Patriots’ Day is always one of the best days of the year in Boston, and while the weather didn’t cooperate for the spectators, I’m sure a lot of the Marathon runners were happy that it was cool and wet. As one participant pointed out, it was huge step up from the sub-30 temperatures and snow that defined their training leading up to the race.
The Red Sox jumped out to a 5-1 lead and would go on to win by a score of 7-1 in seven soggy innings. I don’t think anyone involved was too upset when this one was called.
Masterson pitched pretty well, going 5 innings, surrendering 1 run on 3 hits, walking 3 and striking out 6. He looked very hittable at times. All the Orioles hits went for extra bases, but he was able to limit the damage with timely strikeouts.
On offense the Sox were once again the benefactors of some sloppy defense. The Birds committed three errors, two of which were on run-scoring plays, with the other leading to a run on the next play. One of the errors was committed by Gold Glover Manny Machado. It seems like the Red Sox have gotten unusually lucky in this department so far. If I wasn’t so late posting this blog, I’d look up how many errors have been committed against them, as compared to the rest of the league. I think they have to be near the top. This will most likely even out over the course of the season; if this team is going to be a serious contender, the bats need to come alive. Just look at these batting averages:
| Boston | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | LOB | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Betts, CF | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .196 |
| Pedroia, 2B | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .280 |
| Ortiz, D, DH | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | .220 |
| Ramirez, H, LF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .250 |
| Craig, LF | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .133 |
| Napoli, 1B | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | .136 |
| Victorino, RF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .133 |
| Holt, B, 3B | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .462 |
| Bogaerts, SS | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | .319 |
| Hanigan, C | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .160 |
| Totals | 22 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 16 | .239 |
Pretty gross, especially since this is supposed to be the strength of the 2015 squad. That also doesn’t look like the box score of a team that scored seven runs (except for the run column saying that they scored seven runs).
Ryan Hanigan had a good day, reaching base safely in all three plate appearances, singling and getting hit twice, once on the kneecap. Dude has really gotten beat up this season, taking a couple foul balls directly to the hand while catching, and now getting hit twice in the same game.
Allen Craig had a solid RBI single up the middle and drew a walk. It was encouraging to see him square one up, especially since he was playing because Hanley Ramirez had to leave the game in the 3rd inning due to sickness. Hopefully it’s a 24 hour bug or something, but Craig, Nava, and Holt are all more than capable to fill in in the mean time.
Notes:
-I didn’t get to watch any of this one with the sound on so I unfortunately have no Don and Jerry highlights to report. But I imagine there were a few. Maybe something about how Don would have to wear a diaper to run the Marathon because he couldn’t go 5 hours without peeing?
–Pedroia has been pretty consistent so far in the young season. He collected two hits on Monday, including his 3rd double of the year. He’s already struck out 10 times, which is unusually high for the little guy. Something to keep an eye on as the season progresses.
-Someone once said that Lavarnway sounds like it should be a stop on the Green Line. I can’t remember where I first heard this, but it is the truest sentence I have ever heard. Lefty thinks this could be it, but I’m pretty sure Olbermann stole this from the comment section of an article that I read around the same time.
As a veteran of the Boston T, doesn’t “Lavarnway” sound like a stop on the green line? Near Lechmere maybe?
— Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) September 27, 2011
We may never know the answer to this question.