Hanley Saves Day For Red Sox With Bat And Glove
BOSTON (CBS) -- Hanley Ramirez had the game of his career Wednesday night, leading the Red Sox to an 11-7 victory with both his bat and his glove against the San Francisco Giants.
Ramirez displayed the power that Boston was hoping he'd bring to the lineup, hitting a trio of homers for the first time in his career while driving in a career-high six runs. His first blast came in the second inning, depositing a Matt Cain offering into the Boston bullpen to give the Red Sox a 2-0 lead. His next bomb went to left-center to put Boston up 5-0, and Ramirez soaked it all in with a slow trot around the bases.
That trot didn't sit well with the Giants, so San Fran reliever Albert Suarez plunked him off the elbow in his next at-bat in the fifth inning. Ramirez had a few things to say to Saurez as he sauntered down to first, appearing to tell the reliever, "I'll get you back."
The slugger delivered on that promise in the bottom of the sixth, sending the first pitch he saw deep to left and off the top of the Green Monster. The two-run shot completed Ramirez's home run hat trick.
"I get so angry. Sometimes Hanley is not Hanley. It's somebody else," Ramirez said of the exchange after the game, unwilling to expand on what he said to Saurez.
"It's a secret," he said with a smile.
It had been 14 games since Ramirez left the yard, so maybe Wednesday night was the start of that hot streak he promised back on June 15.
But Ramirez's power surge was just half the story. The first-year first baseman showed off some unbelievable leather throughout the up-and-down contest, saving a key run that could have swung the tilt very quickly. After making a great snag on a low line drive in the first inning, which would have set the Giants up with runners on first and third with nobody out, he made what could be the play of the year in the top of the sixth.
Drew Pomeranz's short Boston debut led to a taxing night for the Red Sox bullpen, but it could have been a lot worse had it not been for Ramirez's glove. Matt Barnes entered the game with the bases loaded and no outs, with Boston clinging to a one-run lead. Gregor Blanco chopped one to Ramirez at first, who calmly touched the bag and fired home, just in time for Sandy Leon to spin around and tag Brandon Belt before he could touch the plate.
"It was unbelievable," Ramirez said of the double play. "Everything went right."
The bang-bang play was challenged by the Giants, but upheld upon review. Ramirez hauled in an easy pop up in foul territory by Conor Gillaspie to end the inning, letting out a battle cry in celebration.
A few minutes later he was rounding the bases, slower than ever with bat in hand for most of his trip to first, after giving Boston a 10-7 lead with his third homer of the evening.
The dingers were expected from Ramirez when Boston gave him a four-year, $88 million deal two winters ago, but the gold glove defense was merely a sarcastic joke when he started working at first near the end of last season. He put it all together Wednesday night, and the Red Sox sit in first place in the AL East because of it.
Only "Hanley being Hanley" can upstage his own career night at the plate with such an incredible night in the field. Maybe the slugger just needs to get angry more often.
