Gonzalez: ‘This game is all on me'

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BOSTON -- Adrian Gonzalez didn't come through when he had the chance Wednesday night and he didn't try to hide from that fact.
"This game is all on me,'' said Gonzalez after the Red Sox dropped their second straight to the Oakland A's, 4-2. "I had two great opportunities and I didn't come through. It's one of those things that I'll make a definite point to not let happen again.''
In the seventh inning with the Red Sox trailing 4-1, Gonzalez came to the plate with the bases loaded and two out, but fanned against Ryan Cook.
Then, in the ninth, after Dustin Pedroia had doubled home a run to bring the Red Sox to within two and make Gonzalez the potential tying run at the plate, he grounded out for the final out.
That brought Gonzalez's hitless streak to 17 straight at-bats.
Manager Bobby Valentine theorized after the game that perhaps his first baseman was tired -- physically and mentally -- but Gonzalez said that wasn't the case.
"Not at all,'' said Gonzalez. "I feel great. I had two at-bats where I should have come through at least one of those times and I wasn't able to. I feel great physically and I'm not tired at all. I just didn't come through. It won't happen again.''
Instead, Gonzalez said his recent slump is the result of being off "just a click in the timing department. I'm just a little late on fastballs and a little early on off-speed pitches. It happens.''
As disappointed as he was with his 0-for-4 (with a walk) night, Gonzalez isn't one to panic.
"It's just four games,'' he said. "At the end of the day, I'm always going to have the right approach, I'm always going to be prepared and I'm always looking to get a good pitch to drive.''
Thought he stranded four baserunners over his last two at-bats -- including three in scoring position -- Gonzalez had actually been very productive in big spots for the Sox. Before Wednesday night, he was hitting .458 with RISP and had an OPS of 1.217 in such situations.
"His recognition of the strike zone is just a little off,'' said Valentine. "He'll be fine.''

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