Sanity Restored: Sox crush Rays

Sox 12, Tampa Bay 4
WP: Beckett (3-2)
LP: Shields (3-2)
SV: None
HRs: BOS-None: TB-Gross (1), Iwamura (2)

SUMMARY:
Josh Beckett didn't have a terrific outing, but he didn't need to, either. The Sox pounded Tampa Bay starter James Shields and the Rays, striking for 15 hits and a dozen runs in the highest scoring game for Boston since a 12-6 victory against Detroit on April 10th.

SUPERSTAR(s): Boston batters 12R, 15H, 7-2Bs, 7BB
The slumping sluggers finally came out of their weeks-long slumber to crush the ball the way we all know they're capable of doing. It helps that they had their preferred starting lineup intact for the first time since the Oakland series in early April.

THE BIGGEST LOSER: Shields 3.2IP, 10H, 7ER, 3BB, 3K
Six days after delivering the masterpiece of his young career, a 2-hit complete game shutout of the Sox, Boston exacted revenge on the Tampa Bay starter like Uma Thurman in the Kill Bill saga - swiftly and with plenty of blood, but no remorse.

RECAP:
Tonight's game confirmed that yes, the planets are still properly aligned and the Earth is still rotating on its axis as things returned to normal in the baseball world - the Sox pummelled the Tampa Bay Rays.

No more of this "the Rays are in first place" or "Tampa Bay held Boston to five runs in three games" bullshit to deal with anymore. Boston has woken up and smelled the indignity of being called the Rays bitch last weekend, and it has responded in a major way.

And by major I mean 19 runs and 28 hits in two games major. Major as in they had more hits off Rays starter James Shields through the first three batters of the game tonight (3) then they had off him in 9 innings last Sunday (2).

Major as in the real Red Sox are back together and showing the rest of the league that last week's losing streak and scoring drought were just aberrations and not the norm for this team full of sluggers and OBP kings. And if the Rays think they are gonna put together a decent little club and knock the champs right off their throne, they got another thing coming.

Okay, I think I vented enough of the rage pent up from last weekend. Now I just hope they can beat Sox killer Scott Kazmir in his season debut tomorrow.

But there's plenty of time to worry about that tomorrow. Right now I want to bask in the glow of this major league ass-kicking.

As I mentioned Boston wasted no time making sure there would be no repeat performance by Shields, who was named the AL Player of the Week on the strength of his outing against the Sox.
The first four batters of the game rapped hits off the young righty, including an RBI double by David Ortiz and a 2-RBI single by Manny Ramirez, and before the crowd had even settled in to their frosty seats the score was 3-0 Boston.

Beckett (8IP, 7H, 4ER, 1BB, 4K, 2HR), who pitched brilliantly himself in that game Sunday but was done in by a couple of mistakes, didn't do himself any favors tonight when he allowed a 2-run homer by the light-hitting Gabe Gross in the 2nd to slice the Sox lead to 3-2, but luckily for him the Boston bats weren't nearly as cold as the frigid Boston 'spring' weather.

In fact the Sox scored in 6 of the 8 innings they batted in tonight, led by the AL's hits leader, Dustin Pedroia (3-5, 2R, BI) and the resurgent Ortiz (3-5, 2R, 2BI), who hit a pair of opposite field doubles and raised his average over .200 for the first time all season.

But the pesky Rays had cut the lead to 5-3 in the 4th when another base running blunder paved the way for the Sox to blow the game open.

Former Sox Eric Hinske (double) and Carlos Pena (single) began the inning with hits off their former teammate Beckett, and after rookie Evan Longoria singled to drive in Hinske, the Rays had cut the lead to two and looked like they could make a game of it after all.

But after Beckett walked Gross to load the bases, Nathan Haynes, playing in place of injured BJ Upton, lined a shot to left field that Manny caught, then fired to the plate to nail Pena trying to score from third.

It was the third Rays runner gunned down at home in two games, and it definitely deflated the team in its attempt to keep the game close.

Especially when Boston scored in the bottom of the inning on Shields' first two pitches - back-to-back doubles by Pedroia and Papi - to push the score back to 6-3, and when the Sox tacked on another run off reliever JP Howell on a bases loaded HBP to Jason Varitek, the game was, for all intents and purposes, over right there.

Just for shits and giggles Boston decided to keep scoring, though (once you break the seal...), plating a pair in the 6th off Howell on a single by Youk and a groundout (what else) by JD Drew, and then they added another 3-spot in the 8th off Scott Dohman, who was supposed to be one of Tampa Bay's top relievers.

Beckett did allow another homer, to Aki Iwamura leading off the 8th, proving that after a stint on the DL and a scratched start caused by the flu and a stiff neck, he still is not in Cy Young form, but if his offense is clicking like this every time he pitches, he doesn't have to worry about surrendering 2 runs or less every time he goes out.

There was a time not too long ago that the Boston starters did feel they had to be perfect in order to give the team a chance to win.

But since then the baseball world has righted itself, and now the strong inhabit the top of the East, and before long the meek will go back to dwelling near the cellar, where they belong.

RECORD: 19-13
AL EAST: Up 2 gms
STREAK: W2
LAST 10: 4-6
UP NEXT: Sun vs TB 135 Kazmir vs. Lester

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That's more like it: Sox spank Rays

Sox 7, Tampa Bay 3
WP: Buchholz (2-2)
LP: Jackson (2-3)
SV: None
HRs: BOS-Moss (2); TB-None

SUMMARY:
The Red Sox did two things tonight that they haven't done in a while: beat the Rays, and score more than three runs. Led by Clay Buchholz' strong pitching and the bat and arm of Brandon Moss, Boston avenged last weekend's 3-game sweep by Tampa Bay with a decisive win in Game 1 of this series.

