Paps' 2nd straight blown save leads to another tough loss

Minnesota 7, Sox 6
WP: Crain (1-1)
LP: Papelbon (2-2)
SV: None
HRs: None

SUMMARY:
For the second time in three games Boston fell behind early thanks to shaky starting pitching then fought back to take a late lead, only to see it frittered away by the previously unhittable Jonathan Papelbon.


SUPERSTAR: Mike Lamb 1-2, 2BI
Inserted into the game in place of injured second baseman Brendan Harris the journeyman infielder, who was in the midst of a 3-20 skid, blooped a single to left field with two on in the bottom of the 9th to win the game for the ecstatic Twins.

THE BIGGEST LOSER: Papelbon 2/3IP, 2H, 2ER, BB, BS, L
It seems as if the bullpen bug has finally bitten the closer, who had not blown a save since last September and now has two in the last three days.

And this time he didn't have Julio Lugo to blame for the loss.

RECAP:
Not much more to say about this game than I already have except HOLY SHIT THIS ONE SUCKED!

Another epic comeback by the never-say-die offense was thrown down the toilet after the closer couldn't finish the deal, turning what one minute appeared to be a sweet series-opening victory into a bitter defeat in the blink of an eye.

I know Papelbon is only human and not an indestructible, flame throwing dancing machine that is programmed to mow down hitters and follow each save with an eye bulging primal scream, but when you hand him a 6-5 lead and then he gets beat the way he got beat tonight, it's tough to keep the proper perspective like that.

The first batter to reach in the 9th, Delmon Young, has been a monumental bust since being dealt from the Rays in the off season for pitcher Matt Garza, batting just .264
with 4 extra base hits and 10 ribbies. Always known for his defense, he badly butchered a fly ball by Mike Lowell in the 5th that allowed the Sox to get right back in the game.

Yet he somehow sliced a single up the middle to start the 9th, and things went downhill from there.

After a sacrifice moved Young to second, Paps got Adam Everett to foul out to first for the second out of the game, and with young Carlos Gomez and retread Mike Lamb coming up, it looked like 'that's all she wrote time' then.

Except the fat lady wasn't done singing yet. In fact she was just getting warm.

When Young stole third base uncontested, no one cared because all Paps had to do was blow Gomez away and they were out of there.

But the kid who was acquired in the Johan Santana trade, who had walked only three times all season, somehow worked the count full and then watched as ball four went by him, and suddenly the Twins had new life.

When Gomez stole second uncontested, no one cared because all Paps had to do was blow Lamb away and they were out of there.

But Lamb missed the plan, and after fouling off a couple of 97 mph heaters, he stroked a soft single to left field just over the infield and too far in front of Manny, and both the uncontested runners came around to score in a moment that was both mesmerizing and agonizing for Sox fans Nationwide.

The fact that it had come to that point, that Boston held the lead after such a horrendous start to this game, was a testament to the unrelenting offensive attack the team has possessed the past 10 days or so.

Sox starter Jon Lester (5.1IP, 8H, 5R, 3ER, 1BB, 2K) got them in a hole early, allowing two runs in the 1st inning and two more in the 2nd after Boston had tied it at two in the top of the frame.

By the time Gomez singled home Matt Tolbert, who had doubled with one out in the 4th and moved to third on a wild pitch, it felt like it just wasn't meant to be after the team had to fly in to Minny in the wee hours of the morning following the Detroit series.

That theory was disproved shortly thereafter as the Sox struck for four runs in the top of the 5th inning as the first four Boston batters reached base against Twins starter Boof Bonser (4IP, 7H, 6ER, 3BB, 3K), the big blow being Lowell's booming 2-run double that could have been caught by Young if he didn't take a most circuitous route to the ball at the wall.

Staked to a 6-5 lead, Lester retired the next four batters until Young's single in the 6th led Francona to bring in David Aardsma to face Tolbert.

After Tolbert fanned, Everett hit a shot to the left center field gap that appeared to be headed for the wall until Jacoby Ellsbury cut it off,a nd a perfect relay throw from Ellsbury to Pedroia to Tek nailed Young at the plate and preserved the one run lead.

For the moment.

Two scoreless innings by Hideki Okajima left the Sox in perfect position for Papelbon to slam the door in the 9th, but alas the best laid plans...

It was a game filled with odd/bad plays, such as Youk reaching on a strikeout and then scoring Boston's first run, balls hitting base runners, wild pitches, missed cutoff men and another error by Julio Lugo, but it also featured many good things, like Boston swiping 3 more bases and the Sox stringing up another dozen base hits.

Unfortunately the bad far outweighed the good in this one.

It usually does when your robo-closer goes all HAL 9000 on you.

RECORD: 23-15
AL EAST: Up 2.5 gms
STREAK: L1
LAST 10: 7-3
UP NEXT: Sat @ MIN 710 Matsuzaka vs. Parker