Game Preview: Chicago @ Boston GM4

Garland (7-6, 3.88) vs. Wakefield (10-9, 4.69)
Fenway Park 205

The Sox need a win today.

I know that might be a crazy thing to say about a team coming off two consecutive blowout wins and owners of a 7 1/2 game division lead, but those of us who closely follow this team know that statement is true.

Lose today and those blowouts are mere memories.

Lose today, and the BoSox simply split this series with the putrid Pale Hose instead of winning it. Boston hasn't won a series since the D-Rays came to Fenway on the Fourth of July. Yikes.

Lose today and the Stanks, who are playing those same D-Rays and therefore virtually guaranteed a win, could sliced the Sox lead to a mere 6 1/2 games, the closest any team has been to Boston since Baltimore trailed them by six games on May 11th.

You see, this game does mean a lot, even to a team that is 19 games over .500.

Another reason the Sox need a victory is for the confidence of the man on the mound. Tim Wakefield, who curiously has had a decision in every start this season, is coming off a three start stretch in which he has allowed 25 hits and 14 earned runs in 18 2/3 innings (6.75 ERA.)

And forget the fact that he's 2-1 in those starts; one win was against the Rays and the other came against the Jays, and Boston scored seven runs in each. But the loss came last week against the lowly Royals, when Tim surrendered six runs and nine hits in 6 1/3 innings of a 9-3 Boston loss.

David Ortiz (shoulder) will be out of the lineup today as his banged up shoulder heals a bit more, but after Wily Mo Pena's horrid day yesterday expect to see Eric Hinske in the lineup as well as Wake's personal caddy, Doug Mirabelli.

Whomever takes the field today for Boston better be hell-bent on grabbing another victory over Ozzie Guillen's struggling ChiSox team.

Because a loss today could set off a whole string of unfortunate events.