The Sox had plenty of opportunities to score early in Friday's contest, but were unable to capitalize on any of them. In the second, third, and fourth innings the Sox had a runner on second base with nobody out, yet failed to score in each inning.
I wrote that statement nearly three months ago following a loss to these same Rays, and it rang true again this Friday, though the innings are slightly off. The Sox pounded Edwin Jackson for 7 hits and 5 walks in the first 5 innings, but only managed 2 runs. Yet again, the Sox managed just 1 hit with a runner in scoring position (which failed to plate General Soreness) and struggled with fundamentals on the basepaths.
On the last trip to Tampa Bay, the Sox couldn't properly execute a rundown. Friday night, they couldn't throw out a runner they had picked off and handed two straight outs to the Rays when it appeared Maddon's crew was reading Ozzie's mail. First, Juan Uribe was throw out on hit-and-run when the Rays called for a pitch out. Then just a couple pitches later, on the first pitch after Orlando Cabrera reached base, Tampa called for another pitch-out to catch Cabrera on what appeared to be a straight steal, properly executing the rundown, of course.
John Danks pitched well enough, helping his own cause with a great defensive play to cut down a run at the plate--the first of two in the second inning--but faltered in the 7th. Where have I heard that before? Matt Thornton was able to clean up his mess, but things got ugly when the pen was asked to hold it the rest of the way.
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Octavio Dotel faced 205 batters from Opening Day until July 30th, during which he allowed 4 HR (1.95 % of Batters Faced) and struck out 69 (33.65% of BF). Since July 31st, however--Hooray for selective endpoints--he seems to have lost both of those skills. Dotel has struck out 7 of the last 37 batters he faced (18.9% of BF) and allowed an astonishing 6 HR (16.2% of BF).
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Horacio Ramirez walked a batter, thus ending his brief impersonation of an effective pitcher.