Maybe someone needed to remind him of the Knicks' current status. Or maybe the Red Sox ought to just shelve the jerseys. Because once the game started, there was far more frustration than celebration. Three times Red Sox batters came up with the bases loaded. The results? One sacrifice fly, one strikeout, one double play, and just two runs. The strikeout and DP were both supplied by Ramírez, the missed opportunities leading to a 5-4 loss to the Cardi nals in St. Louis's first game in Boston since the 2004 World Series.
"I'm going to take my chances all the time with Manny," Julio Lugo said. "With the bases loaded, I'm going to bet on him."
Not in this game, though. Ramírez did score the game's first run, but failed to capitalize at the plate in the fifth and seventh innings, though Jacoby Ellsbury scored on his double-play ball in the seventh.
The Sox trailed, 5-3, in the ninth against Ryan Franklin. With one out, Dustin Pedroia doubled, bringing up the red-hot J.D. Drew. But Drew, who hasn't missed on much of anything lately, struck out looking. That was followed by a walk to Ramírez. With two outs, Mike Lowell singled up the middle, scoring Pedroia and sending Ramírez to third base. The game was left up to Kevin Youkilis, whose fly to right field ended it.
"Very frustrating," said Kevin Cash (1 for 3). "We've got to capitalize on some of those opportunities. I think everybody would say that when this lineup gets its opportunities, you expect to get one, two, if not more runs.
"It is kind of surprising. Those situations occur and we don't get that big hit, whoever it is on that given night. That's baseball - sometimes you're going to get them, sometimes you don't."
In the sixth, Lugo did both, learning the lesson that there is something to be said for timing. Though there is also something to be said for accurate throws to first base.
