Vermilion
| Game 71: June 14, 2008 | |||
 Red Sox |
6 | H: Hideki Okajima (13) H: Manny Delcarmen (9) BS, W: Jonathan Papelbon (3, 3-2) S: Craig Hansen (1) |
43-28, 1 game winning streak |
| Reds | 4 | L: Mike Lincoln (0-2) | 33-37, 1 game losing streak |
| Highlights: Sean Casey did the lineups better than Brandon Phillips and their teams followed suit. Tim Wakefield wasn’t part of the decision because of Papelbon’s blown save, but the knuckleballer went seven strong, walking just two while striking out six. Hansen, who signed a major league deal after being drafted in the first round of 2005 and was on the fast track to be the Red Sox closer, achieved his first save in the bigs. | |||
It seems one of the traditions the Reds organization decided to promulgate is to set off fireworks when one of their players smacks a game-tying home run, which Edwin Encarnacion did in the bottom of the ninth off Jonathan Papelbon. I can see how obscuring the field with smoke can add to the experience: it’s something the Pirates or Mariners should consider doing as a hazy veil would spare attendees from the often ghastly play of such cellar-dwelling teams.
Three of the four runs the Reds tallied were homers: Adam Dunn and Brandon Phillips also provided the crowd with a pair of souvenirs. The rate at which four-baggers are surrendered in Great American Ball Park is harrowing. But the visitors, still unaccustomed to their new surroundings, did not get on their longball stroke until late into the game.
Instead the Red Sox got acquainted with home plate thanks to miscues by the Reds. Jacoby Ellsbury scored in the first when Paul Bako’s throw to third clanged off Encarnacion’s glove. J.D. Drew crossed the dish with Edinson Volquez’s wild pitch to local product Kevin Youkilis in the fourth.
The Red Sox infield proved airtight in support of Tim Wakefield. The starter displayed his baseball awareness, skill, and versatility by covering third base in the bottom of the second for a key out. The shift was on for Adam Dunn and Phillips swiped second easily and then thought he could steal the vacated third base bag. Mike Lowell fielded Kevin Cash’s throw to second but then the third baseman hurled the relay to the wrong side of Wakefield. The pitcher had to stretch to his right to glove the ball and then spun to third to tag Phillips well short of the last stop before home. Ever the sportsman, Wakefield helped Phillips off the infield dirt The importance of erasing the runner was paramount as Dunn homered in that at bat.
No other Reds baserunner attempted a steal after that incident.
Cincinnati overlooked Youkilis in the 2001 amateur draft. The All-Star and Gold Glove first baseman took out his resentment on a 2-2 fastball out of the hand of Mike Lincoln and sent a piece of memorabilia to Dunn territory in the right field stands; an impressive feat for a right-handed hitter. The 140-strong Youkilis clan celebrated in the function rooms of the Pilot House and cadres of his kith and kin sprinkled throughout the stands rejoiced.
Coco Crisp tacked on an insurance run with a homer of his own and Youkilis reveled just as boisterously as his relations did. I even spied Youkilis and Manny Ramirez sharing a moment, showing that any hard feelings from their run-in back in Fenway have dissipated.
