Red Sox Live Blog: Sox Get Much-Needed Win Behind Felix Doubront, Pedro Ciriaco

by abournenesn

Jul 7, 2012

Red Sox Live Blog: Sox Get Much-Needed Win Behind Felix Doubront, Pedro CiriacoFinal, 9-5 Red Sox Win: They were both unsigned free agents when the came to the Red Sox organization, so enough cannot be said about the job that Ciriaco and Gomez did on the evening. Ciriaco had the better night, while Gomez is looking like a long-term keeper, as he seems to hit the ball hard every time up.

It was yet another long one between the Red Sox and Yankees, at 3:35 (something tells me this is why the casual sports fan has trouble getting in to baseball) but ultimately the Sox outlast the Bronx Bombers.

The Red Sox improve to 43-42 while the Yankees fall to 51-33. Felix Doubront (9-4) gets the win, while Phil Hughes (9-7) takes the loss.

First pitch tomorrow is scheduled for 8:05 p.m. locally, but right now you can stay tuned to NESN.com for your postgame needs.

End 8th, 9-4 Red Sox: Nice moment there, as the Fenway faithful give due credit to Ciriaco. It will be interesting to see what he has to say after the game about his big night.

Now, on to the ninth, as the Red Sox try to close it out. It looks like the closer, Alfredo Aceves, is going to come in to finish off the game, underscoring — considering the five-run lead — how important getting this win is to the Red Sox. After the last five games, they need a moral victory — not to mention an actual victory.

Mid 8th, 9-4 Red Sox: Over his last 11 2/3 innings pitched, Vicente Padilla has not allowed a run, thoroughly staking claim to the role of setup man in the Red Sox bullpen.

Credit him for getting out of the trouble created by Clayton Mortensen, as each of the hitters he came in to face popped up to Saltalamacchia.

Over that stretch, which dates back to May 27 and covers 13 outings, Padilla has struck out 11, yielding only 10 hits and three walks.

End 7th, 9-4 Red Sox: As Ken Rosenthal just pointed out on Twitter, Ciriaco has played 815 games in the minors prior to today, and 31 games in the major leagues.

So suffice to say today is probably the highlight of his career, as the middle-infielder has three-for-four with three RBIs and two runs scored, not to mention some stellar defensive work at shortstop. He also did very well to force the issue in that last half inning, aggressively stealing second and forcing a throwing error by Martin.

Mid 7th, 5-4 Red Sox: Some classic Tim McCarver in that last half inning. It amazes that we continue to have to listen to someone who's paid to announce baseball games bumble around basic things like losing the designated hitter, but I digress.

It looks like the bottom of the sixth did mess with Doubront's flow a little bit, as he exits after 101 pitches. However, his pitching line (6 1/3, four hits, four earned runs) doesn't tell the whole story, as outside of a bad first three hitters and one bad pitch to Andruw Jones, the left-hander was flat dominant for most of the evening.

End 6th, 5-3 Red Sox: In baseball, they call striking out four times in a game the "golden sombrero" — thanks to Saltalamacchia for giving me a chance to make that reference.

However, no matter, as the Red Sox bats finally break through to take a 5-3 lead. Again, it's the unheralded Gomez and Ciriaco doing a lot of the damage, as Gomez hit a hard single immediately in front of Ciriaco's bases-clearing double.

The only concern might be whether such a long time sitting in the dugout has any effect on Doubront, who has been dominant since that awful first inning.

Mid 6th, 3-2 Yankees: What else is there to say about Doubront that hasn't already been said?

Since that first inning the southpaw has yielded exactly one hit, in dominant fashion. Not only is it giving the Sox a chance to get back in the game, but it's a very positive sign from a pitcher who's really struggled since the beginning of June.

With so much of the Red Sox rotation in flux, getting Doubront to being a solid, consistent option would go a long way to settling those issues.

End 5th, 3-2 Yankees: Well, that's what happens when outfielders aren't used to playing next to one another.

You could clearly see McDonald calling for that ball, but ultimately — as the center fielder and outfield captain — that's Granderson's call to make, a catch he likely reels in if he isn't impeded by the right fielder.

Is McDonald still playing for the Red Sox? On paper, no, but on the field it would appear so, as the Sox score due to an error that goes to Granderson — completely undeservedly.

Mid 5th, 3-1 Yankees: Doubront is really rolling now.

Everything seems to be going right now, as his strikeout looking to McDonald was a perfectly placed fastball, basically unhittable.

All his pitches are working, and he's locating them perfectly. What else is there to say other than that hopefully for the Sox he can continue to keep it going and give the offense a chance to get back in to the game.

