A Day We'd Like To Forget by Jared Carrabis
Sox drop first game of home stand, Jerry Remy announces leave of absence


Don't you wish we could play the Yankees every day?

After improving to 5-0 against New York on Tuesday in the Bronx, the Red Sox headed back home to Fenway where the boys from Boston had won their last nine home games. The 5-0 start against the Billion Dollar Babies is the first for the Red Sox in the past 24 seasons of baseball. Returning to Fenway for the first time since throwing together a perfect 9-0 home stand, the Red Sox looked to continue their winning ways on Wednesday when they sent Justin Masterson to the hill against the Cleveland Indians. Entering Wednesday's start, Masterson was 5-0 at Fenway Park (7-0 including the playoffs) with a 3.10 ERA in five starts during the regular season.

The Sox got off to a great start, plating two runs in the bottom of the second inning. With Jason Bay getting things going with a leadoff walk, Mike Lowell ripped his ninth double of the season through the left side to put two men in scoring position for Jason Varitek. The captain jumped ahead in the count 3-0 and surprisingly took a hack at the 3-0 pitch for a swinging strike, but would later walk on the fifth pitch of the at bat to load the bases for Jeff Bailey. Bailey, who made the start at first base for the injured Kevin Youkilis, grounded into a double play to plate Boston's first run. The Sox scored their second run on an RBI single by Jacoby Ellsbury's replacement for the night, Jonathan Van Every.

The lead was short-lived, as the Tribe scored a run in the third, three in the fifth, three more in the seventh, and two more in the ninth, with the dagger being a solo shot off the bat of red-hot Victor Martinez. Martinez was 3-for-5 on the night with 4 RBI to extend his hitting streak to 15 games, raising his average to .398. The Red Sox scattered eight hits on the night, six against former Sox farmhand Carl Pavano, but left seven men on base, going 2-for-6 with runners in scoring position. The former Marlin and Yankee bust went six innings, giving up those six hits, two earned runs, while striking out four to earn the win. Aaron Laffey went the rest of the way for Cleveland, hurling three innings for the save.

Justin Masterson was roughed up for six earned runs on eight hits, he walked three and struck out six during his 6.1 innings of work, as his ERA jumped to 5.28. Hunter Jones was also touched for a run after watching Mark DeRosa leave the yard and Javier Lopez allowed two earned runs, including the solo jack by Martinez, as he watched his ERA climb to 10.38. One of the only good things to come out of Masterson's start was that he was able to throw 112 pitches without any complications, while facing 30 batters.

"When he got in trouble, it seemed like it was directly related to command," said Red Sox manager Terry Francona. "His stuff was good, but when he didn't command, that's when they scored."

Masterson reacted to suffering his first loss at Fenway Park after the game had concluded, "I'm just really disappointed today that it's a loss," Masterson said. "It's more that than anything. Whatever the record was coming in and having the lone loss now, it was bound to happen sometimes. It's unfortunate this way and I'll have to come out next time and continue to try to pitch well."

The Red Sox offense faltered due to the fact that the one through four hitters combined to go 2-for-14 on the night with two strikeouts. It also didn't help that the Sox grounded into three double plays.

"It was just a game where it seemed like our energy was a little bit not where it should be," said Red Sox third baseman Mike Lowell. "I didn't think we did our job as good as we should have."

As if suffering a seven-run loss wasn't bad enough for Red Sox Nation to endure, we were all struck with heart-breaking news just prior to the game. NESN's own, Jerry Remy, made an announcement before the game that he was taking a leave of absence from his time in the booth to fully recover from cancer surgery.

"I want to focus on completing my recovery so that I can return to work without distractions or interruptions," said Remy in his statement. "In November I had a very small, low-grade cancerous area removed from my lung," said Remy. "I was fortunate that it was discovered at an early stage. Except for the surgery, I required no additional treatments. I left the hospital with a clean bill of health."

Remy continued by saying, "Unfortunately, following the surgery, I developed a bad infection further compounded by a case of pneumonia. It was the pneumonia and the infection that set me back. This all happened just as I was leaving for Spring Training. In hindsight, it was a mistake to go and I am paying the price for it now. As NESN announced, I am taking a leave of absence so that I can fully recover." You can read his personal blog to Red Sox Nation by clicking here. Red Sox Nation wishes Jerry Remy a speedy recovery, as we all surely miss the fun and the brightness that he brings to the NESN booth each and every night. We're all pulling for you, Mr. President.

Red Sox Injury Updates:
The Red Sox seem to have been bitten by the injury bug, but this bite is only a mere nibble. The recent injuries to the Red Sox starters are for the most part, day-to-day bumps and bruises.

JD Drew hit in the leadoff spot on Wednesday night, with Jonathan Van Every taking over in center field, while Jacoby Ellsbury is nursing a hamstring injury. Ellsbury was not inserted into Wednesday's lineup, but his being held out of action was strictly precautionary. Being that Ellsbury is a speedster on the base paths, the Red Sox didn't want to take any risks inserting him into the lineup to prevent further injury to his hamstring. If he's feeling up to it, Ellsbury could return as soon as Thursday night.

Kevin Youkilis was also nowhere to be found in Boston's lineup on Wednesday. Youkilis, also considered day-to-day, was held out of action against the Indians due to an oblique injury that he suffered and re-aggravated against the Yankees. However, it was said that he was available to pinch-hit or be substituted in as a defensive replacement on Wednesday. With a crooked score of 9-2, the Red Sox were able to hold off on inserting Youkilis into the game, giving his injury more time to heal.

Red Sox shortstop, Jed Lowrie, is aiming at a return around the All Star break. "I’m stronger, I wouldn’t say strong," Lowrie said. "Obviously, any kind of surgery is a traumatic event. You have to build back the strength and the range of motion. There isn’t a lot of pain but the strength and range of motion are the two things I need to get back."

Daisuke Matsuzaka is on the road to recovery as well. Matsuzaka has already pitched one rehab start and informed the Red Sox that his fatigued shoulder felt fine. The Red Sox will likely have the right-hander start one more game, if not two, in the minors before he is activated from the disabled list.

The pride of Rhode Island, Rocco Baldelli, has deemed himself healthy enough to return to the Major League roster. Baldelli, who is also suffering from a hamstring injury, told reporters, "I feel good physically," he said. "I don't have maybe the timing I would like to at the plate, but I feel fine." Baldelli could return to the Red Sox any day now, but with Van Every filling in just fine, the Red Sox will likely allow Baldelli to get more at bats before returning from the disabled list.

The Red Sox look to get back to their winning ways at home when they send Tim Wakefield to the mound against Jeremy Sowers. In a rotation that features the likes of Josh Beckett, Jon Lester and Daisuke Matsuzaka, 42-year-old Tim Wakefield has been the winningest and most consistent starter on the young season for Boston. Standing at 3-1, Wakefield dominated the Tribe on April 27, tossing seven innings of shutout baseball, giving up just one hit. Sowers will be making his first start of the 2009 season. His last start came on September 25, 2008 against Boston in which the left-hander gave up five earned runs on seven hits in six innings.

Get well soon Rem Dawg!
-Jared Carrabis

Final Score: Indians 9, Red Sox 2

Published on May 07, 2009

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