Indians pitchers K 16 ‘Sox, Boston still wins 7-2

Small ball may not be the most exciting and appealing way to score runs, but the Boston Red Sox sure don’t seem to mind, and neither do their fans.

They are, after all, very good at it.

Apr 16, 2013; Cleveland, OH, USA; Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia (15) leans back on an inside pitch in the sixth inning against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

The Red Sox scored seven runs in the top of the 2nd inning, collecting five walks along the way and a bases clearing double from Mike Napoli serving as the big blow as the Red sox cruised to the fourth straight win, 7-2 over the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field in Cleveland on Tuesday night.

Sox starter Felix Doubront registered an effective start, allowing just two runs on four hits in five innings, with the solid bullpen taking over from there – more than good enough to notch his first win of the season and to continue the string of Sox starting pitching allowing three earned runs or less – which now stands at 13 games to start the season.

In contrast, Indians’ starter Ubaldo Jiminez got absolutely stomped.  Oh wait, the Sox are playing small ball, so instead of getting stomped, he got told a thing or two and sent to the corner of the dugout to think about walking five Red Sox batters in one third of an inning, not to mention serving up two doubles to Napoli, the second of which cleared the bases…

…and which made the fact that the Sox somehow managed to strike out an amazing 16 times – left fielder Daniel Nava with four – a weird non-factor. To post a dud like that in just about any game, you’re going to lose – unless you also are issued nine free passes, which is how small ball works.

Whiffs, walks and timely hitting is what’s working for the Sox offense right now, and when you sprinkle in the clutch stolen bases and solid defense and top it off with gem after gem from your pitching staff, well, you are 9-4 and leading the American League East by 1.5 games over the New York (how the hell are they 7-5) Yankees…

…and of the nine wins the last four are consecutive, so Boston has to feel pretty good about this team, and the fans should as well.  Small ball isn’t as entertaining as watching park jobs drop over fences and outfielders crashing into the wall trying to chase it down, but it works.

And though it might seem robotic, manufacturing runs at this point of the season can only be good for their confidence when the power finally starts to come around, the knowledge that they can win either way is priceless.

So the Red Sox players needn’t fret.  Many were concerned that they had to put on an entertaining brand this evening to create a pleasant diversion for the New England region in the wake of Monday’s devastating events, and striking out 16 times and walking nine isn’t exactly exciting, but the fact that the game is played is a diversion in itself.

Baseball is said to be the National Pass time, and at times like this is when fans need baseball more than baseball needs it’s fans – to know that there is normalcy in their lives.  Just the fact that you’re playing means everything to the city.