| | BOSTON -- Is it the fans, the field or fate?
The Boston Red Sox don't know why they hit so well at Fenway
Park. And they really don't care.
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HOME COOKIN'
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Home and road averages this season for Boston's lineup: |
|
Player
|
Home
|
Away
|
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Offerman
|
.325
|
.264
|
|
Valentin
|
.252
|
.255
|
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Varitek
|
.315
|
.221
|
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Garciaparra
|
.378
|
.331
|
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O'Leary
|
.289
|
.271
|
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Stanley
|
.259
|
.303
|
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Daubach
|
.317
|
.274
|
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Lewis
|
.233
|
.246
|
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Nixon
|
.284
|
.257
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"It's hard to explain why we score so many runs," Trot Nixon
said. "I hope it continues. I'm sure it will."
The Red Sox cut the New York Yankees lead in the AL Championship
Series to 2-1 Saturday with a 21-hit attack in a 13-1 win. It was
somewhat of a slump at home since they won their previous game
there 23-7 with 24 hits against Cleveland six days earlier.
They play their next two games Sunday and Monday nights before
cranked-up fans in the coziest ballpark in the majors where they
have a total of 45 runs in the last 20 innings. They have scored in
16 of them.
"This is our home field, our own fans," said Jason Varitek,
who somehow managed to go hitless in four at-bats. "I don't know
if it helps, but it can't hurt."
Every other Red Sox starter had at least one hit as the team's
batting average soared to .448 in three home playoff games, all
victories.
And get this: their slugging percentage in those games is .824
compared to .459 at home during the regular season. Of their 56
playoff hits at Fenway, 27 went for extra bases, including nine
homers.
Compare that to their road problems where they're 1-4 with a
.225 batting average and four homers in the playoffs.
On Saturday, they set LCS records with 38 total bases and 10
extra-base hits. They set ALCS records with 21 hits and a 12-run
victory margin and tied the ALCS mark with 13 runs.
And the 21 hits were the most ever against the Yankees in their
254 postseason games.
"We've played well here at Fenway all year, especially in the
playoffs," said Brian Daubach, who went 2-for-4 with a homer after
going 1-for-10 in the first two games in New York. "I think the
crowd has a lot to do with it."
On Saturday, the Red Sox scored six runs over the first three
innings, one more than their total for the first two games at
Yankee Stadium.
The targets at Fenway are inviting. There's the Green Monster in
left field and Pesky's Pole, the yellow foul pole down the short
right-field line.
The fans are invigorating -- cheering every liner and roaring as
Red Sox runners use the basepaths like a youngster uses a carousel
that he doesn't want to leave.
"It's always nice to play in your own park," said Mike
Stanley, who went 2-for-4. "They're not yelling at you so much in
the on-deck circle. You have the comforts of your own clubhouse.
It's more relaxing."
In the regular season, the Red Sox hit .291 at home and .265 on
the road.
"It's a ballpark that's tailored for offense," said Darren
Lewis. "I think this team really feeds off the fans."
Boston had lost the first two games of the AL Division Series in
Cleveland 3-2 and 11-1. Then they came home to take the next two
games 9-3 and 23-7.
John Valentin has been Boston's most valuable hitter at home in
the playoffs.
The Red Sox, facing the embarrassment of being swept by
Cleveland, were tied 2-2 before Valentin's solo homer in the bottom
of the sixth of Game 3. The Indians tied it again in the seventh.
But Valentin's two-run double gave the Red Sox the lead for good
in a six-run seventh. In the next game, he had two homers and seven
RBIs as the Red Sox tied the series 2-2. They won it the next night
in Cleveland.
Boston opened the ALCS in New York, and Valentin went 1-for-8 in
the two losses. But on Saturday, he set the offensive tone with a
two-run homer on Roger Clemens' seventh pitch of the game as his
hyped duel never materialized with Pedro Martinez, who allowed two
hits and two walks and struck out 12 in seven scoreless innings.
There were other offensive stars. Nomar Garciaparra went 4-for-5
and he, Valentin and Daubach homered, while Jose Offerman and Nixon
each had three hits.
"I can't be concerned with how many or how little we score,"
said Bret Saberhagen, Boston's probable starter in Game 4. "My job
is to get them out and give our team a chance to hit."
Then watch what happens.
| |
ALSO SEE
Yankees vs. Red Sox series page
All Pedro, all Sox: Boston wins Game 3, 13-1
Clemens says emotions were under control
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