Four Real? Red Sox vs Tigers 6-20-13

Pete Lepak
RedSoxLife.com Staff Writer

Game 75: Sox do everything right, Bailey screws it all up

Today is my little brother's birthday. We work at the same school, we teach the same kids, we coach the same sport, we play on the same men's teams in the Winter, Spring and Summer. I love him to death, but many times, when he comes into my room during my free times, I get irritated. Why? Well, I teach Science, and during my free time, I have to grade a lot of lab reports and other assignments. His job requires a lot work with problem students, but he doesn't really have to do any grading. I feel like I do all the work, and he gets away without "pulling his weight." We both get paid the same amount!

The Boston Red Sox have got to be feeling my pain. David Ortiz, John Lackey, Jose Iglesias, and others are all pulling their weight, but they have to feel like one man, Andrew Bailey, is lacking in that department. The Sox had this one all lined up for the win, John Lackey pitched very well (7 IP, 2 ER, ERA down to 2.42) and then Bailey walked a man and gave up a two run homerun for the walkoff win. Ugh! Here are the four at bats that changed the game:

1) Papi! Top of the fourth inning, and David Ortiz starts the inning in the batter's box. On the first pitch he sees, Papi crushes a no-doubter into right field to start the scoring. 1-0 Red Sox.

2) Getting it back. With Boston up 2-0 in the bottom of the fifth, Lackey walks Andy Dirks, and Bryan Pena singles on a line drive. Austin Jackson then singles to load the bases. Torii Hunter, who just recently hit his 300th homerun of his career, singles on the first pitch he sees and brigns in two runners to tie the game at 2.

3) Captain Cluch strikes again. Former Yankee pitcher Phil Coke starts off the eighth inning by walking the first two batters, Victorino and Dustin Pedroia. David Ortiz steps up with a golden opportunity to give the Sox the lead, and he delivers, drilling a single to right field to put the Sox up 3-2.

4) We want a pitcher, not a belly itcher. Bottom of the ninth inning, and Andrew Bailey toes the mound. Every Sox fan knows about his struggles. He hasn't been able to locate his fastball, and he is just not trusting his stuff. After walking Victor Martinez, Jhonny Peralta takes a poorly located outside pitch into the left field bullpen for the walk off two run homerun. In his last five appearances,Bailey has walked five, allowed four homeruns, and has a 15.75 ERA. Time to make some calls......

Ring, ring!

"Hello?"

"Hello, Phillies?"

"Yes?"

"Hi, Its Ben Cherington. Send us Jon Papelbon. We'll take his contract."

"Deal!"

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