Thursday, April 13, 2006
The Toronto Blue Jays made Boomer hear the boos.
Alexis Rios, Bengie Molina and Vernon Wells homered off David Wells in the left-hander's first start of the season, and the Blue Jays defeated the Boston Red Sox 8-4 on Wednesday night.
Wells (0-1), who requested a trade during the winter then rescinded that request in spring training, was booed early and often after giving up three runs in the first, two in the second and two in the sixth.
"I just have to go out there and try to keep my team on the ballgame," Wells said, "and if you don't then you're going to get that, especially me. But that's fine and I can deal with it. I have been in worse places."
After going 15-7 last season, Wells expressed his discomfort with "a lack of privacy" that he feels playing in Boston.
On Wednesday, the fans didn't show much patience for the 42-year-old, coming off right knee surgery in the offseason. He up seven runs, 10 hits, walked one and struck out one in four-plus innings, and was booed loudly when he was yanked in the fifth.
"He just made a couple of mistakes. They weren't good pitches at all," Molina said. "He left a couple up and right down the middle."
Rios had a two-run homer and a career-best four RBI for the Blue Jays, who collected a season-high 16 hits.
"Sometimes when pitchers make mistakes they get away with them, but tonight we put good swings on the ball," Vernon Wells said. "Going up against a pitcher like Boomer, you've got to score runs whenever you can get them."
Dustin Mohr had a two-run homer, and David Ortiz and Wily Mo Pena had solo shots for Boston. The loss spoiled Boston's chance to match its best start in 86 years, dropping its record to 6-2.
Toronto starter Gustavo Chacin (2-0) benefited from a 5-0 lead after two innings, allowing three runs on five hits in five innings.
"Gus battled through it," Toronto manager John Gibbons said. "I think he'd rather pitch in a tight game. He doesn't like the comfortable lead."
Three relievers held the Red Sox to one run and two hits before B.J Ryan pitched the ninth.
The Blue Jays jumped right on David Wells from the start when Rios homered into the first row of the Monster Seats on the fourth pitch of the game. Two outs later, Molina homered over the seats in left, making it 3-0.
"I don't think he feels like he's 20-years old anymore," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said of Wells. "I'm sure there is some creakiness. He had pretty good surgery. I don't think that is why he is going to say he left pitches over the plate."
Wells, booed when he left the mound in the first, heard more boos after he gave up an RBI double to Rios and run-scoring single to Vernon Wells in the second.
The Red Sox cut it 5-2 in the fourth on Mohr's two-run homer, but the Blue Jays chased David Wells and added a pair of runs in the fifth. Vernon Wells homered leading off and Troy Glaus singled. Molina greeted reliever Lenny DiNardi with a single. Aaron Hill's two-out RBI double made it 7-2.
Ortiz's third homer of the season, and second in as many days, made it 7-3 in the fifth. Pena added his solo shot to center in the sixth.
Rios' sacrifice fly made it 8-4 in the eighth.
Alexis Rios, Bengie Molina and Vernon Wells homered off David Wells in the left-hander's first start of the season, and the Blue Jays defeated the Boston Red Sox 8-4 on Wednesday night.
Wells (0-1), who requested a trade during the winter then rescinded that request in spring training, was booed early and often after giving up three runs in the first, two in the second and two in the sixth.
"I just have to go out there and try to keep my team on the ballgame," Wells said, "and if you don't then you're going to get that, especially me. But that's fine and I can deal with it. I have been in worse places."
After going 15-7 last season, Wells expressed his discomfort with "a lack of privacy" that he feels playing in Boston.
On Wednesday, the fans didn't show much patience for the 42-year-old, coming off right knee surgery in the offseason. He up seven runs, 10 hits, walked one and struck out one in four-plus innings, and was booed loudly when he was yanked in the fifth.
"He just made a couple of mistakes. They weren't good pitches at all," Molina said. "He left a couple up and right down the middle."
Rios had a two-run homer and a career-best four RBI for the Blue Jays, who collected a season-high 16 hits.
"Sometimes when pitchers make mistakes they get away with them, but tonight we put good swings on the ball," Vernon Wells said. "Going up against a pitcher like Boomer, you've got to score runs whenever you can get them."
Dustin Mohr had a two-run homer, and David Ortiz and Wily Mo Pena had solo shots for Boston. The loss spoiled Boston's chance to match its best start in 86 years, dropping its record to 6-2.
Toronto starter Gustavo Chacin (2-0) benefited from a 5-0 lead after two innings, allowing three runs on five hits in five innings.
"Gus battled through it," Toronto manager John Gibbons said. "I think he'd rather pitch in a tight game. He doesn't like the comfortable lead."
Three relievers held the Red Sox to one run and two hits before B.J Ryan pitched the ninth.
The Blue Jays jumped right on David Wells from the start when Rios homered into the first row of the Monster Seats on the fourth pitch of the game. Two outs later, Molina homered over the seats in left, making it 3-0.
"I don't think he feels like he's 20-years old anymore," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said of Wells. "I'm sure there is some creakiness. He had pretty good surgery. I don't think that is why he is going to say he left pitches over the plate."
Wells, booed when he left the mound in the first, heard more boos after he gave up an RBI double to Rios and run-scoring single to Vernon Wells in the second.
The Red Sox cut it 5-2 in the fourth on Mohr's two-run homer, but the Blue Jays chased David Wells and added a pair of runs in the fifth. Vernon Wells homered leading off and Troy Glaus singled. Molina greeted reliever Lenny DiNardi with a single. Aaron Hill's two-out RBI double made it 7-2.
Ortiz's third homer of the season, and second in as many days, made it 7-3 in the fifth. Pena added his solo shot to center in the sixth.
Rios' sacrifice fly made it 8-4 in the eighth.
