Game Preview: Sox @ San Diego

Beckett (10-1, 3.39) vs. Peavy (9-1, 1.78)

4EST Petco Park

The rubber game of this series features two of the best pitchers in baseball, and this meeting of the two young guns could at least be a preview of the Midsummer's Classic if not a potential Series preview as well.

I know I better not get ahead of myself, but this game has the potential to be one of the best pitching matchups of the season, a game where one run could win it and a home run will be hard to come by.

That's because Peavy has allowed just one homerun all season in over 100 innings of work, and Beckett, after serving up 36 taters last season, has allowed just five longballs this season. Plus Petco is one of the toughest yards to jack one out of, so look for the run(s) to be scored in an unconventional manner.

I know I predicted a 1-0 Sox win on a homer by Pedroia, but since the Globe is reporting that Pedroia will sit today and Peavy gives up homers about as often as Manny does interviews, I think I'll amend that prediction.

I still like the Sox in a close, low-scoring game, but I think the game will be lost by the bullpen rather than the starters.

I know, how about Mirabelli gets a pinch-hit single off Cla Meredith and Lowell comes around and plows over Bard with the winning run in the ninth.

Call it poetic justice, Red Sox style.

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Now I have to recap the Dodgers/D-Rays game last night my son & I attended last night.

First off let me say that there were as many Nomar jerseys & t-shirts, all three varieties, as all the other jerseys combined, and that goes for Rays gear, too.

That being said, he didn't play.

Not only did he not play, but he was a no-show for BP and did not make so much as a courtesy appearance to the throng of fans who lined the third base wall in hopes he would sign their 8x10 glossy of him in his Sox uni.

The whole night turned out to be pretty entertaining, though, from the throwback to the '50s theme to the tribute to Zim and his Brooklyn Dodgers mates. The unis were awesome, the game was exciting, and the Rays even won on a late homer by Dioner Navarro (right after my son said "oh great, Navarro is up!")

Russell Martin & Randy Wolfe rock the sweet Brooklyn throwbacks

Plus it was a packed house (for the Trop)-over 24,000, second highest total of the season, and many of the fans in attendance came ready to engage in traditional ballgame activities.

Like heckling the opponent.

The highlight of the night came before the game, during BP, when some "enthusiastic" Rays fans decided to ride temper-prone Dodgers hurler Brad Penny like the electronic bull at the old Joyland.

Using clean but biting remarks the gang of hecklers not only got Penny to turn and listen to their rants but he actually interacted with them, returning their barbs with responses like "are you retarded?" and generally looking amused by their witty, beer-soaked banter.

The best part about the whole thing is that while this was taking place, Penny signed bats, balls and gloves for the other fans along the railing of the outfield wall. So then the rowdies ridiculously asked if he would sign theirs and he said "yes", but when they threw one down he tossed it back to the infield with the rest of the shagged horsehides! Classic.

Not only that but one of them was retarded enough to toss his glove down.

After a few minutes of curious inspection with his teammates and mulling over whether or not he should bring it to the bullpen and light it on fire, Penny teased the dumb dude with an offer to trade gloves, then made the dude practically beg to get it back.

Which he eventually did, to the dismay of many disgruntled onlookers, who didn't find the whole situation as amusing as me and another Sox fan next to me did.

We felt right at home.

It was fucking awesome.

The whole incident lasted about 20 minutes, and when Penny jogged off to hit the buffet table, all the people in the section were genuinely disappointed to see the repartee come to an end.

But hey, at least the game was nearly as entertaining as the pregame show.

Aki Iwamura sporting the spiffy (minor league) St. Pete Tarpons duds