Red Sox Report: Ortiz Hurt, Ellsbury Hot, Turn Triple Play!
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
The one thing you’d like to avoid when you’re a team in playoff contention is injuries. The Red Sox learned that lesson the hard way last season as they were decimated by injury ultimately costing the team a legitimate chance at making it to the postseason.
This year, the Sox have had to deal with injuries to key players once again. And while they have not been quite as numerous this season, the injuries Boston has sustained have been to key players. Clay Buchholz, Diasuke Matsuzaka, Jed Lowrie and JD Drew. And now you can add another big name to that list. It’s David Ortiz.
Big Papi missed both ends of a double-header Tuesday against Tampa. He is suffering from bursitis in his right heel. At the moment he is considered day-today, but a trip to the 15-day DL is not out of the question. Manager Terry Francona said, "we're going to try to get him out of spikes for a couple of days," so don't expect to see Ortiz in the line-up for at least the first couple of games in Kansas City.
The loss of Ortiz is a big one both literally and figuratively. He has enjoyed a resurgent season in 2011 batting .300 with a team-best 24 homeruns and 79 RBI. It is one thing to not have the bat of Lowrie or Drew in your line-up. However, not having Big Papi’s stick in the middle of the Red Sox order leaves a gaping hole.
The hope is that this is an injury that will not linger or be a problem late in the season and into October. Because for the playoff-bound Boston Red Sox, staying or getting healthy for the playoffs is of the utmost importance.
-We’re running out of adjectives to describe how great Jacoby Ellsbury has been this season. His 3-run HR in game 1 of the twin bill Tuesday was all the offense Jon Lester and Boston would need in their 3-1 win over the Rays. He hit another HR (#22) in the nightcap. Ellsbury is now batting .313 with those 22 HR’s and 78 RBI. I wonder if The Sports Hub’s Andy Gresh will have any harsh comments for Ellsbury on his Twitter account anytime soon?
-Both Lester and Erik Bedard pitched well for Boston Tuesday. Lester was the winner in the opener after his 7-inning, 3-hit performance. He gave up just 1 run, walked 1 and struck out 8. Bedard was solid in the nightcap going 6 innings for Boston. He allowed 7 hits with just 1 of the 3 runs he gave up being earned. Bedard didn’t walk a batter and struck out 6.
-For the first time in 17 years, Boston turned a triple-play Tuesday night. With runners on 1st and 2nd and nobody out in the top of the 4th, Tampa’s Sean Rodriguez hit a sharp grounder to Jed Lowrie at third who fielded it and stepped on the bag. Lowrie threw it to Dustin Pedroia at second and onto Adrian Gonzalez at first for the 5-4-3 triple killing. The last triple play turned by Boston was on July 8, 1994 when John Valentin turned an unassisted triple play. With the runners moving in the top of the 6th at Fenway, Seattle’s Marc Newfield hit a line-drive which Valentin caught at short. He stepped on second to double up Mike Blowers and then tagged Kevin Mitchell who was running from first to complete the unassisted triple play.
-The Sox wrap up their brief 3-game homestand Wednesday afternoon against the Rays at 1:35pm. John Lackey (11-8, 6.13) faces David Price (10-10, 3.76). After the game, Boston hits the road for 4 in Kansas City followed by 4 in Texas.
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