let O off the hook
ここ3試合で3失点しかしていなかったレッドソックスのベケット投手ですが,この日はタイガース打線に捕まってしまいました。let O off the hookは「〈人〉を困難から救う」という意味を表します(『ジーニアス英和辞典』第4版,大修館書店)。このイディオムはその形から明らかなように釣った魚をはなしてやる、つまりcatch & releaseに由来しています。「ただベケットを援護してやりたかった」というレ軍バレンタイン監督の思いが伺えます。(GP)
"We just let him off the hook," Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine said. "Heck, we had his pitch count up in the 80s after four innings and we were having good at-bats. Just kind of let it slip away."
Beckett had allowed three runs in 21⅔ innings over his previous three starts, but he struggled once again with the Tigers. He gave up seven runs, including five home runs, in 4⅔ innings on opening day in Detroit.
http://www.pressherald.com/sports/two-month-checkup_2012-06-01.html?pageType=mobile&id=2