Post-Game Show: Red Sox 8, Rangers 4

Posted on August 14th, 2009 10:50pm by Evan Grant
Filed under Baseball, Post-Game Wrap up, Texas Rangers

D-tails
• Boxscore, AL West standings, Wild Card standings

Story Of The Game
A strike away from taking the lead in the AL Wild Card race, the Rangers watched as RHP Frank Francisco suffered a meltdown that had been unprecedented in his tenure as the club’s closer. Francisco, who resumed closing only last week, was handed a 4-2 lead going to the ninth. It was the first time he’s been asked to convert saves on consecutive days since April 27-28. Francisco, who has spent three stints on the DL this season with arm and respiratory issues, simply wasn’t up to the task.

Pitching mostly in the 90-92 mph range, Francisco allowed a leadoff double to David Ortiz. Slow-footed Jason Varitek was able to beat out a slow ground ball for an infield single. Jacoby Ellsbury lined a single up the middle to draw Boston within a run. After Francisco struck out Chris Woodward, the game got really intense. Dustin Pedroia drove a ball off the left field wall that a leaping LF David Murphy couldn’t quite reach. But he somehow fielded the ball on one bounce off the wall and fired towards home. 3B Michael Young cut it off and threw home to nail pinch runner Clay Buchholz for the second out. But with two on and two-out, 1B Victor Martinez fought off one two-strike pitch after another before doubling home the go-ahead runs with a double to right. Francisco also allowed a run-scoring single to Jason Bay and a two-run homer to J.D. Drew before being removed. It’s the first time in his career he had ever allowed more than four hits in an inning.

Three Up
• 3B Michael Young hit his 20th homer and drove in three of the Rangers’ four runs. Young now has three 20-homer seasons. His career high is 24.
• LF David Murphy made an amazing instinctive play when he went into the wall to chase Dustin Pedroia’s double, then caught it on one bounce and fired into the infield in time to team up with 3B Michael Young and C Taylor Teagarden to gun down pinch runner Clay Buchholz for the second out of the ninth inning.
• RF Josh Hamilton continued his hot streak with a pair of singles and a walk. He is hitting .500 (20-for-40) with a .553 on-base percentage over his last 11 games.

Three Down
• RHP Frank Francisco’s apocalyptic ninth-inning implosion could signal all kinds of trouble for the Rangers, who suddenly must question the construction of the back end of the bullpen.
• LHP Eddie Guardado allowed a game-tying home run to David Ortiz with two outs in the sixth inning. It’s the second consecutive game for Guardado in which he allowed a big home run.
• 1B Hank Blalock struck out in all four of his at-bats. He is now batting .216 with no walks since the All-Star break.

Stat O’ The Game
8.53: RHP Frank Francisco’s ERA since returning from his second trip to the DL this season. He has allowed three homers and blown three of seven save opportunities since he came back on June 20. He later missed three more weeks with pnuemonia.

Player Of The Game
Your candidates: Rangers RF Josh Hamilton (2-for-3, walk); RHP Kevin Millwood (Left with a 2-0 lead in sixth inning); 3B Michael Young (1-for-3, HR, 3 RBIs); Boston 1B Victor Martinez (Two-run, two-out double in ninth to give Red Sox lead). Vote here.

Thursday’s Player Of The Game: RF Josh Hamilton with 66 percent of the vote.

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44 Comments to “Post-Game Show: Red Sox 8, Rangers 4”
  • Mark @ August 14th, 2009 at 11:00 pm

    He can’t conceivably be the closer for the near future. That was as bad an implosion as anything I’ve seen in years.

  • The Beer Guy @ August 14th, 2009 at 11:02 pm

    (reposting from the depot entry)

    …it’s only one game. You realize we’re only 1.5 behind Boston now? If we win the next two, we’d be ahead of them. Even if we don’t, you can’t see one loss and say “End of season, no playoffs”. I know you mean well and you’re thinking with your heart and this loss sucks, so you’re venting anger but it really is just one loss.

    The MUCH more important thing is to come out and win tomorrow. This is the kind of loss that can start slumps (like we had against Boston last year, that awful 19-18 game, or whatever the final was). The team absolutely cannot let this start a slump.

  • Jojo @ August 14th, 2009 at 11:06 pm

    The most heartbreaking lost I have seen since heinke was our closer. Maybe cj and Frankie share the closer duties so neither one has to try and close games on back to back days.

