Red Sox on their way back to World Series
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by Smmonroe2
The Boston Red Sox are headed back to the World Series. This time after being down three games to one in the best of seven American League Championship Series.
The Red Sox took control of the game from the first inning, finishing it off with an 11-2 win. Daisuke Matsuzaka set the Indians down in order in the first and Dustin Pedroia got things started when he lead off with a single. Kevin Youkilis singled as well, Ortiz then struck out and Manny Ramirez hit a single that took a weird bounce and went over the head of Cleveland shortstop Jhonny Peralta, to score Dustin Pedroia. With the bases loaded, J.D. Drew bounced into an inning ending double play.
Cleveland was again sat down in order by Dice-K in the second. However Jake Westbrook would not have the same luck for the Indians. For the second straight inning Westbrook gave up a lead off hit, this time a double by Jason Varitek. Jacoby Ellsbury then knocked a single and Varitex moved to third and later scored when Julio Lugo bounced into a double play.
Cleveland got their first base runner in the third when Casey Blake singled and then advanced to second on a pitch in the dirt. He would be stranded. The Red Sox got another run in the inning, this time on a sacrifice fly by Mike Lowell that scored Kevin Youkillis.
The Indians fired back with a run in the fourth after Travis Hafner doubled and scored on a double by Ryan Garko. The Red Sox would be held scoreless for the first time in the game.
Kenny Lofton led off the fifth for the Indians with a single but was thrown out by Manny Ramirez when he attempted to stretch it in to a double. Cleveland would then add what would be their final run when Sizemore hit a deep fly ball that was caught by Ellsbury and Franklin Gutierrez tagged from third and scored. The Sox would go down in order to Jake Westbrook who appeared to settle down and ended up pitching a good game after a rough first three innings.
In the sixth Hideki Okajima would replace Daisuke Matsuzaka and Oky would set the side down in order. Jake Westbrook would do the same in the bottom of the inning to keep the score 3-2.
Okajima then had another great inning, with Kenny Lofton reaching on an Error by Julio Lugo and then on a base hit by Gutierrez, Lofton was held at third when he most likely would have easily scored and tied the game. Okajima then was able to get out of the jam by getting Casey Blake to bounce into a double play. In the bottom of the inning Rafael Betancourt replaced Westbrook as the Cleveland pitcher. Jacoby Ellsbury reached second on an error by Casey Blake. Lugo made a sac bunt an advanced Ellsbury to third. Dustin Pedroia then came up and drilled a pitch off of the Volvo sign for a homerun, his first of the postseason and his first RBI’s of the postseason.
Okajima would start the eighth but after back-to-back base hits Jonathan Papelbon would replace him. Paplebon would strikeout Travis Hafner and then get Victor Martinez to ground out and Ryan Garko to fly out. Boston was not down however. As they came up in the bottom of the eighth already up by three when Mike Lowell double to center with one out and scored on a JD Drew single. Varitex hit a high pop up that confused Indians infielders and dropped and then bounced into the crowd for a ground rule double. Jacoby Ellsbury was then walked and Julio Lugo struck out swinging. Dustin Pedroia then drove in three more runs when he doubled off the green monster. Jensen Lewis then came into pitch for Cleveland and Youkilis greeted him with a homerun off the Coke bottles above the green monster. That would end the scoring for the night.
The Indians came into the bottom of the ninth needing a couple runs. They were unable to do it. Peralta singled to left and then Paplebon got Lofton, Gutierrez and Blake to fly out and end the game, starting the celebration.
Dice-K pitched five strong innings allowing six hits and two runs, while walking none and striking out three. Hideki Okajima cam in and pitched two plus innings, allowing just three hits. Jonathan Paplebon came in with two men on and pitched two innings for his first save of the postseason. The Indians countered the Red Sox pitchers with Jake Westbrook who struggled in the first few innings but was able to pitch six innings allowing nine hits and three runs, while striking out five and walking one. Rafael Betancourt came in for relief of Westbrook and pitched one and two thirds; coming completely unglued allowing seven runs, six of which were earned on five hits. Jensen Lewis was the last pitcher that the Indians would use for the season and he went a third of an inning allowing one hit and one run.
The Red Sox completed the comeback and now wait until Wednesday night when they will take on the Colorado Rockies in Game one of the World Series.
The Indians season ends on a sour note, however they had a very good year and should be proud of what they accomplished, look for them in coming years, their going to be good.