SUPERSTAR: Moss 2-4, 2R, BI, 1 assist
The kid is picking up right where he left off when the club shipped him to Pawtucket after the opening series in Japan.

His 4th inning home run ensured the Sox would score more than 1 run in this game, but it was his laser throw to home plate that nailed Evan Longoria trying to score to end the 2nd that was the key moment of this game.

THE BIGGEST LOSER: Edwin Jackson 4IP, 9H, 6ER, 3BB, 4K, HR
The escalator man was down again in this one, and it was his inability to shut the Sox down when they scored 5 runs with two outs in the 4th that led to the Rays losing this game.

RECAP:
Finally!

After a 2 1/2 hour rain delay that pushed the start to 9:30, and a week of feeble offense that produced thrilling wins and heartbreaking losses, the Sox got back to what they do best: pound the ball and pray the bullpen hangs on.

Since the rain delay pushed the start back I did get to catch the whole game, even though my son's Little League game was a 16-13 marathon. But with the game just ending at 12:48 am EST, I don't have the energy, nor the desire, to wrap this one up.

So as is my custom, I'm gonna get some shuteye and finish the post in the morning. Just another advantage bloggers have over the mainstream media.

Suck that, Bissinger.

----------------------------------------------------
Okay, I'm all rested up and ready to report on what took place last night. If you've already read the Globe or watched SportsCenter this morning, oh well.

The Sox ensured there would be no repeat sweep by the Rays with an impressive performance on the mound and at the plate. Although starter Clay Buchholz (5.1IP, 5H, 1ER, 4BB, 6K) was not nearly as dominant as he was last weekend in St. Pete, he worked his way out of several early jams and held the Rays down until his offense could pick him up.

Tampa Bay had numerous chances to get ahead early and put the Sox in a tough spot, but due to some solid pitching, and their own ineptitude, they were not able to capitalize on those opportunities.

The Rays had seven base runners in the first three innings yet failed to get any across the plate. In the second inning Buchholz walked the first two batters, but then got Dionner Navarro to strike out, Gabe Gross to fly out, and Longoria tagged out at home plate on a throw by Brandon Moss that was as good as any JD Who? ever made.

In the third the Rays again got the first two batters aboard, but Buchholz buckled down and fanned the next three hitters, including Carlos Pena and Longoria looking, thanks to a nasty breaking ball that was baffling Tampa Bay batters all night.

Boston broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the third when Dustin Pedroia (3-5, 1R, 3BI) doubled in Julio Lugo, who had also doubled. It was Pedroia's league-leading 12th two bagger of the year, and it broke an 0-11 drought that he had in the Toronto series.

After Buchholz finally retired the Rays 1-2-3 in the fourth, Boston broke the game open in the bottom of the inning, thanks to Edwin Jackson's inability to record the third out.

Jackson quickly retired Mike Lowell and Youk to start the frame, but then Moss followed with a cannon blast to deep straightaway center field that bounced off the top of the camera tent for his first homer since Opening Day in Tokyo.

That shot opened the floodgates for the sputtering Sox, as the next five batters reached base, the big blow being a 2-run single by Pedroia that made the score 5-0 and gave the soggy Faithful hope that this wouldn't be another 9th inning nail biter.

Although Buchholz gave up a run the next inning to make the score 6-1 and Javier Lopez continued the horrible performance of the bullpen by surrendering two runs in the seventh, you never got the feeling that the game was in doubt.

Indeed when Hideki Okajima came in and got three straight fly outs in the 8th, and then Varitek doubled in Moss in the bottom of the inning to run the score to 7-3, you could sense the victory was all but in the bag.

Just to be sure Francona trotted out his closer to pitch the 9th. Whether it was due to the fact that he had already been warming when the score was 6-3, or that Tito wanted to make sure no one (re: Timlin) fucked up this win, Papelbon came in throwing gas and retired the last three batters without incident, wrapping the win up at nearly 1 am.

The win gave the Sox a little breathing room in the division and also served notice that just because the Rays had won four straight against the Sox, Boston isn't about to cede the East title to the upstarts just yet.

Especially if the offense can score more than 1 run per game.

And especially with a healthy and fired up Josh Beckett ready to take the mound tomorrow night, with payback on his mind.

RECORD: 18-13
AL EAST: Up 1gm
STREAK: W1
LAST 10: 4-6
UP NEXT: Sat vs. Rays 705 Shields vs. Beckett

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Series Preview: Rays @ Sox

Tampa Bay Rays (16-12, t1st in AL East)
at Red Sox (17-13, t1st in AL East)
3 game series at Fenway Park

Game 1 Friday 705
Jackson (2-2, 3.86) vs. Buchholz (1-2, 4.08)
Game 2 Saturday 705
Shields (3-1, 2.54) vs. Beckett (2-2, 4.10)
Game 3 Sunday 135
Kazmir (NR) vs. Lester (1-2, 4.31)

What to watch for: battle for 1st place
I still cannot believe I am writing that phrase, but this series is indeed a battle for supremacy in the AL East. This is the latest in the season a Tampa Bay team has been 4 games over .500, and certainly the first time they have been in first place in the division, so it's safe to say this series is significantly important - to the Rays, at least.