  • Jason Orth @ August 14th, 2009 at 11:10 pm

    Tomorrow becomes the first legitimate must win of the year. Holland with all the pressure. Here’s hoping we see what Dutch oven is really made of…

    Gut. Punch. Worst loss since 99 playoffs…I’m off to throw up in the parking lot by my car.

  • Phil @ August 14th, 2009 at 11:12 pm

    The second the game became 5-4, FF should’ve been removed, yet he wasn’t, and ANY faint hope of a comeback was lost.

    So, not only did he dash the hopes of a comeback, but Washington squashed any remaining confidence FF had.

    Neither CJ or FF is the answer at closer, because they’re both mentally fragile.

  • Casey Abell @ August 14th, 2009 at 11:13 pm

    Yep, momentum in baseball really is tomorrow night’s starting pitcher. Holland tosses a good one, Rangers win and everything is sweet and fine.

    Holland loses, sweep possible. Sweep happens, season over. Even the players will think the coach has turned back into a pumpkin.

  • Ryans Dad @ August 14th, 2009 at 11:14 pm

    One thing to ponder, the oppositions manager made some pretty major blunders tonight, he just had the talent to overcome those mistakes. Texas doesn’t have that luxury.

  • KJ @ August 14th, 2009 at 11:16 pm

    I have watched over 1000 Rangers games at the Ballpark and Arlington Stadium and that was absolutely the most depressing and demoralizing loss I have ever witnessed.

    To me, it appeared Frankie either just didn’t have it or simply gave up after the Martinez double. Which is more depressing considering how many walk-off wins we have seen this year, I was still fine after the double. But after the Bay single to drive in the additional run, there is no way Frankie should have been left in to pitch. And the homer sealed the game and left us with little opportunity to pull out a win.

    It’s more depressing knowing what was at stake considering LAA got hammered tonight and we could have jumped a game in front of both teams ahead of us.

    I’m glad I had some little chocolate donuts at home tonight.

  • Mark @ August 14th, 2009 at 11:21 pm

    @Beer Guy: All due respect, but I still think that had to shake Frank’s psyche. He was throwing low 90′s fastballs, and I wasn’t seeing just a whole lot of movement on them. They were knocking the piss out of the ball and only an unbelievable relay play by Murph, MY, and TT gave them a chance. Something’s wrong with him, and I’d personally rather take my chances on CJ or O’Day closing for now.

  • KJ @ August 14th, 2009 at 11:42 pm

    @Mark- I’d even consider giving Feliz the ball as I think he is pitching with much more confidence than Frankie.

  • JustSaying @ August 14th, 2009 at 11:57 pm

    yes we are still only 1.5 games back but the bigger problem is what to do about closer……feliz certainly seems to be the one with the nastiest pitch right now but i’m not sure the rangers brass has the gonads to put him in that role…….sorta the same broken record why andrus is not leading off……..
    i really felt bad for frankie and he probably had be thinking when in the hell is wash coming out to relieve me of this misery……
    it’s especially sad after murphy to young to taylor was such beautiful baseball…..and the andrus sacrifice and the young sacrifice beauty finesse all wilt away in this loss……..

  • Tom B @ August 14th, 2009 at 11:58 pm

    I think Frankie is finished for this season as an effective closer. He has lost to much of the old FF velocity. I give Wash a lot of positive credit but he has used and abused FF this year. Wash has totally gone away from what was working earlier in the year. He wants to ‘Slot’ relievers so everyone knows their place. Use the guy who is effective as long as you can, Wash, and pick another one tomorrow night. This Eddie to the Ready is not working. He would still be with Minn if he had it late in the year. 85mph is not going to get you there w/o pinpoint control. (That’s not there either)

  • JustSaying @ August 15th, 2009 at 12:01 am

    oh and after tonite i am unrepentient about my use of alcohol and presciption drugs to relieve this pain……………….

  • chadb @ August 15th, 2009 at 12:04 am

    AAHHHHH!!! .356!

    Eddie Guardado. He gave up a homer to David Ortiz to tie the game in the 6th. Guardado was brought in to pitch to Ortiz as part of a lefty-lefty matchup. But lefties were hitting .356 against him coming into the game.

  • Ross @ August 15th, 2009 at 12:07 am

    The scotch isn’t making the pain go away yet…

  • Ross @ August 15th, 2009 at 12:08 am

    But Chad, Papi was 0-3 career vs every once in a while Eddie!

