Sox win, Phils lose...

I was all set for both the Phillies and Sox to move back to the .500 mark tonight. I had reconfigured my fabulous home so that I could watch the Phils on MLB.TV and the Sox on NESN HD, simultaneously. With my living space now a delightful combination of functionality and clusterfuck, I sat down to watch the games.

With LHP Cole Hamels starting, I had no fear that the Phils would win. Fear itself is afraid of Cole Hamels. Jack Bauer calls Cole for advice. Cole walks on water and swims on land. After 90 minutes, and 7 innings, the Phillies only had 1 hit. But it was a solo HR by C Carlos Ruiz. Cole pitched 7 shutout innings, allowing only 4 hits and whiffing 8. But with Cole having thrown 114 pitches, it was time for the bullpen to close out the victory.

However, things started slipping away in the 8th. Abe Nunez came in to play 3B as a defensive replacement for Wes Helms, and Michael Bourn took over in left for Pat Burrell. I had seen this scenario play out plenty of times in 2006. The bullpen blows the lead, and we have offensive non-entities batting in extra innings, instead of defensively-challenged sluggers with the ability to hit the walk-off HR. Only the 2007 version of this scenario features Bourn, instead of 2006's Chris Roberson.

The Phillies extended their lead to 2-0 in the 8th, but it should have been more. Shane Victorino, already in scoring position at 2B, with Ryan Howard at the plate, was inexplicably caught trying to steal third. Howard followed with a walk, but was thrown out at the plate when Utley doubled to right. A slow runner would likely have scored, but Howard doesn't have that kind of speed. Flash Gordon blew the 2 run lead in the 9th, and Ryan Madson gave up the game-winning HR in the 11th. Another disappointing loss for the Phils. Another reason Utley should be batting ahead of Howard.

I tuned out the announcing stylings of Gary Matthews, Sr., after he made the brilliant observation that a low curveball that almost hit the dirt, before hitting Phillie Shane Victorino in the foot, was "not a purpose pitch." Perhaps the Phillies would have more luck if they swapped Manager Charlie Manuel with Announcer Gary Matthews, Sr.

The Red Sox did manage to move to the .500 mark, with a 7-1 win behind the pitching of Josh Beckett and the non-Papelbonian components of the bullpen. Beckett allowed only 1 earned run, on 2 hits, in 5 innings. He threw 94 pitches on a cold 42 degree night, and did not come out to pitch the 6th, with the Sox already leading 4-1.

The Sox got to Royals SP Odalis Perez for 3 runs in the 1st, and that was enough to win. Kevin Youkilis powered a 2 run HR through the wind, giving the Sox a 6-1 lead in the 7th, pretty much putting the game away. Dustin Pedroia, the Sox 2B/Hobbit, went 1 for 3, dropping his average to .333. Jason Varitek also went 1 for 3, his 1st hit of the season a seeing-eye single that somehow got through the left side of the Royals infield. Usually slick-fielding Sox 3B Mike Lowell (6 E last season in 153 games), made 2 fielding errors, and a throwing error, but none of the miscues lead to any Royals runs. Manny Ramirez did some aimless wandering in LF throughout the game, but none of it caused any real damage. Maybe he was looking for a grill out there or something. Despite the random acts of fielding ineptitude, 'twas a nice win for the Sox.

On Thursday, the Phillies try to avoid the 3 game sweep, sending $24.5 million SP Adam Eaton to the hill. I am not optimistic. The Sox, in the debut of Daisuke Matsuzaka, will beat the Royals to move to 2-1 for the season. No doubt about that.
Both games are scheduled in the afternoon- the Sox at 2pm, and the Phillies at 3pm. I think I may be feeling a bit under the weather tomorrow, possibly as a result of walking around in the random April snowstorm in MA today...