Jason Varitek
Another bang-up job from Varitek
July 15, 2007 | Boston Globe| By Daniel Malloy
Jason Varitek is used to getting banged up behind the plate, and usually is covered in an igloo's worth of ice after each game. But last night was rough, even for him.
Varitek took a pitch off his wrist after a sign miscommunication with Daisuke Matsuzaka -- requiring some extra postgame ice -- and bit his tongue when he took a ball off the chin.
"That was a treat," Varitek said as he chilled out in front of his locker, projecting his usual captain's calm. "[But] it's OK."
A 9-4 Red Sox' win had soothed Varitek's bangs and bruises, and the most damaging blow for the Sox came off his own bat in the crucial sixth inning.
The Blue Jays had tied the game in the top half on a two-run homer by Aaron Hill off of Matsuzaka, who by the end of the inning had thrown 110 pitches, and was set to come out of the game.
But Mike Lowell singled to start the Sox' half. That brought Varitek to the plate, batting from the left side against Toronto righthander Dustin McGowan.
On an 0-and-1 pitch from the Blue Jays starter, Varitek rocketed the ball to right-center, well out in the deepest part of the ballpark.
"It always feels good," Varitek said. "It actually doesn't feel like very much when you hit a ball that well, but it was a good time."
The blast started a five-run inning that put the game away, with RBIs by Dustin Pedroia, Manny Ramírez, and Kevin Youkilis.
"They come back and tie it," said Red Sox manager Terry Francona. "It's a whole new ballgame. Daisuke's coming out of the game. " 'Tek takes a gorgeous swing, and then we go from there. That was a big lift."
Was it a surprise that Varitek sent the ball so far?
"Not really," Pedroia said. "He's got power, man."
Varitek hasn't shown his power much this season -- last night's homer was his ninth -- but he has been starting to get hot offensively.
After knocking in just two runs in the previous 17 games, Varitek is 13 for 34 with 4 runs and 5 RBIs in his last nine starts.
"[I am] just feeling good, trying to get good pitches to hit at different times," said Varitek, who finished 1 for 4 with two strikeouts. "Sometimes you do, and just trying to be consistent more than anything."
Varitek's pitch to hit was the last for McGowan -- sporting a hairstyle that would have made General Ambrose Burnside proud -- who was immediately removed for Brian Tallet, allowing a career-high three homers.
"Well, he couldn't really get a good inning established," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said.
"I didn't think he did a very good job using all his pitches. His breaking ball is a big pitch for him. He was limited mainly to his fastball and changeup, and he has got to do that. He couldn't really get anything going."
McGowan's final toss also wasn't kind to a young boy in center field, who was hit in the face by Varitek's home run. After the game, the catcher signed the ball and gave it back to the fan for a painful souvenir.
"You don't like to see anybody get hurt, period," Varitek said. "It's dangerous, as hard as balls come off the bat."
He should know.
As Varitek fielded questions from reporters, wrapped in bags of ice covering his right shoulder, knees, and newly injured wrist, a small timer attached to his wrappings went off. Shortly thereafter, the interview had to end.
"My ice beeped," Varitek said. "So I've got to go."