The Red Sox are trying to mount a comeback in the 4th inning. Join the action after the jump.
Enter MLB in Japan: Game 2 Live Blog Innings 4-6
Latest Baseball Photos
Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Rickie Weeks tries to stop a ground ball hit by Colorado Rockies' Willy Taveras in the fourth inning of their spring training baseball game Monday March 24, 2008 in Phoenix, Ariz. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)
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Colorado Rockies' Jayson Nix, right, beats the tag of Milwaukee Brewers third baseman Joe Dillon, left, while advancing on a sacrifice bunt by Rockies' Ubaldo Jimenez in the fourth inning of a spring training baseball game Monday, March 24, 2008 in Phoenix, Ariz. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)
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Los Angeles Angels' Vladimir Guerrero singles against the San Diego Padres in the fourth inning of a spring baseball game in Tempe, Ariz., Monday, March 24, 2008. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
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Colorado Rockies starter Ubaldo Jimenez pitches against the Milwaukee Brewers in the first inning of a spring training baseball game Monday March 24, 2008 in Phoenix, Ariz. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)
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Los Angeles Angels' Erick Aybar, right, throws to first base after forcing out San Diego Padres' Tadahito Iguchi, from Japan, on Adrian Gonzalez's double play in the fifth inning of a spring baseball game in Tempe, Ariz., Monday, March 24, 2008. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
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Los Angeles Angels' Chone Figgins, foreground, reaches to catch the ball as San Diego Padres' Jody Gerut slides into third base on his triple in the second inning of a spring baseball game in Tempe, Ariz., Monday, March 24, 2008. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
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Seattle Mariners second baseman Jose Lopez, right, throws Chicago White Sox's Toby Hall out at first, as shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt watches behind during the second inning in a spring training baseball game in Peoria, Ariz., Monday, March 24, 2008. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
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Chicago White Sox pitcher Jose Contreras throws against the Seattle Mariners in the fourth inning of a spring training baseball game in Peoria, Ariz., Monday, March 24, 2008. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
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Chicago White Sox pitcher Jose Contreras leaves the game against the Seattle Mariners in the sixth inning during a spring training baseball game in Peoria, Ariz., Monday, March 24, 2008. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
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Seattle Mariners pitcher Jarrod Washburn throws to the Chicago White Sox in the first inning during a spring training baseball game in Peoria, Ariz., Monday, March 24, 2008. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
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ESPN plays some authentic Japanese music. A perfect segue into Manny's dreads.
They wouldn't let Manny use his red bats? Japan is losing points quicker than I can tally. He watches one ride inside for his second strikeout today. WHAT ARE YOU TOO LAZY TO SWING OR SOMETHING
Lowell pounces on the first pitch for a single.
Brandy Moss is swinging from his heals again and whiffs at three pitches. Kid's looking for a 40 HR season, I guess.
Wait I was typing what just happened? Sox down obediently in 2 minutes flat.
BOTTOM OF THE 4TH
Japanese fans are so freaking weird. They just showed three luchadores and a lady dressed up as a red rectangle. And people call me juvenile for wearing jerseys.
Lester picks up his first K off of Chris Denorfia, a righty! This kid's the real deal, McCoy.
Pedroia tosses out Buck at first, who has yet to pick up a hit this season.
The Francona Rock is in full effect. Worry not, Tito. Lester picks up his second strikeout on a fastball inside to Mark Ellis. Look out, righties.
The Athletics are down in order and lead 4-0 after 4 innings.
TOP OF THE 5TH
Crisp is one of three Red Sox starters to remain hitless this year, alongside David Ortiz and Jason Varitek. He leads things off in the 5th.
Harden's about to break 80 pitches. Is an injury imminent? I'm checking Vegas odds right now.
Crisp looks like crap. 0-2, 2 k's.
Lugo knocks a seeing-eye single through the right side. Sox are going on their third time through the order. (Wow, 5 t's in a row).
Double play. Exciting.
BOTTOM OF THE 5TH
While I have a second I'd like to plug a funny Dugout my friend and partner B wrote earlier this week.
David Aardsma replaces Jon Lester who threw 83 pitches, 47 for strikes.
A sharp breaking ball sends Barton packing. I watched him pitch in spring training against the Blue Jays last week, and he's looking just as effective.
Mike Sweeney grounds out to Lugo. The quick grass doesn't help his bulky frame come anywhere near beating it out.
Emil Brown, as Steve Phillips mentions, is much bigger now than seasons past. He grounds out to third. Phillips is proven wrong again.
4 -zip still, after 5.
TOP OF THE 6TH
Rich Harden is back out for the 6th. A pop fly from Youkilis sends Hannahan falling to the turf like a little leaguer...again. I guess as long as he catches it...
Ortiz K's. Big Floppy? He's 0-5.
Boooom. Manny cranks a ball 450 feet into the bleachers. To everyone's delight, he sprints full speed around the bases. The Sox are on the board, 4-1 Athletics.
Mike Lowell lobs one to the warning track, but Salt n' Peppa ends the inning.
Sox trail 4-1 heading into the bottom half of the inning.
BOTTOM OF THE 6TH
"What's a matter, Rick? You don't lige that song?" I'm looking up Jose Reyes bobbleheads on eBay.
Aardsma picks up his third strikeout in 5 batters. Location, location, location.
Gary Thorne is marveling at how crazy these Japanese fans are, hanging merchandise from strings for players to sign. You know, just like minor stadiums. Everywhere.
Coco Crisp makes a nice sliding stop on a Suzuki double, which probably prevented an in-the-park homerun judging by that deep centerfield wall and Crisp's balsa wood arm.
Aardsma is done after 1.2. Jack Cust, pinch hitting for Denorfia, will be facing Javier Lopez.
Another link for you to check out. Pat Lackey, another FanHouse partner of mine, sums up the AL East for everybody.
Cust, a "very intriguing hitter" because he doesn't hit well but also doesn't chase bad pitches, makes Phillips look like a genius and walks. 2 on, 2 out.
Lopez leaves a fastball middle-in, and Buck watches it fly by. I'd say he blew it by him, but without a radar gun I can't tell if that was 80 or 95. Manny floats underneath a fly to left to end the inning.
We're off to the 7th. Follow us along, won't you?
MLB in Japan: Game 2 Live Blog Innings 7-9
MLB in Japan: Game 2 Live Blog Innings 1-3
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Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 1)
1. I believe that girl was dressed as a red SOCK.
Cust is a really strange duck. Hitting .256 with an OBP of .408 is bizarre, and yet he's clearly exactly Billy Beane's type -- the guy nobody else wants because he strikes out so much, but he gets on base more than some .300 contact hitters, and as an added bonus he can mash it. I personally would pass, and go for a high-OBP guy who was a better all-around player, but I guess when you didn't stumble across David Ortiz you have to get your DH somewhere.
Posted at 9:57AM on Mar 26th 2008 by pitchcount