BOSTONThe frustration was evident on Felix Doubronts face and in his body language, both during the game, and after.
I got a little bit frustrated for those calls, and then it was a couple mistakes after that, Doubront said.
Those couple mistakes erased a four-run lead in the fifth inning, leading to the Red Sox third consecutive loss, second straight to the Twins, 6-5 in 10 innings Friday night at Fenway Park.
Leading 5-1 going into the fifth, Doubront gave up a lead-off single to No. 9 hitter, Jamey Carroll, who was erased on Denard Spans fielders choice. A single by Ben Revere and a walk to Joe Mauer loaded the bases. A five-pitch walk to Josh Willingham pushed in Span for one run. And a two-run single by Justin Morneau scored Revere and Mauer. Danny Valencias sacrifice fly to right scored Willingham, tying the score, 5-5.
Doubront lasted just five innings, giving up five runs on eight hits and four walks with two strikeouts. He threw 97 pitches, 60 strikes. He was not involved in the decision, and his ERA went from 4.37 to 4.56.
Doubront had runners on base in each of his five innings. He gave up one run in the second, but it was the fifth that was his undoing. On several pitches, he seemed to take exception to home plate umpire Mark Wegners calls.
When I dont get those calls, I started throwing the ball, committing mistakes, leaving the ball up in the zone, and down, I was a little bit, not right, he said.
Boston Red Sox
Dustin Pedroia visited him on the mound for an animated conversation.
He said stay calm because I thought that pitch was close for Wegner to call it a strike, Doubront said. I just got a little bit frustrated.
It was a roaming strike zone tonight, said manager Bobby Valentine. But his ball was really moving. Catcher Kelly Shoppach said that his ball was moving both ways. It was tough to call. It kept running and darting. I couldnt see it from my perspective.
That fifth inning, that bloop over third base by Revere I think upset him a little, and the two-strike hit upset him. A couple of pitches upset him. He had Morneau with two strikes and he hit it off the end of the bat. He just missed making that pitch to get him out of the inning which hes been making all year.
Doubront had become the de facto stopper on the staff the season, going 5-1 with a 3.55 ERA in nine starts after a Sox loss. The team had been 7-2 in those games, entering Friday night. After losing the previous two games, the Sox could have used a stopper for this one.
Doubront has already logged 118 13 innings this season, well above the 87 23 he threw last season. But he said fatigue is not an issue.
No, no, no, not at all, he said. I feel pretty good, my arm feels good, not tired."
Doubront is tied with Jon Lester for the staff lead in quality starts, with 11. He did not add to that number against the Twins Friday.
Thats baseball, man, he said. You have to do better than that, and just tomorrow is another day. Just keep going.