September 30th vs Minnesota

[redsoxrules]

Matt Garza VS Julian Tavarez

 

 

The Boston Red Sox can finally relax.

 

Having wrapped up home-field advantage throughout the American League playoffs, the Red Sox conclude their regular season Sunday when they play the Minnesota Twins.

Boston (96-65) wrapped up the AL East on Friday, and then secured the choice of an extra day off with Saturday's 6-4 victory. J.D. Drew hit a go-ahead three-run homer and finished 3-for-4 for the Red Sox, who will play the Los Angeles Angels in a division series.

 

Drew closed his first season with the Red Sox in strong fashion, hitting .393 over his last 18 games to raise his average 18 points to .270. The right fielder, who signed a 5-year, $70 million contract in the offseason, left Fenway before Boston learned it clinched the AL East title to be with his 18-month-old son, who had been in a body cast to correct a hip ailment.

 

"It's (been) frustrating for me not to perform," said Drew, who has just 10 homers and 61 RBIs after totaling 20 and 100, respectively, in 2006 with the Los Angeles Dodgers. "Hopefully, the bat would come back around and, in a situation where you know you're going to the playoffs, you've got to kind of get things straight."

 

The Red Sox wanted an extra day off during the series and chose to play Game 1 on Wednesday instead of Thursday, giving Terry Francona the chance to set up the rotation.

 

That task began by Francona opting to use Julian Tavarez (7-10, 5.06 ERA) in a spot start Sunday instead of Curt Schilling. Tavarez is making his first start since Aug. 31, and has made four relief appearances in the interim. He last pitched Wednesday against Oakland, giving up one run and two hits in one inning.

 

The right-hander lost his only start to the Twins this season, giving up two runs in six innings of a 2-1 defeat May 5 at Minnesota. Tavarez is 2-2 with a 4.95 ERA in five starts and 17 career appearances against Minnesota, which he has not beaten since June 9, 2002.

 

Minnesota (78-83) has lost six of its last nine games and will finish with its first losing season since going 69-93 in 2000. Rookie Nick Blackburn took the loss after failing to protect a two-run lead and in which Carlos Silva pitched six solid innings.

 

"He's just got to learn how to slow the ball down," Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire said of Blackburn, who relied too much on his fastball. "When you don't use all of your pitches, you're going to get killed."

 

Matt Garza (4-7, 3.92) tries to close his season on a positive note and avoid losing consecutive starts. He struggled at Detroit on Tuesday, yielding four runs and nine hits in 5 1-3 innings of an 8-0 defeat.

 

 

Garza is 1-3 with a 5.40 ERA in his last three starts, giving up four or more runs in four of them. He defeated the Red Sox in his only lifetime start against them despite giving up three runs and five hits in 5 2-3 innings on Sept. 19, 2006.

 

This may be the final game with the Twins for center fielder Torii Hunter, who is expected to be one of the more sought-after free agents in the offseason. Hunter has 28 homers, but none in his last 19 games, and is 7-for-21 with three RBIs against the Red Sox this season.

[Cocos Disciples]

Scrub day!

[riverside sluggers]

Damn... Mets and Pillies tied for 1st place, big game pitcher Tom Glavine on the mound against the Marlins... he only gets 1 out and the Mets are already trailing 7-0

 

Drew gets the day off, Ellsbury makes his first major league start in right field

 

Matt Garza (1 game vs Boston, 1-0 with a 4.76 ERA)

Dustin Pedroia ---

Manny Ramirez ---

David Ortiz, 0 for 3, 2 Ks

Mike Lowell, 1 for 3 (.333 avg) K

Kevin Youkilis, 1 for 1 (1.000 avg)

Jason Varitek ---

Coco Crisp, 0 for 2, Walk

Jacoby Ellsbury ---

Julio Lugo ---

///

Eric Hinske, 2 for 4 (.500 avg) RBI, Walk

Bobby Kielty, 0 for 1, K

Doug Mirabelli, 1 for 2 (.500 avg)

 

Julian Tavarez (17 games vs Minnesota, 2-3 with a 4.95 ERA---Career at Fenway Park in 50 games, 9-9 & 1 save with a 4.71 ERA)

Nick Punto, 0 for 4, 3 Ks

Brian Buscher ---

Torii Hunter, 1 for 9 (.111 avg) Double, Walk, 2 Ks

Justin Morneau, 2 for 3 (.667 avg) Double, Walk, K

Michael Cuddyer, 1 for 1 (1.000 avg)

Garrett Jones ---

Rondell White, 3 for 14 (.214 avg) HR, 4 RBIs, Walk, 2 Ks

Matthew LeCroy, 1 for 1 (1.000 avg)

Alexi Casilla ---

///

Jason Bartlett, 1 for 2 (.500 avg) RBI

Jason Kubel, 1 for 3 (.333 avg) HR, 4 RBIs, Walk, K

Joe Mauer, 0 for 2, K

Mike Redmond, 0 for 5, K

Jason Tyner, 0 for 2, RBI

 

Garza this season on the road in 8 games, 3-2 with a 2.79 ERA

 

Tavarez this season vs Minnesota in 1 game, 0-1 with a 3.00 ERA. At home in 13 games, 2-6 with a 4.97 ERA

[Cocos Disciples]

I didn't think so many starters would play.

[schillingouttheks]

I didn't think so many starters would play.

 

They did it for the fans. You play the starters for the first few innings or half the game, and then take them out. I know there's a risk of injury, but you can't start a bunch of scrubs when people are shelling out $200 per ticket per game.

 

I call the first playoff gamethread, bitches.

[mosox]

Those last two at bats by Kielty and Mirabelli was just plain awful. Two players who seem to have no idea at the plate. No clutch spots for them in October. On to the playoffs!!!

[riverside sluggers]

Great season guys, 96 Wins f*** yea. Even with this loss I saw a lot of positives. Not a lot of teams can say their bench put Nathan to the wire, bases loaded 1 out. Who knows what wouldve happened if Ellsbury didnt run past 1st base. Solid pitching performance, loved what I saw from Lester in his 2 scoreless innings. I really hope that the Sox consider Ellsbury starting in center or at least a platoon of him and Crisp. 3 days until the playoffs!!

 

Kudos to Theo making sure 2006 would be a complete after thought