Numbered
| Game 71: June 20, 2007 | |||
 Red Sox |
11 | W: Julian Tavarez (5-4) | 46-25, 2 game winning streak 17-6-2 series record |
| Braves | 0 | L: Buddy Carlyle (1-2) | 38-35, 2 game losing streak 13-7-4 series record |
| Highlights: With Curt Schilling close to being placed on the 15-day disabled list, yet another Red Sox rotation member stepped it up to score another win. Oddly enough, I called Tavarez’s line to a friend before the game. He had just dropped Yoyo and I said he’d probably have a seven-inning three-hitter. Now if I could just win the lifetime season tickets from the Massachusetts State Lottery. | |||
In honor of the number of runs scored in this game, which happens to be Bill Mueller’s number with the Red Sox as well as my favorite number, here’s last night’s game by the numbers.
One: Walks allowed by Julian Tavarez. Kelly Johnson received the free pass in the seventh.
Two: Intentional walks by Earl “Buddy” Carlyle; Jason Varitek in the first and David Ortiz in the fourth.
Three: Hits mustered by the home team. Willie Harris broke up a string of ten Braves in a row dismissed by Tavarez in the fourth. None were for extra bases.
Four: Homers produced by Coco Crisp so far this year. Three came in this series.
Five: The number of pitchers Bobby Cox burned in the blowout. Also the number of circuit clouts authored by the Red Sox; J.D. Drew, Crisp, Ortiz, Manny Ramirez, and Eric Hinske made the rounds.
Six: Minutes for Ramirez and Alex Cora to complete their elaborate pre-game handshake routine.
Seven: Games in a row in which Crisp has a hit. Innings by Tavarez, by reputation Boston’s least skilled starter but by recent results a solid option.
Eight: Red Sox runners left on base.
Nine: Hits relinquished by Carlyle in three and two-thirds innings of work.
Ten: Doubles by Drew this season; his tenth came in the second.
Eleven: Four-baggers by Ramirez in 2007; the eleventh disembarked in the seventh.
Atlanta is the class of the National League and yet Boston blanked them back-to-back to nail down the series win on the road as well as the season series triumph against their natural rivals.
When Josh Beckett had to mend the Red Sox didn’t miss a beat on their march to divisional dominance. Curt Schilling’s ineffectual outings are not the result of structural damage, but the aging hurler needs time off to relieve shoulder pain. In his absence, the team’s mettle is tested again and fans may have a sneak preview of Futures at Fenway with a call-up from Pawtucket.
The long-awaited return of Jon Lester could be in the offing, but fellow lefty Kason Gabbard is also a possibility according to Jeff Horrigan of the Boston Herald. The countdown to this pivotal decision begins.
