Thursday – October 1
My final regular season Red Sox game summary is being written as the Twins and the Tigers play a tiebreaker, game 163, with the winner facing the Yankees in the ALDS (Presently Tigers ahead 3-1 in the 4th inning.) Today was a very important start for Jon Lester, his first since taking a line drive off the leg. Red Sox Nation breathed a sigh of relief as Lester gave them 6.1 innings of 2H shut out baseball. Bard, Wagner and Papelbon also pitched shut out ball. Youkilis, Ortiz and Bay each had an RBI.
*Tie breaker update: Twins prevail over the Tigers in the 12th inning 6-5
Final Score: Red Sox 3 Indians 0
Jacoby Watch: 3 for 5 with 1R with 1SB and 1CS
Friday – October 2
Today the Red Sox gave Daisuke Matsuzaka a four run lead after 3 innings. Dice-K went 6 innings allowing 2R and 5H with 7SO in a good outing. Out of the bullpen Billy Wagner pitched back to back days for the first time this year as he had 2SO in 0.2IP. Ramirez, Bard and Saito finished the game in scoreless fashion. Two out RBIs were important in this game as Youk had two and Bay one. Pedey and Martinez each had an RBI as the Sox prevailed in game two of the final series of the year.
Final Score: Red Sox 6 Indians 2
Jacoby Watch: 1 for 3 with 2R, 2BB, 1SB (his 69th) and 1CS
Saturday – October 3
Josh Beckett has been receiving shots for back spasms and missed his last start. So this outing was a big one for him. He got off to a rocky start giving up 2R in both the 1st and 2nd innings. He then seemed to settle down as he went 5 innings with 4R on 7H. Paul Byrd took over for the next 3 innings and gave up a two run homer to complete the Indians scoring as Dustin Richardson pitched a scoreless 9th. In the meantime Dustin Pedroia led off the 1st inning with a home run and the Red Sox had a 7R 2nd inning including a three run homer by Victor Martinez. Brian Anderson had a two-run homer in the 3rd and Dusty Baker a solo shot in the 8th. It was his first major league hit. It feels good to see the Sox putting up some runs - 20 so far in the series.
Final Score: Red Sox 11 Indians 6
Jacoby Watch: Ellsbury was given the day off
Sunday - October 4
Clay Buchholz started the final game of the regular season and it was his second poor outing in a row after eight or so high quality starts. Buchholz lasted only 3 innings and gave up 5R on 6H. After giving up five home runs in his last start he gave up one today a solo shot from Luis Valbuena to lead off the game. The Sox were down 6-5 in the 5th when they scored 2R to take the lead. After getting 5R in the 6th inning the Sox would coast to victory and the sweep of the series. The Red Sox would belt 5 home runs including two solo shots from J.D. Drew, one from Alex Gonzalez and a two run homer from Dustin Pedroia. Without a doubt the big blow was a grand slam home run by Jed Lowrie his first in that 5R 6th. The Red Sox are hitting well going into the playoffs and have won the last four games of the year. But as the saying goes momentum is only as good as the next day’s starting pitcher.
Final Score: Red Sox 12 Indians 7
Jacoby Watch: 1 for 3 with 1R and his ML leading 70th stolen base.
*Photo shows Jacoby Ellsbury greeting the fans on opening day April 6, 2009
