Red Sox kick off summer with blasts

David Ortiz isn't a statistician. He doesn't have a history degree, either. Still, you would expect Ortiz to remember whether there was some kind of past between himself and Indians veteran Kevin Millwood.
"I don't know," Ortiz said after the Red Sox's 9-2 win Monday night against the Indians in front of 28,450 at Jacobs Field.

Well, Ortiz had no history with Millwood before Monday night. But he didn't need one to hit the Tribe right-hander. Ortiz hammered two home runs and a sacrifice fly off Millwood to lead the Red Sox to an early victory.

"He's been so good and so consistent," manager Terry Francona said of Ortiz. "Even when he takes an 0-for-4, teams aren't dying to face him."

After Ortiz's first at-bat, nobody on the Tribe's pitching staff was eager to face Big Papi. In that first-at bat in the first inning, Ortiz drove a 1-1 fastball from Millwood to deep center field that cleared the wall -- and Indians center fielder Grady Sizemore's outstretched glove -- for a 2-0 lead.

In the second, Ortiz batted a second time against Millwood. This at-bat wasn't as productive as his first, but it was fruitful nonetheless. With Johnny Damon on third, Ortiz hit a sacrifice fly to deep right that gave the Sox a three-run lead.

And again in the fifth, Ortiz had his way with Millwood. This time, he chose the long-ball route for a second time. Ortiz didn't have to wait long in this third at-bat, as he shot Millwood's first pitch over the right-center-field wall for a 4-0 Sox lead.

"When I'm swinging good at the plate, I hit it," Ortiz said. "It's like a continuation of what you've done before."

Even though he'd never faced Millwood before?

"He's got good stuff, and he's not a guy you want to get on top of you," Ortiz said.

While Ortiz was batting balls out of The Jake, right-hander Bronson Arroyo was getting on top of the Tribe's hitters. Arroyo pitched splendidly in seven innings, allowing just one run on four hits and a walk.

He held the Indians to two hits through the fifth with a commanding fastball and an effective changeup.

"Bronson did one heck of a job," Jason Varitek said. "He was able to locate the heater and he threw some of his best changeups."

Arroyo was just as pleased with his performance.

"I was hoping for a little more zip on my fastball and more break on my curveball," Arroyo said. "And it seemed to work tonight."

Big game for Ortiz
Red Sox at Indians, June 21
After going 3-for-4 with a pair of homers and four RBIs, David Ortiz is batting .303 (.333 with runners in scoring position) with 18 homers, through June 21. A look at his plate appearances:
Inn. Count Result
1st 1-1, 0 Out Two-run home run
2nd 1-2, 1 Out Sac fly
5th 0-0, 1 Out Solo home run
7th 1-2, 0 Out Strikeout
9th 0-1, 0 Out Single
Ortiz increased his season RBI total to 62, through June 21. Tuesday's multihomer game was Ortiz's fourth of the season and 15th of his career. He now has 148 homers in his career.

Arroyo's arsenal of pitches worked well enough for a win against the Indians. But was this performance his best this season?

"[I was] not as good today as last time out," said Arroyo, who pitched seven innings and allowed one run on six hits with eight strikeouts in his last start against the Reds.

Like left-hander David Wells on Monday night, Arroyo left a comfortable lead in the hands of the Sox bullpen. But no lead has been completely safe with the Red Sox 'pen lately, and that was the case again Tuesday night.

Taking over with a 7-1 lead in the eighth, reliever John Halama forced Sox fans to hold their breaths once again. After making one out, Halama surrendered three consecutive singles to load the bases.

The next batter, Ben Broussard, hit a deep fly ball to right field that turned Francona's stomach.

"I was afraid it was headed to the seats," Francona said.

Yet it wasn't. That hit still could have cleared the bases, but Trot Nixon ranged over and made the catch as he slammed into the wall.

"That's probably the play of the game," Francona said. "At a time they're trying to come back, that changes the complexion of the game."

After Halama escaped the eighth, reliever Matt Mantei pitched a scoreless ninth to seal Arroyo's sixth win.

Arroyo credited a big portion of this win to Big Papi after the game.

"In three years [that] I've been here, he's been so clutch. It's not even funny," Arroyo said.

Source:
http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/