Fenway Fables

May 17, 1918 at Fenway Park
Red Sox 11, Tigers 8  (17-10)

The pitching wasn’t there but the hitting definitely was as the Red Sox won their fourth straight game.  Wally Schang had three singled and two runs while Dutch Leonard helped out his own cause with three singles.

Leonard didn’t have a good day on the mound but he was picked up by the offense.  He gave up eight runs on ten hits and seven walks with three strikeouts.

May 16, 1918 at Fenway Park
Red Sox 7, Tigers 2  (16-10)

The Red Sox picked up their third straight win behind both some solid pitching and nice hitting.  Carl Mays picked up the win with a nice start.  He gave up two runs on just four hits and three walks with four strikeouts in the win.

Mays also helped out his own cause with a pair of singles and a run scored.  Harry Hooper went yard while Wally Schang singled and doubled.

May 15, 1918 at Fenway Park
Red Sox 5, Tigers 4  (15-10)

Harry Hooper doubled home two runs in the bottom of the ninth to turn a one run deficit into a one run win as the Red Sox won their second straight game.  It was Hoopers second hit of the game while Amos Strunk singled and scored two runs.

Babe Ruth picked up the win after the ninth inning heroics.  He gave up three runs on nine hits in a solid start.

Bad day all around for the health and happiness of the Red Sox.  In 5 2/3 inning of work, Josh Beckett allowed 11 hits, five runs (all earned) and two walks. He threw 97 pitches. As the ace, Beckett is responsible for saving the staff when the Sox have consecutive clunkers like they did over the (long) weekend in Minneapolis, and the club hoped for more against the O’s.

Right fielder J.D. Drew hyper-extended his left wrist sliding for a catch, center fielder Coco Crisp had to leave the game because of an excruciating headache that induced nausea, plus Terry Francona was unavailable after his mother-in-law died Monday.  Bench coach Brad Mills managed the game, a 5-4 loss to the Orioles, and will be at the helm today as well while Francona attends funeral services with family.  The often-injured Drew is unlikely to play this afternoon, and his status going forward is very much day to day, pending how his wrist feels.  X-rays were negative, and he probably would get an MRI if his ligaments, which were stretched, do not respond or feel better.  Crisp left before the bottom of the sixth inning. He might have suffered a migraine, and looked quite uncomfortable sprawled on a clubhouse couch after the game. He said he would explain what happened today.

Jacoby Ellsbury replaced Drew in right field, then moved to center in the sixth. Kevin Youkilis made his first career appearance in right field and handled cleanly his one chance, an Adam Jones flyout. Sean Casey replaced Youkilis at first base.  Also, shortstop Julio Lugo missed his fourth straight game with a mild concussion.  It is unclear if the Sox will make a roster move for the final game of this road trip. They have an off-day tomorrow, and could buy time on the medical front so not to disable anybody unnecessarily.

May 13, 1918 at Fenway Park
Red Sox 7, Browns 5  (14-10)

The Red Sox took their first series in a while as they won the rubber game over the Browns in a high scoring game.  Amos Strunk had three hits and two runs while Everett Scott doubled and singled twice.

Bullet Joe Bush picked up the win despite a mediocre outing.  He gave up five runs on ten hits and he struck out three.

The Twins took three out of four at the Metrodome by virtue of a 7-3 win over the Red Sox last night. The Sox scored three in the first inning against Livan Hernandez and never scored again against Hernandez, who went the first six innings to improve to 6-1, and the Twins’ bullpen.  The Red Sox now have lost four out of their last six games and head to Baltimore, where Josh Beckett will oppose Jeremy Guthrie tonight.

Clay Buchholz was gone after 4 1/3 innings. The young righty didn’t have great command and allowed five walks and seven runs on eight hits. He threw 90 pitches and left the game trailing, 7-3.  The Twins scored three in the fifth, highlighted by a two-run double by Craig Monroe and an RBI single by Delmon Young. Buchholz didn’t help himself with a leadoff walk to Joe Mauer. The Sox actually turned a couple of double plays behind him that prevented further damage.  It was Buchholz’s second straight poor start. Last Wednesday, he allowed 10 hits and five earned runs in four innings at Detroit.

