Heavenly Help?: Tigers-Sox Gamer II/IV

Think the Sox have played like a team possessed blessed the first six weeks or so of the season? This might be your reason why:

On Sunday, Tito spotted a couple of nuns sitting near the dugout. He threw one of 'em a baseball. She said, "There are two of us up here.'' He threw another, expecting maybe a good word or blessing in return. The nun says, "Sign the balls and we might think about it," or words to that effect. So Francona signed the two balls, and the Sox went on to score six runs in the ninth inning later to edge the Orioles, 6-5.

It's unlikely the nuns were quite so willing to bless Julian Tavarez, who -- though he kissed his medallion after leaving with the lead, and ultimately the win, in Game 1 of today's foubleheader -- told Gordon Edes that being an adult-film star was his backup career.

The answer for the Sox' terrific play -- play that has them in position to open a stunning 9.5-game lead in mid-May on the New York Yankees -- probably lies in more earthbound reasons. Like terrific pitching.

Entering today, the Sox ranked this way in the major (and minor) team pitching categories:

• 1st (or tied) in: batting average against (.234), opponents' slugging (.354), OPS against (.654), fewest blown saves (2), save percentage (87 percent), hits allowed (299), total bases allowed (453), fewest wild pitches (3)
• 2nd (or tied) in: OBP allowed (.300), home runs allowed (26), WHIP (1.21), K/BB ratio (2.42)
• 3rd (or tied) in: K/9 (7.10), fewest pitches per plate appearance (3.75)
• 4th (or tied) in: quality starts (22)

And that was before Julian Tavarez threw a quality start and combined with Hideki Okajima to allow just four hits and eight baserunners. And Papelbon earned a save.

The hitting, however, has also been superb -- even if it doesn't always feel like it. The Sox are:

• 1st (or tied) in: batting average (.278), on-base percentage (.362), OPS (.800), walks (171)
• 2nd (or tied) in: runs (209), slugging percentage (.438), stolen base percentage (86 percent)

Needless to say, that adds up to a team that is first in the major leagues in wins. Regression of course is inevitable, but I'm tired of throwing these types of cautions out there. We all know them. Right now, the Sox are the best team in baseball, and deservedly so.

Game 2 of the twin bill begins shortly. Feel free to comment away!

Comments

[Paul SF]

Also, this didn't fit anywhere in my post, but:

On a completely different note, Hideki Okajima has now pitched 17 consecutive games without giving up a run. That's good for fifth on the Sox' all-time list. Ugueth Urbina's team record is 20, followed by Jonathan Papelbon (twice) and Tony Fossas with 19 apiece. The all-time record is old friend Mike Myers during his NL years, who did it over 37 games in 1999-2000 but threw fewer than 20 total innings.

Link to the list, generated with Baseball-Reference's Play Index is: http://www.baseball-reference.com/pi/shareit/R8Jm

[Rob SF]

No Papi, No Drew

[rootbeerfloat]

I guess Papi is sick and didn't even want to play this morning

[Nate=Soxfan]

Julian was to be a porn star?

Damn- this team just gets more and more awesome.

[Paul SF]

Yeah, Pena-Crisp-Hinske ain't quite Lewis-Speaker-Hooper is it?

[Hudson]

(1) Please, someone recommend some kind of ultra-powerful brain rinse that will remove even the slightest hint of this notion of The Orc as porn star (Julian Does Juneau?) from ever, uh, springing to mind again...

(2) Let's hope the Sox blow this one wide open tonight, since Oki/Paps are presumably unavailable. Otherwise Curt is going to have to throw a complete game, and if memory serves some ugly stuff can happen to him after 100 pitches.

[Josh SF (D1)]

Count me among those who don't want to think about the Orc's O-face.

Leadoff double for Granderson to start the game...Crisp really should have caught the damn thing, it hit his glove next to the Monster.

Curt then hits Polanco's uniform. This is not good.

[attackgerbil]

Julian: "Yeah, well this is imported Italian nylon."

Daisuke: *laughs, but he's not sure why*

[Paul SF]

Ugh. Teach me to write a glowing game thread. I say I don't believe in jinxes, but...

[Hudson]

Sheff Ks. Sweet.

Badly needing a double play here to right the universe again... Magglio at bat.

[Josh SF (D1)]

Great pitch to freeze Sheffield for strike 3. He must not see Schilling too well...cuz that cutter was inside, but not THAT inside; he jumped back like he thought it was going to hit him.

[Paul SF]

Now 3-0 to Ordonez. Right the shop, Curt...

[Paul SF]

Now a full count. Also not sure what shop Curt owns that he needs to set right... Typing in the dark = dumb.

