Beckett's Better by Jared Carrabis
Cy Young Runner-Up To Be Was No Match For Surging Sox

99% of the expectations for Game 1 of the 2007 American League Championship Series, that featured what very well could be the top two candidates for the 2007 Cy Young Award, had “pitcher’s duel” written all over it. The greatest pitching stars of all time have shined brightest while performing on the stage that is October. However, it seems that the power surge that was the Boston offense blew out the would-be shining light in Cleveland left-hander C.C. Sabathia


Sabathia carried a 19-7 record with a 3.21 ERA during the regular season into his first postseason start at Fenway Park. However, his stellar 2007 season did not intimidate the Red Sox bats in the least bit. Boston tagged the ace of the Indians staff for eight earned runs over four and a third innings. Sabathia made his early exit not before giving up seven hits to the relentless Boston offense.


Although the big lefty for Cleveland had five walks, give the Red Sox some credit for the high walk total. The Red Sox hitters showed a very impressive amount of plate patience. They did not let the hype and the significance of the game around them get the best of them. The Boston hitters were up there simply looking to get on base any way possible in order to score runs early and often. No one was hacking away looking to blast one onto Lansdowne Street. Manny Ramirez twice came to the plate with the bases loaded and started his at bat with an 0-2 count. Twice, Manny Ramirez worked the count full and eventually drew a walk to score a run.


Josh Beckett was on tonight, plain and simple. Beckett worked a bittersweet first inning by striking out the side but in the process he left a fastball up to Travis Hafner. Hafner aired out Beckett’s 97 MPH fastball offering into the Cleveland bullpen to give the Tribe a 1-0 advantage. This would be the only major blemish to Beckett’s second postseason outing in a Red Sox uniform as he threw 80 pitchers over six innings of work striking out seven. Cleveland mustered a mere two runs on four hits during Josh Beckett’s second postseason win in as many tries for Boston.


The top of the Red Sox order picked up their ace in the bottom of the first inning and got the run given to Cleveland via Hafner’s solo shot right back. The first out of the inning was no walk in the park for the Cleveland ace as Dustin Pedroia hammered a line drive back at the face of Sabathia who managed to get his glove up in time to make the snag.


Kevin Youkilis got things going by singling to centerfield, following suit was David Ortiz who rifled a line drive back up the middle to put a man in scoring position for the red hot Manny Ramirez. Manny who carried a hefty career batting average against Sabathia with four home runs made it look easy by roping a line drive into centerfield to score Kevin Youkilis from second.


Boston’s offense was just getting started as they managed to score 10 runs on 12 hits during the course of this Indian bashing. The bulk of Boston’s offensive outbreak was between the third and sixth inning as they mounted nine runs. Mike Lowell set the tone for the Cleveland pitching staff that they may be in for a long night when he lined a ground-rule double to right field. Lowell added 3 RBI to is postseason totals while giving Boston a 4-1 advantage over Cleveland. The 3-4 combo of David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez made ten trips to the plate on Friday night and reached base…ten times. The dynamic duo went a combined 4 for 4 with five walks and a HBP while collecting 3 RBI.


Every Boston starter hit safely on Friday night and Boston was put in a bases loaded situation five times and scored five times. Surprisingly the Red Sox left nine men on base. The Red Sox cannot afford to leave anyone on base in game two of this series, as they will need every run they can get against the extremely talented right-hander, Fausto Carmona.


Game two of this best of seven series features another great young pitcher that is a member of the Cleveland staff in Fausto Carmona who stunned baseball fans all over with his 19-8 record and 3.06 ERA. Carmona manhandled the Red Sox during the regular season back on July 25 with an eight-inning shutout holding the Sox to only four hits. The only difference this time is that Carmona will not be pitching in Cleveland, he will be welcomed back to Fenway Park where he does not have very fond memories. Back in July 2006, David Ortiz slammed a walk off home run to dead centerfield off Carmona as he walked off the mound a losing pitcher.


The Red Sox will be hoping for similar results or just a win in general. It does not matter how they win, all that matters is that they win four games before the Indians do. Opposing Carmona will be one of the greatest big game pitchers in the history of the game, Curt Schilling. Although all the pregame hype will be focused on how dominating of a pitcher Carmona is, the Boston postseason legend, Curt Schilling, will be carrying a career 9-2 record with a 1.92 ERA in his time spent in the postseason.


ALCS Game 1: Indians 3, Red Sox 10

Published on October 12, 2007

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