Quite a first game for a rookie catcher. Ryan Lavarnway - one of my favorites this whole year after seeing him in the Arizona Fall League - made the most of his starting opportunity by hitting 2 homers, driving in 4 runs & throwing out a runner at 3rd. And this was an emergency start due to Saltie & Tek being banged up in a huge playoff-type game. It reminded me of Bledsoe going down against the Jets & Brady stepping in. Maybe Ryan earns himself a spot as the starting catcher the rest of the way & for next year.
Besides Lavarnway, the magical season for Jacoby Ellsbury continues as he put the Sox on the board with a 2-run homer early in the game. This was home run #32 & he leads the team in HR's. Not bad for a leadoff batter with 200+ hits, 100+ runs, 30+ steals & 100+ RBI. Ells is the one & only Red Sox player to ever reach those milestones in one season.
Marco Scutaro added a 2-run shot of his own to help the cause. As it turned out, the Sox needed all 4 homers in a tense 8-7 win over the O's to keep pace with the Tampa Bay Rays. Still tied for the Wild Card after 161 games.
Even more amazing, J.D. Drew actually argued a bad called 3rd strike, giving the home plate umpire lip most of the way back to the dugout. This is J. D. Drew we're talking about. It's as if he was Rip Van Winkle & someone woke him up from a 2 month nap & said go play. And he has been productive.
Game 162 will be a memorable one.
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