Who to watch for: James Shields
The Rays righty was just named the AL Player of the Week for last week when he posted a 2-0 record with a 1.13 ERA. In 16 innings of work Shields struck out 12 batters and walked only 3 while allowing just 8 hits and 4 runs.

Included in those numbers is his 2-hit, 7K shutout of the Sox on Sunday. His rematch with Beckett on Saturday, who struck out 13 in that game, should be epic.

Preview:
Well it's finally here. The much-anticiapted battle between first place titans Boston and Tampa Bay gets underway tonight, and for once it will be Boston that will be looking for payback for what happened to it in the previous series.

You remember that series last weekend, don't you? You know, when the upstart Rays held the defending champion Red Sox to 5 runs in three games while sweeping the team from Beantown for the first time in Tampa Bay's 11-year history?

Luckily for me I don't recall most of it because I spent the entire weekend at my son's Little League tournament, and by the time I got home and heard about how the games went, I couldn't bring myself to watch the recordings. Well, just the important innings, and only on the two arrow (>>) fast forward mode.

But those who were able to attend the sold out games at the Trop, and the rest who watched on NESN, witnessed something never seen before in baseball history - the artists formerly known as the D-Rays bitchslap the BoSox.

Sure the games were close, and Boston could've won all three of them since Tampa Bay only scored 10 runs themselves, but it was the way Boston lost that signalled a possible changing of the guard in the tough AL East.

Tampa Bay's young pitchers threw the ball slightly better than Boston's seasoned hurlers, and the Rays batters came up with timely hits in key situations, such as Aki Iwamura's homer in the 8th inning Saturday off of Clay Buchholz that wound up being the game winner.

Those things combined with Tampa Bay's new attitude and belief that they can win every time they take the field has breathed new life into the franchise, and the series with the Sox, a team they have always played tough, but could never win enough games to make it an official rivalry.

Consider it an official rivalry now.

So much so that the Sox actually NEED to win at least 2 of 3 this weekend, both to distance themselves from the Rays in the standings, and also to set the spunky squad from St. Pete straight on who's still the team to beat in the division.

Should the Rays take a pair this weekend after that sweep, the confidence they would get from another series win, this time at Fenway, would be immeasurable. So the best thing to do would be the Sox return the favor and sweep the Rays right out of town and nip that growing confidence in the bud.

Thing is, they'll probably have to score some runs to do so.

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Offense continues to sputter as Sox get shut out again

Toronto 3, Sox 0
WP: Burnett (3-2)
LP: Wakefield (2-1)
SV: Ryan (3)
HRs: TOR- Rios (3)

SUMMARY:
The Red Sox offense has become as scarce as panties on a celebutard as Boston was shut out for the second time in four games. AJ Burnett, who had an ERA over 6.00 coming in, blanked the Sox for 7 2/3, and although Tim Wakefield didn't pitch that poorly, it's tough to get a win when your team doesn't score.

SUPERSTAR: Burnett 7.2IP, 3H, 5BB, 5K
The underachieving and perennially injured righty had his best outing of the season against the sputtering Sox, limiting the damage of all his walks and most importantly, keeping them off the scoreboard.

Seems to be a lot of that going around lately.

THE BIGGEST LOSER(s): Sox hitters 4H, 6BB, 7K, 0R
This is getting downright ridiculous. I know guys are banged up and what not, but this non-scoring shit is starting to become a trend and not just a blip. They'd better get it figured out fast, too, with the 1st place Rays coming to town tomorrow.

RECAP:
Either the Boston offense has gone south to escape the never ending winter in the Northeast, or the team has just run into a slew of excellent starting pitching over the past week or so.

And since some of the starters who have handcuffed them are named Garland, Saunders, McGowan and Burnett, I'm gonna have to go with the former.

For the fifth consecutive game Boston was held to two runs or less, and the Sox were shutout for the second time in four games, the last time coming Sunday in St. Pete against the Rays' James Shields.

In between those blankings, Boston did get back on the winning track with a pair of walk off wins, but they scoring a whopping total of 3 runs combined in the two games.

Overall the Sox have scored a measly 8 runs in the last 6 games, and just 17 in their last 8 contests, and that combined with the fact that haven't faced any aces, save for Roy Halladay, means it could be time to panic in Beantown.

Not that there's much they can do. They already got two valuable pieces of the offense back when Mike Lowell came off the DL and Jason Varitek returned after a week's absence, and all of the top prospects from Pawtucket are already here.

The team is suffering from the recent losses of Sean Casey (.346), JR Drew (.376OBP) and Jacoby Ellsbury (.396OBP), and David Ortiz' sore knee is certainly hampering his swing, but c'mon - this team is loaded with offensive talent, and the guys that are still here and healthy should be capable of scoring more than two friggin runs a game against weak-ass hurlers like Dustin McGowan and Matt Garza.

Tonight it was like deja vu all over again. Burnett, who has been awful for the better half of three years since joining the Jays, put the clamps on the Sox batters, surrendering a mere 3 hits while issuing 5 free passes, none of which amounted to any kind of real threat.

Oh sure Boston had its chances to score some runs, like when both Ortiz (2-4) and Manny (0-2, 2BB) reached to start the 4th inning and again with one out in the 6th. But Papi got doubled off second on a liner by Brandon Moss to end the 4th, and Burnett retired Lowell and Moss to end the 6th, and the opportunities dried up quicker than Katie Holmes' acting career.

