Rediscover
| Game 129: August 29, 2009 | |||
| Blue Jays | 2 | L: Ricky Romero (11-6) | 58-69, 2 game losing streak |
 Red Sox | 3 | W: Clay Buchholz (3-3) S: Jonathan Papelbon (32) | 75-54, 2 game winning streak |
| Highlights: Buchholz’s line shows three hits, but one of those should be erased. In the second, the anti-Julio Lugo ranged to his far right and threw from his knees. The ball reached Kevin Youkilis on a bounce but the throw was still in time to nail Kevin Millar. First base umpire Jim Wolf called Millar safe; a fan near home plate that had the benefit of a television and therefore video replay exclaimed loud enough for the NESN microphones to pick up, “Blew it!” | |||
Alex Gonzalez has not only been impressive with the leather but also with the lumber. In the sixth he knocked in Jason Bay with a single up the middle off Casey Janssen. Janssen was brought in with the express purpose to get the nine-hole hitter out and failed.
Cito Gaston whipped out his September relief-swapping tactics early. Jesse Carlson was brought in to get Jacoby Ellsbury and the fleet center fielder struck out. Then Brandon League took the bump to get the final out but Dustin Pedroia had other ideas.
With slightly better than Millar-like speed Pedroia outran John McDonald’s throw for an infield single to load the bases. League walked Victor Martinez on five pitches, pushing across J.D. Drew for what would be the winning run of the game.
Pedroia also knocked in the first run of the contest with a single through the hole to plate Ellsbury. Ellsbury had led off the first with a double to left and advanced on Raul Chavez’s ill-aimed pickoff.
Ricky Romero was lucky that only three runs were scored off of him; seven hits and four walks should have yielded many more Red Sox runs.
Not that Clay Buchholz needed the run support. The ace presumptive turned ace apparent with a dazzling 8⅓ innings: 3 hits, 1 earned run, 2 walks, and 9 strikeouts. Hopefully the line is indicative of Buchholz’s rediscovery and not of Toronto’s late season apathy.
The earned run came at the hand of an atypically unsteady Hideki Okajima. The southpaw failed to get an out and saw Adam Lind and Lyle Overbay send ropes to the outfield to bring their team within a run.
Since Billy Wagner has donned a Red Sox uniform Jonathan Papelbon has been nails. Nothing like bringing in a potential threat to one’s position to buck one out of complacency. The closer was summoned to shut down the Blue Jays rally and he did so with just five pitches.
