August 16, 2007
Sports Redux: Comeback, Manny, Fall Short
Boy, this one had "thrilling comeback" written all over it, didn't it? After the Red Sox pulled Tuesday night's game out of the grave, they spotted Tampa Bay a 6-0 lead yesterday afternoon. (Oh, inconsistent, Daisuke...what's to be done with you?)
The Sox then started chipping away as they've done so many times. Jason Varitek's 2-run homer in the seventh chased starter Andy Sonnanstine to the clubhouse, then Crisp walked and Lugo followed with an RBI double. Manny's double in the 8th made it 6-4, then the Sox got within one when Coco Crisp bunted a single to lead off the ninth, and Lugo again doubled him in. Man on second, down by one, nobody out.
But Tampa closer Al Reyes decided to perform like a competent closer, whiffing Pedroia and Youkilis. Then he walked Ortiz. Then he whiffed Manny. Seriously, Manny, any time you want to put your stamp on the litany of great Red Sox walkoff hits is OK with us...don't wait for an invitation.
Happily, the Yankees lost again, making it their second straight to the resurgent Orioles. Shelley "Don't Call Me Sandy" Duncan's 3-run home run in the ninth tied the game and accounted for the first Yankee runs in two games (we suppose Phil Rizzuto took seventeen innings to take his place in the Hallowed Hall of Affecting Ballgames, which makes us understand why he always wanted to leave early to beat traffic). But Mariano Rivera faltered in the 10th, giving up three runs, too much for NY to attempt a second straight comeback inning.
The Sox get an off day today before welcoming in California's Angelic Anaheim/Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, California. Josh Beckett is slated to pitch the day game on Friday, with wunderkind Clay Buchholz set to work the night game. Unfortunately, as it stands now, Tim Wakefield will pitch Sunday and will miss the Devil Ray series in Florida next week. Tito...we need Wake to pitch against the Devil Rays. It's up there with death and taxes.
The Revolution are in Commerce City, Colorado (?!) tonight to play the Colorado Rapids, without the distraction of the most famous guy on the planet standing on the sidelines testing his injured ankle. The Patriots are gearing up for tomorrow's exhbition game in Foxboro against Tennessee.
And if you missed it, the Celtics have annouced their preseason schedule (caution - PDF!), which includes games in the great cities of Rome, London and Worcester. Bostonist is already making plans to go to the Worcester game, but we're willing to listen to any offers from well-heeled backers who want on-the-scene updates from the European swing.
Devil Ray image from the Shoalhaven Fishing Club of Australia.
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it's unfair to blame manny. pedroia and youkilis struck out too.
Ha. Commerce City is just as unpleasant as it sounds. The most exciting thing there is the Purina dog/cat food plant. And boy does it stink.
Did you have to use the first image that came up with your "devilray" Google Image search?
It is hard to remember any game that Manny has won with a walk-off hit. Ortiz has many, of course. Loretta had some. Crisp has done it. Orlando Cabrera did it. Varitek has. Millar has. Carlos Pena did once. Even A-Rod has done it a few times. But Manny?
There was one game that was close. It was after all that brouhaha in 2005 about Manny wanting to be traded and "Manny being Manny" and all. It was right after the trade deadline where he pinch-hit and ground a single up the middle in the 8th to score a go-ahead run, but that may be the closest to it. FWIW, that game was also, I believe, Jonathan Papelbon's first ML game.
Other than that, I have come not to expect anything when Manny comes up in the 9th or extra innings with the score tied or the Red Sox trailing by a run.
I hope I'm wrong.