Be Like Mike
Just a few days after the Red Sox signed John Lackey, news broke that the team contracted with Mike Cameron for two years of his services. The Jason Bay Era in Boston was officially over and the emphasis on offense shifted to defense. Around the same time the Yankees completed a three-way trade for Curtis Granderson, a much more dramatic acquisition.
Both Cameron and Granderson have been shelved for parts of this season but as expected the latter has had a greater impact on his team. Most of Granderson’s at bats have come in the bottom third of the lineup, a batting order with formidable bats at every position. The Yankee center fielder has 7 homers and 22 runs batted in over 173 at bats while Cameron clouted his first homer in this game with 8 RBIs in 94 at bats.
Cameron’s three-run blast in the second with two men on added to Darnell McDonald’s first inning solo shot to put the visitors ahead 4-0. Such a lead would be easy for Clay Buchholz to maintain.
Buchholz’s athleticism worked against him. He singled in the bottom of the first, his first major league hit. When he tried to run out Marco Scutaro’s grounder the pitcher came up lame, forcing Terry Francona to take Buchholz out of the game. The Red Sox skipper also had to have Lackey pinch hit in the fifth because of his short bench; the pitcher made contact, grounding out to short.
Francona had to resort to his beset upon bullpen once again, but this time his corps held the line. Only Scott Atchison and Manny Delcarmen surrendered a run a piece; the remaining relievers filled in for Buchholz admirably.
Daniel Bard whiffed the first two batters he faced but the third, Pablo “Kung Fu Panda” Sandoval, powered a fly ball to deep center field. The crowd gasped as Cameron darted towards the wall. When the cloud of red dust cleared Cameron emerged triumphantly clutching the ball in his glove, signifying the end of the inning.
Meanwhile down the Pacific Coast Highway Granderson went 1-for-2 with a run and a walk and was pinch-hit for in the sixth in a Yankees defeat. He wishes he could be like Mike.
Game 76: June 26, 2010 | ||
Red Sox 45-31 | 4 | W: Scott Atchison (1-1) H: Dustin Richardson (1), Hideki Okajima (9), Daniel Bard (18) S: Jonathan Papelbon (17) |
2B: Marco Scutaro (19) HR: Darnell McDonald (5), Mike Cameron (1) | ||
Giants 40-33 | 2 | L: Madison Bumgarner (0-1) |
2B: Juan Uribe (14), Freddy Sanchez (18) |