Injury Prone
When Kevin Youkilis limped out of the batter’s box to start the fourth inning, I wasn’t even angry. I chuckled mirthlessly as he got stretched out by the trainers. What’s next, pneumonic plague? Schistosomiasis? Ebola hemorrhagic fever? The injuries plaguing this team are becoming so ludicrous it’s like the body count in Heathers. But the All-Star first baseman is back in the lineup as his ankle soreness has since resolved itself.
Youkilis was replaced by Niuman Romero. With runners on first and third with two out, score 3-2 in favor of the Rays, Romero’s slot in the order came up. The replacement player tapped out to second base for the final out, and it will be his final out in the majors for a while. Romero was designated for assignment and replaced on the rosterby Ryan Shealy. When the fate of a key game against a divisional rival was in the hands of someone who was so easily demoted, you know your team is stretched to its breaking point.
Dan Wheeler smashes his pitching hand into his glove before each pitch. It reminded me of the relentless grinding of a pestle in a mortar and the way Rays relievers have pulverized Red Sox batters.
Felix Doubront turned in a remarkably gutty 5⅔ innings of yeoman’s work. With his limited and unpolished repertoire he held one of the most prolific lineups to a mere five hits and two earned runs. He walked four hitters and struck out three.
The only point in the game where I cheered out loud was when Evan Longoria was picked off third for the second out of the sixth. I imagined B.J. Upton smirking at the sight and calling out Longoria’s baseball smarts when he got back to the dugout.
| Game 84: July 6, 2010 | ||
| Red Sox 49-35 | 2 | L: Felix Doubront (1-1) |
| 2B: David Ortiz (19) 3B: Eric Patterson (3) | ||
 Rays50-33 | 3 | W: Jeff Niemann (7-2) H: Dan Wheeler (6), Lance Cormier (2), Joaquin Benoit (6) S: Rafael Soriano (23) |
| 2B: Evan Longoria (26) 3B: Sean Rodriguez (1) HR: Carl Crawford (8) | ||
