First-place Sox are awfully mean to last-place Sox
By James Fegan
Every game brings a lesson, regardless of whether that lesson has been taught multiple times in painful fashion.
We’ve already established that John Danks post-surgery is a rather underwhelming strike-thrower, but since he’s posted a 2.90 ERA over his last six starts, the Red Sox felt an obligation to remind the world of his limitations, bloodying him for 11 hits over five innings in a 7-2 defeat that sets Boston up pretty nicely for a three-game sweep Sunday.
At least, after all of the home run problems Danks has had all season, his problems Saturday stemmed from balls he didn’t allow out of the infield. An infield single to Jacoby Ellsbury and hot grounder that slipped under Paul Konerko‘s glove for an error set Danks up to allow an RBI single from Mike Napoli in the first inning. As luck would have it, the Sox would never carve out a lead again.
After allowing another run on back-to-back doubles in the second, a bunt single from gray-haired backup catcher David Ross kicked off a three-run inning punctuated by an Ellsbury ground rule double and capped off by a David Ortiz two-out RBI single. Another two-out RBI single from top prospect Xander Bogaerts during the next frame provided Danks with a fitting final note to his five innings.
All offensive efforts against Boston starter Jake Peavy were smoke and mirrors. The White Sox managed just five hits over his seven innings, and profited from such last-chance occurrences as Alejandro De Aza beating out an inning-ending double play to score Conor Gillaspie in the third inning, and Avisail Garcia reaching out and smacking a two-out RBI single in the fourth. The White Sox would only put two more runners on bases after this outbreak and did not record an extra-base hit on the evening.
–Jake Petrcka gobbled up multiple innings during the meaningless affair and pushed a run across by throwing a wild pitch, but there was nothing better to do with this time.
–Garcia is 10-21 since his hitting streak ended.
–Somehow the Red Sox failed to score on David Purcey again.
Team Record: 56-78
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