July 14th vs Oakland

[RedSoxRooter]

Game Info:

Date: Friday, July 14th, 2006

First Pitch: 7:05pm EST

Location: Fenway Park, Boston MA

TV: NESN

 

Starting Pitchers:

 

http://i.a.cnn.net/si/images/baseball/mlb/players/6394.jpghttp://bellsouthpwp.net/c/h/chinigor/TALKSOX/VS.GIFhttp://i.a.cnn.net/si/images/baseball/mlb/players/6403.jpg

 

http://espn-att.starwave.com/i/teamlogos/mlb/sml/trans/oak.gif#75 Barry Zito (8-6, 3.29)

http://espn-att.starwave.com/i/teamlogos/mlb/sml/trans/bos.gif#19 Josh Beckett (11-4, 4.75)

 

Athletics - Red SoxPreview:

The Oakland Athletics are hoping that Milton Bradley can revive their stagnant offense.

The A's hope to have Bradley back on the field Friday when they continue their four-game series with the AL East-leading Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.

 

The Athletics (46-43) rank second-to-last in the American League with 285 runs. They acquired Bradley in an offseason trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers in the hopes of upgrading their offense, but he has already been on the DL twice, including his most recent stint with a strained left shoulder.

 

Bradley, who was activated from the DL after Thursday's 11-inning, 5-4 win over the Red Sox , is hitting .213 with three homers in 28 games. The switch-hitting outfielder batted .290 with 13 homers in 75 games for the Dodgers last season.

 

The A's dropped four of five heading into the All-Star break, but opened up the second half with a win thanks to Bobby Kielty 's go-ahead single in the 11th. Frank Thomas drove in an insurance run before Boston scored one in the bottom of the 11th on Jason Varitek 's RBI single.

 

Oakland scored the game-tying run in the seventh inning when All-Star second baseman Mark Loretta missed Kielty's easy grounder. The error was just the fourth this season for Loretta and the major league-leading 31st for the Red Sox .

 

The A's lead the AL with 18 one-run victories.

 

''Every day is a one-run game,'' A's manager Ken Macha said. ''It seems that way, at least.''

 

Boston (53-34) lost at home for the first time in 10 games. The Red Sox , who lead the second-place New York Yankees by 2 1/2 games in the AL East, had not lost at Fenway since a 13-6 loss June 11 to Texas.

 

Josh Beckett (11-4, 4.75 ERA) will look to help Boston bounce back. He allowed five runs and a season high-tying 10 hits in six innings Saturday, but still got the win as the Red Sox defeated the Chicago White Sox 9-6.

 

Beckett allowed three homers for the second straight start and has allowed a major league-high 26 this season.

 

''I had great stuff,'' Beckett said. ''Days like that, you should go out there and dominate.

Today I was battling against myself with my fastball, curveball and changeup, everything was just a little bit up. That happens when you're too strong.''

 

Beckett is 4-1 with a 2.63 ERA over his last five starts despite allowing nine homers over that span. He has never faced Oakland.

 

Oakland will counter with ace Barry Zito (8-6, 3.29), who lost his third straight start last Friday, allowing three runs and six hits in eight innings of a 3-0 defeat to the Los Angeles Angels . Zito, who gave up two homers for the second time in 19 starts, was outdueled by John Lackey - who retired 27 straight after a leadoff double.

 

Zito, who is winless in his last four starts, has received just one run of total support in his last three starts and three in his six losses.

 

''It's a team game, and what bothers me isn't me not getting wins,'' he said. ''It's the team getting losses.''

 

Zito threw eight pitches in one perfect inning of work in Tuesday's All-Star game. He is 3-4 with a 4.60 ERA in 10 career starts against the Red Sox .

 

Ok. Time to put an end to these bullpen meltdowns and two game losing streak. Win.

[jsinger121]

RSR magic part deux

[yeszir]

RSR magic part deux

But we're playing the AL...

[BoSox34]

http://www.quakeroats.ca/graphics/maintitle.jpg

 

QUAKER OATS MOJO, LETS WIN THIS GAME!

