Boston Red Sox Remain Winless as They Struggle Against Cleveland Indians

After spending six weeks in the warmth of south Florida, the Boston Red Sox moved deep into the heart of Texas over the weekend, where they enjoyed 80-degree weather at game time on Sunday. Yesterday they flew into Cleveland, where they received a dose of spring reality along the shore of Lake Erie... the game-time temperature in Ohio this evening was a not-so-balmy 42-degrees. By the time the game came to an end, the frost was already on the pumpkins.

Sadly, no matter where the ballclub has played thus far in 2011, it has produced the same results. As spring training neared its conclusion, the team found itself mired in a 10-game losing streak, during which the pitching staff allowed 82 runs. 

When the team moved on to Arlington, TX, it was unable to record a win—losing three games to the defending AL champions by a combined score of 26-11. Things were going to be different this evening, as the opponent was the expected AL Central doormat—the Cleveland Indians. In spite of the change in scenery, the frigid temperatures and the diminished competition, one thing remained the same: the Red Sox lost the game.

The team sent former ace Josh Beckett to the hill tonight, in the hopes of ending its losing streak. The Spring, TX, native pitched relatively well, and the bullpen was dominant, but their collective efforts weren’t good enough as the lineup was shut down (on one run) for the second consecutive contest. The Indians beat The Olde Towne Team 3-1, behind the three-hit pitching of starter Josh Tomlin.

With tonight’s loss, the Red Sox record fell to 0-4 on the young season.

Beckett pitched well but, as was frequently the case last year, he was unable to put hitters away—tossing far too many pitches in too many innings (he threw 106 pitches in just five innings against a poor offensive ballclub). The Sox bullpen relieved him at the start of the 6th inning and was simply outstanding.

Matt Albers was the first guy out of the bullpen. While his outing wasn’t as good as it might appear, he did manage to strike out the side. (Of course, he walked a batter and threw only 11 strikes in 22 pitches). Bobby Jenks also issued a walk while striking out three hitters—but he threw nine strikes in 16 pitches. Daniel Bard struck out two more batters in a perfect eighth inning.

But while the pitchers did what they were supposed to do, the hitters did not. The offense managed just four hits in the contest. Catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia, who was 0-for-10 in the series in Texas, got his first hit of the year—a ground single into right field with two runners in scoring position in the second inning.

David Ortiz scored on the play, but J.D. Drew was thrown out at the plate to end the inning. [NOTE: It was a BAD decision by third base coach Tim Bogar to send Drew on the play... while I know there were two out at the time, Cleveland RF Shin-Soo Choo led the league in outfield assists last year (14). The ball was a grounder that was collected in shallow right field and, in consideration of all of the elements that go into the decision-making equation, Drew should have been held at third base. It's another case of why the club needs to find a new third base coach]

The offense never threatened again until the ninth inning, when Ortiz came to home plate with the tying runs on base and two out—it was the first time they had a runner in scoring position after Saltalamacchia’s RBI-hit in the second inning. Papi lined out to left field to end the ballgame.

New city.

New script.

Same result.

Manager Terry Francona made a change atop the lineup tonight in an effort to jump start the offense, moving left fielder Carl Crawford up to the second spot in the lineup just one game after (foolishly) dropping him from the No. 3 hole (where he hit on Friday and Saturday) to the No. 7 slot.

The decision to drop him down in the order on Sunday was supposed to  “take the pressure off him,” as Tito felt he was pressing. Of course, it probably just added pressure, as CC had to wonder if he would be left there awhile if he did not produce. He pressed again on Sunday, so tonight Tito decided hitting him in the two-hole would be the elixir for whatever is ailing him. Umm, nope. He was 0-for-4, with a strikeout, and is now hitting just .133 (2-for-15, with 6 K).

Of course, Crawford isn’t alone—the club is hitting just .186 as a team.

Tomlin (1-0) got the win with his seven inning effort. LHP Tony Sipp pitched a perfect eighth inning. Closer Chris Perez struggled in the ninth, but retired Ortiz to earn the save.

Beckett held the Indians to one hit over the first three innings, but surrendered the lead in the fourth inning on a double by DH Travis Hafner, and RBI singles by old friend Orlando Cabrera and third baseman Jack Hannahan. They added an insurance run in the fifth inning when Asdrubal Cabrera doubled and scored on Carlos Santana’s sacrifice fly.

Beckett said, "They grinded out some at-bats, and I got the ball up a little bit."

Crawford observed: "We need some kind of spark right now."

Maybe Daisuke Matsuzaka will be able to provide that spark on the mound tomorrow night in his first start of the season.