[Paul SF]

Walk. Grrrr..

[Hudson]

He walks Ordonez, bases loaded, one out. Aieee.

[Josh SF (D1)]

Guillen's 2/6 lifetime vs Schilling with a pair of K's.

Schilling's not sharp. This would make three starts in a row if he doesn't turn things around...be happy to get out of this with just a run allowed at this point.

Of course, this umpire isn't giving him a damn thing, either...

[Paul SF]

Thankfully the Tigers' lineup tails off significantly after Guillen -- no batting averages above .229.

[Hudson]

Curt's approach to the last two batters: Go down 3-0, then go after the batter and bring the count back full.

[Josh SF (D1)]

25th pitch of the inning is ball four, but Guillen fouls it off...26th pitch and he's down swinging.

F*ck is going on; his velocity's normal and he's not typically missing by much...this is still not good. Though not as bad as it could be if he gets the ice-cold Sean Casey, who's 6/16 lifetime against him.

[Paul SF]

Of course, when the hitters are Casey, Thames and Inge, you just hope they stay that low. Clutch strikeout of Guillen there.

[Hudson]

26-pitch inning already, Casey batting with the bases still loaded, two out after Guillen Ks. Nervewracking inning.

Maybe Curt will settle down for the remainder. At this rate, though, we'll be seeing the lower end of the Boston pen.

[Paul SF]

Wow, and it looks like Curt BARELY gets out of it. GameDay placed that ball at the infamous RF wall.

[Hudson]

Casey flies out. Phewww. With luck the Sox will now bust out a ton of runs, and Schilling will have a couple of 7-pitch innings.

[Hudson]

Coco gets it started with a single through the right side.

[Paul SF]

If Curt settles down to 15 pitches an inning, he can probably go six. Throw a couple 10-pitch innings there, and he'd be good for seven. Let's hope he actually does the required settling for that to happen.

[Rob SF]

What an ugly outfield we have tonight

[Josh SF (D1)]

I was taking a leak...couldn't handle watching the Casey ab. Off the bat, Remy says it looked like it had a chance and that the wind may have knocked it down. In any event, it landed about five or six feet from the wall in right; the way Hinske was dancing to try and get under it, I think Remy was right.

Crisp pulls a liner through the infield and into right. Gameday calls it a grounder...bah, it landed just inside the outfield grass.

Ump looks like he's got a pretty tight zone tonight.

[Paul SF]

What a crazy lineup. Cora batting second, Youkilis third. Not exactly fearsome, but the way Youks is hitting, he's a force...

[Hudson]

Crisp steals on 3-0, unusual.

[Paul SF]

Not sure how that grounder played out, but Crisp's stolen base was excellent. Not only avoided the DP, but Cora's grounder puts him at third.

[Hudson]

Cora grounds out to the first baseman, moving Crisp to 3rd, one out.

[Paul SF]

YOUK!!!! Still hot, as the single plates Crisp! Great baserunning and hitting by the Sox there!

[Hudson]

Youks singles home the first run! 1-0 Sox.

[Josh SF (D1)]

And of course Youk comes through, ripping a hard grounder through the drawn-in infield. 1-0 Sox; Tigers fans must be banging their heads on the wall after loading the bases with one out and coming up empty like that.

Manny still looks off to me, even if the average is coming up a bit. Strike one looked like a fat one down the middle, which he fouled back; in the last game he fouled off too really, really bad hanging splits from Mesa that really should have been crushed. Basically missed a couple of 82 mph fastballs...not Manny-like.

[Paul SF]

Gotta get going, watching an independent-league baseball game tonight. Go Sox!!

[Josh SF (D1)]

Remy says the exact same thing I just did as Manny fouls off a hanging breaking ball, then gets called out on a nasty fastball on the inside corner. This sucks; he's starting to worry me.

[Hudson]

Manny Ks. 2 gone, Youks still at first.

[Josh SF (D1)]

Durbin walks Lowell, he's already at 24 pitches himself. The way this is going both pens are going to be out in force tonight...

[Josh SF (D1)]

Makes Varitek look foolish on the first two strikes, and he bounces the 1-2 to second to end the inning.

Now lets see if Schilling bounces back...

[Josh SF (D1)]

...video of Remy playing air guitar on the counter in front of the booth window. He falls over. One out.

Our OF defense. Is. Awful. With Hinske and Pena, this has got to be the worst defensive OF in the game right now. That "double" was a routine flyball that Hinske started back on and failed to recover; the wind is blowing hard, which saved Curt a grandslam but just cost him a double.

[Rain SF]

Whee! I get to see the game live on ESPN Philippines!

