« This Day in Baseball History: May 26th (Canseco Uses His Head) | Home | In The Silo: Offensive Fireworks Highlight Memorial Day Sweep For Sox Top 3 Minor League Squads »
Bartolo Colon: Stopper
By Administrator | May 27, 2008
Last night in Seattle, Bartolo Colon gave the Red Sox his second outstanding effort since his promotion from Triple-A… he pitched seven innings, allowing one run on five hits and one walk while striking out four Mariners in the Sox 5-3 win.
Colon’s effort helped the club end a three-game losing streak (and a seven-game road losing streak).
Red Sox fans at Safeco Field on Memorial Day included sailors Nick Wilker of Clermont, FL (l) and Bryan Fahey of Boston (r)… both servicemen are stationed in Bremerton, WA.
The former Cy Young Award winner lasted just five innings (and 74 pitches) in his first start against the Kansas City Royals last Wednesday night. In last night’s contest he threw eighty-four pitches… and, truth be told, it is quite possible the best is yet to come. According to catcher Jason Varitek, Colon has thrown mostly low-90s fastballs in his first two outings, sprinkling in an occasional slider here and there. But when he is ‘on his game’, the native of Altamira, DR, will complement his mid-90s four-seam fastball with the slider, an excellent sinker and a middling changeup.
Colon has added four or five mph to his fastball since reporting to the Red Sox in March, and it is very possible (probable?) that he will add another mph or two by mid-July. His pitches have had a lot of late movement to them… and anyone who has watched both outings probably noticed that his control was greatly improved last night (command has always been an achilles heal of the portly right-hander).
Last night’s game was scoreless into the fourth inning when David Ortiz tomahawked a Felix Hernandez fastball to dead center field for his twelfth home run. The score remained that way until the bottom of the sixth inning when a single, hit batsman, sac bunt and ground out produced a run. The Red Sox broke the game open — and secured a “W” for Colon — with a four-run outburst in the top of the eighth inning… Dustin Pedroia hit an rbi double, Manny Ramirez and Mike Lowell had rbi-singles, and Jason Varitek drew a bases-loaded walk to account for the four runs.
Hideki Okajima pitched a scoreless eighth inning and Jonathan Papelbon struggled through the ninth inning (allowing two runs in a non-save situation).
After the game, Colon acknowledged that he still has a lot of work to do on his off-speed pitches, especially his changeup. Through an interpreter, he said he appreciated the fact that Terry Francona showed faith in him in the bottom of the seventh inning — allowing him to pitch to Ichiro Suzuki with runners at the corners and two outs (Colon retired Ichiro on a flyout to center field to end the inning… and his outing).
Of Colon, Francona said: “He threw a couple sliders tonight that had some real depth to them. We’re all hoping that once he gets his legs under him, he’ll have that mix. But let me tell you something, he looked so confident in that fastball, and he’s locating it and spreading out the plate — I’m sure he’s making the plate looking a lot wider than it is”.
——————————-
Colon is now 7-0 in his last eight starts at Safeco Field. He has not lost in Seattle since Aug. 24, 2001.
——————————–
Jason Varitek wore a camouflaged chest protector and shin guards in honor of Memorial Day. The gear will be auctioned off and proceeds going toward the Massachusetts Soldiers Legacy Fund.
——————————–
Last night was the 2000th game of Manny Ramirez’ career.
——————————–
Daisuke Matsuzaka will take the mound tonight in Seattle… he will be trying to improve to 9-0 against M’s righty Miguel Batista. Game time is 10:00 PM EST.
Topics: Sox Games, Sox Players |
