Justin Masterson’s Wild Night For Red Sox Evokes ‘Major League’ Reference

BOSTON — Justin Masterson looked like the early version of Ricky Vaughn, minus the velocity.

Masterson, who was extremely erratic in his 4 1/3 innings Wednesday, clearly recognized his similarities to the famous movie character played by Charlie Sheen, as he dropped a “Major League” reference while he explaining his wildness following the Boston Red Sox’s 5-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park.

“A little bit there I felt like I was in the re-filming of ‘Major League,’ ” said Masterson, who issued six walks, plunked a batter and uncorked a wild pitch over the course of his outing. “I could hear, ‘Ball four, Ball eight, Ball 12, tried the corner and missed!’”

Yes, Bob Uecker would have had a field day with Masterson’s performance, particularly in the fourth inning, when the right-hander fired 10 consecutive balls before finally finding the strike zone and escaping a bases-loaded jam.

“There are times he gets a bit long,” Red Sox manager John Farrell said of Masterson’s mechanics. “He’s got long leverage to begin with. But he’ll start to leak away from the mound. His timing in his delivery can get a little spread out and that’s where you start to see the misfires.

“He’ll yank some balls down and in to lefties. The sinker and the fastball stay up and away to lefties, and he starts to work a little bit East and West, other than staying through the strike zone.”

Masterson benefited from two double plays over the first two innings. He never settled into a groove, though, and the Rays pushed across one run in the third, one run in the fourth and two runs in the fifth before Farrell turned to his bullpen and called upon Edward Mujica to minimize the damage.

It’s amazing to think Masterson’s wildness didn’t result in a deeper hole. He also scattered seven hits amid his struggles, yet Boston still trailed by just two runs when he exited the contest.

The Red Sox’s downfall Wednesday had as much to do with their inability to cash in with men on base as it did with Masterson’s inability to throw strikes. Boston went 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position, even leaving the bases loaded in the eighth inning and stranding two runners in the ninth.

Thumbnail photo via Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports Images