Sox: 8 A's: 2
Sorry for lack of blogs the past few days. With the way the games were going, I felt I didn't have much new to say. Just a broken record about the scuffling offense. However, today's game was a different story. After a four and a half hour late night marathon/debacle last night resulting in a 6-5 loss for the Sox, the 'pen was taxed and a long, quality start was an absolute must for today's game. Wake was the pitcher charged with making that happen and make it happen he did. He had a no-no going for 7 1/3 innings, throwing fewer pitches in the first five innings than the recently DL-ed Dice-K threw in the first inning last night. The knuckleball was knuckling and Wake was locked in. The free-swinging A's hit into outs quickly and Wake had several innings with less than 10 pitches. Why, those A's were looking a little like...the Red Sox so far this season before the Sox' 6-run outburst in the eighth. Six runs, folks! That's more runs in one inning than the Sox had scored in an ENTIRE GAME this season before today!
While the Sox were giving Wake a healthy dose of run support, starting with Papi's first extra base hit of the season, Wake was waiting and having time to think about what he had done so far. Youk was put on intentionally and Drew made 'em pay for that move (and being buzzed by the pitcher) by going yard for a 3-run dinger! Add that to Mikey Lowell's 2-run shot in the second and that's 5 runs. Then, Bay walks, Lowell singles, Green singles home Bay, Kottaras (who hit a double earlier in the game) walks and Jake connects for his first two RBI of the season. Pedey, the only one without a hit today, ends the inning, but six runs scored and the Sox took an 8-0 lead into the bottom of the 8th.
Wake took the mound in the bottom of the 8th after waiting through eleven batters and a pitching change. The wait took its toll, as Wake allowed the leadoff hitter a walk and then Kurt Suzuki, who has some sort of Red Sox hitting streak going, just had to keep that streak alive and break up Wake's no-hitter by knocking a single to left with one out. Rookie Landon Powell added another hit to the mix and scored Mark Ellis, who walked. Saito began warming in the pen, but sat down after Wake retired two more hitters and came out again for the ninth, having thrown less than 100 pitches. He made it through the ninth, allowing two more hits and his line for this clutch effort is 9 IP, 4 H 2 R 2 BB 4 K While it's tough to lose a no-hitter when coming so close, Wake did exactly what his team needed today and pitched one of the best games of his career. It was definitely one of the best games I've seen him pitch. Today's performance is a reminder that Wake is still valuable to this team. His maturity and experience helped right the ship and the offense responded to his effort by giving him 8 runs. This game ended a frustrating road trip on a high note and hopefully this will carry over to their homestand, which begins on Friday against the O's.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!! CONGRATS TO WAKE FOR A COMPLETE GAME!
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