Young, the Rangers third baseman, deposited Delcarmen’s first pitch into the center-field bleachers, and a game that was a one-run contest for the first six-plus innings suddenly had become a five-run lead for Texas.
At the time, it seemed Young’s homer merely extended the gap in an easy win. In the end, though, it proved to be the difference, as the Sox fell, 7-3, at Rangers Ballpark.
“Just wish we had a rewind button,’’ Delcarmen said.
With two outs in the top of the eighth, Eric Patterson hit an infield single, knocking Texas starter C.J. Wilson out of the game. After Patterson took second base on defensive indifference and third on a wild pitch by Pedro Strop, Marco Scutaro drove him in with a double, the Sox’ first run of the game.
Then Darnell McDonald hit his first home run since July 11, a two-run shot that cleared the wall in right field. The deficit was down to 5-3, but the Sox couldn’t come all the way back, and the Rangers added two more runs in the eighth.
Before the game, Francona said of Delcarmen, “He hasn’t gotten Hamilton [2 for 5 lifetime, two doubles] or Michael Young [3 for 8, double] out. So you’re asking a guy to come in to get two guys that he hasn’t gotten out. That’s probably not a good move on my part.’’
But he made the move yesterday, and all it took was one changeup for Young to change the game. Francona said the difference between Saturday and yesterday was that the Sox were losing, though he still wasn’t entirely happy with his decision.
“I just hung a changeup,’’ Delcarmen said. “Going in, I know he’s a first-pitch-swing guy. With runners on, it’s not the right time to hang a changeup.
“It’s a little frustrating. We end up scoring three in the very next inning, so it kind of stung a little bit. Dice was battling the heat all day and pitched his butt off.’’
Other than a run in the second — on a single, walk, sacrifice bunt, and sacrifice fly — Matsuzaka contained a dangerous Rangers team over the first six innings. He finished with eight strikeouts and only two walks.
