Empyreal Environs

At the end of the game the Red Sox’s record was 11-11.

They scored 11 runs. Both teams had 11 hits each.

The winning pitchers’s number? Eleven.

It’s John W. Henry’s favorite number as evidenced by the posting fee for Daisuke Matsuzaka — $51,111,111. During the 2002 bidding for the franchise he was only known as “Investor 11.” In recognition of this proclivity and his donation the founders of Mini Fenway Park gave Henry license plate number 11.

David Ortiz had two home runs, both solo shots. He led off the second with a game-tying shot into the Athletics’ bullpen. He dinged another in the fifth that had Josh Reddick flipping over the bullpen wall and into enemy territory. The circuit clout made the score 7-1, seemingly gilding the lily but for another erratic outing by Clay Buchholz.

Buchholz surrendered five runs in the seventh. Three of the runs were credited on former Red Sox outfielder Reddick, who launched the ball into the visitors’ bullpen with two men on and two out. Junichi Tazawa couldn’t notch an out in the three batters he faced but was bailed out by Vicente Padilla.

Scott Atchison relieved Padilla in the top of eighth and proved a bit more effective than Tazawa. After Atchison loaded the bases he at least struck out Coco Crisp before turning the ball over to Franklin Morales. In this at bat Reddick didn’t exact revenge on his former team but rather grounded into a highlight reel-quality double play turned by Dustin Pedroia. If hitters could earn holds, Boston’s keystone fielder most assuredly earned one.

The game eerily echoed the collapse against the Yankees, but the Athletics don’t have the firepower of other American League East teams. Thankfully.

Game 22: April 30, 2012
Oakland Athletics 11-13	6	L: Tommy Milone (2-3)
		2B: Anthony Recker (1) HR: Josh Reddick (4)
Boston Red Sox 11-11	11	W: Clay Buchholz (3-1) H: Vicente Padilla (3) H: Franklin Morales (6)
		2B: Darnell McDonald (4), Marlon Byrd (1), Dustin Pedroia (6) HR: David Ortiz – 2 (6), McDonald (2), Mike Aviles (5)