Manny’s Meatballs and Ribeyes by Ramon
The languorous torture of Daisuke Matsuzaka’s first inning would have been more bearable if I weren’t suffering from a lingering cold. In the time it took the Red Sox starter to load the bases I went through a half dozen tissues.
By the time the Rays leadoff hitter Ben Zobrist lined a single into center to plate two runs in the fourth, the Theraflu Nighttime had unentwined the last tendrils of thought tethering me to consciousness. Did I imagine Kevin Youkilis flinging the ball right at home plate umpire Phil Cuzzi in a vain attempt to cut down Kelly Shoppach?
According to my medication-addled notes, that actually happened.
I was thankfully tucked away when Manny Delcarmen and Ramon Ramirez joined forces to serve their guests a generous helping of batting practice. The six runs they surrendered put the game out of reach of the local nine. Delcarmen was put on the fifteen-day disabled list with a right forearm strain after the game.
Matt Garza, unlike the other aces the Red Sox recently humbled, lived up to his billing. Although he had three earned runs in his tally, two of those came when David Ortiz doubled off Randy Choate to drive in a pair of inherited runners.
I hope to be off the disabled list shortly, but unfortunately Dustin Pedroia and Victor Martinez won’t be. The Red Sox traded Angel Sanchez to the Astros for former Red Sox catcher Kevin Cash, a transaction reminiscent of when gave your neighbor your extra pair of pruning shears for the hoe you weren’t using.
| Game 79: June 30, 2010 | ||
 Rays45-32 | 9 | W: Matt Garza (9-5) |
| 2B: Kelly Shoppach (3), Carlos Pena (10) HR: Jason Bartlett (2) | ||
| Red Sox 47-32 | 4 | L: Daisuke Matsuzaka (5-3) |
| 2B: David Ortiz – 2 (16) | ||