Toronto got all the scoring it would need in the 3rd inning, when Alex Rios (3-5, 2R, BI) singled with one out, stole second and came around to score one out later on a single by Scott Rolen.

After that it didn't even matter that the Jays left the bases loaded in the 4th, or that they botched a potential big inning in the 5th on an embarrassing, little League-esque play that resulted in only one run being scored instead of two or three.

David Eckstein got the inning started with a bloop double down the right field line, and then Wake (7IP, 6H, 3ER, 4BB, 0K, HR, 2HBP) hit Rolen with a pitch to set up a 1st & 2nd, no out situation. When Matt Stairs crushed a 1-2 offering from Wakefield off the top of the scoreboard, it looked as if at least Eckstein would score and the Jays would have two on and no outs still.

But for some reason the gnome tagged up at second, and by the time he got his little legs running, Rolen was breathing down his neck, and Eckstein got in a rundown and was finally tagged out at third.

Still the Jays had 2 runners in scoring position, and when Vernon Wells hit a sac fly to make the score 2-0, it felt like the sickly Sox had just been 10-run-ruled.

Just for good measure Rios tagged a hanging Wakefield knuckler into the Monster seats for an insurance run in the 7th, and even though the Sox got the tying run to the plate thanks to a curious balk call when the game appeared to be over, there would be no walk-off magic on this chilly evening at Fenway.

Instead the team is left searching for answers. Answers to where the offense went and how they are going to get it back, and when will these low-scoring, weak-hitting affairs come to an end.

With the Rays coming in tomorrow, one would usually say "tomorrow"

But these are the new, improved, first place Rays, and if the Sox don't find some answers quick, there could be a new beast in the East by the time they leave town on Sunday.

And if that isn't enough to light a fire under their asses, I don't know what is.

RECORD: 17-13
AL EAST: T-1st (pctge pts behing TB)
STREAK: L1
LAST 10: 4-6
UP NEXT: Fri vs TB 705 Jackson vs. Buchholz

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Game Preview: Toronto @ Sox GM3

Burnett (2-2, 6.07) vs. Wakefield (2-0, 4.06)
Gm 3 of 3 705 Fenway Park

The series with the Jays wraps up tonight with the Sox having the ability to return the sweep favor Toronto inflicted upon them early this season.

Thanks to a pair of thrilling, one-run walk-off wins, Boston has righted the ship after losing five straight games, and a victory tonight will reestablish its 1 game lead over Tampa Bay before the Rays come to town tomorrow for a three game set.

To do so the Sox will have to beat Blue Jays starter AJ Burnett, something that has proven to be quite easy to do so far this season.

Burnett has given up at least 3 or more earned runs in 4 of his 5 starts, and unlike former teammate Josh Beckett, he's never panned out to be the pitcher the Jays thought he would when the signed him to a huge deal after the 2005 season.

For the Sox Tim Wakefield will try to put together back-to-back quality starts after settling in to pitch pretty well (3R, 6H in 6IP) Friday at the Trop after a rough start to the game.

Like Burnett, and most of the Sox staff, he has allowed far too many walks this season (17 in 31IP), plus he's hit 4 batters and thrown 3 wild pitches, and that more than anything has gotten him into quite a few jams this season.

As for the lineup of course Kevin Cash will be behind the plate, and it looks as if JD Drew and Jacoby Ellsbury will remain on the bench nursing their nagging injuries, especially with the chilly temps expected at Fenway tonight.

That means Coco Crisp in center and Brandon Moss in right, plus a gimpy David Ortiz DHing and a struggling Mike Lowell (7-37, .189, 1-7 since coming off the DL) at third.

It ain't gonna be easy, but hopefully the Sox can pull off the sweep and get some momentum heading into the big showdown this weekend with Tampa Bay.

Wait, did I really just print that?

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Monthly Report Card: April

Record: 17-12
AL East: Up 1 gm
Longest win streak: 6 games
Longest losing streak: 5 games
Largest win: 11-3 (Tex, 4/18)
Largest loss: 10-2 (Tor, 4/5)
Home rec: 11-4
Road rec: 6-8

Sox stats for the month of April:
(AL rank in parenthesis)
BATTING:
Runs: 136 (3)
Hits: 278 (1)
Walks: 104 (6)
Avg: .282 (1)
HRs: 24 (t5)

PITCHING:
ERA: 4.32 (10)
Ks: 207 (1)
Walks: 121 (3)
Runs: 130 (4)
Saves: 14 (t2)

The first month of the season is over, so it's time to introduce my new, ground-breaking feature here on CBS, my monthly report card/status report for the team.

The first month of the season was full of a lot of ups and downs, too much travel, too many injuries and plenty of memorable moments. But at least the team has weathered the storm of going halfway around the world, losing a top pitcher and hitter to the DL, and spending 19 straight days away from home.

Hoeppfully the second month will be even better.

BTW, no plusses and minuese here, just straight letters, homie.

HITTERS:

A -Manny Ramirez .343/6HR/20BI/
18R/36H/.410OBP/.619SLG
As I predicted in my 2008 MLB Preview post on my other blog, Ramirez was destined to have a big year this season. Why? Because he's got a $20 million team option riding on it. Sure enough Manny came into camp early, in shape, and ready to mash. He's ranked in the Top 10 in the league in all of the above categories, including 3rd in avg & homers and 2nd in hits & slugging. MVP material.

