Speaking of Baltimore, each year, there is perhaps no team Dave Trembley and his Orioles look forward to seeing less than the Red Sox, who have won 9 of the last 10 season series against his team, 2009 included. Boston dominated Baltimore, 16 games to 2 this year, winning the last 8 games against the lowly O’s, including the final three over the weekend at Camden Yards. 1956 is the only other year the O’s ever lost as many as 16 games to Boston in one season. Trembley also likely has nightmares every time he sees Jon Lester, as he is 10-0 vs. Baltimore lifetime with his win Saturday as part of the Sox’s 11-5 rout. Lester, with the win, became the first pitcher to win his first 10 starts against the O’s since they relocated from St. Louis to Baltimore in 1954.
The Sox (Not The Bronx) Bombers
After its 9-3 win, the 16th versus Baltimore on Sunday, the Red Sox, and surprisingly not the Yankees now have the most homers in the majors since July 30: 79. In fact, 23 different Red Sox have homered this season, tying the mark for the most in Sox team history set in 1996. On the current roster, only catcher Dusty Brown and outfielder Joey Gathright have yet to homer for Boston in ’09.
V-Mart, Pedroia And Bay Lead The Way
Coming into Monday night, Victor Martinez has a major league-leading and career-high 19-game hitting streak, during which he is batting .357 and has knocked in 13 runs – so much for concerns upon his Boston arrival that his bat was slowing down. Meanwhile, Dustin Pedroia is second to V-Mart with a season-high 12-game hitting streak of his own. Jason Bay, sick with flu-like symptoms the last few days, hasn’t slowed down much at all, as he hit two homers over the weekend, including Sunday, his 31st birthday. In doing so, Bay tied his career-high in homers with #35 and set a new career high in RBI, with #110.
Big Papi Passes The Big Hurt
The Sox are 21-2 when David Ortiz homers, which shouldn’t surprise many, knowing the clutch hitter he has been over the years. But the aforementioned September 15 Sox 4-1 win against the Angels not only saw Dice-K make his long-awaited return but Ortiz hit his 24th homer of ’09, the 270th as a DH, passing “The Big Hurt” Frank Thomas to become the all-time leader in homers for a DH. Congrats to Big Papi on this prestigious accomplishment.
Article comments
1 - Charlie D
Well that figures: Sox and KC pitching sucked last night in a soaking wet Kauffman Stadium, with Boston giving up 11 earned runs. Manny Delcarmen gave up four of them in relief. I wonder if he's gonna "Blame It On The Rain"?