Romero Outduels Lester, Jays Win (4/11/12)

Is it still 2011? Apparently not although it still feels like it. The Boston Red Sox have played six games this year and have now lost five of them. After Daniel Bard and the bullpen allowed 7 runs yesterday, Jon Lester (0-1, 2.40 ERA) managed to toss a complete game in this one. Only problem was he allowed 3 runs and his counterpart Ricky Romero held the Sox bats to just 1. The Sox actually took the lead in the top of the third inning on a Jacoby Ellsbury rbi single but Rajai Davis and Yunel Escobar gave the Jays the lead they wouldn't relinquish. Another Escobar rbi single in the bottom of the eighth was the insurance run the Jays needed. The lack of clutch hitting by the Sox was apparent as the the tying runs were on in the top of the ninth but they couldn't get either one of them in. It all added up to a 3-1 defeat at the hands of the Toronto Blue Jays at the Skydome.

Romero got the ball in the top of the first and Jacoby Ellsbury led off the game by getting rung up for strike three on a curveball. Dustin Pedroia hit a 400 foot bomb but unfortunately it was to dead center for a fly out. Adrian Gonzalez then hit a bomb to left but it was caught on the warning track for the final out to end the inning. Lester got the ball in the bottom of the first and Yunel Escobar hit a flare to McDonald to start. Kelly Johnson popped up to Ross in foul territory and Jose Bautista grounded out to short to end the inning.

 
Kevin Youkilis led off the second with a ground out to short to begin. David Ortiz  popped up in foul territory to Escobar and 3 pitches later, Darnell McDonald grounded out to third to end the inning, It took 10 pitches but Lester led off the bottom of the second by striking out Edwin Encarnarcion swinging. Five pitches later Ben Francisco grounded out to third. Lester finished the inning by inducing a ground out to second from Brett Lawrie.

The Sox struck first in the top of the third when Cody Ross led off with a bullet single to left field. Mike Aviles followed with a seeing eye single into right but Ross was thrown out at third after a lousy bunt by Kelly Shoppach. The slumping Ellsbury broke through with a single to left that scored Aviles to give the Sox the lead. Pedroia could not keep the rally going as he struck out swinging on a changeup and Adrian Gonzalez grounded out to second on the first pitch to end the inning with the Sox ahead 1-0.

                                                            Sox take the lead

The Jays answered right back in the bottom of the third when Eric Thames dumped a base hit to right to start. A wild pitch moved Thames to second but Arencibia struck out swinging. Thames scored on the triple by Davis and Rajai scored on the sac fly by Escobar to give the Jays the lead. For the sixth game in the row, the Sox have fallen behind. Johnson walked and advanced to second on another muffed ball from Shoppach. On Lester's 50th pitch Bautista grounded out to first to end the inning with the Jays up 2-1.

                                                         Jays take the lead

Romero cruised in the top of the fourth as Youkilis grounded out to short to start. Ortiz popped up to short and McDonald struck out swinging to end the inning. Lester rebounded in the bottom of the fourth as Encarnacion grounded out to short to start. Francisco hit one up the elevator shaft and Lawrie grounded out to third by an eyelash to end the inning.

Romero dominated the top of the fifth as Lawrie robbed Shoppach of a base hit with a good catch to begin. Aviles grounded out to second and Shoppach grounded out to third to end the inning. Thames grounded out to first to start the bottom of the fifth before Arencibia struck out swinging. Davis was rung up for strike three by 3rd base umpire Brian Runge to end the inning.

Romero blew through the Sox in the top of the sixth as he got Ellsbury to ground out to second to start. Pedroia grounded out to short and Bautista made a great diving catch to rob Gonzalez of a bloop single to end the inning. Lester got Escobar to ground out to third to lead off the bottom of the sixth before Johnson grounded back to the mound. Bautista was called out on strikes to end the inning much to his dismay.

Romero cruised in the top of the seventh as Youkilis grounded out to third to start. Ortiz grounded out to second and McDonald flied out to left to end the inning. Romero had retired 14 in a row to this point. Lester got Encarnacion to fly out to the left field warning track to begin the bottom of the seventh. Francisco flied out to center and Lawrie flied out to right to end the inning with Lester at 102 pitches.

The Sox did nothing in the top of the eighth as Ross was rung up for strike three to start. Aviles grounded out to Lawrie and Shoppach struck out swinging to end the inning. Lester returned for the bottom of the eighth and got Thames swinging to start. Arencibia grounded out to second but Davis walked. Lester had Davis picked off but Gonzalez threw the ball 100 feet over second base to allow Rajai to reach second. Right on cue, Escobar singled up the middle to score Davis to give the Jays an insurance run. Johnson flied out to center but the damage was done as the Jays led 3-1.

                                                         Nice going Gonzalez

Rajai Davis switched to left field and Colby Rasmus took over at center as Romero came out to complete his work in the top of the ninth. Ellsbury led off with a walk to somehow get the tying run to the plate in the form of Pedroia who also worked a walk. With the tying runs on, Adrian Gonzalez flied out to the centerfield warning track but that moved Ellsbury to third and Pedroia to second. The closer Sergio Santos replaced Romero after 8 1/3 outstanding innings. The slumping Kevin Youkilis whiffed with the game on the line bringing up David Ortiz. Once the master of the walkoff, those days are long gone as Ortiz grounded out to short to end the game. The Jays had won it 3-1.

                                                             Jays win

Jackass of the Night is David Ortiz. He was 0 for 4 including leaving the tying runs on in the top of the ninth.

                                                              Jackass Ortiz

The Good:

Jacoby Ellsbury was 1 for 3 with a walk and an rbi.

Cody Ross was 1 for 3.

Mike Aviles was 1 for 3 with a run scored.

One of the rare time the losing pitcher ends up on the Good list but Jon Lester tossed a complete game 3 hitter. He allowed 3 runs and normally 3 runs in 8 innings is more than enough to win.

The Bad:

Adrian Gonzalez was 0 for 4.

Kevin Youkilis was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.

Darnell McDonald was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.

Kelly Shoppach was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.

The Ugly:

Dustin Pedroia was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but walked.

Final Thoughts:

Once again the Sox impotent and un-clutch offense doomed them. Lester pitched a complete game and has allowed 5 runs in 15 innings with nothing to show for it. This is the exact same team minus Carl Crawford that dominated the American League from May to August of last year. Crawford can't be THAT important can he? Bobby Valentine hasn't been the answer either although you can't blame him for the team not hitting. The Sox had the tying runs in the ninth and both Youkilis and Ortiz failed to get them in. Youk hasn't looked good at all the first six games of the season but Ortiz failing was tough to watch. Still, its only April so its not the time to panic but the stench of last year isn't going away with each loss to begin the season. After an off-day tomorrow the Sox are back in action in their home opener at Fenway this coming Friday. Josh Beckett (0-1) gets the start for Boston against Tampa Bay Rays ace David Price. Its the one hundred year anniversary of the opening of Fenway Park and it begins at 2:05 PM at Fenway Park.