A - Dustin Pedroia .303/14R/36H/11-2B/13RBI/50TB (29 gms)
The Little Big Man has disproved the notion of the sophomore slump by juming out to a scorsching start, both at the plate and in the field. His diving stop of a Vernon Wells grounder the other night, a play in which he says his shoulder came out of its socket, epitomizes what the scrapper brings to this team - heart, desire and hustle. He's tied with Manny for 2nd in the AL in hits, and he's 10th in total bases.

A - Kevin Youkilis .304/16R/31H/15RBI/7-2B/2-3B/2HR/48TB (27 gms)
Although he has tailed off lately, Youk is still one of the most clutch hitters on the team and in the league, and his defense at both 3rd and 1st base is consistently Gold Glove-caliber. Set the ML mark for consecutive errorless games at first (194) earlier this month and had the game-winning hit off Roy Halladay Tuesday night. That's a true 2-way threat.

A - Coco Crisp .293/6R/5-2B/5BI/4SB (19 gms)
Not exactly eye-popping stats, but considering he was relegated to second banana status by the emergence of Jacoby Ellsbury, making him the subject of trade speculation all spring, his numbers and play in center have been a pleasant surprise. Recently missed 8 games with a hammy problem, but has started 5 of last 6 with Ellsbury suffering a groin strain.

A - Sean Casey .346/6R/6-2B/8RBI/.424OBP (17 gms)
The Mayor has turned out to be the key off season acquisiton for the Sox. He's provided excellent defense at first base and timely hits after Lowell went down with his thumb injury and Youk moved to third. Although he just went on the DL with a strained hip, it was more a roster-related move and he should be fine when he gets back.

B - Jason Varitek .243/6R/5-2B/3HR/7BI (23 gms)
The Captain hasn't been great at the plate, but the hits he's had have been big ones. He missed a week recently with the damn flu bug that bit the team, but he still has two game-winning hits this month, including last night's against Toronto. As ususal, his prescense behind the plate is immeasureable.

B - Jacoby Ellsbury .280/20R/3HR/11RBI/ 13BB/8SB/.396OBP (25 gms)
He didn't get off to the sparkling start at the plate the Nation thought he would, but a recent 9-game hit streak (14-38) raised his average from .229 to .296. Still, he was getting on base at a steady clip before being sidelined with this groin problem, putting him 3rd in the AL in runs and steals and 13th in OBP.

B - Kevin Cash .323/3-2B/3BI/.371OBP (11 gms)
Another valuable off season addition, Cash has proved to be a more than adequate replacement for Mirabelli as Wake's personal caddy. Had three hits Friday against the Rays, started 6 straight games while Tek was out, and has only 4 passed balls all year, or one more than Josh Bard in his first game catching Wake in 2006

B - Jed Lowrie .323/4R/3-2B/5BI/3BB/.371OBP (13 gms)
It's a bit too early to judge this kid, but so far the reults have been good. Like Ellsbury and Brandon Moss before him, Lowrie has made a smooth transition from the PawSox to the big club, playing solid D (0 errors at 3 positions) and providing a few big hits along the way.

B - David Ortiz .184/17R/2-2B/5HR/21RBI/15BB
Tough to grade Big Papi because he's been hurt and not hitting like he normally would. But you gotta give a guy who's playing with a bum knee props for being 5th in the league in RBI and tied for 3rd in homers despite all the injuries and low average. We know he'll come around, but at least he's still productive.

C - JD Drew .269/18R/2-2B/3HR/13RBI/14BB/.376OBP (23 gms)
He started out scorsching hot, batting .362 with 3 homers and 12 RBI through April 17th, but then the slumping started, along with the nagging injuries, and suddenly he's in a 4-31 skid (.129) and has just 1 RBI in the last 10 games. Currently sidelined with a bad quad, which also caused him to miss the first 3 games of the season.

C - Julio Lugo .281/7R/3-2B/7RBI/3SB/6E (27 gms)
His defense had been D-worthy (he leads the majors in errors), but his offense has been decent enough to raise his grade to a C. Had a 4-hit game earlier this month, but makes viewers cringe every time he fields a routine ground ball, plus he's only 3-5 in steals after getting caught just 6 times all last year

I- Mike Lowell, Joe Thurston, Brandon Moss, Alex Cora
None of these guys can get a fair grade because they've all played in only a handful of games: Lowell just came back after missing 18 games with a sprained thumb, but he hasn't hit a lick when he's been in there; Cora has only played in 3 games and is on the DL with an elbow injury; Thurston was mainly a pinch runner in his 4 games, played nice defense when he got a start for manny, but was 0-8 before being sent back down; and Moss provided a memorable hit in the opener in Japan, then was sent to Pawtucket before being recalled last week to replace Mayor Casey.

PITCHING:
Starters

A - Daisuke Matsuzaka 4-0/2.52ERA/20H/ 10ER/19BB/32K/1.09WHIP
Dice-K has been shaky at times in his 2nd season in the majors, but the numbers speak for themselves. He's in the Top 10 in the league in all the above categories, including 2nd in wins and 4th in strikeouts, and you get the feeling every time he takes the mound he's gonna give the team a chance to win.

B - Clay Buchholz 1-2/4.08ERA/26H/13ER/ 10BB/27K/1.26WHIP
In his five starts this season he has allowed 2 earned runs or less in three of them. he was shelled once (7ER in 3.2IP on the 16th against NY), but last time out he gave up just 2 hits in 8 innings while fanning 9 vs. the Rays. Showing signs of being a solid member of the rotation.