[riverside sluggers]

Barry Zito (10 games vs Boston, 3-4 record with a 4.60 ERA---Career at Fenway Park in 4 games, 1-2 record with a 4.85 ERA)

Kevin Youkilis --

Mark Loretta, 0 for 3

David Ortiz, 8 for 19 (.421 avg) 3 Doubles, HR, 4 RBIs, Walk, K

Manny Ramirez, 4 for 20 (.200 avg) Double, 2 HRs, 4 RBIs, 9 Walks, 2 Ks

Mike Lowell --

Jason Varitek, 4 for 21 (.190 avg) 2 Doubles, 5 RBIs, Walk, 3 Ks, SB

Gabe Kapler, 5 for 22 (.227 avg) Double, RBI, Walk, 5 Ks

Coco Crisp, 3 for 12 (.250 avg) Double, HR, 2 RBIs, 4 Ks

Alex Gonzalez --

///

Doug Mirabelli, 2 for 7 (.286 avg) HR, 2 RBIs, 3 Ks

Trot Nixon, 0 for 5, RBI, Walk, K

 

Josh Beckett (1st career appearance vs Oakland---Career at Fenway Park in 7 games, 5-0 record with a 2.54 ERA)

Jason Kendall, 1 for 5 (.200 avg) Double, Walk

Nick Swisher --

Mark Kotsay, 0 for 3, Walk, 2 Ks

Frank Thomas, 0 for 2, K

Jay Payton, 1 for 2 (.500 avg) K

Bobby Crosby --

Milton Bradley, 1 for 4 (.250 avg) Double, 3 Walks, K

Mark Ellis --

Antonio Perez, 0 for 1, K

[RedSoxRooter]

http://www.geocities.com/chefsrecipes/ziti22.jpg

 

baked ziti

[BoSox34]

Ewww, that looks so gross, it looks like it's about 4 months stale and then someone threw up on it.

[RoyNHSox]

Given how the Sox have struggled against lefties I expect this to be the most challenging game of the series.

[Cocos Disciples]

This should be a good game, Oakland has a bad offense, and Beckett pitching, and the Sox are not very good against lefties. Got the makings of a 3-2, 4-3 game.

[Youk Of The Nation]

We need an offensive blowout, badly. Something to get this team on its feet after two looooong games.

[BoSox34]

True, we have been looking pretty dead lately and we could seriously use a momentum builder. HUGE start for Beckett, no question about that.

[Youk Of The Nation]

You know what would be a boost for this team? A complete game shutout by Beckett.

[Youk Of The Nation]

I for one (as a phenomenal disbeliever) have to say that the mojo picture thing is getting out of hand. Dead birds and dead moose are one thing, but the crashed train and, um, pasta are just pushing it.

[BoSox34]

Na man, the quaker oats guy equals wins, there's no debating that...watch what happens tonight.

[yankeessuck013]

...and the oatmeal

[Youk Of The Nation]

Na man, the quaker oats guy equals wins, there's no debating that...watch what happens tonight.

 

 

So did you just pick this out of thin air, or what?

[yankeessuck013]

If we win tonight, its ONLY because of the RSR Mojo...Period.

[Papelbon58]

just for assurance, I went to a game in 2004 in Fenway. We beat up Barry Zito and the A's for 11 runs, and we won.

[Youk Of The Nation]

Yeah, but we beat up on Carl Pavano when he was with the Marlins, too. Now that hes with the Yankees, hes totally unstop-

 

 

...oh, wait.

[Youk Of The Nation]

Damn it, Crybaby.

[RedSoxRooter]

If we win tonight, its ONLY because of the RSR Mojo...Period.

 

To slam home the point, Seanez needs work and I actually expect to see him tonight. He's the only reason I lost my game thread games this year. This is Mojo vs Rudy and it's gonna be ugly.

[Papelbon58]

since it hasn't been discussed yet, how do you guys like the lineup tonight with Lowell hitting 5th?

[Youk Of The Nation]

Whoa! I didnt even notice that.

 

Much better. Finally Tito has realized that Tek may be the captain, but lately...he sucks.

[riverside sluggers]

2nd HR of Manny's thats been stolen

 

Ive never liked Milton Radley

[RoyNHSox]

Nice catch by Milton Bradley…dammit.

[RoyNHSox]

Great D by the Sox in this inning.

[riverside sluggers]

Youk steals Bradley, Coco does a deja vu catch to steal Ellis , Gabe does a running catch to snatch Perez's liner

[RedSoxRooter]

Did you see that catch that Coco made???

[a700hitter]

Is this gonna be another game where we have 10+ LOB?

[BoSox34]

So did you just pick this out of thin air, or what?

 

Let's call it fate.