While Ortiz and Drew piled up more strikeouts, a couple of minor-league call-ups stepped in and saved the day. Josh Reddick got the start in center and went 1-for-3 with a two-run double. But it was 31-year-old Darnell McDonald that stole the show. He drilled a two-run, pinch-hit homer in the eighth to tie the game, then stepped to the plate with bases loaded in the ninth and promptly smacked the game-winning single. He was mobbed at the plate in true Red Sox big-game-win fashion…although you will not spot Ortiz in the pile. He was showered, dressed and bolting out the back door.
Ortiz and Drew were a combined 0-for-7 with four strikeouts. For the season, they have 36 K’s between them and their batting averages added together don’t equal Adrian Beltre’s. Drew should be thanking his emotionless robot-god that Ortiz is struggling and taking the attention off of him.
This game was pure ugly for a while, we’re talking Roseanne Barr ugly. Wakefield was getting knocked around any time he managed to throw the ball over the plate and Texas runners were stealing everything but Victor Martinez’s jock. A win is a win, as they say (whoever “they” really are) but this one did nothing to shorten the line of ex-bandwagoners heading for the Zakim. We need the Commander to show people the way. Tonight.
