Postgame, Red Sox 5-1: The postgame talk was all Tim Wakefield, and for good reason.
Look for plenty more on the site regarding his night. Let’s end the live blog with another look at what Adrian Gonzalez is doing.
Gonzalez went 4-for-4 and finished the series 10-for-15, raising his average to .342. He has multiple hits in eight of his last 13 games and leads the American League with 20 such efforts.
The slugger is batting a torrid .431 (25-for-58) in that 13-game stretch.
Talking about these numbers is becoming a daily event.
“You ask me that every night. I guess a don’t get tired of it,” Terry Francona said after the game. “Such a professional hitter…He’s a really good hitter and he’s in a really good place right now. I hope he stays there a long time.”
Another guy who is just starting to get to a good place is catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia. He is batting .389 (7-for-18) with a double and three home runs during a five-game hitting streak. Red Sox catchers are batting .375 (12-for-32) over a 10-game stretch.
So there’s a few positives for you as we turn our attention to Cleveland, where Boston was swept earlier in the year. The Indians are 18-4 at home and will be throwing Justin Masterson, who is 5-2.
Check in for all the action tomorrow right here. Thanks for tagging along tonight.
Final, Red Sox 5-1: As ugly as the eighth inning of Saturday night’s game was, it was just about the only negative during the homestand.
The Red Sox finish the stretch at Fenway Park at 5-1 and now hit the road for seven straight just one-half game behind division co-leaders New York and Tampa Bay.
The story of the game is Tim Wakefield. We will hear from him and all the others and be right back to wrap it up for you.
End 8th, Red Sox 5-1: Indeed, it will be Jonathan Papelbon in a non-save situation. If it seems like he has pitched in a ton of these situations, you’re right. This is the 10th time in 19 outings that there wasn’t a save on the line for Papelbon.
10:35 p.m.: These teams may not meet again for a handful of years. When they do, the score will have already been settled, at least for Cubs manager Mike Quade.
Kerry Wood plunked Jed Lowrie with the second pitch of the eighth inning, a very likely payback for the Marlon Byrd incident and the 2-to-1 imbalance Quade referred to last night.
Home plate umpire Ed Hickox gave an immediate warning to both sides. That should be that.
Wood was pulled two batters later. Scott Maine is on to pitch to the surging Jarrod Saltalamacchia with two on and out out.
Mid 8th, Red Sox 5-1: Kosuke Fukudome looked about as bad as can be “swinging” at a Daniel Bard slider to end the top of the eighth.
That will be it for Bard. Jonathan Papelbon is up and warming in the pen. So, too, is Scott Atchison.
End 7th, Red Sox 5-1: The Cubs were one strike away from keeping this a two-run game and giving themselves a chance at tying it with the old bloop-and-a-blast.
But Kevin Youkilis ripped a two-run triple into the triangle in center field, extending his hitting streak to 10 games. Some quality insurance right there.
Daniel Bard will pitch the eighth.
10:12 p.m.: With two outs, Dustin Pedroia and Adrian Gonzalez reach on infield hits, prompting another pitching change for Cubs manager Mike Quade.
Kerry Wood is the new pitcher.
Gonzalez is 4-for-4 and now 10-for-15 in the series.
Mid 7th, Red Sox 3-1: Daniel Bard does his job by fanning Alfonso Soriano and stranding a runner at second.
The final line on Tim Wakefield: 6.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K.
9:58 p.m.: A pair of doubles in the seventh spells the end of the night for Tim Wakefield, who leaves with a 3-1 lead and with responsibility for the runner on second.
Jeff Baker drove in the run with a drive off the Green Monster. He also appeared to hurt himself and was replaced on the bases.
Wakefield left to a huge ovation. Daniel Bard is on to protect the lead in this inning, and likely the next.
End 6th, Red Sox 3-0: A poorly played ball in left field by Jeff Baker allows David Ortiz to reach with a double to start the sixth. He stays right there and we send this one back to Tim Wakefield.
Red Sox PR just sent over a great stat. Wakefield has now faced 26 teams at Fenway Park, tied for the all-time record. He hits some sort of milestone every time out, so it’s fun if you like that stuff.
Mid 6th, Red Sox 3-0: The roars are getting louder for Tim Wakefield with every passing scoreless frame.
He survives a single and a wild pitch to retire the Cubs in the sixth. Wakefield is well on his way to his 180th win with the Red Sox and the 194th of his career.
He could also pick up his first complete game since 2009, but don’t count on it. Terry Francona lifted him after eight scoreless in Philly last year despite the fact that he was at 103 pitches and cruising. Complete games are never high on Francona’s list. Also, Wakefield hasn’t gone this deep all year. Just doesn’t have that degree of stamina right now.
End 5th, Red Sox 3-0: Adrian Gonzalez hit a booming double with two outs to improve to 3-for-3, but the Sox get no further in the fifth. The primary reason was Jacoby Ellsbury getting thrown out attempting to steal second base.
Gonzalez is 9-for-14 in the series. But no home runs, so, you know, he’s slumping.
9:20 p.m.: It was a matter of time for James Russell. His night comes to an end on a Jacoby Ellsbury infield hit, but the big blow came just before that, as Jarrod Saltalamacchia took Russell deep to make it 3-0.