B - Tim Wakefield 2-0/4.06ERA/29H/14ER /17BB/19K/1.48WHIP
Wake has pitched pretty well in his five starts, allowing 3 ER or less four times, but the multitude of bases on balls have caused him to get into more jams than necessary. Still, the longest tenured Sox and one of the oldest players in the league is still productive at this stage of his career, so he's got that going for him.

B - Josh Beckett 2-2/4.10ERA/18H/12ER/7BB/29K/0.95 WHIP
The numbers are deceiving because the bullpen inflated his stats in two of his starts. He's 7th in the AL in strikeouts and his WHIP is outstanding. Still, injury and illness has limited his effectiveness, and the Nation expects more of the guy who dominated the league last year.

C - Jon Lester 1-2/4.31/38H/19ER/23BB/22K/1.54WHIP
The good news with the lefty is no one talks about him being a cancer survivor anymore. The bad news is now we can focus on what a mediocre pitcher he has become. He has pitched a couple of gems this year, especially his 1-hit, 0 run outing against the Jays on Tuesday, but we need more games like that from a guy who's being counted on to be the future of the staff.

Bullpen

A - Jonathan Papelbon 2-0/2.08ERA/8SV/ 10H/3ER/1BB/20K/0.85WHIP
Not as unhittable as past seasons, but his next best stuff is better than most top shelf closers. Has picked up wins in each of the last two games, and watching him strike out batters, save games and pump his fist when the game is over is one of the most enjoyable experiences in the Nation.

A - Hideki Okajima 1-0/0.87ERA/1SV/3Holds/ 7H/1ER/4BB/11K/1.06 WHIP
He's been nearly unhittable again this season, but Oki has allowed a couple of big hits in situation where we've expected him to get outs (last night's double by Greg Zaun quickly comes to mind.) Still, he's the best the setup man in the pen by far, and he doesn't make you nervous when he comes in the game, unlike the majority of the rest of them.

B - David Aardsma 1-1/3.29ERA/1Hold/ 10H/5ER/11BB/13K/1.54WHIP
Although he's faltered a bit lately (3 ER in his last 2.2IP), the righty has been a pleasant surprise for the team since dealing for him in the offseason.

C - Javier Lopez 1-0/4.50ERA/2Holds/ 10H/5ER/6BB/7K/1.60WHIP
The sidearming lefty has had an up & down season, and he can't get righties out for nothing (.333BAA), which sucks for a lefty, but he's had his decent stretches and overall has done an adequate job

C - Julian Tavarez 0-1/5.23ERA/13H/ 6ER/7BB/5K/1.94WHIP
Julie has actually been a pleasant surprise this season, not because he's pitched terrifically but mainly because he hasn't been awful. Followed up an exceelelnt outing vs. Cleveland (2.2IP, 2H, 0BB, 4K) with a dreadful one agsint the Stanks (3H, 3ER in 1.1IP), but aall in all he's performed pretty much as expected.

D - Manny Delcarmen 0-1/6.17ERA/2Holds/ 13H/8ER/4BB/11K/1.46WHIP
I think Tito summed up the Nation's frustration with the "closer in waiting" when he yanked him last night after one batter, a move that apapreantly irked Delcarmen so much he tossed a container onto the field from the dugout. Hey Manny, if you didn't allow a baserunner almost every time you took the mound, especially in key situations, Francona wouldn't have the early hook waiting for you.

D - Mike Timlin 2-2/13.50ERA/ 14H/9ER/3BB/2K/2.83WHIP
Look, I love what this warrior has done for the club over the years, but let's face it, at this stage his arm is attached to his body with Monkey glue, pine tar and stickum, and he's one blown game and blown shoulder away from the cow pasture.

I - Justin Masterson, David Pauley, Kyle Snyder, Bryan Corey, Craig Hansen
Not enough to go on for these guys: Masterson looked awesome (2H, 1ER in 6IP) in his lone start; Pauley (7H, 5ER, 4.1IP) not so much; Corey has been up and down more than Amy Winehouse; and Snyder was sent packing after 2 horrid outings to begin the season

I think that's about everything. If I left anything out let me know, and if you disagree with any of the grades, feel free to comment about it.

Go Sox!

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Deja duel: Sox win carbon copy of last night's game

Sox 2, Toronto 1
WP: Papelbon (2-0)
LP: Downes (0-1)
SV: None
HRs: None

SUMMARY:
The Red Sox beat the Blue Jays tonight in a game that was eerily similar to last night's 1-0 victory: both starters pitched very well, the game was decided by one run, and the winning run scored on a single to center with two outs in the 9th when Vernon Wells couldn't nail the runner at the plate.

Cue the Rod Serling voice over.

SUPERSTAR: Jason Varitek 1-4, GW RBI
Captain Clutch comes through again as it was his single that scored Manny from second base with two outs in the bottom of the 9th to win the game.

THE BIGGEST LOSER: Wells 0-3, BB, 1-2 throwing runners out at home
For the second straight night the game came down to Wells' ability to nail a runner at the plate, and even though he had done just that one play before, he couldn't repeat the feat and save the game for the Jays.

RECAP:
Talk about living on the edge.

After snapping a five-game losing streak last night with a 1-0 victory courtesy of a Kevin Youkilis walk-off single in the 9th inning, Boston decided that recipe for success was so tasty they'd try to mix the same ingredients again tonight.

