Boston Red Sox 3, Seattle Mariners 4
I’m not sure what’s worse: not having the offense score big runs against a bottom-rung team like the Seattle Martiners, watching Mike Timlin blow the third Sox lead of the night or having Boston go with nary a whimper in the ninth to man named Putz.
I’m going to go with option number two: maybe Timlin’s overworked for someone who’s both 40 and one of the game’s most-used relievers in the past few years, but it’s rough to waste another good Wells performance with a blown save. Wells, who Mrs. Eric thinks is motivated by someone holding bacon behind home plate, scattered seven hits over seven innings before surrendering the second tying run of the night, a hanging curve that Betancourt knocked out of the park. Boston regained the lead thanks to a double by Ortiz and a single by Lowell, but then lost the momentum when the third base umpire called Manny out after Beltre tagged Manny on the helmet as Ramirez came into third on the play, popping the ball out of his glove and into his right hand. At least, that’s how the umpire viewed it, but to everyone else on the field (including the Seattle broadcasters, by the way), Manny was safe: Beltre bobbled the ball, managed to catch it after the tag, but didn’t really have control while he was tagging the runner. Whatever, BS call, changed the course of the game but not a break we should be relying on to win or lose.
So now we’re one game closer to playoff elimination, with Minnesota winning last night and Boston failing to take advantage of the Angels pounding the Yankees to advance a game in the AL East and we go for the final game against Seattle this year at 4:05. Kyle Snyder will pull another extended relief performance against young Cha Seung Baek, a pitcher the Sox have never faced before. I don’t like our odds, but what do I know. Come on, boys, let’s avoid the sweep. GO SOX!!!
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