6/22 SOX @ Rays 7:10PM

[iortiz]

This felt like a playoff game to me; actually several lately have felt like that. None game moving forward isn’t going to be “just another game”

[moonslav59]

This felt like a playoff game to me; actually several lately have felt like that. None game moving forward isn’t going to be “just another game”

 

You know how there are seasons in Sox history, where we'd lose more of these types of games than we'd win, and you just felt in your gut, "it wasn't meant to be, this year?"

 

This season is far from that feeling.

[Thunder]

Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good. Last night, neither team was very good and neither was very lucky. I'm not quite sure how we won this one, but I'll take it.

[Bellhorn04]

Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good. Last night, neither team was very good and neither was very lucky. I'm not quite sure how we won this one, but I'll take it.

 

Our bullpen pitched 5 scoreless, 2 of them starting with a man at second. That's pretty damn good.

[moonslav59]

Our bullpen pitched 5 scoreless, 2 of them starting with a man at second. That's pretty damn good.

 

Yup. That's how we won.

[Bellhorn04]

It's easy to say when you win, but Cora also did well leaving E-Rod in for 6 more outs after the Franco homer.

[Thunder]

Our bullpen pitched 5 scoreless, 2 of them starting with a man at second. That's pretty damn good.

 

Good point. The poor defense and baserunning is what I was referring to. Good bullpen performances sometimes go under the radar. We certainly didn't do ourselves any favors.

[TylerD]

We’re 4-0 against Tampa hahahaha that’s funny.

[Thunder]

We’re 4-0 against Tampa hahahaha that’s funny.

 

Unbeaten for the season against both of the so called "juggernauts" in the division (NYY and TB)

[Maxbialystock]

It wasn't just the bullpen. ERod went 6, giving up 3 earned runs, which ain't half bad, especially for him and especially for the Sox lately. Those first 2 TB runs in the 1st were the result of horrendous defense. The 3 earned runs in the 5th came off a dinger by a 20 year old phenom who golfed a low slider (below the strike zone) into the LF seats. I did not think ERod had great stuff last night, but I think he showed grit and that Vazquez called a good game. ERod had to throw a lot of fastballs--which worked well--because his slider and cut fastball did not. His changeup wasn't bad (when it was in or near the zone). He finished with 7 K's and just 1 BB.

 

As for the bullpen, let's not forget they benefitted from some boneheaded baserunning by the Rays and that none of them had to face the Rays lineup 3 times.

 

The Sox won with better pitching, better hitting, lousy defense, lousy baserunning, and good bullpen management by Cora. I especially cite sending out ERod to pitch the 6th and using Hernandez to finish the 10th and remain in the game to pitch the 11th for the win.

 

About Santana. I don't like him either. But the WEEI guys pointed out last night that this year the Sox leadoff guy, whoever he is, seems to be cursed and that guys who can't hit leading off do fine in the bottom of the order. So think of Santana as the courageous point man on patrol who is the first guy to get shot at. Or maybe, like Forest Gump, the first guy into the tunnel, armed with just a 45 caliber pistol.

Edited June 23, 2021 by Maxbialystock

[TylerD]

This felt like a playoff game to me; actually several lately have felt like that. None game moving forward isn’t going to be “just another game”

Agreed. This was one damn exciting game. Love games like this

[Thunder]

This felt like a playoff game to me; actually several lately have felt like that. None game moving forward isn’t going to be “just another game”

 

Not even when we play the Tigers in Detroit in the dog days of August??