David Price pitched an absolute gem during Thursday’s game against the Rays, but he failed to record a win, due to a lack of run support from his teammates.
Price went seven innings — giving up just three hits and no runs. He also struck out five batters. Unfortunately for him, he left the game with the score deadlocked at zero. The Sox would later go on to win in extra innings, 3-2.
He was rewarded by the fans at Fenway Park in the form of a standing ovation after exiting the game, and he explained what it meant to him.
“That’s Fenway. That’s Boston,” Price said, via NESN’s Ricky Doyle. “It doesn’t matter how many innings you go or what the weather is, the atmosphere is always going to be there. To get to play 81 home games, that’s something you don’t get to experience anywhere else.”
Price, however, didn’t tip his cap to the fans after receiving the ovation. It wasn’t because he was being ungrateful or ignoring them, though. Instead, it was because he wasn’t sure if he was going to be given the opportunity to go out and pitch in the eighth inning, being that he had only thrown 91 pitches.
“It was huge. To go out there and get 21 outs and not give up a run,” Price said. ”…I didn’t want to tip my cap because I didn’t want to take myself out of the game. I didn’t know if I was going to go back out for the eighth (inning). If I’d have been sure, I definitely would have tipped my cap, but I didn’t want to show (manager) Alex (Cora) that I was done.”
Price has still yet to give up a run in 14 innings of work this season, and he’s off to a great start so far.
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