Rocky Mountain Slight
Dustin Pedroia looked for the security guard that denied him entrance to Coors Field during the 2007 World Series but couldn’t find him. Unfortunately, the Red Sox second baseman also couldn’t find his laser gun: he went 0-for-2 with two walks and a strikeout.
Jhoulys Chacin pitched as if he were teammate Ubaldo Jimenez, shutting out Boston’s hot lineup for 6⅔ innings to the tune of 4 hits, 5 walks, and 5 strikeouts. The Red Sox had a chance to score in the third with Mike Cameron’s leadoff single but the center fielder was caught stealing. After Cameron’s wasted out Josh Reddick singled, Jon Lester sac bunted, and Marco Scutaro and Pedroia got free passes.
The Rockies nearly squandered their scoring chance in the fifth. Chris Nelson singled (his first major league hit) and Clint Barmes walked but Chacin struck out on three bunt attempts. Lester induced a fly out to right for the second out and all he had to do was face the slumping Todd Helton for the final out. Helton is a shadow of his former self but managed to line the ball to Reddick for a run.
Ryan Spilborghs returned the favor in the bottom of the eighth by driving in Helton for an insurance run. The additional run proved the difference between extra innings between the former World Series adversaries.
Adrian Beltre fired a double into center field to leadoff the ninth and scored on Cameron’s grounder to left, partial redemption for being picked off on the base paths earlier in the game. With Cameron on first and two men out Mike Lowell was tapped to hit in the pitcher’s slot. Barmes made a remarkable sprint to his right to snare Lowell’s grounder before it hopped by him for a base hit.
I blame the altitude.
| Game 72: June 22, 2010 | ||
| Red Sox 43-29 | 1 | L: Jon Lester (8-3) |
| 2B: Adrian Beltre (20) | ||
 Rockies37-33 | 2 | W: Jhoulys Chacin (4-6) H: Joe Beimel (10), Rafael Betancourt (9) S: Matt Belisle (1) |
| No extra base hits. | ||