And the result was another incredibly scintillating, sometimes exasperating, but ultimately rewarding one run win, Boston's 8th in its final at bat already this season, the most in the major leagues.

The table was set for another fantastic finale when both starting pitchers, Dustin McGowan and Daisuke Matsuzaka, pitched six innings of shutout ball, allowing a combined three hits.

It was the fourth consecutive game that a Boston starter had pitched into the seventh inning and allowed 2 hits and less than 2 runs, following Clay Buchholz on Saturday, Josh Beckett on Sunday and Jon Lester on Monday, and I don't know if that's some kind of record, but I do know that's damn impressive work from your starting staff.

If only the offense could've rewarded those efforts with some friggin run support.

But unfortunately for the 4th straight game the Boston starter's effort was matched by his opponent, from Edwin Jackson to James Shields to Roy Halladay, and McGowan (7.1IP, 4H, 1ER, 1BB, 5K, HR), who had been rocked by the Rays in his previous start, joined the club last night.

The only hit the sputtering Sox offense could muster off the strapping righty was a 2nd inning single by Manny Ramirez, while Matsuzaka (7IP, 2H, 0ER, 2BB, 4K), making his first start since being scratched by the flu big last week, limited the Jays to just a single and a double in his seven strong innings.

Boston finally broke through in the bottom of the 7th inning when David Ortiz, still nursing a sore knee, slammed a 2-0 McGowan offering high and not very deep into the 2nd row of seats in the right field stands for a monumental home run: the shot marked Boston's first extra base hit since Manny's 5th inning double in St Pete on Friday night, a span of 39 innings.

But the elation that came with that shot was short-lived for the Faithful, as once again the Boston bullpen could not protect a hard-fought lead.

Francona decided to replace Dice-K, who was making his first start in 12 days and had thrown 111 pitches, with Manny Delcarmen to being the 8th.

That move immediately backfired as Delcarmen, who has allowed at least one baserunner in 11 of his 14 appearances this season, allowed a leadoff single to Adam Lind on an 0-1 pitch to open the frame, prompting a quick return to the mound by Tito, who yanked his miffed reliever.

On came Oakjima, who has had his struggles also, and he immediately surrendered a double to the immortal Greg Zaun to set up runners at 2nd & 3rd with no outs.

So much for hoping for consecutive 1-0 victories. Now we were just hoping the damage would be limited to one or two runs.

And those hopes were rewarded when Brandon Moss, starting in right for gimpy JD Drew, made an excellent sliding catch of an Alex Rios liner that turned out to be a sac fly that tied the game and not a single or double that put Toronto ahead.

Oki buckled down after that play, striking out Eckstein and Rolen to the delight of the crowd, and now it was time for the late game heroics to kick in again.

Boston nearly scored in the bottom of the 8th when Coco Crisp lined a one-out double to right center, but after Lugo walked Dustin Pedroia flied out and Crisp was stranded at third when Youk grounded out, ending the inning and dampening the spirits of the Nation.

Temporarily.

Papelbon came out for the 9th and the lousy relief work must have rubbed off on him because he gave up leadoff single to Matt Stairs to open the inning, but after he was replaced by pinch runner John McDonald, Boston got a big break that set the stage for the bottom of the 9th dramatics.

After running the count to 1-2 on Vernon Wells, Paps threw to first and caught McDonald leaning, picking off the pinch runner to the delight of the Faithful and shock of the entire Toronto dugout.

Spurred by that move, Papelbon got Wells to ground out and Lyle Overbay followed suit, and now it was time to press replay on the tape from last night's 9th.

Just like last night Papi (2-4, R, BI) got the rally started, this time with a leadoff single hit through the teeth of the shift down the right field line. He appeared to re-tweak his knee on the play, so as soon as Manny drew a walk off reliever Scott Downs Tito replaced him with pinch runner Jed Lowrie.

Turned out that was a good move because after Mike Lowell, who had double earlier for his first hit since April 6th, struck out looking at a fastball down the plate, Moss ripped a single past the mound and into right center, setting up a potential game winning play at the plate as Lowrie barrelled around third.

Unlike last night, though, Wells didn't bobble this attempt, and instead he threw a seed to home, and that throw combined with an excellent block of the plate by catcher Rod Barajas combined to nail the stunned Lowrie, much to the dismay of the already celebrating Sox, who though the game was over.

Instead they'd have to wait another minute.

In a twist of fate that seemed to be penned by George Will, or maybe Stephen King, Jason Varitek stood in against Downs and had a chance to deliver the real game-winning blow, and wouldn't you know he did just that, ripping a single to the left side of the mound that Wells gathered and tossed plateward once again.

This time Manny, who should have been at third but was too busy celebrating the earlier play at second, eluded the tag at home, and finally the Sox had the win, another thrilling walk-off that defied explanation and exceeded expectation for everyone who came in thinking "there's no way the same thing can happen again".

Turns out there was a way.

Shall we try for three in a row tomorrow night?

RECORD: 17-12
AL EAST: Up 1 gm
STREAK: W2
LAST 10: 5-5
UP NEXT: Thu vs. TOR 705 Burnett vs. Wakefield

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Sox end losing streak with dramatic 9th inning, 1-0 win

Sox 1, Toronto 0
WP: Papelbon (1-0)
LP: Halladay (2-4)
SV: None
HRs: None

SUMMARY:
The Red Sox got to dish out a bit of the medicine they had taken over the weekend as they won a thrilling pitcher's duel between Jon Lester and Roy Halladay on a walk-off RBI single by Kevin Youkilis, ending their 5-game losing streak in style.