  • Fred @ August 15th, 2009 at 12:18 am

    1) Franky Frank has not looked like a closer since he came back. Sad thing in, neither has CJ. Feliz may not be ready, but time to take a chance. We don’t have a trust worthy closer, now.
    2) Everybody wanted Laird gone. he’s only hitting .230, or so, now, but throwing out a league leading 40%. I miss him.He could actually catch the ball and throw it back to the pitcher. Neither of these kids is major league ready). Iknow ys’ll love them). Neither is major league ready at bat (black hole/strike out in the line up); Salty can’t throw the ball to the pitcher, in fact bounced one back to Millwood when he needed his concentration most, –before he got yanked, (and has a league record for excuses), or throw out 80% of stealers, and TT can catch, can’t hit the Mendoza line, and wiffs on a catchable ball (or 2) every other other game.
    Anyone who thinks Rangers are a contender behind the plate is drinking blue/red coolade.

  • Rangers Fan @ August 15th, 2009 at 12:20 am

    Hello Ranger Fans…Wow- I have never been in Rangers Ballpark when it was that electric. Never. After the out at home in the 9th- people were jumping up and down, high-fiving anad hugging complete strangers. The building was literally, shaking. And then it was the lowest of lows just minutes later. These are my random thoughts:

    1. I’ve said this all along…you cannot just give Frankie back the job. He has proven he’s not durable and since his hot-streak he’s given up big hits. It also bothers me, he doesn’t talk after the game. Face the music.
    2. Hank is putrid. He looked so bad at the plate, I laughed out loud. There were 3 close plays, game changing plays, at 1st tonight. Chris Davis makes those plays with his stretch and Hank can’t. You’re also not losing offense without him, he’s just bad.
    3. This was the worst loss in Ranger’s history. They had the chance to do something special, and they didn’t. We don’t get many of those chances around here. Michael Young got to closest to playoff baseball here he’s been in 8 years here. To be a playoff team, you have to make the big pitch and win the big game. They didn’t and it hurts.

  • 1st Time Caller @ August 15th, 2009 at 1:05 am

    While this was a real kick in the gut, I am more concerned about the lack of offense. The Rangers have had to rely too much on pitching. Bring Davis up. Activate Kinsler and bat him 5th. Lead off with Andrus. Send Blalock to OKC. 4 runs a night won’t cut it, long-term.

  • Rangers Fan @ August 15th, 2009 at 1:17 am

    Big games are not won with a lot of offense. In October you win with clutch pitching.

    Davis went 2/3 with a walk and 2 doubles.

  • jb @ August 15th, 2009 at 2:52 am

    sometimes you just have these kind of losses…

    frankie is still my closer

  • Post-Game Show: Red Sox 8, Rangers 4 « Lewp’s Weblog @ August 15th, 2009 at 3:12 am

    [...] Post-Game Show: Red Sox 8, Rangers 4 Jump to Comments From D Magazine [...]

  • Mark @ August 15th, 2009 at 6:51 am

    @jb…no way, no how. Even when CJ looks shaky it’s usually control issues. His stuff is so nasty he has trouble getting it close enough to the zone. The word nasty doesn’t come to mind with FF right now. It used too, but there is something wrong physically or mentally with him since his return from the DL. I’m open to the idea of trying Feliz in that role, but I highly doubt “trust the vets” Wash is. This game tonight I’d HUGE. They either right the ship, or the catastrophic moment we always talk about could very well be nigh upon us.

  • Mark @ August 15th, 2009 at 6:52 am

    *game tonight IS huge.

  • A. Stephens, Raleigh NC @ August 15th, 2009 at 7:08 am

    It’s one game. Everyone has losses like these. The more important thing is how they respond to it, especially the manager.

    Can RW find the creativity needed to mitigate the Blalock/Jones effect on tis lineup? Is he open minded enough to use his lights out rookie in critical late game situations? Or is he so stuck in his ****sureness that he sits on his hands until the moment passes his team by.

    Playoff caliber baseball, this is what it looks like folks. Buckle up.

  • A. Stephens, Raleigh NC @ August 15th, 2009 at 7:13 am

    Did not realize I was offending the censor. the word in asterisks refers to the pride of a rooster who is also known as a co_k, thus co_ksureness. Not trying to be vulgar Mr. Censor, I promise. Just seemed to be the best word to describe Warsh, in the context I was trying to provide.

  • JimNFW @ August 15th, 2009 at 7:41 am

    Yes, that was a painful loss…one pitch away from a REALLY big win. Bummer!
    And today is a new day with a new opportunity for a great young pitcher to show his stuff. This is playoff baseball in Arlington, TX. I haven’t felt this kind of emotion about the Rangers in 10 years. I LOVE IT!

