Red Red Lines
I kept on thinking that the Red Sox were playing the Phillies or Nationals, but the White Sox were in genuine throwbacks from the 1970s. In 2012 Paul Konerko wasn’t juggling balls in the dugout with a cigarette dangling out of his mouth but rather watching Gavin Floyd flirt with a perfect game until the fifth and a no-hitter up to the seventh.
Cody Ross, balaclava free, broke up the perfecto after Adrian Gonzalez and David Ortiz harmlessly grounded out to the middle infielders. Ross worked a base on balls on seven pitches and refrained from flipping his bat when he took first.
Dustin Pedroia, who wore one of the four shared balaclavas, broke up the no-hitter with a sharp grounder past his diving counterpart, Eduardo Escobar. David Ortiz powered Pedroia to third with a line drive double to right.
With runners in scoring position Ross came through again and drove in Boston’s only run with a single past shortstop Alexei Ramirez to plate Pedroia. Getting a closer look at Pedroia he wasn’t wearing an accessory on his head — that was his facial hair.
Josh Beckett didn’t pitch badly but merely was out-played by Floyd, a hurler who has the Red Sox’s number. Rookie manager Robin Ventura anticipated a low-scoring struggle in the first, calling for a sacrifice bunt by Brent Lillibridge after Alejandro De Aza reached on a single. Alex Rios singled with a ground ball past Nick Punto at third to plate De Aza and Adam Dunn proved Earl Weaver right with a two-run blast to right.
| Game 21: April 29, 2012 | ||
| Boston Red Sox 10-11 |
1 |
L: Josh Beckett (2-3) |
| 2B: David Ortiz (9) | ||
 Chicago White Sox11-11 |
4 |
W: Gavin Floyd (2-3) |
| HR: Adam Dunn (5) | ||