Sox Notes:  Craig Hansen appears to be the major benefactor, at least so far, of Julian Tavarez being designated for assignment yesterday. Hansen was supposed to go back to Triple A but was given a chance to work into a role in the Sox bullpen.  With the Sox trailing, 7-3, Hansen entered the game in the seventh and threw a dominating inning of two ground balls and a strikeout. The Red Sox usually just don’t throw a young pitcher into the fire but rather build him up for more important assignments. That seems to be the plan for Hansen.

For the Red Sox, the explanation of what transpired in the biggest play of their 9-8 loss to the Twins last night would seem utterly improbable a few minutes earlier. They fell into a six-run hole after three innings and were still facing a three-run hill against one of baseball’s best closers in the ninth.  But, there they were, with the potential game-tying run at second base in the form of J.D. Drew and a red-hot Coco Crisp up with just one out.  Unfortunately for the Sox, the ball did bounce the wrong way as Crisp’s hard grounder up the middle ricocheted off Twins reliever Joe Nathan and dribbled toward the third base side. The closer gathered himself, picked up the ball and tossed it to third baseman Mike Lamb, who tagged out Drew.  Crisp, who cut the Sox’ deficit to 8-6 with his second home run in as many nights in the seventh, added to the last-inning drama when he stole second. The comeback was necessary due to the unwelcome reminder of just how reliable Tim Wakefield has become.  The Red Sox starter lasted just 2 innings, giving up seven runs (six earned) on seven hits. It was the first time since June 20, 1997 - a span of 243 starts - that Wakefield (3-2) had lasted fewer than three innings due to a poor performance.  The subpar outing was even more surprising considering Wakefield was coming off his best start of the season, in which he thought he had identified a flaw in his mechanics. But this showing bore no resemblance to the eight innings of two-hit ball he threw in Detroit last Tuesday. 

Sox Notes: Jed Lowrie who impressed in his first major-league call-up; hit .310 (13-for-42) in 17 games, including his first major league home run Saturday night and seven RBI was optioned back to Pawtucket on Sunday to make room for Alex Cora.  Sean Casey is expected to be activated before tonight’s game against the Twins, therefore another roster move is expected to occur today.

May 11, 1918 at Fenway Park
Browns 4, Red Sox 2  (13-10)

The Red Sox lost for the seventh time in the eight games but it wasn’t because of Babe Ruth’s hitting.  He finished three for four with a double and he scored one of the Red Sox two runs.  Harry Hooper was the only other Red Sox hitter with two hits.

Dutch Leonard took the loss.  He gave up four runs on eight hits and two walks with three strikeouts.

May 10, 1918 at Fenway Park
Red Sox 4, Browns 1  (13-9)

The Red Sox ended their six game skid with a nice day on the mound by Carl Mays.  Mays gave up just a single run on five hits with four strikeouts.

Dave Shean was the hitting star in the win.  He was the only Red Sox with a pair of hits with his single and double and he scored one of the Red Sox three runs.

Jonathan Papelbon surrendered a two-run single to Mike Lamb in the bottom of the ninth as the Twins downed the Red Sox 7-6.  Papelbon has now blown back-to-back games, also losing Wednesday’s game to the Tigers.  Starter Jon Lester only lasted 5-1/3 innings, while throwing 94 pitches and allowing five runs (three earned).  David Aardsma and Hideki Okajima pitched well prior to Pap’s ninth-inning meltdown.  Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Youkilis, and Mike Lowell all has two hits, with Lowell driving in a pair as well.

Sox Notes:  With Alex Cora and Sean Casey set to come off the disabled list on Sunday, the team will be forced to make two moves. Although nothing has been announced, there are obvious choices: demoting infielder Jed Lowrie and reliever Craig Hansen to Pawtucket.  There is a chance the Sox will keep Hansen, who has impressed in two stints in Boston this season. But Hansen is the only pitcher in the bullpen with options. No one else can be sent to the minors without being designated for assignment.  The Sox’ streak of 21 consecutive steals ended when J.D. Drew was tossed out in the fifth inning. Jacoby Ellsbury stole his 14th straight base.