[Josh SF (D1)]

Well. This game's almost over already. Schilling's not even close anymore; you have to be REALLY bad to walk Granderson and Polanco in order like that. They don't walk a whole lot.

Schilling sneaks out of it again, though, and Lowell almost f*cked it up. Opted to go the short way to second with the chopper instead of throwing out the slow Sheffield at first. Ended up a really close play at 2nd.

Granted, that inning should have ended with the Inge strikeout...but at the rate he's going, Schilling will be very lucky if he lasts five.

[Rain SF]

Frak. I'm getting the FSN Detroit feed.

The announcers sound like fanboys.

[Josh SF (D1)]

That's rough...Boston's announcers are the best. :-)

Durbin's having trouble throwing strikes, too. Walks Pedroia; the fourth ball there looked like it could have gone either way...

So Crisp's up. Not exactly an RBI machine...maybe he'll luck into a bloop single.

[Josh SF (D1)]

No such luck...harmless flyout. I bet Cora hits a groundball...

[Josh SF (D1)]

Or walks...Durbin can't find the strikezone. On Youk's (capable) shoulders once again.

[TJ]

come on youkie

[Rain SF]

They're counting on Youk to be an RBi guy here.

Come on, Youk.

[Josh SF (D1)]

Not this time. One of Durbin's pitches almost hit him...he should have taken it for the team. F*cking A, they really needed to score there...

[Rain SF]

Schill looked shaky in that 2nd inning. We'll see what happens in the third.

[Josh SF (D1)]

Another lameass f*cking popup turns into a double. Curt's been bad, his luck's been worse; he's allowed 3 doubles, the first hit Crisp's glove, the last two were popups Hinske couldn't get to.

And the fourth 2B was legit...Schilling is AWFUL tonight.

[TJ]

how is it awful if three of them shoulda been handled?

[Ayuh - SF]

great comment, TJ!

[Rain SF]

Game tied. Guillen doubles in Magglio Ordoñez.

Schilling's usually a very good control pitcher. What's happening? Is it the wind?

[Josh SF (D1)]

Well...Crisp's was a tough play. Well-hit ball he could have had, but probably not fair to call it a "should." The other two were messed with by the wind...which also knocked down a possible (see: highly likely) grand-slam. He's been all over the zone, and while there haven't been a TON of well-hit balls--4 that I can remember--there doesn't have to be if he's going to walk that many.

Manny's pissed at the ump after he looks at two straight strikes and gets called out. No question there...they were both on the plate. Lowell with the super-productive 1-pitch flyout.

[Josh SF (D1)]

If this stays a single, Curt's REALLY lucky...that was a homerun.

[Rain SF]

Inge homers. Tigers lead, 2-1.

[Hudson]

Top of the fifth... Yet another double off Schilling to start an inning. WTF.

[Hudson]

Lineout to Hinske moves Guillen to third, one out.

[Andrew F]

Hinske not looking good in right. Schilling not looking good on the mound (6 doubles, home run).

Guillen caught in 512613 run down.

[Andrew F]

Hinske makes an amazing catch, hurts himself on the play (shouldn't have jinxed him).

[Josh SF (D1)]

Holy f*ck. Hinske just did his best to make up for his earlier mistakes...full-extension, diving catch on the dirt to save a run. Ugly...no way for him to brace himself and his face smashes into the dirt. I'd be shocked if that's not a concussion...looked really bad.

[Hudson]

Lengthy rundown gets the lead runner, Thames to second. 2 out.

5-2-5-1-6-3 put out, NESN says.

Now Hinske makes a truly fantastic catch for out #3, unfortunately involving a wicked faceplant in the right field dirt.

[Hudson]

6 of the 7 Detroit hits off Schilling have been doubles (and it would have been 7 of 8 if not for Hinke's web gem).

[Josh SF (D1)]

They're saying he's OK...I really don't get how. Could see his head bounce back off the dirt...jeez.

But he's smiling as he ran off the field, so apparently I'm just a gigantic p*ssy. Heh...

[Hudson]

Manny whiffs for the third time tonight.

[Josh SF (D1)]

Manny strikes out for the third time on the night. I'm really, really worried about him...it's halfway through May and he isn't even close to himself yet.

Another quick inning for Durbin. Boston had ample opportunity earlier in the game to knock him out, and failed miserably. But given what Schilling has gotten away with, it's hard to complain about a lack of clutch/good fortune.

[Rain SF]

Schilling's not at his best, Hinske and Peña are questionable at the corners, but its still 2-1.

We have a chance to win this thing.

Now only if Manny can get going.

[Hudson]

Yet another double off Curt, this time with one out in the 6th. Unreal.

