Sox shut out by Astro rookie Oberholtzer, Lackey “quality start” lacking, 2-0

It was supposed to be a “cake walk” for the Red Sox with Lackey, the wily veteran [7-8] facing the unheralded rookie Bret Oberholtzer [1-0], but, instead, it was a pie in the face, as the rookie shutout the high-powered Sox offense for seven innings to win his second MLB start, 2-0.

Former Houston Astro pitcher, Jaoquin Andujar had it right, in baseball:

"“Ju-nebber-know.”"

If you need proof that “Good pitching beats good hitting.” this is the game for you, where the team with the most wins [68] lost to the team with the fewest wins [37] in MLB.

Imagine the team leading MLB in runs scored 568 losing to the Astros, who rank 24/30 with 417; a team with the #3 BA, .273 losing to a team #29/30, .235.

Imagine the MLB’s leading offensive team being shutout by these three pitchers: RHP Brett Oberholtzer, LHP Wesley Wright, and former Sox farmhand, RHP J. Fields, who got his first MLB career save.

"The Astro’s pen had the worst ERA in MLB, 5.14."

Imagine that a guy named Larsen Jerome O’Bryan Hoes scored both Astro runs.

L. J. Hoes, had just arrived from Baltimore, via the trade that sent Bud Norris to the Orioles, which, by the way, opened up the #4 rotation slot for Oberholtzer, and the rookie was just glad to be in The Show:

“I’m just blessed and fortunate to play this game,” Hoes said. “There’s a lot of people who wish they had this opportunity, and I want to go out here and give it my all, because you never know. It could all be taken away from you. I try to go out there and play hard every day and put on a good show for the fans.”

Mr. Hoes scored in the 5^th when Robbie Grossman knocked him in with a single and again in the 7^th –emulating the famous Robinson Robbery of Home in Game 1 of the 1955 World Series—scoring on a suicide squeeze by fellow OF Brandon Barnes.

Jackie Robinson video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pFnzx4NQIE

Lackey [7-9], who twisted his left ankle in the 2^nd inning, pitched well enough to win most games; his line was 2 runs, 8 hits, 2 Ws and 10 Ks in 6 innings, 113-73, but he was out-pitched by, wait for it… RHP Brett Oberholtzer [2-0 and 0.00], LHP Wesley Wright [4.05], and RHP J. Fields [6.27], former Sox farmhand at Portland and Pawtucket last year, earned his first MLB save by striking out the four Sox he faced through the 8^th and 9^th innings.

With Ortiz on first and Ellsbury on third in the eighth, on a 3-2 count, Fields struck out Mike Napoli with a high 94 MPH heater to end the threat. Last winter, Fields was astutely snatched by the Astros in the winter Rule 5 draft.

Oberholtzer, in just his second MLB start, reached back in the 7^th, when Jonny Gomes led off with a double and advanced to third on a fly out by Jarrod Saltalamacchia. Gomes became the first Sox player to reach third base, but he was stranded, when Oberholtzer fanned Stephen Drew, who was 10 for his last 20, and Brandon Snyder to stifle the rally.

Q: How much is an autographed Oberholtzer Rookie card on eBay tonight?

Brett Oberholtzer 2011 Leaf Valiant AUTO RC SP

Time left:

$1.49

BOX HERE: http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2013_08_05_bosmlb_houmlb_1&mode=box

Tomorrow [8:10 EST]

Probables:

BOS:

Wright, S (2-0, 3.65)

HOU:

Lyles (4-5, 4.91)

wtf?wtf?wtf?wtf?wtf?wtf?wtf?wtf?wtf?wtf?wtf?wtf?wtf?wtf?wtf?wtf?wtf?wtf?wtf?wtf?wtf?wtf?wtf?wtf?wtf?wtf?wtf?wtf?wtf?wtf?wtf?wtf?

Oberholtzer is the first rookie, since Phillies’ Marty Bystrom in 1980, to throw 14 scoreless innings in first 2 games. 7 shutout innings vs. Orioles in his MLB debut last week.

PLAY THE “WHO HIM?” GAME

Besides Wesley Wright and Josh Fields, name other members of the worst bullpen in baseball.

A: L. Harrell, T. Blackley , J. Cisnero, C. Lo , J. Zeid, D. Keuchel

Earn a bonus point by identifying their first names.

LIGHTNING ROUND:

5 points for each player you recognize:

Catchers

No.

Player

Bat

Thw

Ht.