  • southwick @ August 15th, 2009 at 8:02 am

    Not sure why you don’t replace Frankie with men on 2nd and 3rd. It didn’t seem like he had a chance in hell of getting that out.

  • Samson @ August 15th, 2009 at 8:14 am

    That was one heck of a game. It’s the type of game that creates legends. Now, if only those legends were Rangers instead of RedSox…. We’re going to find out tonight what this team is made of. Good or bad, it’s been a long time since I’ve said that in the middle of August.

  • TEUFELI @ August 15th, 2009 at 8:17 am

    you will point back to this loss….

    (course…to TAG/Lewin…it was prob a great chance to get work in for frankie)

  • Chris @ August 15th, 2009 at 8:18 am

    I don’t know WTF Ron was thinking keeping FF in after allowing so many base runners. Get the flame throwing rookie out there, take a chance.

  • Jon @ August 15th, 2009 at 8:29 am

    Everyone is talking about FF.

    Where the hell was the manager?

  • Fox @ August 15th, 2009 at 8:31 am

    For those that are saying that this loss will end the season should look to last weeks Red Sox – Yankees series. The red sox suffered all types of bad losses there but as a veteran team they know that the season is not won or lost on one game. The Rangers need to not let it effect them and win tonight.

  • Jack Daddy @ August 15th, 2009 at 8:55 am

    @chris – you don’t pitch your 20 year old the day after he throws 2 innings and you don’t pull your closer. He’s your closer. That being said, I think tonight he takes the ball in the 9th (CJ threw 30 pitches, FF has gone back to back, OD threw last night and so did Jennings).

    @all – i have been in a comatose depression for 9 hours. enough. F it. We’re going to show up tonight and kick the #hit out of Penny and The Dutch Oven is going to shut them down. Period.

  • Chris @ August 15th, 2009 at 9:05 am

    @jack daddy, you don’t call FF your closer when he has been on the DL 3 times, and CJ has pitched VERY well in the closers role.

  • Sunny D Lite @ August 15th, 2009 at 9:07 am

    Hello boys: That was the first baseball game I ever went to and it was fun right up to the end. Kinda reminds me of a guy I used to date. Don’t worry, a sorry finish never stopped him from coming the next night for some home run balls (is that the way you say it?). Oh well, I’ll definately watch my second game tonight. In reading your comments I was wondering what a “walk-off win” is?

  • Fred @ August 15th, 2009 at 9:11 am

    @A. Sephens-Join the club, it censored me the other night when I recalled the Braves 1B of the 1950-s, Joe Ad****. LOL. Believe it’s set a bit too high.

  • randy @ August 15th, 2009 at 9:40 am

    1) FF has not been right since his first trip to the DL-think his shoulder is still a problem
    2) this season is not worth burning up Feliz’ arm thru overuse
    3)Ron is back to last year’s ways of slotting pitchers by inning # and each one only going an inning, until he finds the one who doesn’t have it that night.
    4) As a result of #3, I fear we will see a meltdown of the BP(esp. FF and CJ and DOD), an overexposure of Eddie, and the overuse of Feliz.

  • Sunny D Lite @ August 15th, 2009 at 10:11 am

    Oh Randy, you sound so intellegent – could you be a sweetheart and answer the question I asked above?????

  • jb @ August 15th, 2009 at 10:20 am

    @Jack Daddy: I like your thinking. We have Holland going tonight, why would we need a closer?

  • rammons @ August 15th, 2009 at 11:51 am

    FF has lost the heat and without it he’s got nothing as the Sox displayed.

  • Tom B @ August 15th, 2009 at 12:00 pm

    @Sunny D, On the outside chance you are legit just let me answer your question. The home team bats last unless they are leading. If they are not leading and bat and the score changes to put the home team in the lead in that potentially last inning then the action that made that happen is a “Walk off ???? (Whatever)

  • Jack Daddy @ August 15th, 2009 at 5:32 pm

    @chris – if he continues to pitch like last night, they’ll have to make that move and I have no problem with it. But I think we’re a better team if we can have CJ setting up (can go 3 days in row, can pitch multiple innings and I think that’s more valuable). But that only works if FF is doing the job. That’s why I think they would try Feliz there before moving CJ.

  • Sunny D Lite @ August 16th, 2009 at 10:49 am

    @Tom B: Thanks Tommy – I’ve got lots of questions, am a slow learner, but am loving this game – please don’t loose patience with me. xo. SDL