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October 7, 2005

Good glove work

Boston manager Terry Francona basically has had one decision to make in his starting lineup, that being who would play first base.

Matchups with the starting pitchers has had something to do with whether Francona would go with Kevin Millar or John Olerud. But for the last two games, he has opted for defense, meaning Olerud has been starting.

And Friday, for the second straight game, Olerud made a backhanded stab of a bouncer that robbed a White Sox hitter of an extra-base hit. Olerud took at least a double away from Carl Everett in the sixth inning. In Game 2, Olerud stole a double from Scott Podsednik.

Posted by at 5:48 PM | Permalink | Comments 1

An early break for the Red Sox

Boston starter Tim Wakefield was saved in the nick of time from committing a costly two-base error in the first.

After hitting Chicago leadoff man Scott Podsednik with an 0-and-2 pitch, he tried to pick Podsednik off first base. But his throw deflected down the first-base line. Podsednik could easily have gone to third as first baseman John Olerud chased down the ball.

But plate umpire Mark Wegner sent Podsednik back to first because a split-second before Wakefield made his throw, Wegner had called time. Wakefield had held the ball for so long in his stretch position, that Chicago's Tadahito Iguchi asked for time and Wegner granted it to him.

So Podsednik went back to first. And with Iguchi at-bat, Podsednik was thrown out trying to steal second base, defusing a White Sox uprising.

Posted by at 4:23 PM | Permalink

This and That, Game 3 of ALDS

Former Boston outfielder Tom Brunansky, who saved the 1990 pennant with a diving catch in the right-field corner on the final day of the season, threw out Friday's ceremonial first pitch. In 1990, he robbed Chicago's Ozzie Guillen, now the White Sox manager, of an extra-base hit . . . The large U.S. flag that covers the Green Monster was unfurled for the National Anthem . . . During pregame introductions, Red Sox second baseman Tony Graffanino, who botched a grounder that helped Chicago win Game 2, was given a loud, forgiving ovation . . . The home run for David Ortiz was his eighth in the postseason . . . Manny Ramirez's first blast was the 19th of his postseason career, moving him past Reggie Jackson and Mickey Mantle and into sole possession of second place on the all-time list. Only Bernie Williams (22) has more. Ramirez closed in even closer on Williams by crushing postseason homer number 20, another solo blast, in the sixth. It marked the 10th time a mamber of the Red Sox has managed a multiple-homer game. Johnny Damon (Game 7, 2005 ALCS) was the last one . . . Ramirez now has hit safely in 19 of his last 20 postseason games . . . For the second time in a week, Boston reliever Chad Bradford had a one-pitch outing. The first one, a groundout by the Yankeers' Gary Sheffield on Sept. 30, worked out fine. In Game 3 of the ALDS, though, Bradford's only pitch was slapped into center field for a base hit by Chicago's Aaron Rowand . . .

Posted by at 3:56 PM | Permalink