Supernal
| Game 123: August 18, 2007 | |||
| Angels | 5 | L: Jered Weaver (8-6) | 71-51, 1 game losing streak 22-13-4 series record |
 Red Sox |
10 | W: Curt Schilling (7-5) H: Mike Timlin (6) H: Hideki Okajima (22) |
74-49, 1 game winning streak 25-11-4 series record |
| Highlights: Schilling has yet to put together consecutive quality starts since his return from the disabled list. He lasted six innings but surrendered two homers; a cheapie to Chone Figgins in the second and a more costly souvenir to Vladimir Guerrero in the fifth. David Ortiz had Schilling’s back, though: Papi blasted a grand slam in the fifth to grant his team the lead. J.D. Drew hit his 1,000th hit in the same inning. | |||
David Ortiz has launched more monstrous homers in his career. He has delivered in more dramatic circumstances and he has hit farther, but last night’s jackpot shot was a perfect balance of both. Hit Tracker has yet to plot the distance for the moonshot, perhaps because the force of the swing knocked the requisite surveillance equipment off kilter.
Theo Epstein made an appearance in the fourth inning to promote the Third Annual Hot Stove, Cool Music: The Fenway Park Sessions, which is happening this Friday, August 24. The Wily Mo Peña trade was lightly touched upon but no further light was shed on the player to be named later in the return. In the Boston Globe Gordon Edes stood pat in his on-air assertion that Chris Carter of the Diamondbacks organization is the PTBNL.
In addition to Jim Bowden’s fascination with Peña (he traded for the slugger when he was GM for the Reds), the connections between the Arizona, Boston, and Washington front offices may have helped in constructing a rather Byzantine waiver deal. The general manager of the Diamondbacks is former Red Sox assistant GM Josh Byrnes and the current assistant GM of the Nationals is the former Arizona vice president of scouting.
If the Red Sox can complement their farm’s weaknesses in a symbiotic way with both the Padres and Diamondbacks, Epstein’s vision of building continually contending teams may come to fruition.
Carter has been blocked from contributing on a major league roster by Conor Jackson. Mouldering in the Tucson Sidewinder lineup for two years now, this season Carter has amassed a line of .327 BA, .386 OBP, and .527 slugging. To be sure this is in the offense-bolstering Pacific Coast League and Carter’s home and away splits show his production is somewhat bolstered by Tucson Electric Park, but Fenway isn’t exactly a pitcher’s haven, either.
Twice in the game shattered bats allowed base hits. While playing third Kevin Youkilis evaded the remnants of Vladimir Guerrero’s lumber on a single that advanced Orland Cabrera to third. Cabrera went on to score the first run of the game.
Jered Weaver couldn’t cover first on Eric Hinske’s splinter single to the right part of the infield in the fifth because of airborne shards. Hinske would come around to score on Julio Lugo’s gutshot single and later in the inning Lugo was part of David Ortiz’s salami sandwich (now available at D’Angelo).
Special mention should be made of Coco Crisp. His double in the fifth was part of the pivotal rally and he played impeccable defense in center. Unfortunately he is up against the likes of Grady Sizemore, Torii Hunter, and Ichiro Suzuki, so he may never get official recognition of his achievements with the glove. But Boston fans will always show him love for his glove.
