Tame
Game 52: June 2, 2006
Red Sox (32-20), 3
Tigers (36-19), 2
W: Rudy Seanez (1-0)
S: Jonathan Papelbon (20)
H: Joel Zumaya (13)
BS, L: Todd Jones (2, 0-3)
If baseball wasn’t being played on it, the outfield of Comerica Park could be used to supply the country with a year’s supply of grain. Even David Ortiz is unable to belt a ball out, as was the case in the eighth inning when he was able to lay wood on phenom Joel Zumaya’s heater. With the score 2-1 in the Tigers’ favor, two out, and Coco Crisp on base, the Red Sox designated hitter seemed to have at least tied the score with his deep fly ball. But Curtis Granderson was able to cover the vastness of center field with his speed and snared the final out of the eighth.
Kevin Youkilis committed just his fourth error of the season in the bottom of the eighth. With two out, Youkilis dropped a toss from Alex Cora, allowing Carlos Guillen to take first and Placido Polanco to advance to third base. Rudy Seanez was close to being the co-goat of the game by pitching wildly and allowing Guillen to proceed to second base. But Seanez was able to overcome his genetic programming that compels him to lose games and secured the third out by causing Chris “Orange Crush” Shelton to pop out. Shelton has gone flat comparing his April stats to May’s: OBP from .404 to .340 and slugging from .783 to .363.
Youkilis redeemed himself in the top of the ninth with his two-run, two-out homer to grant his team the lead. Mike Lowell returned last night, quelling fears that his left hamstring would entail a long-term absence. The third baseman went three for four, including the key single to set up his co-corner infielder for the game-winning jack. The win marked the ninth win of the 14 one-run games the Red Sox have played and just the third victory after having trailed in the eighth inning.
The game may have been a less stressful affair if the home plate umpire Larry Vanover had functional retinas. Manny Ramirez was called out on strikes in the second and sixth innings on questionable pitches.
There are eight subspecies of tiger (Panthera tigris), and sadly all of them are the victims of habitat loss and dwindling population. Perhaps after facing the cream of the America League, the Detroit variety will be similarly endangered. But at least their skins aren’t being poached and peddled at the Build -A-Bear Workshop like Wally’s is.
