Notes: Gonzalez, Ortiz find home-run swings

Share

By SeanMcAdam
CSNNE.com

TORONTO -- As the Red Sox prepare to go into Yankee Stadium for the first time this season, they do so with two of their biggest run producers on home-run streaks.

Wednesday night in the team's 9-3 thrashing by the Toronto Blue Jays, Adrian Gonzalez and David Ortiz provided two of the three runs with solo homers in the sixth inning.

For Ortiz, it was his second homer in as many nights and fourth in the last nine games.

For Gonzalez, who is as hot as any hitter in the game, it was his sixth homer in the last nine games. He hit two in the series opener here Tuesday.

Gonzalez has surely found his home-run stroke. After hitting just one in his first 28 games, he's hit six in the last week-and-a-half.

Of course, hot Mays are nothing new for Gonzalez. Two times previously in his career, both with San Diego, Gonzalez has reached double figures in homers in May: he hit 11 in May of 2009 and 10 homers in May of 2008.

Ortiz, too, is performing this May like he did a year ago. After hitting just one homer in the first month of 2010, Ortiz exploded the following month with 10 homers and was named the American League Player of the Month for May.

Tim Wakefield officially became the oldest player to appear in a game with the Red Sox, at 44 years and 282 days, passing the previous record-holder, Deacon McGuire, who was 44 years and 280 days old when he played his last game for the 1908 Red Sox.

Wakefield pitched the final inning and a third of scoreless relief for starter John Lackey, coming in with two down in the seventh. Wakefield allowed three hits but also struck out three.

One hitting streak continues for a Red Sox player and another ended.

Jacoby Ellsbury saw his streak snapped at 19 games with an 0-for-4 performance while Carl Crawford (two hits, now hitting .218) saw his streak extended to 11 games.

Sean McAdam can be reached at smcadam@comcastsportsnet.com.Follow Sean on Twitter at http:twitter.comsean_mcadam

Contact Us