Empyreal Environs

Game 150: September 22, 2009
Red Sox	1	L: Paul Byrd (1-2)	89-61, 2 game losing streak
Royals	5	W: Zack Greinke (15-8) S: Joakim Soria (28)	63-88, 3 game winning streak
Highlights: The Red Sox batters mustered only two hits against Greinke. One of them was Victor Martinez sixth inning single with one out, extending the catcher’s hitting streak to 21 games. He also drove in the visiting team’s only run of game with an RBI ground out to first, scoring Jacoby Ellsbury.

Red Sox center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury is now up to 64 steals. Not to be outdone, Dustin Pedroia swiped his 19th bag, bringing him within one of his career high total of 20. The second baseman also walked twice and got the only other Red Sox hit of the game, a one-out double in first. Victor Martinez’s RBI was his 101st, second only to Jason Bay’s mark of 113.

Manny Delcarmen had his first scoreless inning since September 16. He took the mound with ducks on the pond and two out and induced a fly ball out to center off the bat of Mark Teahen.

In this game only individual accomplishments can be highlighted for Boston, which dropped its second game to the woebegone Royals. But it’s better to have a couple of consecutive clunkers than season-long ineffectiveness. The Red Sox will eventually make the playoffs, but Kansas City only has individual accolades to look forward to.

Zack Greinke tallied his 15th win of the season against a formidable lineup, yet another achievement listed on his extensive application for the American League Cy Young award. His numbers are ridiculous for an American League hurler: 2.08 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 228 strikeouts, and 47 walks over 216⅓ innings. He’d have 5 no-hitters and maybe a perfect game if he played in the Senior Circuit.

Speaking of senior, Paul Byrd made his fifth start for the Red Sox this season and basically lost in the first three outs of the game. A five-run deficit typically isn’t difficult for Boston to overcome, but Greinke isn’t a typical pitcher.