NewsBannister brilliant in loss to Red Sox
Righty throws four hitless innings, takes shutout into eighth
By Dick Kaegel / MLB.com
07/10/09 11:58 PM ET
BOSTON -- Starter Brian Bannister pitched the game of his life on Friday night and still lost.Zeroes were hung all over the old-fashioned Fenway Park scoreboard until the Red Sox finally broke through against Bannister in the eighth inning to win, 1-0, behind Royals nemesis Jon Lester.
"I pitched as well as I've ever pitched in my career tonight, and I gave us a chance to win," Bannister said, "and they came through. That's tough to take, but I gave 'em everything I had tonight."
A shutout captivated the sellout crowd of 38,116 through 7 1/2 innings. Bannister had given up just one hit, Lester only four.
Mark Kotsay led off the Boston eighth with a single, only the second hit off Bannister, and pinch-runner Aaron Bates was bunted to second base. After J.D. Drew fanned, Bates took third on Bannister's wild pitch and, on the next delivery, Dustin Pedroia drilled a double off the Green Monster, rattling the scoreboard below.
Afterward, the typically thoughtful Bannister ruminated about the electric evening at the historic ballpark, remembering walking to the mound to the fans' nightly serenade during the seventh-inning stretch.
"I had to come out to 'Sweet Caroline' with a one-hit shutout at Fenway, and I don't know the list of guys that have done that, but I feel pretty privileged to be on it," he said.
"I lost the game because I gave up a hit to the reigning [American League] MVP. It's disappointing, but everything I've worked for the last two years for this team ... Before this, I wasn't capable of pitching a game like that."
Lester obviously was, however. Just last season, he'd no-hit Kansas City. This time, his string of 16 no-hit innings against the Royals ended in the second inning with Mark Teahen's single to the shortstop hole.
Teahen went 3-for-3 against Lester on the night.
"We haven't done anything against him here," Teahen said.
True enough. Lester is 3-0 against Kansas City and has never surrendered a run to the Royals in three career starts at Fenway Park. And of the mere five hits he's allowed, Teahen has four of them.
"They are still a tough lineup -- you still have to go out and execute pitches," Lester said, "regardless if you're facing a high school team or you're facing the Yankees ... it doesn't matter."
Lester was relieved by closer Jonathan Papelbon in the ninth after giving up just four hits in his eight shutout innings. He struck out eight and walked none. Papelbon ran through the Royals in order for his 23rd save.
Bannister did much better in the no-hit mode this time. He got through four hitless innings before Jacoby Ellsbury opened the fifth with a single to right field.
That hit didn't lead to a run, only a Red Sox temper flareup. There was one out when Kotsay was caught breaking off first base by Royals catcher Miguel Olivo and got jammed in a rundown. The fleet Ellsbury, now at third base, decided to take advantage of the Royals' preoccupation with Kotsay and broke for home.
First baseman Billy Butler caught Alberto Callaspo's toss and turned and fired to the plate. Ellsbury slid by as Olivo tagged him, and umpire Derryl Cousins called him out. Ellsbury was so indignant, Cousins thumbed him out of the game. Then Red Sox manager Terry Francona gave Cousins an earful, apparently contending that Ellsbury touched home before he was tagged.
Royals manager Trey Hillman had his chance to jaw in the seventh. Jose Guillen reached on an error, Teahen singled and Butler flied out to deep center. Both runners tried to advance after the catch, but on Rocco Baldelli's throw to second base, Teahen was called out by umpire Jim Joyce for a double play. Joyce told Hillman that Teahen had taken his foot off the bag.
"I think I did," Teahen admitted. "I was sliding in as hard as I could to beat the throw, and I couldn't hold the base, and he did a good job to keep the tag on me."
The Royals had just one more baserunner, when Callaspo walked to start the ninth. Newcomer Ryan Freel fouled off a bunt attempt, but then took the next three pitches and was called out on strikes. Freel confessed that he missed a sign keeping the bunt play in effect.
"I got confused and screwed that up," Freel said. "I'd have bunted on the third pitch if I knew; I'm not afraid to bunt with two strikes, but I just screwed it up, so you can blame the whole thing on me."
In the end, Bannister left the park after the best game and the toughest loss of his career.
"The intensity of the fans and the history of this ballpark, every pitch I threw tonight was fun, but it got more fun as the game went on," Bannister said. "I'm disappointed that I lost this game for our team, but it was as good a game as I've ever pitched in my life."
There were some questions later, of course. Did Hillman, after Bates reached third on the wild pitch, consider intentionally walking Pedroia to set up a double play with Kevin Youkilis coming up?
"No, I mean we wild-pitched him to third base," Hillman said. "They're both dangerous, and it's one of the few mistakes Banny made the whole game. He left a changeup out over the plate."
As it happened, after the run scored, Youkilis was intentionally passed, and Bannister was relieved by lefty John Bale, who retired David Ortiz to end the inning.
Pedroia, who ruined things for Bannister, was impressed.
"He was great," Pedroia said. "We faced him a couple of times the last couple of years, and he never throws one straight. It's either sinking or cutting or doing something. He knows how to pitch. He was definitely tough tonight. We're glad to win this game."
Dick Kaegel is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
