Empyreal Environs

Game 124: August 24, 2005
Red Sox (72-52), 3
Royals (41-83), 4
L: Bronson Arroyo (10-9)
W: Andrew Sisco (2-2)
11 innings

This would be another easy game, right? Johnny Damon was hit by a pitch from D.J. Jazzy Carrasco in the 1st inning after the third-year Kansas City righty got ahead with a of count 1-2. Edgar Renteria and David Ortiz both conspired to advance Damon to third. Manny Ramirez then earned his league-leading 112th RBI to put Boston ahead early.

Ignoring Kevins after they hit home runs is a Red Sox standard operating procedure. Kevin Millar lofted his 5th home run of the year in the 2nd inning. Ortiz machinated again by getting the dugout to ignore Millar as he made his way back to the bench after his homer. The ice was broken by Jason Varitek, who jumped the inconstant first baseman from behind to get a piggyback ride.

The 3rd inning saw the final run scored by the Red Sox, although many opportunities later in the game were squandered. Ortiz grounded into his team’s first double play of the night, but it was a productive 2 outs because it scored Damon. The Royals responded with a run of their own in the bottom of the inning with Mike Sweeney’s sacrifice to center to plate David DeJesus.

My requisite Bill Mueller mention: in the 4th inning he ranged to nab Emil Brown’s grounder and heaved it to Millar for the first out of the inning. Jerry Remy mentioned that Mueller is having a great year defensively and should be a candidate for the Gold Glove. Mueller has 9 errors while his counterpart in the New York AL team has 10.

Ramirez lunged at the first pitch he saw in the 5th inning with the bases loaded and 1 out to ground into a double play. Kansas City grabbed the momentum back from the Red Sox, DeJesus replying with a 2-run home run to tie the game.

The next 6 innings were a primer of disillusionment as both teams left runners in scoring position with startling regularity. The Royals loaded the bases in the 6th after Matt Clement hit Angel Berroa to load the bases. John Buck killed the inning by grounding into a double play initiated by Renteria. In the 7th inning, Terrence Long made one of his patented Red Sox-slaughtering plays, sprinting to catch up to Millar’s liner with 2 out and the bases loaded. Does anyone want to win this game?

The only trusted bullpen arms (Mike Myers, Chad Bradford, and Mike Timlin) pitched the next two innings. Bradford was particularly impressive by roaring back by striking out Berroa and Buck with inherited runners at the corners and 1 out .

Bronson Arroyo relinquished the game-winning run in the 11th. Former Red Sox prospect Chip Ambres hit a fly ball to Ramirez, who got the ball back to the plate almost in time to cut down DeJesus.

A frustrating loss, but still heartening to see Clement being able to go long into the game to give Jeremi Gonzalez a breather. Tonight we’ll see if Curt Schilling can reclaim his title as team ace.