Silent Treatment
I think that Hit Tracker is credible, but how is it possible that Nick Punto’s ninth-inning second-decker and Miguel Cabrera’s moonshot to the camera hut in dead center at Comerica both be 444 feet? How is it possible that I could even be comparing home runs by Punto and Cabrera? The only possible sentence would be something like, “Nick Punto has hit 15 home runs in his career, which is as many as Miguel Cabrera hits in half a season.”
After Punto’s Ortizian blast to right field he got the silent treatment in the dugout. Bobby Valentine posed as if here engrossed in a binder of statistics. Dave Magadan couldn’t help himself and smiled in the infielder’s direction as he made his way down the steps. Ortiz acknowledged the circuit clout boisterously, “I didn’t know you could do that, you m—f—.”
It was an exclamation point on another statement game by Felix Doubront. While other starters have had their question marks, Doubront has emerged as the most consistent hurler of the rotation. His line: 6⅓ innings pitched, 7 hits, 3 runs (2 earned), 1 walks, and 7 strikeouts. He is not as flashy in stuff, temperament, or dollars as fellow Venezuelan pitchers Felix Hernandez, Carlos Zambrano, or Johan Santana. But he has been exactly what the Red Sox need to be competitive: a cost-controlled starter
The Red Sox prevailed but an error in the eighth inning gave the Blue Jays a spark. Ryan Sweeney fielded Brett Lawrie’s ground ball single well enough but then double clutched and inadvertently tossed the ball no man’s land. Edwin Encarnacion scored from second and Lawrie advanced to second. But worst of all Sweeney did this with Vicente Padilla on the mound. No word yet on how Padilla will make his displeasure known.
The official scorer had a tougher game than Sweeney. In the second Colby Rasmus seemed to have a fly ball off Daniel Nava’s bat sized up, but rather than glove the ball for an easy third out Rasmus whiffed on the catch. Nava was credited with a single and two runs batted in.
In the bottom of the third Encarnacion starched the ball at Mike Aviles so hard that it looked like Aviles might have to come out of the game. The official scorer first ruled it an error, but changed it to a single by Encarnacion later in the game. If veteran Doug Hobbs were still keeping score, I doubt the same erroneous error would be made.
| Game 53: June 2, 2012 | ||
 Boston Red Sox28-25 |
7 |
W: Felix Doubront (6-2) H: Matt Albers (2), Andrew Miller (7), Vicente Padilla (13) S: Alfredo Aceves (14) |
| 2B: Nick Punto (2), Kevin Youkilis (4) HR: Punto (1) | ||
| Toronto Blue Jays 27-26 |
4 |
L: Kyle Drabek (4-6) |
| HR: Jeff Mathis (3), Jose Bautista (13) | ||
