Two Walkoffs in a Sweep of the Mariners

It was a wild series against the Mariners in Fenway Park this week.  I will elaborate in the individual game summaries.

07/30:  Red Sox 8 (64-44) Mariners 2
The only somewhat calm game of the series saw Brandon Workman continue to shine in the rotation.  Of course later that evening Jake Peavy was acquired.  Workman struck out nine in six innings, giving up one run.  Jacoby Ellsbury, Dustin Pedroia, and Jarrod Saltalamacchia all homered for Boston.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

DUSTIN PEDROIA:  2 for 4, Home Run, 2 runs, 3 RBIs.

07/31:  Red Sox 5 (65-44) Mariners 4

John Lackey pitched reasonably well, but Junichi Tazawa surrendered the game-tying home run in the eighth and the game went into the 15th inning before Boston won.  Included in this game was an unassisted double play by left-fielder Jonny Gomes.  Rookie Drake Britton got the win.  The winning run scored on a base hit by Stephen Drew.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

DUSTIN PEDROIA:  2 for 6, Home Run, 2 runs, 3 RBIs.

08/01:  Red Sox 8 (66-44) Mariners 7
Felix Hernandez shut down Boston's offense for seven innings and the Mariners lead the Red Sox 7-1 going into the bottom of the eighth.  Shane Victorino homered and then in the ninth, the Red Sox exploded for six runs.  Daniel Nava drove in the winning run and knuckleballer Steven Wright got the win.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

SHANE VICTORINO:  2 for 5, Home Run, 2 runs, 3 RBIs.

Flying High Again

The Red Sox took on the surging Blue Jays for a four game set Thursday through Sunday.  The Jays had won 11 in a row just a few days before coming to Boston.  The Red Sox though were not impressed.

06/27:  Red Sox 7 (48-33) Blue Jays 4

The Red Sox scored seven runs in the second inning and that was all they needed.  Jon Lester pitched well but left the game with a jammed hip.  Sounds painful.  Dustin Pedroia hit a home run for the Red Sox.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

JON LESTER:  7 innings, 4 earned runs, 5 strikeouts, 3 walks, Win.

06/28:  Red Sox 7 (49-33) Blue Jays 5

Allen Webster, one of the major pieces the Red Sox got in last year's big Dodger trade, pitched very well, going six innings and left with the lead.  Andrew Bailey naturally coughed it up.  He has to be injured.  But Boston came back to win on the strength of a Jonny Gomes RBI.  Koji Uehara held on for the save.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

STEPHEN DREW:  2 for 2, 2 RBIs, double, triple.

06/29:  Blue Jays 6 Red Sox 2 (49-34)

Felix Doubront pitched well but the offense was not able to come through until late.  They tied the game but then the bullpen imploded for four runs.  Jonathan Diaz made his Major League debut at third base.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

SHANE VICTORINO:  2 for 4, double, 2 RBIs.

06/30:  Red Sox 5 (50-34) Blue Jays 4

Once again the bullpen coughed up a lead.  This time Koji Uehara allowed a tying home run to Jose Bautista, but Boston came back to load the bases then take the lead on a groundball from Victorino that went through first baseman Josh Thole's legs.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

NO CARD YET

BRANDON SNYDER:  2 for 4, double, 2 RBIs.

Ugh, the Tiger Series...

The Tigers are pretty damn good, so it's not horrendously surprising that Boston struggled.  It's the way that they struggled.  Boston lost three out of four.  But in two of those games, they had the lead late in the game.  The bullpen has been troublesome lately, to say the least.

06/20:  Tigers 4 Red Sox 3 (44-31)
This was the worst one.  Boston lead 3-2 going into the bottom of the ninth.  Enter embattled closer Andrew Bailey who immediately gave up a walk then a two-run walkoff home run to Jhonny Peralta.  Lost in that was a good performance by John Lackey, a home run by David Ortiz, and Jose Iglesias continuing to shock the world.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

JOHN LACKEY:  7 innings, 7 hits, 2 earned runs, 1 walk, 5 strikeouts

06/21:  Red Sox 10 (45-31) Tigers 6

Jon Lester's struggles continued.  He had one bad inning but it lead to four Tiger runs.  He gave up five runs once again.  Shane Victorino had a huge game and Jose Iglesias and Stephen Drew each had three hits.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

