Don’t Walk
Lately much of the Red Sox offensive woes has been blamed on the lack of walks. Jeremy Lundblad of ESPN compiled the following alarming franchise statistics:
- Plate appearances per walk: 13.52, worst since 1931
- Plate appearances per strikeout: 5.18, worst ever
- Strikeouts per walk: 2.61, worst ever
- OBP: .325, worst since 1992
In this game the Red Sox drew no bases on balls. The only two runs were scored in the fourth. Jacoby Ellsbury led off the frame with a double and Carl Crawford reached first safely on what was to have been a sacrifice bunt. Dustin Pedroia tapped a grounder to Brent Lillibridge but instead of going for a double play Lillibridge tried to go home with the ball. Adrian Gonzalez doubled off the left field wall and all three runners tried to reach home.
Pedroia was tagged out by Lillibridge before he got to the plate, killing Boston’s momentum. Ellsbury also committed a baserunning gaffe in the sixth by trying to stretch a double into a triple. The center fielder committed the cardinal baseball sin of making the first out at third.
| Game 115: August 11, 2012 | ||
| Boston Red Sox 56-59 |
2 |
L: Franklin Morales (3-3) |
| 2B: Jacoby Ellsbury – 2 (12), Adrian Gonzalez (35) | ||
 Cleveland Indians53-61 |
5 |
W: Zach McAllister (5-4) S: Chris Perez (31) |
| 2B: Brent Lillibridge (3), Carlos Santana (21) HR: Lillibridge (1) | ||