Now a walk. Donnelly warming.

[Josh SF (D1)]

Typepad keep f*cking up for anyone else?

If he somehow gets Ordonez here, this goes in the books as a quality start. Which is just bizarre...

[Hudson]

And Schilling somehow gets out of another inning without damage. It is indeed miraculous that this game is still 2-1. Sox could take control again quickly, I'm optimistic...

[Josh SF (D1)]

...so does Curt get lauded for a gutsy outing or do we chalk this up to good luck? I'm genuinely torn.

[Josh SF (D1)]

Ha, maybe Pena will hit one of his random and awe-inspiring monster homeruns. That'd be pretty sweet.

[Josh SF (D1)]

Would have made some sense to PH Lugo there. I mean it's nice to get your guys a full rest, and I guess maybe it's a little early to empty the bench like that...but c'mon...

Well then. That's...an interesting RBI single. Good job Cora...I think...

Go Youk!

[Hudson]

Infield hit for Cora ties the game... Bags still loaded, 2 outs...

[Hudson]

Long flyout by Youks ends it. Damn, that was a big chance to open up a huge lead... But at least it's a tie game.

[Josh SF (D1)]

Youk sort of puts a charge in one, kinda. OK not really, but it almost made it to the warning track.....

Detroit's left 24 men on, but Boston's left 14. Both offenses should be fairly frustrated right now.

[Rain SF]

Brendan "My-arm-is-gonna-fall-off-because-I-pitch-like-this" Donnelly strikes out Thames to end the 7th.

Come on, Sox.

[Rain SF]

Lowell singles.

Tek is up.

[Josh SF (D1)]

Tch. So Detroit has two sh*tty lefty relievers who absolutely own Boston. Byrdak strikes out 5 of 6 in the first game, and this Ledezma character's more or less shutting them down in the nightcap. So far, at least...

[Andrew F]

Hinske 2-run home run!!!!

[Rain SF]

Hinske with a homerun!

Holy crap, Hinske is going to be the star of this game.

[Devine]

Hinske homers! It's 4-2 Boston!

[z118]

HINSKE!!!

[Josh SF (D1)]

Well. I spoke just a LITTLE too soon...Hinske crushes one to give the Sox a 4-2 lead! I can't f*cking believe that just happened...no disrespect to Hinske but he's typically about as effective against lefties as Trot used to be. Kick ass, I love our bench this year.

At this point, given Schilling's line and the offensive numbers Detroit's put up...man, those nuns must have worked some magic.

[Devine]

Who's warming if anybody?

[Josh SF (D1)]

And Pena walks for the third time tonight. Fricken weird. I'd really like for Pedroia to do something here...at least hit the ball hard...

Pineiro and Lopez are both up in the pen.

[Rain SF]

Wily Mo has walked three times this game.

Maybe he's finally learning some plate discipline to go with his tremendous raw power.

[Josh SF (D1)]

Donnelly only threw 9 pitches in the 8th; I'm hoping he comes back out, with Tito playing the lefty-righty game in the ninth.

Not a good ab by Pedroia...oh well.

[Rain SF]

Pedroia pops out, but at least we have the lead.

No Oki, no Paps. Time for someone in the pen to step up.

[Andrew F]

Wily Mo walks for the third time tonight, for his 6th of the season. I'm glad he's punishing the pitchers who keep throwing him breaking stuff out of the strike zone.

[Josh SF (D1)]

Donnelly is back out for the 8th, which makes me happy; he only threw 9 pitches in the 7th. I'm...somewhat confident he and Lopez can close the door.

Though now that he's given up a single to the backup catcher to lead off the inning, I'm slightly less enthused...

[Rain SF]

Donnely strikes out Inge. Wow. Inge strikes out like he's paid to strike out.

And Javier Lopez is in to face the lefty Granderson, one of my favorite non-Sox players.

[Josh SF (D1)]

...don't really like this. There isn't a righty left in the pen I trust more then Donnelly to face Polanco/Sheffield/Ordonez; Lopez has been tough against righties so far, but I do wonder what Tito's going to do. I fear Pineiro might be coming in shortly after Granderson's ab...

[Devine]

Woo!

[Rain SF]

DP! Sweet!

[Josh SF (D1)]

Omar Infante PH's for Granderson, and couldn't have done a worse job. Which is fantastic; he slaps a grounder right at Pedroia, who flips to Cora to start the easy DP.

[Devine]

Okajima working in the pen...

[Josh SF (D1)]

...so I suppose the plan is to use Okajima until his arm falls off. And he gets to face the same three guys in the 9th that he faced in the 8th earlier today: Polanco, Sheff, Ordonez. Not sure how I feel about this...