Before tonight's game trouble brewed in the clubhouse of the Boston Red Sox. Manager Bobby Valentine ripped Kevin Youkilis after Sunday's win by saying he wasn't "emotionally invested in the game as in years past." To say Youkilis isn't trying as hard rubbed teammates the wrong way and Dustin Pedroia was the first to come to Youk's defense by saying "That's really not how we go about our stuff around here." Nevertheless this is the second time in a month that Valentine has quipped or gone off on a Sox player. He ripped into Nick Punto during Spring Training and there were rumors that he wasn't well liked in the clubhouse to begin with. The good news was the Boston Bruins defeated the Washington Capitals in Game 3 of their first round NHL playoff series but the bad news was the Sox dropped the series finale against the Tampa Bay Rauys The whole drama played out on the field as the offense that had no trouble scoring the last three games put up a goose egg against the Rays. "Big Game" James Shields lived up to his billing as he nearly tossed a complete game shutout against the Sox. Daniel Bard (0-2, 4.63 ERA) pitched valiantly against the Rays, allowing just 1 run in 6 2/3 innings. That run in the seventh inning would be the only run scored during the game. Youkilis was benched for fighting back with comments against Valentine (the cockamamie media reason was he had a "groin" problem) and the lack of offense doomed the Sox as they dropped their Patriot's Day game 1-0 to the Rays at Fenway Park.
Bard got the ball in the top of the first and Jennings took strike three to start. Carlos Pena lined out to first and Evan Longoria flied out to center to end the inning. Mike Aviles led off the bottom of the first with a pop up to first to start. Sox analysts Don Orsillo and Jerry Remy chastised Valentine over the Youkilis comments saying Kevin always gives it 100% when he plays. Dustin Pedroia grounded out to short and Adrian Gonzalez struck out swinging to end the inning.
Luke Scott grounded out to short to start the top of the second but Ben Zobrist was hit in the foot. Matt Joyce flied out to left but Jeff Keppinger walked. Ryan Sweeney made a good diving catch to rob Jose Molina of a hit to end the inning. David Ortiz grounded out to third to start the bottom of the second before Cody Ross lined a base hit off the backside of Shields. Ross took second on a wild pitch but Sweeney could only advance him to third on a grounder to short. Nick Punto grounded back to the mound to end the inning.
Sean Rodriguez struck out swinging to open the top of the third but Jennings walked. Jennings swiped second but Pena and Longoria both struck out swinging to end the inning. Jarrod Saltalamacchia led off the bottom of the third with a ground out to first before Darnell McDonald grounded out to third and Aviles took strike three to end the inning.
Scott led off the top of the fourth by grounding out to first to start. Zobrist walked and Joyce beat out a roller to second but Keppinger grounded into a double play to end the inning. Pedroia grounded back to Shields to start the bottom of the fourth but Gonzalez singled off the Monster. Ortiz grounded into a double play to end the inning.
Molina and Rodriguez both grounded out to third to start the top of the fifth but Jennings doubled into the left field corner. Pena walked but Longoria struck out swinging to end the inning. Ross took strike three to start the bottom of the fifth before Sweeney pulled a ground out to second. Punto drew a walk but Saltalamacchia popped up to left to end the inning.
Scott dropped a base hit in front of Ross to start the top of the sixth but Zobrist struck out swinging. Joyce hit into a double play to end the inning. McDonald led off the bottom of the sixth with a ground out to third and Aviles lined out to Keppinger. Pedroia lined a base hit to left but Gonzalez grounded back to the first to end the inning.
Bard ran out of gas in the top of the seventh inning as Keppinger grounded out to third to start. Molina was called out on strikes but Rodriguez walked. Jennings dumped a base hit to center on Bard's 102nd pitch. Despite clear signs that he was finished, Valentine stood there and let Bard pitch to Pena. Pena walked and Bard was up to 107 pitches yet Valentine kept him out there. Longoria walked on four pitches not even close and FINALLY Valentine pulled him. Bobby still thinking its 1992 when the starters went 8 innings cost the Sox big time as Bard left after walking 7 batters but allowing 1 run in 6 2/3 innings. Justin Thomas came in to pitch and got Scott to fly out to right to end the inning with the Rays ahead 1-0.
Reid Brignac took over for Keppinger to start the bottom of the seventh and Ortiz popped up to third to start. Ross got a base hit to left but Sweeney banged into a double play to end the inning.
Thomas returned for the top of the eighth and Zobrist beat out a roller to short to start. Matt Joyce popped up to short and Zobrist was thrown out trying to steal. Brignac struck out swinging to end the inning. The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the eighth as Punto struck out swinging to start. Saltalamacchia grounded out to second and McDonald grounded out to short to end the inning.
Matt Albers came in to pitch the top of the ninth and Molina grounded back to the mound to start. Rodriguez singled to center but Jennings lined out to center. Pena singled to right to move Rodriguez to third but Longoria was retired on a squibber in front of the plate to end the inning. Shields came back to complete his work in the bottom of the ninth and Aviles grounded out to short to start. Pedroia walked to chase Shields. Fernando Rodney came in to close out the game and Gonzalez moved Dustin to second with a ground out to first. Ortiz was intentionally walked and Jason Repko came in to run for him. Ross was called out on strikes on pitches not even close to end the game. The Rays had blanked the Sox and won the game 1-0.
Jackass of the Night is Ryan Sweeney. He was 0 for 3 with a strikeout including failing with men on base twice.
The Good:
Dustin Pedroia was 1 for 3 with a walk.
Cody Ross was 2 for 4.
One of the rare times the losing pitcher ends up on the Good list but Daniel Bard allowed just 1 run in 6 2/3 innings of work. He allowed 4 hits, walked 7 and struck out 7.
Justin Thomas tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
Matt Albers pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Mike Aviles was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Jarrod Saltalamacchia was 0 for 3.
Darnell McDonald was 0 for 3.
The Ugly:
Adrian Gonzalez was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.
David Ortiz was 0 for 3 but walked.
Nick Punto was 0 for 2 with a strikeout but walked.
Honorable Mention:
Jason Repko pinch ran for Ortiz in the bottom of the ninth.
Final Thoughts:
Forget the game for a second, clubhouse dissention goes far beyond a single loss. What Valentine did was ruffle the feathers of a clubhouse that's already on edge after last year's collapse. Valentine was notorious for pushing buttons as a manager in the 80's and 90's but this is 2012. Not to mention if he was trying to light a fire under Youkilis and the team by calling him out, he failed big time. The Sox had no trouble scoring against the Rays the first three games and didn't push a single run across in today's game. Bard pitched his ass off and ran out of gas in the seventh inning. Valentine left him in to rot but it didn't matter anyway because Shields shut the Sox down the whole game. Why Valentine let him throw that many pitches in April is another head scratcher, maybe he still thinks its 1992 when starters went the distance no matter what. Either way Bard took the loss mainly because of the offense, not so much of Valentine falling asleep in the dugout. The Sox now welcome the Texas Rangers in for a set and the first game will be tomorrow night. Jon Lester (0-1) goes for the Sox against Colby Lewis of the Rangers. The game begins at 7:10 PM at Fenway Park.
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