04-21-08: Rangers v. Red Sox

Aardsma in to start the seventh. Can he throw strikes with an 8-run lead?

Buchholz' final line: 6 innings, 5 hits, 2 walks, 6 strikeouts. 103 pitches. Nice job.

Aardsma is determined not to make life easy for himself, with a leadoff walk before going 3-1 to Laird who then hit one high off the wall to score Murphy. Strikes!

Strikes out Broussard before resuming the ball parade to Kinsler.

Well, he struck out two, but walked two. Javier Lopez coming in to face Hamilton, who's had a tough day at the plate. Lopez retired him on one pitch Saturday.

Not such a good result this time, as Hamilton pokes a double to the wall. The wall has been a busy place today.

Delcarmen up in the pen.

Lopez zings a changeup by Bradley to strike him out and mercifully end the inning.

OK, struck out the side!

Oki in the 8th, he's gotta pitch today I imagine.

I predict MDC in the eighth, since he's up already, with Okajima in the ninth. He hasn't pitched since last Tuesday.

Well, call me a dope. Lopez worked through the eighth, giving up only the wall double to Murphy. MDC for the ninth? Okajima didn't even look like he was moving to take his jacket off in the bullpen; I'd have to guess his stiff neck is still bothering him.

Jeez, Lugo with a great day. 4-4 with a walk. He must feel Lowrie breathing down his neck at SS. Seven game hitting streak for him.

Delcarmen bringing the heat. Series of 96-98 mph fastballs to Broussard, before inducing the ground out with the change. More fastballs, with one curve, to get the ground out by Kinsler.

Mercifully, NESN has lost the "Whoosh" sound effect on the 95+ mph pitches.

All fastballs to Young, who finally gets hold of one for a double down the line to left. Make that back-to-back doubles, as Hamilton takes a high fastball off the top of the scoreboard. Little tapper back to the mound by Bradley, and the Sox have swept the Texas Rangers.

You should do the Fragile Freddy blog, Jill.

Nah. we already have a Fragile Freddy who does a great job with his own blog. He doesn't need any help from me.

Thurston is quite possibly the worst player this team has had in my lifetime.

I wonder where all the chatty cathys were the other day when Ortiz had the day off. I guess Manny's the only one who's supposed to fight the manager when it's his turn to sit.

Cesar Crespo
Craig Grebeck
Marc Sullivan

The Ortiz situation was obviously different. He was playing lousy and looked like he needed a day off, Manny has been smokin'. I have no problem with him getting the day off but the situations are vastly different.