Manrui [満塁]
| Game 97: July 13, 2008 | |||
| Orioles | 1 | L: Daniel Cabrera (6-5) | 45-48, 2 game losing streak |
 Red Sox |
2 | W: Daisuke Matsuzaka (10-1) H: Hideki Okajima (17) H: Manny Delcarmen (13) S: Jonathan Papelbon (28) |
57-40, 2 game winning streak |
| Highlights: Just as he wriggles prior to delivery Matsuzaka wriggled out of a bases-loaded situation (manrui in Japanese) in the fifth. Unfortunately, the Red Sox squandered several scoring opportunities, including ducks on the pond for Manny Ramirez in the fourth, leading to 20 players left on base and a score that mimics a pitchers’ duel but was far from it. |
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With Daisuke Matsuzaka’s tendency to nibble and Daniel Cabrera’s predilection for wildness the pair of starters combined for 11 bases on balls. At least Matsuzaka struck out seven while doing so; Cabrera only managed two. Yet only three runs were scored, and the Orioles’ only run came in the ninth off a shaky Jonathan Papelbon.
Already Don Orsillo’s cropping out of Jerry Remy in the former’s picture with Kevin Costner became a sign meme for fans. Don and Remy dwelled on the Vermont Teddy Bears a bit too long in the bottom of the second, but some sort of relief had to be had from what was a tedious game despite the tight score.
Freddie Bynum at shortstop made Julio Lugo look like Ozzie Smith. In the bottom of the first he stumbled after a grounder off the bat of Dustin Pedroia and then worsened the situation by chucking the ball up the first base line, far away from Aubrey Huff’s mitt. Pedroia would score on J.D. Drew’s ringing double to the left field wall.
There was an audible clank when Bynum failed to glove Manny Ramirez’s batted ball up the middle in the third with one on and one out. He must have breathed a sigh of relief when the infield fly rule was called on Mike Lowell’s pop-up.
With similar finesse Sean Casey glided around the bases to stretch singles into doubles. He was successful in the fourth but failed in the seventh. I think second base umpire Lance Barksdale took pity on Casey the first time but charity can only go so far. Give a man a double, you have fed him for today; teach a man to just stop doing that and you have fed him for a lifetime.
As much as I enjoy the bullpen band I can’t help but see Craig Hansen’s vigorous pounding for the bass line and think that I have discovered the source of his inconsistency. Remember what Guitar Hero did to Joel Zumaya and real guitar playing did to Bronson Arroyo and Barry Zito. Pitching and performing music does not mix.