Saltalamacchia is 6-for-12 in his last four games, which have included three home runs and a tie-breaking RBI double in the 1-0 win the other night.
Justin Berg, recalled today to take the place of Marlon Byrd, is on to pitch to Dustin Pedroia. A lefty is waiting for Adrian Gonzalez. The Cubs have loads of southpaws out there, so expect to see a few of them.
Mid 5th, Red Sox 2-0: I know all y’all be discussin’ how crazy this is that Tim Wakefield is dominating.
Perhaps we shouldn’t be shocked. Consider Wakefield’s recent outings against National League teams. In 10 starts against the senior circuit dating back to 2008, Wakefield has an ERA of 2.79. He has lasted at least six innings in every one of those starts, and he kept the opponents off the board in three of them, including eight shutout innings at Philadelphia last year.
Wakefield has thrown 50 pitches in five innings. The Cubs got a man on in the fifth, but it came on a strikeout with a wild pitch.
End 4th, Red Sox 2-0: That could have been a lot worse for the Cubs.
James Russell, already with a replacement warming in the pen, loaded the bases on two singles and a walk and had to face Jed Lowrie with nobody out.
Lowrie singled in the first inning to improve to 23-for-50 (.460) against left-handers this year. He didn’t get a hit this time, but did loft a fly to pretty deep center to score Adrian Gonzalez from third.
Mike Cameron followed with the exact same thing, a sac fly to center, to score Kevin Youkilis. Russell then struck out Carl Crawford, who is going the other direction vs. southpaws — he is now 7-for-57 (.123).
Mid 4th, 0-0: I hate to jinx things, and my colleagues up here would draw and quarter me for bringing this up, but Tim Wakefield can create some extremely short nights from time to time.
Not that we don’t already know that, but it’s worth noting after he soars through another inning.
Wakefield started the teams’ shortest game (by 14 minutes!!!) last season and both of his two starts in 2011 register among the four quickest for the Sox. And one of those wasn’t even a good start.
End 3rd, 0-0: So much for making James Russell earn everything he got. The Red Sox swing early and often in the third and go in a matter of a minute or two.
Jarrod Saltalamacchia flew to left and Jacoby Ellsbury and Dustin Pedroia both grounded out.
Russell’s pitch count is at 34. He has needed only 16 to get through the last two frames.
Mid 3rd, 0-0: I got a cup of coffee (two creams, 1/2 sugar packet) and by the time I got back to my seat, Tim Wakefield got the last out of the third.
There was a single and a double play before Wakefield got Reed Johnson to pop to first. Johnson is now 2-for-19 in his career against the knuckleballer.
Wakefield has thrown 27 pitches, 19 for strikes.
End 2nd, 0-0: James Russell threw over to first to check on Jed Lowrie four times while going to the plate just once while facing Mike Cameron.
Lowrie has two career stolen bases (in 207 games), so it seemed excessive, even if the Cubs thought the Sox might’ve had a play on. A meeting on the mound helps Russell to refocus and he gets Cameron to hit into a 5-4-3 double play.
Carl Crawford then pops to left and Russell is through two. He now has five scoreless frames in this series. The Cubs would love for him to get two more, at least.
Mid 2nd, 0-0: Had a conversation with a colleague a few hours ago in the Red Sox clubhouse. We discussed the fifth spot in the rotation and who gets it if/when John Lackey returns later this month.
The presumption was that Tim Wakefield would be sent back to the bullpen because he can be that mop-up/long relief guy and still fill in for an injured starter, but you won’t have the inconsistency start to start that we’ve seen from him in the past couple of years. Alfredo Aceves may offer more of something you can depend upon from start to start.
We also concluded that since Wakefield had a rough outing in his last start, that he would dominate tonight. Who knows if that will hold true, but early on all signs point to yes.
Wakefield has set down all six he has faced, picking up his first strikeout of the night to finish the second.
End 1st, 0-0: James Russell’s high pitch count for the year is 83, and that was 20 days ago. He has thrown a total of 75 since.
So, the number of pitches he throws will be critical as this one wears on. The Red Sox did not score in the first, but singles by Dustin Pedroia and Adrian Gonzalez help to make Russell throw 18 pitches.
Kevin Youkilis struck out on a slider and David Ortiz grounded to first to get Russell out of the mess.
Mid 1st, 0-0: After a lengthy, but moving, pregame ceremony to honor our veterans, Tim Wakefield works an extremely quick first inning in military-like fashion.
Wakefield threw 12 pitches and got three straight outs on the ground, the last two to Kevin Youkilis.
7:51 p.m.: Military service members and veterans currently are being honored on the field below, part of a day of festivities related to the second annual Run to Home Base.
The race was run this morning and more than $2.6 million was raised to benefit returning soldiers suffering from combat stress or traumatic brain injuries.
Soldiers from all branches are ringing the diamond here, a pretty impressive display put on by the organization.
At the tail end of the festivities, USMC Reservist Sergeant Terrence S. Burke of Dorchester, who lost a leg in duty overseas, ran around the bases and was greeted at home plate by the entire Red Sox team. Quite a display at the park tonight. Burke has a prosthetic and inspired many to take part in the race after finishing in last year’s event.
