Can somebody please explain the top of the 9th at Fenway.

aro13

Did anybody actually see the Sox-Rays game today. According to mlb.com gameday the Sox entered the ninth inning with a 5-0 lead. Tim Wakefield had thrown 108 pitches and was removed from the game for Rudy Seanez. Papelbon has worked three straight days, Foulke has also been used frequently lately. Timlin has not. The Sox start a 3 game set in Toronto tomorrow.

Apparently the ninth inning goes:

Gomes walks
Gomes advances on defensive indifference
Wiggingon strikes out (on a 3-2 pitch)
Branyon lines out
Lee walks
Paul walks
EXIT SEANEZ
ENTER TAVAREZ
Norton strikes out but advances to first on passed ball by Doug Mirabelli.
Gathright walks
Lugo walks
Crawford singles to left scoring Norton but Gathright is thrown out at the plate by Willie Harris

Did anybody actually see this ninth inning unfold? Was Timlin or Foulke ever up in the pen?

RipublicaninMass

I guess Timlin is hurt, or something and Papelbohn has worked 4 days in a row. They said Timlin wasn't available, and foulke and papelbohn had worked 4 games in a row.. It was BRUTAL watchig this inning unfold!

perkdog

Timlin just went on the DL today

Brian48

Timlin is on the 15 day DL and is recovering from a dead arm. Papelbon has been stretched thin, so has Foulke (although he's spotty even when he isn't). As bad as the middle relief is right now, I think it's still better than what we had last year. Near trainwrecks like this would have been actual trainwrecks. I hope they bring up more young arms from the farm pretty soon.

perkdog

I agree, good for Francona that it worked out. These 1 run games sure do add up come September.

Brian48

I should also add that one of the unfortunate things about this is that Wakefield's excellent performance has yet again gone under the radar. The old knuckleballer was absolutely brilliant today and no one's talking about it because of these two clowns who came in for the ninth.

aro13

Thanks for the info on Timlin. I could not find that information. Apparently, Francona asked Wakes if he wanted to throw the ninth and go for the shutout and Tim said "[Francona] asked me if I wanted to go back out there and finish it," said Wakefield. "I had 108 pitches, and I really didn't feel like pushing it any further. It's nice to get a shutout or a complete game, but our team winning game is more important to me. So I told him that I was done."


Clement is starting tomorrow and probably Wells on Wednesday so the bullpen could get lots of work in the Toronto series.

WinPitcher

Not so sure about Wells. Didn't he take one off the shin yesterday?

Steve

aro13

Steve - Yes, on Friday Wells took one off the knee. However I heard he is day to day and mlb.com lists him as starting Wednesday even though they mention him leaving his last start with the injury.

Connecticoin

I listened to it on the radio -- absoulutely brutal!! I actually thought Tavarez did OK when he relieved Wells on Friday -- the hits he gave up were seeing eye singles. But today he sucked -- he needed Wille Harris to throw out Gaithright at the plate to bail him out!!

Meanwhile, the Yanks held off the mighty Royals, 6-5.

WeekendHacker

I was ready to throw my XM radio out the window listening to that. The hot-head Tavarez needs to get it together. Although, Seanez started the whole mess. What's the deal with Craig Hansen, is he eligible to come up from the PawSox? I live on the west coast, so it's hard to get the skinny.