Postgame, White Sox 5-2: There wasn’t a lot of pizzazz in Wednesday’s affair, due in large part to the lack of playoff possibilities.
But Thursday presents one of the last real dramas of the Red Sox’ season as Jon Lester aims for his 20th win.
We will follow that one for you inning by inning as Boston plays its last road game of the season before returning home to play spoiler.
First pitch is 8:10 p.m.
Final, White Sox 5-2: Well, a pretty weak offensive effort for the Red Sox, who get four hits off Freddy Garcia and two relievers.
This was a pretty good duel until Josh Beckett fell victim to a string of soft hits and couldn’t survive the seventh after escaping james the previous two innings.
He ends his season 6-6 and we can only hope 2011 goes a bit better for the Texan.
Back soon to finish things up for you.
End 8th, White Sox 5-2: Chicago has softly peppered Red Sox pitching in this one. The White Sox have one solo home run and 12 singles, half of which have been of the infield variety.
Tim Wakefield gets a rare appearance in the eighth and gives up a run after the leadoff man reached on an infield hit.
Guys, I’m not 19. Not even close. Was just being sarcastic. I’ll be 17 this winter.
Mid 8th, White Sox 4-2: It took two pitches for Matt Thornton to retire J.D. Drew and the Red Sox will be down to their last three outs.
10:24 p.m.: The Red Sox have two on with two outs in the eighth. J.D. Drew is up, so Ozzie Guillen turns to the bullpen for a lefty.
10:14 p.m.: What could be the last home run of Mike Lowell’s career pulls the Red Sox within 4-2 in the eighth. Jed Lowrie followed with a hit and ended the night for Freddy Garcia.
End 7th, White Sox 4-1: Great work by Hideki Okajima to strike out Manny Ramirez and then get a double play. Talk about stopping the bleeding.
That closes the books on Josh Beckett’s season. He gives up four runs in six innings and finishes the year with a 5.78 ERA. He will likely go 6-6 unless Boston rallies.
9:59 p.m.: Josh Beckett’s season ends after a flurry of soft singles in the seventh, as well as a throwing error by Victor Martinez. Put it all together and the White Sox lead 4-1 and have the bases loaded with no outs.
Since I’m only 19 there are many others who have seen more baseball than I have, but I’ve never seen a man intentionally walked after falling behind 0-1. That’s what the Red Sox chose to do with A.J. Pierzynski ahead of Alexei Ramirez’s RBI single which chased Beckett.
The Red Sox righty entered with an 11.17 ERA in the seventh inning. That will go up. He simply was not able to avoid the wall in the seventh this year.
Mid 7th, 1-1: This has become a pretty entertaining duel between Freddy Garcia and Josh Beckett. Garcia has thrown exactly eight pitches in each of the last two innings and has six perfect frames overall.
End 6th, 1-1: For the second straight inning Josh Beckett somehow escapes a bases-loaded, one-out situation, this time getting a 4-6-3 double play to end it.
I would like to see a replay because it looked to the naked eye as if the relay to first was late. Either way, Beckett is battling through this one in admirable fashion.
Mid 6th, 1-1: Freddy Garcia’s pitch count is at a miniscule 72 after he records another perfect inning, his fifth.
End 5th, 1-1: Josh Beckett first survives a twisted left ankle that looked a bit scary when it happened, then gets out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam to preserve the tie.
With one on and one out Beckett went to field a beauty of a bunt by Alejandro De Aza. As he planted and scooped up the ball his left ankle rolled a bit and Beckett tumbled to the turf with a look of anguish.
After walking it off he walked Juan Pierre to load the bases and there was cause for concern. But consecutive strikeouts get Beckett out of the inning.
We will see how the ankle feels after he sits in the dugout for a bit. It could tighten and you would not want to end the season getting hurt. He spent enough time on the DL already.
Mid 5th, 1-1: The White Sox are playing some nice defense in this one, which hasn’t been their calling card this year. A pretty play by Mark Kotsay gets the speedy Ryan Kalish to finish the top of the fifth.
End 4th, 1-1: Josh Beckett has now given up five home runs in his last 8 2/3 innings after A.J. Pierzynski takes him deep in the fourth.
Mid 4th, Red Sox 1-0: Freddy Garcia’s bid for a perfect game falls just 18 batters short. Marco Scutaro doubles to lead things off in the fourth and scores on David Ortiz’s RBI single against the shift to left.
Ortiz now has 1,000 RBIs as a designated hitter. He is just the second man to ever reach that mark. Edgar Martinez is the all-time leader with 1,003.
End 3rd, 0-0: Predictably, the Rays and Yankees are both losing. You would think homefield advantage would mean something to them, but neither is exactly racing to the finish line.
