Red Sox Report: Ubaldo Jiminez Coming To Boston?
Saturday, July 30, 2011
How important is Adrian Gonzalez to the Red Sox line-up? If Friday night’s game in Chicago was any indication, the answer is – very important.
Gonzalez was a pre-game scratch from the line-up due to neck stiffness and the Boston offense struggled mightily in his absence.
The Sox could manage only 3 hits and 1 run against White Sox starter Gavin Floyd who is now a rather pedestrian 9-9 on the season. One of the three hits was a solo homerun by Jarrod Saltalamacchia in the top of the third which put Boston up 1-0.
What’s interesting about Floyd is that he obviously loves facing the Red Sox. He is now 6-0 lifetime in eight career appearances against Boston.
The shame of it all was that Tim Wakefield pitched a very good game as well. After throwing 5 shutout innings, Wakefield gave up his first run of the game in the bottom of the 6th on a sacrifice fly by Paul Konerko.
In the bottom of the 7th, AJ Pierzinski hit a 2-run homerun off of Wakefield who went 7 innings while allowing just 3 hits and 3 runs. He walked two and struck out five.
The White Sox have now won 7 in a row against the Red Sox.
-A big side story to the game was that Dustin Pedroia’s 25-game hitting streak came to an end. Pedroia went 0-4 grounding out to third twice, hitting into a fielder’s choice to shortstop and flying out to center.
-All 3 of Boston’s hits came from the bottom of the order. Saltalamacchia was the 7th hitter and hit the solo HR. Drew Sutton batted 8th and played third going 1-2 while shortstop Marco Scutaro went 1-3 out of the 9-hole.
-The latest news on Clay Buchholz is that he will see a specialist in Los Angeles on Monday. Buchholz is not with the team in Chicago. He will visit back specialist Dr. Robert Watkins on Monday.
-Red Sox and Pawsox fans may want to visit McCoy Stadium sometime next week. Boston shortstop Jed Lowrie will begin a 4-game rehab assignment with the Pawsox starting Monday against Louisville. After another game against the Bats on Tuesday, the Pawsox have on off day Wednesday before hosting Buffalo on Thursday and Friday.
-Tim Wakefield was denied a chance at picking up his 200th career win Friday night.
-Trade rumors are getting stronger in these parts suggesting that the Red Sox are hot on the trail of another starting pitcher. The hottest names being mentioned as possibilities for Boston are Ubaldo Jimenez, Hiroki Kuroda and Erik Bedard.
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