Red Sox Gonzalez 'Searching' During April Power Outage
BOSTON (CBS) –Red Sox slugger Adrian Gonzalez has been going through a power outage to start the 2011 season.
"Right now for me, I'm searching," Gonzalez said after going 1-for-4 with a double in a 4-1 loss to the Orioles Tuesday night. "I feel good, I'm getting my hits, but it's not exactly where I want to be."
Read: Red Sox 5-Game Streak Ends With 4-1 Loss To Orioles
A prime example of Gonzalez' struggles came in the top of the fifth inning Tuesday night. With the Red Sox trailing 2-1, he stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs. On a 2-1 count, Gonzalez got on top of a Zach Britton fastball and chopped it to second for the force out. Inning over. Rally over.
"The last pitch I was looking for a fastball away, he threw it and I should have put it in play better than that," said Gonzalez. "It's one of those things where, if I'm feeling real comfortable at the plate I hit it to left field. Can't say it would have been a hit or an out, but I don't pull off and top it."
Adrian Gonzalez With WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Jonny Miller
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Gonzalez has just one home run and seven doubles for Boston in 22 games this season. The last time he hit just one home run in April was back in 2006, when he hit .256 in the season's first month.
Gonzalez did say the power slump has nothing to do with the shoulder surgery he underwent this offseason.
"It's definitely not the shoulder," he told WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Jonny Miller. "It's just mechanical. Things happen. Aprils are usually like this for me. For me, it's a good thing I'm right around .280 feeling this way."
Read: Gonzalez "Grateful For Opportunity" With Contract Extension
For Gonzalez, who has averaged 32 home runs a season over the past five years, it is just a matter of working out a few kinks before he returns to his normal self.
"Just repetition, I have to work through it," he said. "If I'm feeling really good in that situation I hit the ball better than that. It was one of those things, he made a good pitch I guess.
