A strange game to be sure. Daisuke giving up hits and allowing runs only to be pulled from the game after the fourth inning with a mysterious injury. Lugo getting himself thrown from the game in the fifth inning (which isn't all that strange-he's never hidden the fact that he's got a temper.) Francona getting thrown from the game after he defended his shortstop. And it was long-like epically long. At least, it seemed that way (as it turns out the game was over in three hours.) West coast games are generally difficult but when they last until 1:15 in the morning and my alarm clock is going to start beeping in three and half hours to wake me up for work, it becomes harder to care about a single game in Seattle: It's ok if they lose this game, I don't want to watch extra innings-I just want to go to sleep.
Matsuzaka was not having a good game before he hurt himself. [Aside: As it turns out, the mysterious illness is shoulder fatigue. Apparently, it's something he struggled with in Japan, as well.] He threw sixty-five pitches over four innings. He allowed two earned runs (and one unearned run) on four hits. He struck out two batters. Impressively (or not, given the way the Mariners are only too happy to swing their bats), he didn't walk anyone. He did fall behind to a count of three-balls four times, though. Normally a superior defensive player, Daisuke made a strange play in the first inning on a bunt bid back to him that he decided to throw to third and didn't get anybody out.
After he came out of the game, David Aardsma was up. He pitched the fifth inning (which was interrupted by the Lugo/Francona fracas) and the start of the sixth inning. He seemed to be chugging along nicely by getting two ground ball outs (one to himself and one to Lowell) to start the inning but then he walked a batter on seven pitches. The last batter of the inning got two balls (the second of which Lugo was sure he went around on) and two strikes before he grounded out. When he came back out for the sixth inning he seemed to have lost it. He issued a four-pitch walk to the first batter and gave up a single to the second that turned into a put-out at third on an impressive play by Manny.
Delcarmen came out to finish the sixth and pitch the seventh inning. He got a ground out and a line out to end the sixth inning. In the seventh inning he got two quick ground outs before giving up a double. He got another ground out to harmlessly end the inning.
Okajima was brought in to pitch the eighth. Okajima really had to battle for his outs and so it seems surprising that he had a 1-2-3 inning but he did. The first batter fouled out. The second grounded out and the third struck out swinging.
Timlin pitched the ninth inning. Timlin gave up a single to the first batter and the second hit a sacrifice bunt. The third batter grounded out to second. They intentionally walked the fourth batter. With two outs and two strikes against him, the last batter singled to drive in a run and end the game. But me? I was just happy to go to bed.
The Red Sox were having trouble getting hits off Batista to start the game. Pedroia got a single in the first and Casey got a single in the fifth but that's all they were able to do until the third time through the order. In the sixth with one out, Pedroia reached on an error. Ortiz singled to right. And then Manny took the the first pitch he saw and turned it into no. 499 by sending it out to right. And that was it for Red Sox runs.
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