I’m pretty sure that Wake is just never gonna win that elusive 200. He’s lost the chance to win in every single way possible. Last night, it really looked like it was going to happen…until it didn’t. Most times with Dan Bard on the mound with a 2 run lead, the game is in the books as a Sox win. Not this time.
The Red Sox bats once again got on the board early and gave Wake the lead. Youk was hit by pitch with the bases loaded to bring a run across the board. Then Marco Scutaro continued his hot streak and hit a 2 RBI single. Sox lead 3-0.
Wake struggled early on in the game, as well as Saltalamacchia catching him behind the dish. Wake walked two batters in the first and the Jays were able to score a run on a sac fly. Sox 3-1. In the 2nd inning, Wake gave up a 2 run HR to tie the ball game. In the 3rd inning, Wake gave up 2 more runs on an RBI double to Bautista and a steal of home. Blue Jays lead 5-3. Ugh.
Wake was given new life in the 4th inning. Carl Crawford hit a double, Scoot walked and then Reddick hit an RBI double to score Crawford. Jacoby Ellsbury gave Wake the lead back by hitting a 3 run HR. This was his 25th HR of the season. Pretty gosh darn good for a guy who people kept claiming shouldn’t be hitting HRs. Sox lead 7-5. The Sox added on another run in the 5th when David Ortiz hit his 29th HR of the season.
Wake pitched 5 innings and was done for the night. Maybe he could have gone more since his last couple of innings were much better than his first, but well…they chose not to chance it. Wake’s line for the night was 92 pitches, 5 IP, 3 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 3 BBs and 3 Ks. It wasn’t great, but it should have been good enough to win.
Morales came to the mound in relief of Wake. Morales got a K and then gave up a single and hit Loewen by a pitch. Wheeler came out in relief of Morales to finish out the 6th inning. Wheeler got the 2 outs he needed and we were on to the 7th. Wheeler gave up an RBI single to Encarnacion to have the lead 8-6. Bard came in to get the final out of the 7th and did just that.
Photo Credit: Darren Calabrese
The 8th inning is where Bard would find trouble and a lot of it. Bard began the inning by hitting Brett Lawrie with a pitch. Then he gave up a single to Loewen and walked Arencibia. The bases were loaded with no outs. Gulp. Then Bard gave us hope only to have it snatched away. Bard struck out both Wise and Escobar. Bard had two outs, he just needed one more. Bard had Thames on a 0-2 count and ended up walking him. Sox lead 8-7. Next was Jose Bautista with the bases loaded. Bard ended up walking him too. Game tied 8-8. No win for Wake. Then Tito came out and pulled Bard in favor of Matt Albers. Albers has done nothing for the last month but struggle. Could he get the out? Nope, he couldn’t. Albers gave up a bases clearing RBI double to Encarnacion to have the Blue Jays now leading 11-8.
In the 9th, the Sox had a mini rally in them, but they came up short. Gonzo hit his 24th HR of the season to bring the Sox to 9-11. Then Scutaro hit an RBI single to score David Ortiz. Sox trail 10-11. Mike Aviles came in to pinch run for Scoots…and proceeded to get thrown out trying to steal second while Josh Reddick was at the plate. I have to think that wasn’t the plan.
Wake doesn’t get his win. Sox lost. Brutal. And on a day when the Yanks lost and we could have made up a game.
Red Sox 10 Blue Jays 11 BOXSCORE
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