When David Price was placed on the DL, the Red Sox needed a pitcher to step up and make up for that loss. Doug Fister is proving he is that guy.
Boston Red Sox fans wanted to get rid of Doug Fister after his fifth straight loss with the team. He was getting shelled in every game and had an atrocious ERA. With the Sox looking for someone to step up in the absence of David Price, Fister has turned his season around to fill that void.
Fister went into the game against the first place Cleveland Indians on July 31 with a 0-5 record and a 6.04 ERA. He had been getting drilled by opponents. No one expected Fister to have a game like he did.
Going into that game, the Indians had won nine of their past 10 games and were leading the AL Central. This was also the first time since last year’s ALDS that the Red Sox and Indians were going to play against each other. Fister was going to have his plate full and no one was expecting him to go out there and get the win against this red-hot team.
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Fister went out there and pitched his best game he has had with the Red Sox. He pitched 7 2/3 innings, only giving up 5 hits, 2 walks, and 2 runs. The runs came in the 8th inning off a 2-run HR by Bradley Zimmer. As Fister came out of the game in the 8th, he got a well deserved standing ovation by the Sox fans.
Sunday, Fister made his first start since his phenomenal performance against the Indians. Boston was looking to sweep the Chicago White Sox and keep their winning streak alive.
Fister went out and did just that. He picked up his second win with the Sox and pitched great. He fanned 7 batters and walked no one. He gave up 3 runs, but the defense behind him had few errors. With Fister’s win, the Red Sox winning streak now sits at 6 games.
It is easy to say that the Fister is stepping up for the Sox in a big way. Fans were in panic mode when Price went on to the DL and were questioning if we had the pitching to win games. Well, it looks like we do.
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Fister has certainly proven to me that he is capable of being a reliable pitcher in the Sox rotation and I am going to guess he has also proven the same thing to many out there in Red Sox Nation.