Blanked
| Game 35: May 6, 2008 | |||
 Red Sox |
5 | W: Tim Wakefield (3-1) | 22-13, 5 game winning streak |
| Tigers | 0 | L: Nate Robertson (1-4) | 14-20, 5 game losing streak |
| Highlights: Wakefield turned in a brilliant eight-inning performance and Mike Timlin turned in a scoreless ninth to reduce his ERA to 11.05. It was the first combined shutout by pitchers older than 40. Not only did the knuckleballer strike out six but he had no walks, wild pitches, or passed balls. | |||
Just as Tim Wakefield demonstrates parsimony with time in his outings my column will be frugal with words.
Kevin Cash continued to play a stellar backstop to Wakefield’s knuckler and contributed with the bat as well. The backup catcher went 3-for-4 with a run batted in on his second-inning double.
The Red Sox tacked on two more runs on consecutive homers by Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz. Ramirez’s shot ensconced itself in the center field shrubbery while Ortiz’s was fought over about a dozen rows up in the right field stands.
Ramirez hit his home run off a rookie Tiger’s first pitch of his major league career. Would it be too terrible of a joke to get the ball out of the foliage and have Wakefield’s calligraphic hand adorn it with “Freddy Dolsi’s first MLB pitch: 497th Career Home Run by Manny Ramirez, May 6, 2008, 7th inning, 0-0 count, 2 out” and give it to Dolsi?
I confess I was mostly watching the Celtics squeak out a close victory against the Cleveland Cavaliers (led by LeBron “Yankee Lover” James) in the Game 1 of the second round of the NBA playoffs, 76-72. At one point James adjusted his sweatband while bringing the ball down the court, inspiring well-deserved jeers from the crowd.
“Dirty Water” and a Gino Vanelli-tee wearing dude with smooth moves dancing to “Shake Your Booty” — who could ask for anything more?
