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G74: Wakefield, Kotsay Lead Red Sox Past Braves, 1-0
By Administrator | June 27, 2009
Red Sox starter Tim Wakefield continues to make a case for inclusion on the 2009 American League all-star team. This afternoon in Atlanta, the knuckleballer improved to 10-3 with six shutout innings… he scattered three singles, walked one and struck out one batter on just eighty-eight pitches (fifty-nine of which were strikes).
Braves pitcher Javier Vazquez matched Wakefield pitch for pitch throughout the first five innings of the game. In the sixth, he retired the first two hitters of the frame before walking both Kevin Youkilis and David Ortiz.. then, with two on and two out, LF Mark Kotsay served a 2-2 pitch into left field to drive Youkilis home with the game’s only run.
Wakefield pitched the bottom of the sixth inning and then turned the game over to his bullpen. Set-up men Manny Delcarmen (1 1/3 IP, 9 H, 0 BB, 1 K) and Justin Masterson (2/3 IP, 1 BB) pitched two solid innings of relief. Closer Jonathan Papelbon surrendered the only extra-base-hit of the afternoon, a two-out double to LF Garrett Anderson… but Pappy retired 1B Casey Kotchman on a ground ball to second base to end the game.
With the win, Wakefield became the AL’s third ten-game winner, joining Minnesota’s Kevin Slowey and Toronto’s Roy Halladay. Afterwards, Wakefield said: “It feels really good to have 10 wins before the All-Star break”.
The pitching matchup was a contrast in styles: Vazquez’s 90-plus-mph fastball and hard breaking ball versus Wakefield’s tantalizingly-slow knucklers. Vazquez went 7 2/3 innings, allowing six hits and three walks… he struck out eight — taking over the NL strikeout lead from SF Giants fireballer Tim Lincecum.
Regardless, his performance wasn’t enough as the Braves offense was shut down by the Red Sox.
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Mike Lowell didn’t start today’s game because of an ailing hip… he pinch-hit in the seventh inning and flied out to right. Terry Francona said he’s not likely to start Lowell in tomorrow’s series finale.
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Wakefield’s 382nd career start tied Roger Clemens for most in Red Sox history. The only other 1-0 win the Red Sox posted in a game started by Tim Wakefield was a win in Oakland on May 30, 1995 — just his second start ever in a Red Sox uniform.
Wakefield said: “Just being mentioned with the names I’m being mentioned with is pretty cool. I’m thankful I’ve been here as long as I have”.
Topics: Sox Games, Sox Players |
