2009 Red Sox Game 1 Recap

Final

Press Pass ✠ Box Score ✠ Play - by - Play ✠ Game Recap

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
Tampa Bay	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	2	0		3	3	0
Boston	1	0	3	0	0	1	0	0	X		5	9	0

W: J. Beckett (1-0) L: J. Shields (0-1) H: J. Masterson (1) S: J. Papelbon (1)
HR ➢ Bos: D. Pedroia (1), J. Varitek (1)

Tough to pick the stars in this game. Every Boston hitter got on base with a hit except for Jacoby Ellsbury, with the 2-6 hitters reaching base twice each (only Youkilis had two hits, the others a hit and a walk). When you are putting that many people on base you are going to score runs and that is what the Sox did today.

✫       - Beckett - 7.0 IP, 2 Hits allowed, 1 Earned Run, only 3 BB and 10 K's.
✫✫     - Pedroia for his first inning Home Run on the second pitch he saw.
✫✫✫   - Drew for his ground out that scored Pedroia for the game winning run. It took a great dive by Pena to prevent a 2 run double or triple.

⋔ Fork - Masterson - for making it close by allowing a double steal on his first pitch and then a single that made it a save situation. Inherited runners should not score.

Game thoughts!

Beckett and Pedroia got this game off on the right foot in the first inning. Beckett K'ed two in the first and Pedroia smashed one into the Monster seats and the Sox never trailed in this game. The only bad spots in this game came in the third when Beckett struggled but only allowed the 1 run and when Masterson choked the bit in the eighth inning.

Bad luck of the day came when Drew smashed one down the first base line that Pena made a diving stab on for the solo put out at first base. If that ball had gotten by Pena Drew would have had another double or even possibly a triple. A very good play by Pena robbed Drew.

Factoid - Beckett became the first Red Sox pitcher to start and win on Opening Day at Fenway since Aaron Sele beat Minnesota, 9-0, on April 26, 1995.

♊ - Insanity is part of the times. You must learn to embrace the madness. Let it fire you.