Millwood v. Wakefield (Game 20)

That was a stressful win. From lead off homeruns to Manny getting ejected from the game in the second inning, it was actually a lot of fun.

Texas started the game with an aggressive gameplan of attacking Wakefield by swinging at any viable first pitch. It worked pretty well to start the game. They ended up getting seven hits off him (including two homeruns) and five runs in the first six innings. Coupled with their excellent starting pitching, it looked like the Rangers might walk away with the game.

Wakefield went eight innings, throwing only eighty-six pitches (sixty-eight of them for strikes.) He faced thirty-one batters and struck out five of them. He had ten fly ball outs and nine ground ball outs. Surprisingly, Wakefield didn't end up walking anyone. Papelbon ended the game with a foul ball caught by Youkilis, a fly ball to deep center caught by Ellsbury, and a fly ball to shallow left caught by Lowrie.

In each of the innings, except for the first, they had at least one base runner but they weren't able to get anyone across the until the seventh inning. Both Youkilis and Casey each had a base hit in the second inning. Ellsbury walked, stole second, and took third on a throwing error in the third. Youkilis had a base hit in the fourth. In the fifth inning, Cash had a base hit but the Lugo grounded into a fielder's choice for the force out at second. Ellsbury got a base hit and then he and Lugo pulled off a double steal. They loaded the bases with an intentional walk of Ortiz and Thurston grounded into a Fielder's choice. In the sixth inning they loaded the bases again with three base hits but nothing came of it.

Their luck finally changed in the seventh. Lowrie started off the inning with a double and then came around to score on a base hit by Ortiz to put the Red Sox on the board for the first time. Millwood was then pulled from the game to be replaced by Littleton. Littleton hit Thurston by a pitch but then Youkilis grounded into a double play. Drew got a base hit and knocked in Ortiz but then Casey grounded out.

Littleton came back out to start the eighth inning and got two quick outs (a put out and a strike out.) Ellsbury then got a base hit and then made his way around to score on a double by Lowrie. At that point they pulled Littleton from the game hoping that their closer, Wilson, would bring an end to the inning. Ortiz started it off by getting a base hit off him and by barely beating the throw distracted the players long enough for Lowrie to get across the plate to make it a one run game. Francona had Pedroia pinch hit for Joe Thurston and it was a move that paid off. Pedroia hit a double, which knocked in Ortiz and tied the game, and then took third on a throwing error. They then intentionally walked Youkilis. Drew fought off six or seven pitches from Wilson before he got the walk to load the bases. Casey also battled with Wilson for seven or eight pitches before he also drew a walk and knocked in the go ahead run. Having batted around, Cash came up to the plate again and grounded into a fielder's choice to end the inning.