by Jeremy Zaslaw
On the last day of February The Boston Red Sox gave us what we as a fan-base have craved for
over a year now. On the last day of February The Boston Red Sox gave us what we as a fan-base have craved for
It's been a long time since we have had much to cheer about in Red Sox Nation, I do not need to tell you as fans this, as I am sure many of you have been feeling the doom and depression may last a lifetime.
Flash forward to February 28th 2013.
On a day after a night game (which was a loss to Baltimore), The Red Sox were back to early spring
business resting most of the regular projected starters and focusing on the young prospects. It has been a ho-hum spring to this early point as the team has shown some good signs but nothing to bet the farm on.
Until today that is.
Not to bet the farm as I stated, but rather to show so signs of life as a team that could be a sleeper in The American League this season. It did not start as we may have liked with John Lackey giving up an early 3 run bomb to third base prospect Jared Goedert to fall behind 3-1 in the bottom of the second inning.
As I am sure many of you were thinking, the thought of "here we go again!" came very easily.
But maybe not. Could it be our boys could rebound after taking one on the chin?
The top of the third inning started with a one out single from our top prospects, center fielder Jackie
Bradley Jr., followed by another base knock from third baseman Brock Holt.
It was on from there.
The Red Sox went on to plate four runs in the frame and take the lead immediately back. It was 5-3 Boston after three innings in the books. The Red Sox youth took one on the chin but they look inclined to battle back and battle back they did.
In the top of the fourth they plated five more runs again started by a Jackie Bradley Jr. single to lead it off. The team then showed great plate discipline drawing five walks in the frame. After 4 innings Boston led 10-3.
In the bottom of the fifth LF Felix Pie Tagged LHP Chris Hernandez for a two run shot that drew
Pittsburgh as close as they would come on this final day of February at 10-5. The Red Sox added two
runs in the seventh and four more in the ninth to take a 16-5 lead to the bottom of the ninth inning
J.D. Durbin allowed a solo HR to SS Jordy Mercer to close out scoring and eventually close out the game.
Notable stat-lines CF Bradley Jr. (.571) went 3-5 with 3 singles 3 runs scored and a stolen base.
3B Brock Holt (.385) went 2-4 with 2 singles a walk and 2 runs scored. LF J.C. Linares (.444) went
2-3 with 2 singles 2 runs scored and 2 runs batted in.
The Red Sox had 16 hits in all and none for extra bases and benefitted from an alarming 15 base on balls given up by Pittsburgh pitching. John Lackey got the win for Boston (1-0) while Jonathon Sanchez (0-1) took the loss for Pittsburgh.
