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AL: Red Sox complete sweep of Rangers
By Howard Ulman, AP Sports Writer
Tuesday, April 22, 2008 | No comments posted.
BOSTON — It didn’t take Boston rookie infielder Jed Lowrie long to experience the strong offense he was joining.
In the 12 games since he was called up on April 10, the Red Sox have scored at least five runs 10 times. On Monday they did it with a lineup that was missing Manny Ramirez and Sean Casey, two of their leading hitters.
“We’re playing well and having good at-bats all throughout the game,” the infielder said. “We’re pitching well and everything seems to be clicking right now and it’s one of those things where you try to hold onto it as long as you can.”
The Red Sox beat the Texas Rangers 8-3 Monday to complete a four-game sweep. They reached base on 12 hits and 11 walks. And they did it while Ramirez, batting .338, and Casey, hitting .349, were given the Patriots Day game off.
Julio Lugo went 4-for-4 to raise his average to .314, one of six regulars batting over .300, and Boston won for the ninth time in 10 games to boost its record to an AL-best 14-7.
“They rely on everybody and it seems like everybody seems to contribute,” Texas manager Ron Washington said. “I think (if) you ask any manager if it’s nice not to see Manny in the lineup and they’ll tell you, ‘yes.’ I’m no different. These guys, they scored runs.”
David Ortiz is even back to normal with two doubles and three RBIs Monday. The slugging designated hitter is batting .306 (11-for-36) in his past eight games since struggling at .070 (3-for-43) in his first 12.
On the holiday that commemorates Paul Revere’s ride and the battles of Lexington and Concord, Boston’s first two batters, Jacoby Ellsbury and Dustin Pedroia, reached base five times in 10 trips.
“That’s the key for us,” Ellsbury said, “getting on base and allowing our great batters in our lineup to get up. As long as we get runners on, we know we’re going to score some runs.”
They didn’t need many as Clay Buchholz (1-1) pitched six scoreless innings for his first win as a starter since Sept. 1 when he threw a no-hitter in his second major league start.
Texas didn’t score until the seventh on RBI doubles by Gerald Laird and Josh Hamilton.
The Red Sox didn’t need any late comeback like the ones that gave them wins on Saturday and Sunday.
“We could have easily split this series,” Laird said. “They battled back and now they swept us so it makes it tougher when you have a couple of games that you think you should win and you can’t hold onto them.”
Kason Gabbard pitched a perfect first for Texas but hurt his back when he slipped while pitching to Kevin Youkilis, leading off the second. He finished the inning then left with a stiff back.
Dustin Nippert (1-2) relieved and allowed five runs in the fourth when one run scored on an error by first baseman Ben Broussard and another when left fielder Milton Bradley lost Ortiz’s fly ball in the sun for a double. Pedroia also doubled in two runs.
Tigers 5, Blue Jays 1
At Toronto, rookie Armando Galarraga won his second straight start, Edgar Renteria homered and the Tigers beat the Blue Jays.
Ivan Rodriguez had four hits and Renteria scored twice for Detroit.
Galarraga (2-0) has won back-to-back starts since being called up from Triple-A Toledo last week to replace Dontrelle Willis, sidelined by a hyperextended knee.
The 26-year-old Galarraga blanked the Blue Jays on three singles for 5 1-3 innings. He struck out four and walked four.
Galarraga, who beat Cleveland last week, lowered his ERA to 1.50. He has not allowed a hit to a right-hander in 21 at-bats since joining the Tigers.
The Tigers gave Galarraga all the support he needed with a four-run second off Shaun Marcum (2-1).
In the 12 games since he was called up on April 10, the Red Sox have scored at least five runs 10 times. On Monday they did it with a lineup that was missing Manny Ramirez and Sean Casey, two of their leading hitters.
“We’re playing well and having good at-bats all throughout the game,” the infielder said. “We’re pitching well and everything seems to be clicking right now and it’s one of those things where you try to hold onto it as long as you can.”
The Red Sox beat the Texas Rangers 8-3 Monday to complete a four-game sweep. They reached base on 12 hits and 11 walks. And they did it while Ramirez, batting .338, and Casey, hitting .349, were given the Patriots Day game off.
Julio Lugo went 4-for-4 to raise his average to .314, one of six regulars batting over .300, and Boston won for the ninth time in 10 games to boost its record to an AL-best 14-7.
“They rely on everybody and it seems like everybody seems to contribute,” Texas manager Ron Washington said. “I think (if) you ask any manager if it’s nice not to see Manny in the lineup and they’ll tell you, ‘yes.’ I’m no different. These guys, they scored runs.”
David Ortiz is even back to normal with two doubles and three RBIs Monday. The slugging designated hitter is batting .306 (11-for-36) in his past eight games since struggling at .070 (3-for-43) in his first 12.
On the holiday that commemorates Paul Revere’s ride and the battles of Lexington and Concord, Boston’s first two batters, Jacoby Ellsbury and Dustin Pedroia, reached base five times in 10 trips.
“That’s the key for us,” Ellsbury said, “getting on base and allowing our great batters in our lineup to get up. As long as we get runners on, we know we’re going to score some runs.”
They didn’t need many as Clay Buchholz (1-1) pitched six scoreless innings for his first win as a starter since Sept. 1 when he threw a no-hitter in his second major league start.
Texas didn’t score until the seventh on RBI doubles by Gerald Laird and Josh Hamilton.
The Red Sox didn’t need any late comeback like the ones that gave them wins on Saturday and Sunday.
“We could have easily split this series,” Laird said. “They battled back and now they swept us so it makes it tougher when you have a couple of games that you think you should win and you can’t hold onto them.”
Kason Gabbard pitched a perfect first for Texas but hurt his back when he slipped while pitching to Kevin Youkilis, leading off the second. He finished the inning then left with a stiff back.
Dustin Nippert (1-2) relieved and allowed five runs in the fourth when one run scored on an error by first baseman Ben Broussard and another when left fielder Milton Bradley lost Ortiz’s fly ball in the sun for a double. Pedroia also doubled in two runs.
Tigers 5, Blue Jays 1
At Toronto, rookie Armando Galarraga won his second straight start, Edgar Renteria homered and the Tigers beat the Blue Jays.
Ivan Rodriguez had four hits and Renteria scored twice for Detroit.
Galarraga (2-0) has won back-to-back starts since being called up from Triple-A Toledo last week to replace Dontrelle Willis, sidelined by a hyperextended knee.
The 26-year-old Galarraga blanked the Blue Jays on three singles for 5 1-3 innings. He struck out four and walked four.
Galarraga, who beat Cleveland last week, lowered his ERA to 1.50. He has not allowed a hit to a right-hander in 21 at-bats since joining the Tigers.
The Tigers gave Galarraga all the support he needed with a four-run second off Shaun Marcum (2-1).
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