run of the inning. In a play that will surely net him a few more All-Star votes, and that you probably saw on Baseball Tonight, Jason Varitek blocked Carlos Delgado at the plate, saving a run and getting Lester another out. The inning finally ended for New York as Chris Woodward struck out swinging, ending what was quite possibly the worst inning of young Jon Lester's short MLB career.
The Sox responded in the home half of the inning, though. After two quick outs from Gonzalez and Youkilis, Mark Loretta doubled, David Ortiz was intentionally walked, and Manny Ramirez doubled to left, scoring both of his teammates and making it 5-2, Boston. The fifth inning would prove to be the last for both team's starters. In the top of the fifth, Lester ran into more trouble but got out of it unscathed; things would go as easily for the pitcher in the visitor's half. Varitek filed out, then Mike Lowell homered to left field, making it 6-2, Boston. Coco Crisp singled, then Gonzalez got a home run, and it was 8-2, Boston. With just one out and three runs scored in the inning so far, the Mets had enough, and Heath Bell came in to relieve Soler. He got the next two batters - Youkilis and Loretta - with a ground-out and a strike-out to end the inning.
Boston's starter was done for the day as well; Julian Tavarez came in to relieve Lester in the sixth inning. He performed well in the 6th, hitting Xavier Nady with a pitch but otherwise getting three quick outs. The Mets reliever did well in that inning also; he got Ortiz and Manny out before letting Trot Nixon get a single; still, he finished by striking out Jason Varitek. In the home half of the 7th, Tavarez struck out Jose Reyes, Lo Duca quickly lined out, then let Carlos Beltran get a home run, making it 8-3, Boston. Boston managed a hit (from CF Coco Crisp) but not a run in their half, and the inning ended with the same score.
In the eight inning the Mets saw 23-year-old possible closer-of-the-future (if Jonathan Papelbon moves back into the starting rotation) Craig Hansen. Hansen, who started 2006 at double-A Portland, starts off the inning with two quick outs of David Wright and Julio Franco. Then Eli Marrero, pinch-hitting for Xavier Nady, gets the better of him for a home run - but it's just a solo shot, so it's 8-4 Boston. In the bottom of the eighth, Mets reliever Duaner Sanchez allowed quite a few more hits, but in the end the same number of runs as Hansen. He started off well, with quick outs of Youkilis and Loretta, but then Ortiz gets the better of him for a right-field single. So does Manny, for another single, this time to left field. Then Trot Nixon hits a ground rule double to right (the ball is grabbed by a very young Boston fan) and Ortiz scored, making it 9-4 Boston. Varitek strikes out, Mike Timlin makes short work of the Mets in the ninth, and the Red Sox have their 10th straight win, and Jon Lester has his third career MLB victory.
Date
June 27, 2006
