Well, it's been a while since I posted and I apologize. Had been on vacation for a while, and got distracted. Anyway, with today's win over the Reds, the Sox have won three in a row and four of their last five. In fact, the only loss in this period was a nineteen inning defeat in Anaheim that Jenn attended. This morning's win completed a sweep against the Reds, and featured another of the Sox rookie pitchers. It seems that in order to get a sense of a variety of young hurlers they have down on the farm, the Hose have taken to bringing them up for a start and then sending them back to the Pawsox once the game is over. Today's rook pitcher was Tony Ranaudo, who is now 2-0 with the big club. He went six, allowed eight hits a a lone freebie, but scattered them fairly well. Danny Nava continues his steady climb up the BA charts with a pair of hits today that left his average for the year at .25.
Ranaudo's only uncomfortable moment for Sox fans came in the Cinci 4th when both the opposing hurler and Schumaker each had a solo blast to briefly give the Reds a 3-2 lead. However, the Sox wasted no time in remedying that, with Yoenis driving in a ribbie on a single and Nap going yard in their half of the 5th to put the Sox back in the lead, 5-3. Nap's shot complemented his other ribbie for the game. Although the Reds did get back a run in their half of the 5th, the Sox pen made the lead stand up for the W.
It did get nervous again in the bottom of the 9th when the Reds opened with their first two batters getting hits, leaving them with tying and winning runs on and nobody out. However, Sox reliever Mujica got the Reds' leadoff hitter to K on three consecutive bunt fouls. It doesn't come up very often, but a foul ball on a two strike bunt counts as strike three, and so that cut the host team's chances a bit. Then Mujica got the next batter, the very swift Hamilton (think Cinci's answer to former Sox player Jake) to harmlessly fly out to Bradley, followed by a simple grounder back to Mujica by the previously most effective Reds batsmen for the day, Negron. Up to this point, he'd had a pair of hits on the day, including a triple, and scored two of the Reds' runs.
The Sox pen looked good overall, staying perfect for the first two innings of the three innings' relief that it worked. Other than Mujica's pair of hits allowed, the pen gave up absolutely zip, both Taz and Badenhop staying perfect and Taz punching out a pair of K's to boot. This is an improvement over his recent work, and a good sign.
From here, the Sox go back to the Fens, opening Friday night against the Astros. Biggest opposing threat there is the current league leading hitter, Altuve, his BA being at .339. The Sox return to Boston playing sub-500 for the season by double digit numbers. However, there are still 43 games left, and that's enough for a comeback to the post season. I admit chances are thin for that to actually happen based on the yaer to date, but, being a life long Sox fan, never say never. I mean remember 'The Impossible Dream' in '67 and even better, the playoff comeback against the Stripes in '04. As the Stripes' catcher-philosopher once said, "It ain't over 'til it's over.
With that in mind, new Sox outfielder Cespedes has now reached base in every one of the ten games since he's arrived from Oakland. He's also contributed a pair of HR's and eight ribbies over that span. If he can pick it up playing to the Monster once the team gets home, and Papi and Nap continue to follow their recent pace on getting balls in the cheaps, coupled with a continued renaissance from Nava and continued increase in BA by Pedey, the Hose may have a reasonable chance
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