SHANE VICTORINO:  4 for 5, run, 5 RBIs, home run

06/22:  Tigers 10 Red Sox 3 (45-32)

Allen Webster was once again called up to make a start and he struggled early, giving up a grand slam to former Sox Victor Martinez but then settled down.  He struck out five on the night.  The bullpen was dreadful though with Franklin Morales giving up four runs and Alex Wilson giving up one.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

DAVID ORTIZ:  2 for 4, home run

06/23:  Tigers 7 Red Sox 5 (45-33)

Boston managed to tire out Justin Verlander, knocking him out after five innings, but Felix Doubront did not fare much better.  Boston was ahead into the bottom of the 7th when the tying run scored and then the bullpen melted down in the 8th, giving up three runs.  There was a questionable call in the 8th that hurt quite a bit.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

 DUSTIN PEDROIA:  3 for 4, 2 runs

04/13 Red Sox (6-4) 2 Rays 1 (10 innings)

The first extra inning game of the year for the Red Sox went their way as Shane Victorino drove in the winning run.  Up to that point it was a pitcher's duel between Jon Lester and David Price.  Lester was probably a little bit sharper as he walked fewer and threw fewer pitches in one more inning.  He is looking pretty good this year.  Backup catcher David Ross provided a home run for Boston's only run until Victorino won the game.

PLAYER OF THE GAME

SHANE VICTORINO: (2 for 5, GW RBI, stolen base)

The New Acquisitions

For the first post back, let's take a look at the new members of the Red Sox:

C - DAVID ROSS
Ross was signed for two years and $6.2 million.  This is probably the best signing of the offseason for the team.  Ross provides veteran leadership behind the plate in a platoon role.  The big question will be whether he platoons with Jarrod Saltalamacchia or Ryan Lavarnway.

1B/C/DH - MIKE NAPOLI
Napoli was signed for one year and $5 million.  He has a bat seemingly tailor-made for Fenway Park and should knock more than a few balls out of the park.  It will be interesting to see if there are any lingering ill will effects from having to renegotiate his original three year $39 million contract.

IF - BROCK HOLT
Holt was acquired in a trade with the Pirates along with Joel Hanrahan.  Holt has had limited Major League experience but has shown a decent eye at the plate.  He could stick in a bench role.

SS - STEPHEN DREW
Drew signed as a free agent for one year and $9.5 million.  This one does not make much sense to me.  Drew blocks Jose Iglesias at shortstop and is being paid too much when his numbers have been on the decline for a couple of years.  Yes he has had injury concerns, but this still does not make a lot of sense.

RF - SHANE VICTORINO
Victorino was signed as a free agent for three years and $39 million.  He is coming off his worst season as a regular which saw the popular outfielder traded from the Phillies to the Dodgers.  He did steal 39 bases, but his other numbers across the board were down.  It will be difficult for Victorino to live up to his contract.

LF/DH - JONNY GOMES
Gomes was signed as a free agent for two years and $10 million.  Gomes has been a journeyman bat, usually off the bench.  He was once a major antagonist in fights with the Rays so it was a little surprising that he signed with the Red Sox.  This is a little bit of a reach in terms of money, but Gomes should provide some power.  He is very capable of hitting 20 home runs.

SP - RYAN DEMPSTER
Dempster signed for two years and $26.5 million as a free agent.  Boston attempted to acquire Dempster a couple of times throughout the 2012 season.  He was traded from the Cubs to the Rangers at the trading deadline.  Dempster's numbers promptly declined coming to the American League.  Boston is hoping he will learn from those mistakes.  He will not be expected to be a top of the rotation starter which takes some pressure off.

RP - KOJI UEHARA
Uehara signed for one year and $4.25 million.  He is a control pitcher from the bullpen, further strengthening what has already become a powerful weapon for the team.

RP - JOEL HANRAHAN
Hanrahan was acquired in a trade with the Pirates along with Brock Holt.  Hanrahan is expected to take over as the team's closer.  He had decent numbers with the Pirates when the team was contending last year, but those took a slide with the team's fortunes.  He should be fun to watch.

The big concern that I have is that a lot of the signings block players that were seemingly ready for the Major Leagues in 2013.  Ross and Napoli block Ryan Lavarnway.  Drew blocks Jose Iglesias.  Gomes and Victorino block Ryan Kalish.  Lavarnway, Iglesias, and Kalish are not expected to be superstars, but they deserve a shot to see if they could stick at the Major League level.