Saturday, February 11, 2012
Boston simply cannot win close games, or at least enough of them. Josh Beckett gives up two earned runs over seven innings, but an error and unproductive offense give the Red Sox another loss.
Boston could get only two runs off of Orioles starter Brian Matusz, now 7-12. Granted, Matusz has allowed one run or less in four of his previous five starts. In the other start, he allowed five runs in a loss - to the Rays.
While the major league team struggled, Pawtucket got home runs from Lars Anderson, Bubba Bell and Aaron Bates, while Portland welcomed home runs by Will Vazquez, Ryan Lavarnway and Luis Exposito. (See the game story on the Sea Dogs).
So, who are the best Red Sox sluggers, putting together the majors and all the minor leagues.?(Yes, I know there is a difference between the majors and the minors, but it's interesting to look at the numbers.
Home run leaders: David Ortiz 27, Adrian Beltre, Anthony Rizzo 23, Ryan Lavarnway 22, Kevin Youkilis 19, Nate Spears 18, Josh Reddick 16.
RBI leaders: Lavarnway 95, Rizzo 94, Luis Exposito 90, Beltre 88, Ortiz 79, Spears 73, Oscar Tejeda 68, Will Middlebrooks 68, Lars Anderson 66, Reddick 65, Chih-Hsien Chiang 65, Youkilis 62.
Youkilis, by the way, has not played since Aug. 2.
Kevin covers baseball for the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram. He first reported on spring training games for the St. Petersburg Times in 1978. He wisely moved to Maine in 1994 and now writes about the Portland Sea Dogs and Boston Red Sox — when he's not coaching Little League baseball. He is married to Nancy, and the couple has completed their lineup card with the birth of their ninth child, who is now 4 1/2 years old.