Red Sox Game report - Game 3, 4/7/2010

Game 3: New York Yankees 3, Boston Red Sox 1 (10 innings)

Finally, three games in, the Red Sox got a good - a very good - performance from a starting pitcher, as Lackey made his Red Sox debut by throwing six scoreless innings. It was squandered, as the offense did almost nothing, the defense failed to make a couple of difficult but probably makeable plays, and the bullpen failed to keep the Yankees off the scoreboard.

• Through the first three innings, the Red Sox had three walks and four hits, two of which were doubles. When Ortiz singled in Pedroia in the third, they had sent 14 men to the plate and seven of them had reached base safely. Because of the order in which these events occured, and a double-play in the first, however, they managed only one run from all of that production. After that, they sent 25 men to the plate and had only four reach base, on three singles and a hit batsman.
• The Ortiz drought ends with a solid single, against a good left-hander, driving in a two-out run. The story doesn't end, however.
• It's hard to tell, but it looked as if Posada's double, which set up the tying run in the seventh, might have been catchable for Cameron. It certainly wasn't too high - the question is, if he'd taken a slightly different route, or not pulled up, could he have gotten in position to catch it. I thought so last night, but having watched it several more times, I think it would have taken a great play. I do think that, given Ellsbury's position and Posada's "speed," the risk of making the attempt was very small. But it's a split-second instinct decision, and it's probably not fair to second-guess it.
• Posada scored on a play in which Drew's throw beat him to the plate, and Martinez got the ball and tagged him before he got to the plate. Unfortunately, Drew's throw was a little up the line, and Martinez didn't hold on to the ball. If Drew's throw was a little more on a line to home, or if Martinez holds on to the ball, the Yankees don't score.
• Good: Lackey.
  Bad: Papelbon. The offense.