Robertson v. Wakefield (Game 10)

Today's win is brought to you by the skill set of run production.



Not to take away anything from Wakefield's pitching (which was good) but the Red Sox won this game the old-fashioned way: They scored more runs that the Detroit Tigers. The story of this game was the ability of the Red Sox to get walks, swing their bats, and make it across home plate in spades. Doubles from Manny, Youkilis, Casey and Coco (which on a luckier day would have been a triple), base hits from Lugo, Coco, Casey, Cash, two from Pedroia, and three from Drew, and converting 9 walks into 8 runs, resulted in the win.

Wakefield pitched five innings and if he was any other pitcher his line would be worrisome. He faced twenty-five batters, got five out on strikes, walked five, allowed three hits, hit two batters with a pitch and allowed two runs (only one of which was earned.) He threw 108 pitches and got himself into and out of jams relatively unscathed. The knuckle ball was moving all over the place last night but Wake is a wily, old guy and he pitched the way he always does. (He'll keep the opponent's score low and you score some runs.) Cash put in a really good defensive performance, as well. When the bases were loaded he had really good control of that ball and prevented any extra runs.

When Wakefield came out of the game he was replaced by Manny Del. He pitched one and two thirds innings (starting in the sixth) and struck out one, didn't walk anybody, and gave up two hits-a base hit to Rodriguez and a home run to Ordonez. [aside: Magglio Ordonez looks like a curly-haired verstion of the good Johnny Damon.] Ordonez is a very good hitter. At some point the excuse that the runs Manny Del is allowing are coming off very good hitters may get old but I'm not worried about him yet. Okajima finished off the inning for him. With four pitches he induced a ground out and was done for the night.

Tavarez came out for the eighth inning and struggled with his command. He walked two, allowed three hits, a stolen base, and three runs before he even got an out. Luckily for him, Julio Lugo managed to start a double play on the next ball in put in play and so ended Tavarez' night. Papelbon finished the inning with a fly out. In the ninth inning he got a strike out, gave up a double, got a strike out, gave up a base hit, and got the force out at second to end the game.