Canny
Game 160: September 29, 2006
Orioles (69-91), 3
Red Sox (85-75), 4
L: Erik Bedard (15-11)
W: Julian Tavarez (5-4)
H: Craig Breslow (3)
H: Javier Lopez (6)
H: Keith Foulke (14)
S: Mike Timlin (9)
According to Jerry Remy, Kevin Millar planted himself in Terry Francona’s office and was drawing up a lineup card for the home team. If this is the lineup Millar devised, perhaps I do miss something about him. But he seems to share the same misgivings about David Murphy in the starting nine.
- Kevin Youkilis, 1B
- Mark Loretta, 2B
- David Ortiz, DH
- Wily Mo Peña, CF
- Mike Lowell, 3B
- Jason Varitek, C
- Trot Nixon, RF
- Gabe Kapler, LF
- Dustin Pedroia, SS
Millar brought his special brand of kooky crazy to the clubhouse. Julian Tavarez’s crazy is a shade more intense.
In the third inning with the bases loaded and one out, Tavarez took it upon himself to try tag out Brian Roberts by charging the keystone sack.
This was just seconds after Jason Varitek made a visit to the mound and time was still called. In fact, the backstop had not even made it back to the plate yet.
Even stranger, Tavarez actually called out Pedroia in his postgame press conference, implying that the rookie shouldn’t have been chit-chatting with the runners, because “that’s how they get you off your game.” The shortstop was asked about the incident and he did mention that it was his impression that time had been called.
As the starting short fielder, Pedroia turned a Nick Markakis grounder into an inning-ending double play. I hope Don Orsillo is working on his “Dustin Pedroia! D.P. for the D.P.!” call for next season.
Mike Lowell had an evening to remember. His 47th double of the season in the first drove in two runs and he plated a key insurance run in the fifth. He also elevated in the eighth to rob Millar of a potential extra base hit. Then again, it was Millar, so it probably would have only been a single.
These former Marlins are canny. In the fourth, Lowell attempted the “oopsie, I dropped the liner, I’d better go tag third, and oh my, does that mean it’s a double play?” trick, again. It didn’t work, again. Paul Nauert wasn’t having any of it. I think the umpires must have a special Mike Lowell workshop during Spring Training.
Kevin Youkilis doubled in the sixth and was in obvious pain as he lumbered to second base. The infielder moved more like a 20-season veteran than a 27-year old man who had just completed his first full season of play. Carlos Peña pinch ran for his platoon-mate in what is likely the hometown boy’s final series in a Red Sox uniform.
Another local hero, Manny Delcarmen, had a rough outing. The young righty loaded the bases in the seventh but was bailed out by sidearmer Javier Lopez. Keith Foulke and Mike Timlin combined for two perfect innings to secure the series opener against Red Sox nemesis Erik Bedard.
