Red Sox All-Stars Contribute to AL’s 4-3 Win Over NL
Red Sox All-Stars contributed to the AL’s 4-3 win over the NL in the 2009 MLB All-Star Game at BUsch Stadium in St. Louis.
Jason Bay started in left field for the AL team and went 1 for 2. His single off of NL starter Tim Lincecum in the 1st inning kept a rally alive as the AL took an early 2-0 lead. Bay played 4 innings for the AL before being replaced by All-Star Game MVP Carl Crawford in the 5th inning.
Kevin Youkilis served as a pinch-hitter for teammate Jonathan Papelbon in the 8th inning and got a single off of Heath Bell. Youk did not play in the field.
Jonathan Papelbon pitched a perfect bottom of the 7th inning and ended up picking up the All-Star Game victory when the AL scored the go-ahead run in the 8th inning on Andruw Jones’ sacrifice fly.
Tampa Bay Rays Manager Joe Maddon – the manager of the AL squad – elected not to use starters Josh Beckett and Tim Wakefield. The 42-year old Wakefield was making his 1st career All-Star appearance.
But the focus was on Bay who was making his 3rd All-Star appearance, but his 1st in the AL where fans and critics are finally getting to see the real Bay as he now plays for a major market team (unlike the Pittsburgh Pirates where he played his 1st few years). Bay was the leading outfielder vote-getter from start to finish of All-Star voting and was the center of attention during Monday’s media day. Bay had this to say about his time in Boston: “I never came in with that as a goal – to try to prove anyone right or wrong, or what have you. I’ve maintained the whole time that I wanted to come to Boston to be the guy I’ve been in Pittsburgh, Easier said than done, obviously, so it was nice to settle in and, I guess, be accepted. You don’t go into perfect situations every time, but the fans welcomed me there from the minute I walked on to the field, which was a little awkward, like I said before. I wouldn’t change it for anything, and I’m happy with where I’m at.”
As are Red Sox fans and players. Bay is one of the Red Sox top hitters in 2009 – .260 batting average; .380 on-base percentage;20 HR’s; 72 RBI’s; 56 runs scored; and 10 SB’s. Bay has fit right in with his teammates and the city and he has become a core member of the Red Sox organization both on and off the field. Kevin Youkilis summed it up best: “He brings a lot to the table just as an unbelievable hitter with a lot of power, but a big thing is the type of teammate he is and the way he plays the game. He’s a great teammate and a great player. His presence in the clubhouse is always nice.”
Congrats Jason let’s keep it up in the 2nd half of 2009.
