This game was a game of extremes as Gordon Edes of ESPN Boston points out. Pretty ridiculous. He wraps up some of the biggest points of the game. The biggest one that sticks out for this Refugee is the homerun that Vernon Wells hit. How could you not challenge that?
BOSTON — Rapid reaction? Surely you jest.
The Boston Red Sox fans who endured all 10 innings and 4 hours, 34 minutes of this wackadoodle, 14-13, 10-inning loss to the Los Angeles Angels will be lining up for rabies shots in the morning. Otherwise, that foaming at the mouth — most of it brought on by Bobby Valentine’s decision to allow closer Alfredo Aceves to give up five runs in the last two innings — may be something more than a temporary condition.
Aceves gave up three in the ninth on four hits and a walk, but was allowed to come back out in the 10th, when Kendry Morales broke a 12-all tie with a home run into the right-field seats. Only afterErick Aybar singled did Valentine replace Aceves, and Aybar came around to score when Vernon Wells doubled off Craig Breslow.
The Sox led 6-0 after 2 innings.
They trailed 8-6 after 3.
They led 9-8 after 6.
They were tied 9-9 after 7.
They led 11-9 after 8.
They trailed 12-11 after 8½.
They were tied at 12 after 9.
They trailed 14-12 after 9½.
They have played 25 games in which they have allowed seven or more runs, and have lost all of them.
They are the only team in the American League this season to lose two games in which they scored 10 or more runs.
They played mind-bending defense in the third, and Cody Ross made an atrocious two-out gaffe in the ninth that allowed the tying run to advance into scoring position.
They allowed a home run by Vernon Wells to go unchallenged in the ninth, even though replays indicated the ball did not clear the red line on top of the Monster in left-center.
They scored 10 runs after two outs, and still lost.
Ross hit a game-tying home run in the bottom of the ninth, and they still lost.
They scored runs in seven different innings, including five of the last six, and still lost.
I am at a loss for words at this point. Disheartening would be a gross understatement. Bleh!