Hanley Ramirez has been much better than expected in making the transition to first base this season. His defense around the bag has ranged from reliable to at times excellent. Last night in Anaheim was not one of those times, and it cost the Boston Red Sox the game.
Taking a 1-0 lead against the L.A. Angels into the bottom of the ninth inning, Brad Ziegler was trying to close things out for Boston but was in a bases-loaded, one out jam. He needed a ground ball to the infield that could get at least one out or maybe start a game-ending double play.
Former Red Sox outfielder Daniel Nava obliged, hitting a grounder to first that Ramirez scooped up just fine, but his throw home was rushed, and it sailed well over the head of catcher Sandy Leon, allowing not just the tying run, but the winning run to score. So the Angels get a walk-off on an error 2-1 win, the Red Sox losing streak is now at four games, and perhaps worst of all, the error by Ramirez wiped out an excellent, eight-inning scoreless starting pitching performance by David Price, who needed such a start after disappointing outings in his previous two starts.
To his credit, Ramirez didn't make any excuses for his error after the game, saying he knows he rushed the throw and "that can't happen", but it did, and it's certainly not a great way to begin an eleven-game west coast road trip after being swept at home by Detroit. But since there's no crying in baseball, the Red Sox will try to put this one behind him and hope that Rick Porcello had notch his fourteenth win of the season tonight in game two against Tim Lincecum for L.A.
Fortunately for Boston, the Orioles lost to the Twins last night so they remain two and a half games back, still in third place in the division.
The NY Yankees were idle last night. They begin a series against the last place Tampa Bay Rays in Florida tonight.
One night after NY Mets closer Juerys Familia blew his first save in nearly a year, ending a streak of converting fifty-two consecutive save chances, he's now started a new streak, and Mets fans don't like this one nearly as much. For the second consecutive night, Familia couldn't hold a lead in the ninth, and the Colorado Rockikes rallied from a 1-0 deficit to win 2-1 at Citi Field in Queens. Familia gave up a single, then a walk, and then saw the bases loaded with nobody out after a bunt single. But just like the Red Sox last night, the Mets had some poor defense contribute to the loss. James Loney misplayed a grounder at first allowing the tying run to score with one out, and then Familia made his own mistake, throwing a wild pitch that allowed the eventual winning run to cross the plate. Jacob De Grom was the hard-luck loser for the Mets, who went seven innings without giving up a run and allowing just five hits.
Back home at Centennial Field last night and trying to end a four game losing streak, the Vermont Lake Monsters ran into a tough pitcher and saw their losing skid extend to five games in a 5-3 loss to the Brooklyn Cyclones. Harold Gonzalez went seven innings and struck out eleven for the Cyclones. Eli White had a solo home run for the Lake Monsters in the loss.
In the NECBL, the Vermont Mountaineers couldn't hold a lead against the Valley Blue Sox, losing 5-3 in Holyoke, Mass. The Blue Sox scored consecutive runs from the fourth to the seventh to get the comeback win.
The Upper Valley Nighthawks took advantage of the Mountaineers loss, beating the Ocean State Waves 3-2 in Rhode Island last night. Up 2-1 in the fourth, the Nighthawks got a solo home run from Charlie Concannon which proved to be the game winner, and now Upper Valley sits just a half game behind both the Mountaineers and the Winnipesaukee Muskrats for the final playoff spot in the northern division as the regular season winds down.
Kyle Pembroke of Middlesex picked up his first win of the year at the Mid-Season Championship event in Barre last night, taking the seventy-five lap race at Thunder Road. The race featured a number of multi-car crashes under some less than ideal wet road conditions. Eric Chase of Milton finished in second place.
