Sox Come Up On Short End of Slugfest, Drop to Orioles 12-9
The game played today in Sarasota, FL between the Red Sox and the Orioles in which Boston was beaten by a field goal was a spring training contest that made you ache for the this foolishness to be over and the real season to start. Anytime you have a six man Boston pitching corp sporting names like Graham Godfrey and Miguel Celestino and Boston plays 17 men it’s almost a certainty that you’re in for a long afternoon. And long it was.
March 25, 2013; Sarasota, FL, USA; Boston Red Sox center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. (74) hits a 2-RBI single during the seventh inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Ed Smith Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
If you like offense, this was the game for you. The Sox banged out 16 hits while Baltimore did them one better. There were six home runs during the t-ball match as the lead changed hands or was tied five times. Amidst all the cacophony of firepower and bluster – Jonny Gomes hit a mammoth blast that likely still hasn’t come down – one event emerged for each team, one very good and the other very bad.
"On the big time plus side for the Red Sox, Jackie Bradley Junior continued his torrid hitting pace and to press his case to make Boston’s Opening Day roster."
After cooling his heels for the first six innings of Monday afternoon’s game, Bradley hit a pinch hit two-run single followed by a triple that he banged off the right field wall. This was one day after a three-run opposite field bomb off the Phillies’ Cliff Lee and a sac fly to right field in the same game. In 54 at bats this spring, Bradley is hitting .444 with four doubles, a triple, two home runs, 11 RBI and a very impressive 1.190 OPS.
On the big-time bummer side for the Orioles Wilson Betemit, who had a homer four RBIs, was forced to leave the game in the fifth with a right knee ligament sprain that will require further evaluation on Tuesday. Betamit was on first base and running on the pitch when Manny Machado flied to left. His leg appeared to awkwardly collapse and Betamit went down, writhing near second base.
Boston has the day off tomorrow before going against the Marlins at JetBlue Park at 1:35 pm.
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