End 4th, 3-1 Yankees: If you happen to be tuning in to the FOX broadcast of the game (and if so, we're really, really sorry you have to suffer through Tim McCarver) then you might have heard their crew mention this all-time great moment from former NFL head coach Jim Mora.

It does, in fact, seem like a good analog for the Red Sox, who really have to be focused on getting their own house in order, rather than worrying about the rest of the division.

Mid 4th 3-1 Yankees: Jose Iglesias is supposed to be the Pawtucket player with the golden glove, but how about Pedro Ciriaco in this game so far?

The middle-infielder has already turned in several good-to-fantastic plays in this game, including snagging Jones' hard-hit grounder. You'll see that one oft-replayed tonight.

End 3rd, 3-1 Yankees: How about the recent Red Sox call-ups?

Gomez and Ciriaco, two non-prospects who are probably just happy to be up with the big club, basically manufactured a run there, with Gomez hitting the ball hard and Ciriaco placing a perfect bunt.

At least the Sox are on the board now, and it's still early in a two-run game.

Mid 3rd, 3-0 Yankees: Doubront has really settled down since that first inning, looking nothing like the pitcher who went down 3-0 before recording an out.

In that frame, the Yankees hitters just sat on a fastball which was catching too much of the plate, but since Doubront has effectively mixed in a diving slider and a big, sweeping curveball to great effect.

End 2nd, 3-0 Yankees: There was some talk around the NESN office a few evenings ago regarding Andruw Jones' Hall of Fame credentials, and he's an odd case.

At one time he was one of the best, most dynamic players in baseball, but seemed to get old very, very early. The Gold Gloves and career totals say he deserves consideration, but we'll see years down the line.

However, Jones sure didn't look old in snagging Sweeney's sinking liner, flashing a little bit of the leather he was known for in his younger days.

Mid 2nd, 3-0 Yankees: Way to bounce back there for Doubront, who gets McDonald and Jeter to strike out with Martin on second.

The Red Sox will certainly hope Doubront continues to feature that devastating slider so the Yankees hitters can't sit on the fastball like they did in the first inning.

End 1st, 3-0 Yankees: The Red Sox go quietly in the first inning, but a thought on the official scorekeeper.

Two errors on Jeter's grounder, really? The throwing error on Mauro Gomez that allowed Jeter to reach second is a given, but it also means the official scorekeeper is saying Jeter should have been out at first on a reasonable effort.

Not too sure Jeter is out even with a good throw, so we'll agree to disagree on that one. Keep in mind, before being called up by Boston, Mauro Gomez hadn't played third in the minors since 2009.

Mid 1st, 3-0 Yankees: Well, here we go again.

Suffice to say that was not what the Red Sox wanted from Doubront, as the team is practically desperate at this point to have their hitters come to the plate not already facing a defecit.

The only positive? How about Pedro Ciriaco handling three grounders at shortstop after spending most of the year at second base with Pawtucket.

7:17 p.m: We have first pitch! For those wondering, the game-time temperature at Fenway is 82 degrees.

6:40 p.m.: Here are the lineups for tonight's game. On the Yankees end, you just might notice at least one familiar face in there.

New York Yankees

Derek Jeter, SS
Curtis Granderson, CF
Mark Teixeira, DH
Robinson Cano, 2B
Nick Swisher, 1B
Andruw Jones, LF
Jayson Nix, 3B
Russell Martin, C
Darnell McDonald, RF

Phil Hughes, RHP

Boston Red Sox

Daniel Nava, LF
Nick Punto, 2B
David Ortiz, DH
Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Cody Ross, RF
Ryan Sweeney, CF
Mauro Gomez, 3B
Pedro Ciriaco, SS

Felix Doubront, LHP

4:40 p.m.: Is it time to hit the panic button in Red Sox Nation?

Fans couldn't feel too confident coming in to this weekend's series against the New York Yankees after being swept in Oakland by the lowly Athletics, and those fears have proven to be justified as the Bronx Bombers have captured the first two games of the four game set, sending the Sox reeling to a five-game losing streak.

After an anemic offensive showing during their seven-game West Coast swing, the Sox bats finally woke up on Friday night, but the pitching couldn't keep up as both teams batted around in the first inning. In game two, earlier Saturday, nothing really went right for Boston, as the offense checked out again and Franklin Morales was battered for the first time as a starter in 2012.

Now the Red Sox turn to left-hander Felix Doubront to stop the bleeding, but the rookie has been struggling lately, allowing a 5.93 ERA and a .923 OPS in his last five starts. He'll be opposed by Phil Hughes, who's settled down since a rough start to the season, posting a 5-1 record and 3.64 ERA over his last seven starts dating back to May 28.

First pitch for Game 2 is scheduled for 7:15 p.m.

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