The Importance of a Little Salt:
There used to be a joke that the way you improved the taste of salt was add it to a steak. Well, the Hose of late have reversed the adage. The way you improve the Sox is add a little Salt--as in Saltamacchia. The Hose overall did a good job today, getting nine hits in a very well pitched duel between JB and the Rays' Price, but when it came down to finishing, the offense came down to a walkoff shot by Salty that all at once produced the tying and winning runs. Facing the Rays' closer, a guy who'd converted his first 15 save attempts this season, Salty didn't waste a lot of time. On the second pitch he saw as a pinch hitter, he drove the ball into the right center stands , a no doubter almost from when it left the bat. Game over and the Sox again return to .500. Continuing their recent run of better play, this was their eleventh win in the last fifteen games.
The pitching was also outstanding. JB went seven, allowing just a lone single through six, before giving up a pair of runs in the 7th. The ace K'd just five, but the last of these was probably the biggest of them all. It came after he'd already given up the Rays' two runs in that 7th inning, and closed off the Tampa hopes of extending the rally any further. After JB's exit, the pen continued its recent run of quality work, allowing no runs for the last two innings, and, better yet only a single base runner, that on a freebie.
Outside the game, the word is that Sweeney may come off the DL from his concussion, and was seen doing well pre-game shagging flies in the outfield. Dice, recently extended on the DL, is just beginning his rehab assignment, and, likely will return in July, barring any further setbacks.
As part of the ongoing commemorative history of things Fenway to continue the season-long Centenary for the Park, Pudge Fisk threw out the first ball today. The honor was in commemoration of his 12th inning memorable shot that won the World Series game against the Reds in 1975, an event that still is celebrated throughout baseball.