Jonathan Papelbon’s save looked like it was slipping away in the top of the ninth inning on Tuesday night at Fenway. John McDonald had blooped a single into Matt Garza Jersey left and Edwin Encarnacion came racing around second, looking poised to score the tying run.
It Ryne Sandberg Jersey was an occasion that called for a Authentic Alfonso Soriano Jersey perfect throw from left fielder Darnell McDonald, a textbook block by catcher Jason Varitek, and just maybe, a little help from home-plate umpire Brian Knight.
All those things came together for the Red Sox, who hung on — just barely — for a 3-2 victory over the Blue Authentic Ryne Sandberg Jersey Jays.
“I think ‘Tek deserves a save,” said manager Terry Francona. “He’s as good as anybody in Carlos Zambrano Jersey the Authentic Matt Garza Jersey game [at blocking the plate]. I know there were some people squawking a couple months ago, but that’s a good baseball play. He stuck that stump in there and didn’t let him get to the plate. Mac made a great throw. It’s certainly not the way we drew it up, but that’s a heck Carlos Pena Jersey of a way to win the game.”
Jays manager John Farrell knows as well as anyone how adept Varitek is at blocking the plate, from his four seasons as Boston’s pitching coach. But Kosuke Fukudome Jersey on this night, Cubs Kosuke Fukudome Jersey he thought his team got a Cubs Carlos Pena Jersey raw deal.
“We should still be playing right now,” Farrell said. “That play is right in front of Brian Knight. It was clear that Edwin did a good job sliding around the plant leg of ‘Tek, but his swipe tag missed him by no less than a foot. So right now, we should be Cubs Alfonso Soriano Jersey out on that field playing.”
With the Red Sox losing Jon Lester with a Authentic Carlos Pena Jersey strained lower latissimus muscle (which is near the left shoulder) after four no-hit innings, they were just glad to find a way to win.
McDonald has had a glaringly tough season at the plate, hitting .125 in 64 at-bats. He was happy to be able to help save a game with his arm.
The throw was a bullet, landing in Varitek’s mitt without a hop. Varitek stuck his left leg out, making home plate a near impossible destination for Encarnacion.
“I was just trying to get the ball in, obviously as quick as I could,” McDonald said. “Great tag by the captain, blocking the plate there. It’s a do or die play. I’m just coming up, trying to Alfonso Soriano Jersey get the ball in as soon as possible.”
Varitek was there, waiting.
“It’s the end of the game, I’m just trying to stay in there,” said Varitek. “Darnell made a very good throw — a perfect throw. It saved us the game.”
In the boxscore, that save did end up going to Papelbon, his 18th in 19 tries this season.
The Authentic Kosuke Fukudome Jersey big righty came on with a 3-0 lead, only to give up a leadoff single to Corey Patterson and a two-run Fenway shot to Jose Bautista, the 28th of the season for the slugger.
“I actually felt the one pitch I made to Bautista was one of the better pitches that I made tonight,” Papelbon said. “There’s Cubs Carlos Zambrano Jersey 29 ballparks that that ball is [an out]. Can’t do nothing about it.”
All’s well that ends well, right?
There is always a little uneasiness when the ace leaves in mid-start, not to mention with a no-hitter in progress. Lester will be examined on Wednesday, at which point there will be more information Authentic Carlos Zambrano Jersey on when he might return.
But the bullpen came up big in this one. Matt Albers fired two innings for the win, while Cubs Matt Garza Jersey Franklin Morales and Daniel Bard each fired a scoreless frame.
