Boston Red Sox Take on the Boston Orioles
The Boston Red Sox are battling to stay in the game, with a dismal record of 2-2 wins, hoping for a reversal in their fortunes as they pit themselves against their arch-rivals, the Baltimore Orioles. The situation looks grim. The Orioles are ahead in the American League stats, with 62 wins against Boston’s 57 to 59 record. Red Sox fans are optimistic, however, predicting two out of three wins against the Orioles.
Much of their optimism hinges on pitcher, Josh Beckett. Beckett has had a difficult season, after allowing eight runs in five plus innings against the formidable Texas Rangers. Earlier, in a July 31st game, he had been forced from the plate in the third inning after suffering from back spasms. He says he feels fine now, but in order to bring the Red Sox back into the standings, he needs to beat his record of four tries against the Boston Orioles and no wins.
The Red Sox are going to need some good batters, as Oriole pitcher, Wei-Yin Chan, has a record of knocking them out. Chen’s merciless pitch brought the Orioles home with a 4-0 win against the Tampa Blue Rays last Saturday. This will be the third time Chen has gone up against the Red Sox, and he’s feeling confident. He was the pitcher in the June 6 game at Fenway Park, where they beat the Red Sox 2-1.
They just might have that batter in Dustin Pedroia. Batting .378, Pedroia thinks, feels and lives for baseball. He wants his team to win, and he proves it through example. He was furious during a Rangers game when he was called out by first base umpire, Paul Neuert, after he checked his swing, but the umpire said he went around. After arguing with Neuert, he was ejected from the game, only the second time this has happened in his career. Pedroia is determined not to lose his cool again, but he’s just as determined to prove to Chen he can strike that ball home.
Rookie player, Will Middlebrooks, weakened the Rangers’ lead when he pinch-hit a three-runner homer into the seats, but it looks like he’ll be out for the rest of the season. He cracked the bones in his wrist when he was hit by a 96 mph fastball, thrown by Cleveland Indians player, Esmil Rogers. Middlebrooks said he felt the crack but didn’t know whether it was his glove or his wrist until he returned to the stand. Manager Bobby Valentine reports the bones weren’t displaced. They just need time to heal.
It will be a healing time for the entire team if they win their games against the Orioles. They have the will and the determination, but they might also need a little luck. The Orioles are making a strong stand this year, just five games behind the Yankees, and with Chan coming in hot and heavy, Pedrioa is going to have to swing with all he’s got.
Categorized in: MLB