Mid 3rd, 0-0: Freddy Garcia has used only 35 pitches in three perfect innings. He has allowed just six base runners in nine innings over his last two starts.
End 2nd, 0-0: The first two base runners of the game come with two outs in the bottom of the second, but Josh Beckett escapes with strikeout No. 3.
Mid 2nd, 0-0: They might break out into “Kumbaya” before this one is over. The Sox and Sox are in a virtual love-fest now that they are both just playing out the string.
David Ortiz hears it from the White Sox bench after a bunt attempt for the first out. Ortiz then douses Chicago catcher A.J. Pierzynski with water after A.J. makes a catch of a foul pop in front of Boston’s dugout.
Smiles all around.
End 1st, 0-0: Adrian Beltre almost looked preturbed that Daniel Nava didn’t get to a foul pop down the line in left. Can you blame Nava for pulling up a bit? Broken ribs or strike two? Pretty easy call I think.
Josh Beckett strikes out two in the first.
Mid 1st, 0-0: Perhaps knowing we needed a reminder why we watch baseball when the outcome doesn’t mean much, White Sox right fielder Carlos Quentin provided.
Quentin, who does not have a reputation as a good glove man, made a sterling catch to rob Marco Scutaro of extra bases to start the game. It’s part of a 1-2-3 inning for Freddy Garcia.
7:45 p.m.: It won’t garner any buzz, and with good reason, but one statistical race has been about as close as can be for a handful of weeks now.
The Red Sox and Blue Jays are going back and forth as American League leaders in team strikeouts for pitchers.
Boston leads the majors with 199 this month and enters Wednesday trailing Toronto by one, 1,160-1,159.
Josh Beckett had a season-high nine K’s the last time he faced Chicago so the Sox have a great chance to grab the lead in that category. That should completely take the sting out of not making the playoffs, right?
6:40 p.m.: With the playoffs no longer an option and five games left on the schedule we have to think about what will hold our interest over these last few days. Here are a few items to watch for before we begin what figures to be an interesting offseason:
1) Jon Lester’s pursuit of 20 wins – Lester goes in the series finale in Chicago with a chance to become the first Red Sox lefty since Mel Parnell in 1953 to reach that milestone.
2) Jon Lester’s pursuit of the Cy Young Award – The debate has been raging for weeks now and Lester deserves to at least be in consideration. Getting win No. 20 would help tremendously.
3) Clay Buchholz’s pursuit of the A.L. ERA title – He may need some help from Oakland, which will be facing Felix Hernandez on Sunday. Buchholz, who goes Saturday against the Yankees, is 0.06 behind Hernandez.
4) Adrian Beltre’s bid for 50 doubles, 30 homers – With 49 doubles Beltre is close to becoming the ninth player in franchise history to hit 50 in one season. With 30 home runs he would tie Butch Hobson for the franchise record by a third baseman. Beltre enters this one with 28.
5) 90 wins – The Sox have to go 3-2 in the final five to reach the 90-win plateau for the fourth straight year and eighth time in nine seasons.
6) Spoil the Yankees’ A.L. East hopes – If New York still wants its division crown it will have to go through Boston to get it. The worst the Yankees could be going into the series at Fenway this weekend is two games behind Tampa Bay. The best they could be is one game ahead. Either way they will need some wins to get that title.
4:49 p.m.: There’s got to be a morning after. Actually, there has to be five more mornings after. Interestingly enough, glancing at the lyrics to that song I see the word “bridge” used from time to time.
Anyway, I digress. Here are the lineups for Wednesday’s matchup:
Red Sox
Marco Scutaro, 2B
J.D. Drew, RF
Victor Martinez, C
David Ortiz, DH
Adrian Beltre, 3B
Mike Lowell, 1B
Jed Lowrie, SS
Ryan Kalish, CF
Daniel Nava, LF
White Sox
Juan Pierre, LF
Omar Vizquel, 2B
Carlos Quentin, RF
A.J. Pierzynski, C
Alexei Ramirez, SS
Mark Teahen, DH
Mark Kotsay, 1B
Brent Morel, 3B
Alejandro De Aza, CF
8 a.m.: Josh Beckett will make his final start of 2010 when he leads the Red Sox into battle with the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday.
It’s been a poor season for Beckett, who fought back issues and ineffectiveness until the past month, when things have gone a bit better for the righty. He is 3-2 with a 3.89 ERA over his last six starts.
The Sox were officially eliminated from playoff contention in Tuesday’s 5-4 loss but can still play spoiler at Fenway Park this weekend if the New York Yankees are still vying for the American League East crown.
