The Braves dealt the Red Sox their second Spring Training loss, taking three runs off of Alex Wilson as part of a 6-1 rout.
The game started well enough, as Jacoby Ellsbury and Dustin Pedroia reached base to lead off the inning before David Ortiz singled Ellsbury home. Big Papi was far from finished, though:
David Ortiz did everything he could: picked up three hits, drove in the team’s only run, and, yes, even stole a base!
The rare Ortiz swipe came in the fourth inning with one out. With Atlanta pitcher Craig Kimbrel paying no attention to him at first, Papi took his lead, and then broke. The attempt was apparently just as stunning to the Braves as to the rest of us, as they didn’t even attempt a throw, allowing Ortiz to go in standing.
Unfortunately, the early lead didn’t last:
Alex Wilson came in, and things fell apart.
Alex Wilson’s career has really hit a bump in the road since he was bumped up to face the harder competition in Portland last year. The Sox’ second round pick of 2008 (a draft which is currently looking quite underwhelming indeed), the closer in starter’s clothing has struggled with control half the time, and the long ball whenever he’s not walking guys. Today, the issue was the former. Wilson allowed a leadoff single, and then three straight walks.By the time the inning was over, three more runs had scored.
The Sox would have one last chance in the bottom of the inning to get back in the game, loading the bases. With Daniel Nava at the plate, the Braves’ announcers started reminding the listeners just exactly how Nava entered the league, with his grand slam against the Phillies. History almost repeated itself, but Nava came up just short, flying out to the warning track to end the threat.
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