7:41 p.m.: Terry Francona, and thus his team, never really look beyond the game right in front of them. It’s a common drumbeat around these parts, so much so that some questions about a future game can be shot down by Francona, who would prefer to focus on just one game.
Fortunately, we have the luxury of doing so. After tonight’s affair, to be played on another chilly night (seriously, can you recall a worse spring?), the Red Sox begin a stretch that will see them play 25 of 37 games on the road.
Boston is just 9-11 away from home this year, although they opened 0-7 on the road. Just something to think about as we look ahead.
6:33 p.m.: A few more pregame notes for you.
Marco Scutaro has yet to start hitting. The team has said many times that it will err on the side of caution, so do not expect to see Scutaro for several more weeks.
On a lighter note, Kevin Youkilis set the team record when he was hit by a pitch last night for the 72nd time, as you might know. Youkilis apparently asked for the ball, but Terry Francona had no clue why?
“He wanted it last night and I didn’t know what he was talking about,” Francona said. “I thought he was being facetious.”
If you were still expecting to see Matt Garza tonight, he is not pitching for Chicago. Elbow tightness is the issue, which is why James Russell will start in his place.
Russell has started four games this year, but he failed to get through five innings every time. Also, he threw three innings Friday night, so the expectation on the part of the Red Sox is that they will be able to get to the bullpen early.
At least that’s the hope.
“I know this kid’s got some innings under his belt, but he threw the other night. It would be real good to make him work hard for everything,” Terry Francona said. “That doesn’t change with anybody, but a guy that’s not terribly stretched out, maybe we can get him out of there and get into the bullpen.”
Russell lasted just 1 2/3 innings in one of his starts, exactly four in two others and 4 2/3 in another. He is 0-4 with a 10.05 ERA as a starter, but has tossed 8 2/3 scoreless innings as a reliever. That’s quite the disparity.
It should help Boston having had a look at Russell the other night.
Chicago put outfielder Marlon Byrd on the DL and called up right-hander Justin Berg, which will give them one more arm to play with out there.
5:44 p.m: Encouraging signs for John Lackey and Bobby Jenks. Both are progressing toward a return to the mound.
Lackey, who received a cortisone shot last week, threw again Sunday. He will toss from a shorter distance Monday and then possibly throw a bullpen session Tuesday.
Lackey is eligible to come off the disabled list at the end of the month.
Jenks is hoping to have his bullpen session Monday, after which he could be sent out on a rehab assignment.
Terry Francona was asked about how not having Jenks may have hurt his team last night since Daniel Bard wasn’t available and Matt Albers struggled in the eighth. It was really just a series of unfortunate coincidences.
“Albers has been so good for us,” Francona said. “He had a terrible inning and we didn’t have a way to protect him. With [Scott Atchison] throwing three innings the day before, Bard unavailable, you got [Jonathan Papelbon] out there to save the game and you got [Franklin Morales] out there in case something happens. It got so ugly we had to go to Morales first.
“That’s not a comfortable way to manage a game. [Albers] picked a tough night to struggle.”
Bard is available tonight in relief of Tim Wakefield, who will face this lineup:
Kosuke Fukudome, RF
Darwin Barney, 2B
Starlin Castro, SS
Aramis Ramirez, 3B
Carlos Pena, 1B
Jeff Baker, LF
Alfonso Soriano, DH
Welington Castillo, C
Reed Johnson, CF
Only four players — Ramirez, Pena, Soriano and Johnson — have faced Wakefield, combining to go 21-for-94 (.223) against him.
4:06 p.m.: No major surprises in the lineup. J.D. Drew is on the bench with the lefty James Russell on the mound. Here is a complete look:
Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Kevin Youkilis, 3B
David Ortiz, DH
Jed Lowrie, SS
Mike Cameron, RF
Carl Crawford, LF
Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C
3:59 p.m.: Greetings from Fenway Park, where the Cubs were just taking some early batting practice and doing their best to best one another with shots over the Monster.
One landed two feet from me as I walked away from my car on Lansdowne Street.
But I survived that scare, as well as a weekend away for a wedding (congrats, Jennie and Rob!) and I’m back to carry you through the series finale.
Lineups should be over momentarily.
8:30 a.m.: The world didn’t come to an end Saturday, although it may have felt like that to some Red Sox fans.
The Sox’ seven-game winning streak did end in painful fashion, as the Chicago Cubs used an eight-run eighth to steal a 9-3 win at Fenway Park.
In an effort to get things going again in the right direction, Boston turns to Tim Wakefield, who will be making his third start of the year. Wakefield, who defeated the Cubs in the series finale when these two teams met in Chicago in 2005, has not pitched since a relief outing May 11. He was bumped from a scheduled start after a rainout last week.
The Cubbies counter with left-hander James Russell, who threw three innings of scoreless relief against Boston in the series opener. Russell, also normally a reliever, was tabbed by manager Mike Quade after scheduled starter Matt Garza was scratched with elbow stiffness.
The first pitch is 8:05 p.m.
