ALCS Game 1 Post Mortem - Nuggets from the Live Blog at WEEI Blogs

ALCS Game 1 Post Mortem - Nuggets from the Live Blog

Posted by Gary Marbry

I’m taking the easy way out this morning. If you missed out on the party that was the Game Day Live Blog last night, I’m reposting here some of the stat nuggets that I contributed during the game (with context added in some cases). Don’t miss it tonight! We had a great time!

Warning: Grammar and spelling may be “off” in some cases as these nuggets were typed quickly into the live blog in an informal ”chat” format. So in the words of Mr. Vargas from “Fast Times at Ridgemont High”: “Please. Have a heart.”

* - Dustin Pedroia led MLB with 41 hits (.333 avg) against pitchers with 14+ wins this season (like the Rays James Shields). Jed Lowrie had the lowest OBP (.194) in MLB against them. (Pedroia had a hit. Lowrie never reached base)

* - Youkilis had 18 doubles with 2 outs during the regular season. Only Chase Utley (20) had more.

* - Dice-K allowed a .354 OBP during the regular season in the 1st inning, the highest of any inning where he pitched to 30+ batters (1 through 6). (Naturally, he walked three in the 1st last night)

* - Opponents against Dice-K since he came to BOS with bases loaded and 2 outs: 2 for 20. (He escaped in the 1st as Floyd grounded out)

* - Dice-K struck out the side just 4 times all season: Once each in June, July, August, and September. (He settled for just two K’s last night)

* - The Red Sox went hitless in the 2nd and 3rd innings of 25 games this reg season, but only 8 times in the 2nd/3rd/4th. Only the Cubs did it less (7). (And after going hitless in the 2nd and 3rd, they picked up a 4th inning single)

* - Jason Bay led the majors in 4th inning HR (9) and OPS (1.259). (Unfortunately, JD Drew hit into a DP so Bay didn’t get to bat in the 4th)

* - Sox went 18-8 this yr when Youk got 2+ hits. (Keep reading for the updated stat after his 3rd hit)

* - Sox are 12-0 the last 12 times that Dice-K has fanned 7 or more. (Another update comes later)

* - Bay was no slouch in the 5th inning either: .351 with a 1.005 OPS. (He walked)

* - Dice-K has never gone through the first 4 innings without allowing a hit since coming to Boston. 9 times he’s allowed 1 hit and 19 times he’s allowed 2. The other 33 starts, he’s allowed 3+ hits over the first 4 innings. An aside here. I posted this right after the 4th inning was over and it never even occurred to me that I was jinxing the potential no-hitter. Luckily for me, Chip Caray quickly left no doubt by exclaiming “He’s got a NO-HITTER going!”

* - Papi: .188 with 0 HR in 6th inn this year. (He fanned)

* - When Shields has fanned 5+ at the Trop, the Rays have won 13 of 14 dating back to mid 2007.

* - The last 17 times that Dice-K has gone 6+ innings, the Sox have won the game.

* - Lowrie doubled last 2 times up with RISP and 1 out (both during reg season) and was a .360 hitter in that spot this year. (He fanned in the 7th)

* - Dice has held the 51 batters faced from the 7th on to a .196 avg this yr (.601 OPS). (4 for 7 last night in 7th and 8th)

* - Leadoff batters in the 7th/8th/9th this year vs Dice (before tonite): 0-7. (Single in the 7th and single in the 8th)

* - With runners on 1st/3rd with 1 out, Dice has 4 GIDP out of 10 batters faced in his regular season career. (No GIDP, but he escaped the 7th inning jam)

* - 1st batters vs Dice in 8th inn are 3-10 in his career (but NO walks) and all 3 hits were singles. (Another single led off the 8th)

* - Since the beginning of 2007, Sox are 21-1 when Youk gets 3+ hits, including 2-0 last year in the postseason.

* - Okajima allowed 1 of 10 IR’s to score since July 7. (Stranded 2 more in the 8th)

* - The last time that Tampa had 2 official at bats ending on 3-0 (non walks or HBP) in the same game was way back in May of 2005. Wow. This was probably my favorite nugget of the night. I couldn’t believe that they flew out TWICE on 3-0 pitches! FYI - Dating back to 2005, hitters are 1 for 9 when putting a 3-0 pitch in play.

* - During the reg season, Red Sox opponents were 5-13 with a HR and a 1.785 OPS when they swung on 3-0. In addition, in the Sox postseason history, opponents were 4-6 with a HR entering tonight when swinging 3-0. The HR was a walkoff shot by Tony Pena of the Indians in the ‘95 debacle. FYI - Tampa was 3-11 with a HR during the regular season when swinging 3-0.

* - Once again, the Red Sox remain undefeated in the regular season AND postseason when they score more runs than their opponent.