Manny Hits #499... To No Avail - Jenn

Manny's back. And he proved it last night by planting #499 in the right field bleachers to tie the game in the 6th. Unfortunately his homer wouldn't help the Red Sox get the win. Instead it would be just another dramatic moment in a night full of dramatic moments.

It all started in the bottom of the fifth when Dice-K took the mound to start his warm-up, only to be pulled before he threw his first pitch due to shoulder fatigue. Through four innings, the pitcher had only given up four hits and three runs. He struck out two and for only the second time this season, the Diceman didn't walk anyone. But in case losing your starting pitcher in the fifth due to injury isn't exciting enough for you, the Sox would lose two more key people later that same inning.

Aardsma had come in to pitch, and with two outs and a walk under his belt, that's when things really got interesting. Ibanez had just taken his first pitch for a ball when Lugo asked the 3rd base umpire, Angel Hernandez, to check the swing. Things must've gotten heated because Hernandez threw the shortstop out of the game. Then when Francona came out to retrieve Lugo, and ask why he was being ejected, Francona was ejected as well.

But the drama didn't end there. In the sixth inning the Sox offense decided to add their two cents. After Coco struck out, Pedroia chopped the ball to the Mariners shortstop, but he couldn't handle it and the Sox 2nd baseman ended up on first with one out. Then Papi lined to right and just like that, the Sox finally have something going against Batista.

Then Manny stepped to the plate. Manny's last homer was on May 12th against the Minnesota Twins, which means that red sign on top of the green monster has been stuck at 498 for the left fielder's last 42 at bats. But taking that day off on Sunday clearly helped because he took the first pitch he saw from Batista and planted it in the bleachers in right for his #499th career home run. That home run also tied the game 3-3 which meant the Sox had a chance to win and Dice-K's 8-0 record would remain intact.

Unfortunately, as I stated in the title, that homer wouldn't get the Sox the win. Nope, thanks to my favorite Red Sox relief pitcher, Mike Timlin, the Sox would lose in the bottom of the 9th. Balentien's infield hit would turn into Seattle's fourth and final run when Lopez drove Timlin's pitch up the 3rd base line for the walk-off win. Hey Dad, guess what - Timlin not only blew the save, he lost the game. His ERA's back up to a bloated 6.89 and he fell to 0-6 with a lifetime ERA of 10.29 at Safeco.

So I guess it's not all his fault. One has to wonder why, with stats like that and the game tied, they'd even put him in in the first place. I mean, Papelbon was warming up in the bullpen with him. But I guess they wanted to save Pap 'til they had the lead. It doesn't matter what the reasons were, the point is the Sox lost, making it 1-4 on this road trip. And stats like that don't make a championship team.

In other news, Julian Tavarez, the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde of the Sox bullpen, is no longer part of the Red Sox team. As of yesterday, he's officially a proud member of the Milwaukee Brewers and that's fine by me. Let them figure out a way to keep Mr. Hyde at bay.