Miscalls
| Game 112: August 6, 2007 | |||
| Red Sox | 2 | L: Curt Schilling (6-5) | 68-44, 1 game losing streak 24-9-4 series record |
 Angels |
4 | W: Justin Speier (1-2) H: Scot Shields (25) S: Francisco Rodriguez (28) |
65-46, 2 game winning streak 20-12-4 series record |
| Highlights: Schilling missed a quality start by a single run. He was fairly sharp until his fingertips were scorched by a line drive off the bat of Vladimir Guerrero in the fourth. When Garret Anderson batted next the starter failed to cover first for the double play. Anderson eventually crossed home for the first run for the Angels followed by Gary Matthews, Jr. for the tie thanks to Casey Kotchman’s single up the middle. | |||
Brandon Moss’s big league debut was marred by a trigger-happy umpiring crew. Moss wouldn’t have played so prominent role in this loss if the boys in blue were as percipient as they should have been.
Home plate umpire James Hoye ejected Manny Ramirez in the fourth inning after the slugger questioned the judgment of a checked swing.
Ramirez was right to dispute Hoye, who in the eighth called Mike Lowell out on a foul tip on a pitch that was in the dirt and furthermore wasn’t caught by Angels backstop Jeff Mathis. The miscall had an inordinate impact as the tying runs were on first and second. Jason Varitek flied out to left and Coco Crisp struck out looking, frittering away a rally.
In the seventh Mathis was the beneficiary of a blown call by third base judge Jerry Crawford, who called a liner fair even though it first bounced outside of the left field base line. The double in name only and the preceding solo shot by Maicer Izturis knocked Curt Schilling off the mound.
Julian Tavarez gamely tried to staunch the rally but Moss’s bobble of Chone Figgins’s fly ball plated Mathis for an insurance run. The ball never touched ground and Terry Francona came out again to argue with the officials but even Moss knew that the runner had the right to tag up once the ball is touched. The definition of “catch” in Section 2.00 Definition of Terms makes this clear.
Tom Werner made an appearance and hinted that Wally might be enlisted to enact revenge upon the Mariners Moose for his near-collision with Coco Crisp.
The best revenge is living well, however. Kevin Youkilis demonstrated this by taking a blow to the helmet on a pickoff attempt to second in stride and proceeded to smash a two-run four-bagger in the third.
When calls both good and bad harm you, and you are 3,000 miles from your home park, a loss seems inevitable. Despite the fervor of Boston fans hollering “Let’s go Red Sox” unrelentingly, the support of devotees can only spur you so far.
Just ask Moss, who found himself in the top of the ninth in the box representing the go-ahead run. With two on, two out, facing one of the best (and most demonstrative) closers in the game, Moss struck out on a (real) foul tip; a tough end to abrupt debut.
