Dodgers open their Fenway experience with nightmare fifth inning in 10-6 loss
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There will be worse innings for the Dodgers this season.
Probably. Possibly. OK, there’s a reasonable chance.
Friday’s fifth inning in Boston, however, won’t be easy to topple. It was the kind of inning that comes right from the horrific mind of Stephen King, who coincidentally, happens to be a monstrous Red Sox fan.
It was so ugly, so completely embarrassing for the Dodgers, the Red Sox fans couldn’t even muster up a reaction to Manny Ramirez when he batted to open the sixth.
Sympathy for the fallen.
The Dodgers and Red Sox were locked in a 3-3 tie going into the bottom of the fifth. All was about to change.
Rookie Carlos Monasterios, starting Friday because Chad Billingsley (groin) went on the disabled list, never would get an out.
To single out any one player for what transpired, however, would be grossly unfair.
In the fifth inning, the Red Sox would score seven runs on six hits, an error, a wild pitch, a stolen base, a hit batter and two walks.
Other than that, it was a thing of beauty.
The Red Sox, naturally, went on to a 10-6 victory. They were winning so easily that Manny’s return to Boston was quickly overlooked.
Monasterios started the trouble by giving up a single, a walk and then a double to Kevin Youkilis. Which ended the night for Monasterios, but not his trouble. Ramon Troncoso relieved, and more trouble brewed. Troncoso, still struggling to find the consistent form he displayed in April, gave up a single to Darnell McDonald that Matt Kemp misplayed for an error, as two more scored.
Former Dodger Adrian Beltre then almost hit a two-run home off of one knee. The ball was actually hit out of the park.
That ended the damage against Monasterios, as the kids plugging holes in the rotation continue to cause concern. After starting the year 2-0 with a 1.87 earned-run average in his first 14 games (three starts), Monasterios has gone 0-2 with a 9.59 ERA in his last three starts.
Troncoso’s troubles were hardly over. Jason Varitek doubled, Mike Cameron walked and went to second on a wild pitch and Daniel Nava was hit by a pitch. Finally, out came Troncoso.
A run-scoring fielder’s choice and a sacrifice fly off Travis Schlichting and the Red Sox were up seven runs. And the Dodgers had an inning to forget.
Manny went one for five with a single.
__ Steve Dilbeck