Red Sox drop back into cellar after loss in series opener to Blue Jays
That one day that the Red Sox spent in fourth place sure was nice, wasn’t it? It was also short-lived, as the Red Sox dropped back into a tie for last place in the AL East after losing to the Blue Jays, 9-6, on Monday night.
The outing was a bit worrisome for Sox starter Felix Doubront, who allowed five runs on 11 hits through six innings. The lefthander had been a pleasant surprise in the Sox rotation for the first two months of the season, but June has proven to be a bit more difficult for him, as he’s running a 3-2 record in June while watching his ERA climb.
Manager Bobby Valentine does not seem concerned, however.
“I think he’s fine,” Valentine told reporters after the game. “I think he’s still building.”
Monday night’s game also marked the first game of the post-Kevin Youkilis era. Youkilis’s replacement, the young Will Middlebrooks, was just okay. He booted a ball at third on the third batter of the game to record a fielding error. Then, with runners on the corners and two outs and the Jays ahead, 5-4, in the third inning, Middlebrooks flew out, leaving a golden scoring opportunity wasted. Middlebrooks doubled in the eighth inning with nobody on base, but Cody Ross ended that opportunity by striking out to end the inning.
Bright spots:
– David Ortiz hit two home runs Monday night, moving him to 20 home runs on the season. He was reportedly his recently surly self after the game, however, and left the clubhouse quickly before members of the media could talk to him about the game. The game also marked Ortiz’s 37th multi-homer game with the Red Sox, tying him with Ted Williams for the Red Sox record of most multi-homer games.
– Dustin Pedroia started to regain his stride at the plate. The spirited second baseman hit a triple and a single Monday night. He also stole second in the third inning.
Downers:
– Due to thunderstorms in the area, the Sox had to sit through a one-hour, 56-minute delay before finishing the game around midnight. A few brave souls stayed around Fenway to see the team through to the end, but most people left Fenway in search of shelter and perhaps a warm bed.
– The Red Sox are winners of seven of their last nine games, but they still are not making any progress in climbing in the standings. The loss to one of the worst teams in the AL East is another setback in what is unfolding as a long and frustrating Red Sox season.
Looking ahead:
Daisuke Matsuzaka will start for the Sox on Tuesday night against Toronto spot-starter Aaron Laffey. Dice-K has yet to win a game in his return from Tommy John surgery.
