I have to admit, going into this game, I didn’t think we had a chance. Derek Lowe has been spectacular all season, and we were tossing out an inconsistant rookie who likes to walk lots of batters. Not a good combination. However, we instead got a wonderful pitching duel. Benoit went six innings, allowing 2 earned runs – and that’s all the Red Sox got, because our bullpen (Alvarez, Powell, Kolb, Rodriguez, & Cordero) combined for four innings of shutout relief. It wasn’t a cakewalk, but they got it done. In fact, Rich Rodriguez (why is he still here?) threw just one pitch to get the win.
Derek Lowe was even better, going 7 innings, and allowing just one unearned run. He deserved the win, but Boston’s bullpen let ’em down, by allowing a solo home run to Todd Hollandsworth in the 9th inning, and another solo home run to Pudge in the 10th to win it. Cordero nailed it down, and we got a nice come from behind win in Boston.
Carl Everett got the predicted reaction in Boston. Interesting that the umpire he head butted is here, too, although he won’t work the plate during the series. Arod didn’t get a home run, so his mega streak of consecutive games is over, but I attribute a lot of that to Derek Lowe – although Arod came close on one ball hit to the deeper parts of Fenway.
Nice game – nice win; on my birthday, too. :) Five in a row now. Would be nice to sweep all the way through Boston & New York without losing, but somehow I don’t see that happening. :)
Additional game commentary here.