Missed
| Game 116: August 11, 2007 | |||
 Red Sox |
6 | W: Josh Beckett (15-5) S: Jonathan Papelbon (27) |
70-46, 1 game winning streak 24-10-4 series record |
| Orioles | 2 | L: Garrett Olson (1-1) | 53-62, 1 game losing streak 15-20-2 series record |
| Highlights: Beckett had Fox overuse the flame graphic and sound effect with his punishing 96 MPH and over heat. His fastball was harmonized by his devastating curveball to the tune of eight strikeouts over eight and two-thirds on the mound. The Cy Young candidate just missed throwing a complete game shutout. | |||
Let it not be said that I would abandon a friend in the midst of a life-changing event because of baseball. Loyal to a fault, I had to forgo Futures at Fenway because of a wedding in Vermont. The date of the wedding was set after I had bought eight tickets for another set of friends.
After hearing drunken messages from my pals at Fenway after each game since both the Lowell Spinners and Portland Sea Dogs both had walk-off wins and given current divorces rates, I do admit a tinge of regret over my decision. Scores of minuscule but scrumptious crab cakes, pastry puffs stuffed with ground sausage, and grapes ensconced in goat cheese, finely chopped pistachios, and herbs seemed bland in comparison to my favorite nibble at Fenway, a kosher dog.
Not only did I miss the doubleheader but also Josh Beckett’s complete game shutout bid. Despite being broadcasted by Fox the game for once wasn’t marred by Tim McCarver’s idiocy.
The condensed game version on MLB.com, though truncated, showed enough to cause me worry over David Ortiz’s health. The designated hitter grimaced as he struck out three times in five plate appearances, leaving six men on base.
The slack was picked up two unlikely sources, J.D. Drew and Julio Lugo, both of whom drove in pairs of runs into Jay Payton’s territory. Lugo’s came on a line drive in the second and Drew’s the inning after. The latter hit was a short fly ball that just nicked the left field line to stay fair.
While on second Mike Lowell saw that Payton had no play on the ball, judged on his own that it would land fair, and took off for third. Manny Ramirez had his back to the play while at third, poised to dash home at DeMarlo Hale’s prompt. Lowell was close enough to Ramirez on the basepaths he could count the left fielder’s dreadlocks.
So, I missed some great baseball and I am scrambling to get accounts of the games from hither and yon.
It could have been worse. I could have a friend who decided to get hitched in the first few weeks of October.
