The Lost Weekend: What I missed

In order to keep my meticulous records intact as well as to satisfy an agrravating OCD condition I am going to quickly recap the last four games I missed in order to get back up speed.

Friday Baltimore 9, Boston 8 WP: Birkins LP: Tavarez
With their tails still dragging from that three game beatdown New York handed them Boston rolled back into Fenway and nearly rolled over and died for the suddenly atrocious Os.

Tim Wakefield was a late scratch due to back pains, so Julian Tavarez stepped in and was lit up, as were his successors, Javier Lopez and Mike Timlin, to the tune of 12 hits and 9 earned runs in 5 2/3 innings. After falling behind 9-3 after six, Boston chipped away with three in the seventh and two in the ninth to make the score respectable.

Still, giving up 9 runs and losing to a club that had lost 9 in a row starting with that historic 30-3 demolition was an embarrassing way to answer the sweep in the Bronx.

Highlights: David Ortiz hit his 26th homer in the 1st; it was his 5th homer in the last seven games...Boston rapped 15 hits including 3 from Erik Hinske, 3 by Mike Lowell, who extended his hitting streak to 13 games, and 4 by Dustin Pedroia...Hinske also had 4 RBIs

Saturday Sox 10, Birds 0 WP: Buchholz LP: Olsen
This one hurt to miss. In one of the most impressive pitching performances by a young pitcher in recent memory, Sox starter Clay Buchholz, making just his second career start, no-hit the Orioles en route to becoming the first Boston rookie to toss a no-no.

And to think he only got the start because Tavarez was moved up to start in place of Wakefield yesterday.

Buchholz got all the offense he would need when a fielder's choice groundout by Coco Crisp plated Youk in the 2nd inning, but the Boston offense exploded for nine more runs while Buchholz stymied the Baltimore batters on just three walks and a hit batter.

He also got the defensive standout play required when you pitch a no hitter as Dustin Pedroia slid to snag a Miguel Tejada grounder up the middle to lead off the 7th, whirled around while he popped up and fired a dart to first to nail Miggy by a nose.

By the time the 9th inning rolled around (the only frame I saw) the score was 10-0 Boston, no one was sitting within 20 feet of Lester on the Boston bench, and the entire Nation was holding its breath as the kid tried to pull off the rare feat.

Three batters later, including one knee-buckling curve from Buchholz to Markakis to end it, and the kid had his name in the record books.

And I kicked myself for like the 10,000th time for not DVRing every game just in cae something like this wre to happen.

Highlights: ah, aside from the no-hit thing, Boston raked 14 more hits with Lowell chipping in another three knocks to run his streak to 14 games...David Ortiz walked three times and also drove in three runs on a booming 4th inning double...Jacoby Ellsbury (1-1, 2BI) and Brandon Moss (1-3, R) returned to the parent club for the Sept callups and immediately contributed with timely hits and nice defense

Sunday Sox 3, Baltimore 2 WP: Lester LP: Cabrera
The youth movement continued for Boston as young lefty Jon Lester threw six innings of 2-run ball and speedy center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury chipped in with his first ML home run as well as a couple of nice defensive plays in the field.

After two more ribbies by Mike Lowell, who extended his hitting streak to 15 games, and Ellsbury's homer, Boston's pen finally came through when Lopez, Okajima and Papelbon shut the Os down on just 1 hit over the final 3 innings to nail the win down.

Highlights: after slamming double-digits in hits the last two games Boston managed just 5 tonight, 2 each by Ellsbury & Pedroia and one by Lowell

Monday Sox 13, Toronto 10 WP: Dice-K LP: Litsch
Daisuke Matsuzaka finally got what he wanted--plenty of run support--but he needed almost every one of the runs Boston scored as he got lit up for the second straight start.

After allowing six hits and five earned runs in 6 1/3 against New York on Tuesday Matsuzaka surrendered 10 hits and seven earned in 5 1/3 last night,

For the second time in three games Boston jumped out to a huge lead, this time 10-1 after four innings to knock former Rays bat boy Jesse Litsch out of the game, but due to Dice's inability to shut anyone down now the Jays came roaring back when they plated 8 runs in the 6th inning.

Luckily Ellsbury made a spectacular catch to rob Frank Thomas of a possible game-tying hit and after a rough beginning the Sox pen came through again, with Papelbon coming on in the 9th to record his 32nd save of the season.

Not a good sign when your closer has to save what was a 10-1 game, and with the season winding down it looks like Matsuzaka's stamina might be dimiinshing as well.

Highlights: Ellsbury continues to impress with his bat, legs and glove. The rookie was 2-5 with three runs scored plus that diving catch, and since his recall he's 6-9 with 4 runs scored, 3 batted in and a slew of nice defensive plays. I just need him to hit an inside-the-park-homer so I can win this contest...Lowell extended his hit streak to 16 games with his 3-4 night, including his 18th home run and 101st ribbies of the season

RECORD: 83-55
AL EAST: Up 7 on NYY
LAST 10: 6-4
STREAK: W-3
UP NEXT: Tue vs. TOR 705


Okay, I guess I'm somewhat caught up, but a valuable lesson was learned: NEVER skip a Baltimore series at Fenway on a holiday weekend!