Oct 18 2008
Red Sox - Rays Live Blogging
Josh Beckett’s velocity remained low, but Boston tied it early on a Kevin Youkilis HR. Photo: Getty Images.
LIVE GAME BLOGGING
Hard to believe that this game was not being shown due to technical difficulties. Just another reason that playoff baseball doesn’t belong on a channel like TBS. This would never happen on Fox or ESPN. Also it pains me to listen to Buck Martinez talk about baseball.
Upton with an absolute mammoth home run but Youkilis able to answer. “Big Game” James gives it back - not sure how he got that nickname, can’t remember any real big games that he won but oh well.
Beckett with a couple of early K’s could bode well. He really needs to pitch as if his fastball isn’t working because at 91-93, it isn’t.
A well turned double play by Lowrie and Pedroia was a definite big play on a ball hard in the hole against Longoria. Saved Beckett a number of pitches.
Big chance for Boston here with runners at the corners and Bay at the plate. An extra base hit here would shorten the game considerably for Shields and almost guarantee that the Red Sox would get to see three innings from the Tampa Bay bullpen.
Kotsay got a great pitch to hit but didn’t have the power to drive it out to center, 2-1 Red Sox and Shields has 69 pitches through three.
Interesting Umpire replacement situation, we’ll see how the starters respond. Mentally Shields had a bad inning last inning so he has something to think about. Physically he is getting more of a rest after throwing a lot of pitches.
Incredible job by Varitek to answer Bartlett’s HR with his first hit in the series.
About as good an effort as you could expect from Beckett, who is clearly pitching hurt. He gutted out five innings and left Boston in good shape.
Red Sox couldn’t ask for much more, 4-2 and Papelbon coming in for the ninth.
Papelbon’s velocity looked down on the TV radar gun, but his stuff looked fine to the naked eye. Dialing down the gun to try to get in his head? Impressive win, really well pitched especially by Hideki Okajima and the rest of the bullpen.
