BOSTON — For these Red Sox, even the wins hurt.
Second baseman Dustin Pedroia and outfielder Hanley Ramirez both exited Wednesday’s game against the Baltimore Orioles at Fenway Park with injuries sustained while running the bases. It’s unclear whether either player will miss time, but the Red Sox are holding their breath after a 5-1 win.
“We’re still in the process of gathering all of the information,” Red Sox manager John Farrell said immediately following Wednesday’s contest. “There’s advanced imaging going on for both Pedey and Hanley. The injuries are what everyone saw. But we don’t have the full information yet.”
Ramirez exited the game before the start of the sixth inning after being struck on the hand by a line drive hit by Xander Bogaerts during a hit-and-run attempt in the fifth inning. The initial diagnosis, according to the Red Sox, was a left hand contusion.
“I didn’t know it hit his hand. I thought maybe it hit like his hip or his leg,” Bogaerts said. “He’s a strong guy, so if it hit him in any other area, he’d be OK. But it got his fingers and that’s something that’s pretty tough.”
The fluke play marked the second time in just over a month that a batted ball struck a Red Sox player on the bases. Bogaerts couldn’t avoid a sharp ground ball hit by Daniel Nava during Boston’s May 21 game against the Texas Rangers. Both plays, of course, resulted in outs, further highlighting the Red Sox’s luck — or lack thereof — in certain situations this season.
“It’s very rare. It’s uncommon where two guys advance into second base being put in motion get hit by a line drive and a ground ball,” Farrell said. “It’s something you don’t see often. In the one (Wednesday), hopefully we’re able to avoid something physical for the time being.”
Ramirez was replaced in left field by Brock Holt, with Mike Napoli entering the game at first base. Holt didn’t stay at his new position long, though, as he soon shifted to second base after Pedroia left the game in the bottom of the sixth inning with right hamstring tightness.
Pedroia ripped a two-run single into left field to give the Red Sox a 3-1 lead. He immediately grabbed the back of his leg upon rounding first base and walked off the field moments later. It was a startling sight given Pedroia’s track record of pushing through physical ailments.
“It’s always good to win, but when you lose two guys, it’s tough,” said Red Sox starter Clay Buchholz, who earned the victory after tossing seven innings of one-run ball. “Two guys who are in the middle of our lineup to be big for us. Hopefully it’s just a little scare, I guess.”
The Red Sox, who improved to nine games under .500 (32-41) with the win, certainly can’t afford to lose either Pedroia or Ramirez for an extended period, let alone both. As such, it’ll likely be a sleepless night for many members of the organization.
“They’re big. They’re two big, key players for us. Everybody knows that,” Buchholz said. “But we’ve got some guys who are able to step up and hold the fort for however long guys are out.”
Wednesday’s end result was promising for the Red Sox, who continue to fight for wins against American League East opponents. But there’s no shaking the air of concern given the other happenings.
Thumbnail photo via Twitter/@TomLeyden