SUPERSTAR: Dustin Pedroia 0-4, K
How can a guy who went hitless be the star of the game over the man who knocked in the only run of the night?

Easy, because Pedroia's diving stop of a hot liner off the bat of Vernon Wells with a man on 2nd in the top of the 9th not only saved the game but will be featured on every Top Play highlight reel for the next 6 months.

THE BIGGEST LOSER: Halladay 8.2IP, 5H, 1ER, 1BB, 6K
He's not a 'loser' in the slang form of the word, but in the literal sense, because for the third time in a row the former Cy Young winner has thrown a complete game and come away as the losing pitcher of record.

That's what I call a tough luck 'loser' (see the connection?)

RECAP:
It's about friggin' time!

That's the thought on the minds of every member of the Nation as the Red Sox finally got a break to go their way and pulled out a game they really needed to have, saving themselves and their fans the humbling experience of losing a third consecutive low-scoring pitcher's duel.

And what a way to break the losing streak - by capping off eight scoreless innings with a tense, exhilarating 9th inning that featured 1/4 of the total of baserunners in the frame (4) as there had been in the entire game (12).

When Scott Rolen lined a double to the Wall off Jonathan Papelbon with two out in the top of the 9th, everyone in chilly Fenway and watching at home had that "here we go again" feeling that is par for the course with the way the games have gone this last week or so.

But then the Little Big Man, Dustin Pedroia, made the play of the game and probably of the year so far, robbing Vernon Wells of a sure hit and probable RBI, and suddenly those feelings of doubt had morphed into a "we're gonna win this thing" mentality.

All the Sox had to do was make it happen.

For eight innings it looked as if no one was going to be able to win this thing, because both starting pitchers were so damn good.

Halladay didn't allow a walk until the 9th inning and had given up just 3 singles until that point - one by Youk in the 2nd, an infield nubber by Brandon Moss in the 5th, and one by Jason Varitek in the 8th - before allowing three baserunners in the 9th that ultimately led to him and his team losing the game.

But as good as Halladay was, Sox starter Jon Lester was even better. Coming off three straight no decisions and two rough starts in a row, Lester (8IP, 1H, 0ER, 4BB, 6K) was nearly unhittable tonight, surrendering four walks and a lone hit - a
leadoff single by Lyle Overbay in the 6th that was just out of the reach of Pedroia's outstretched glove - before giving way to Papelbon in the 9th.

The pitchers were so on the money that neither team could get the ball off the ground against them, with just 4 of the 54 outs being recorded in the air; even the hits were barely a few feet off the ground.

And it was couple of groundball double plays saved Lester and the Sox in consecutive innings. The first came one batter after Overbay's single as Shannon Stewart tapped into a 6-4-3 job one pitch after the single, and the next one came after Greg Zaun had walked in the 5th, courtesy of an inning-ender by David Eckstein.

All that non-action made the game go by very rapidly, and by the time of the 9th inning heroics the game was barely 2 hours old. Talk about a nice change of pace from the multitude of 4+ hour debacles Boston has played this year.

If the game was quick the heartbeats were even quicker in the final frame, especially after the Sox closer entered the game.

Papelbon, who has only pitched twice in the last 9 days, was his usual flamethrowing self, fanning the first two batters he faced as the crescendo of the crowd rose with every pitch.

When he gave up the double to Rolen, who has 5 hits since coming off the DL four games ago, four of them for extra bases, the noise subsided a bit and that feeling of dread started creeping into the back of the mind.

And then Pedroia's play erased any bad feelings and replaced them with screams of joy.

Vernon Wells, who was 0-9 lifetime against Paps coming in, took a strike from the closer before lacing a rocket right past Papelbon's head, nearly taking his ear off as he jerked out of the way.

The ball appeared headed for centerfield, which would have surely resulted in Rolen scoring from second, but then Pedroia appeared out of nowhere, snagged the ball on a hop when it was already past him, popped back up, turned and fired a seed to first to nail Wells by two steps, and Fenway (and living rooms) exploded with shock and awe over what they had just witnessed.

Still buzzing over the play, you'd have to be a fool not to believe the momentum would carry over to the bottom of the inning and Boston would pull out the win. But after Halladay got Coco and Pedroia out on five pitches, the hope was fading fast.

Once again it was up to Boston's big boppers, Papi and Manny, to save the day.

Ortiz, back after sitting two games with a bruised knee sustained in his headfirst slide Friday night in St Pete, did his job by laying off some tough pitches and drawing the first base on balls from Halladay on the night.

Manny then blooped a 1-0 pitch to center in front of Wells, who was naturally playing deep, and suddenly it was up to the slumping Youk to deliver the knockout blow.

With no reliever coming in, it was up to Doc to finish off what he had started, but once again a game he wound up finishing would not end well for him.

Youk took the first pitch for a ball before slicing a single into center, and it looked like it was gonna come down to a play at the plate, with the gimpy Papi challenging Wells' rocket arm.

Except Wells bobbled the ball, and that was all the big fella needed to chug home safely. Instantly the Sox players streamed out onto the field as the crowd went nuts and Dirty Water played in the background, signaling the end to the losing streak and the beginning of some good times at the ballpark for a change.

Boston, you're their home indeed.

Bring on the Rays!

NOTES:
-Lowell returns: Mike Lowell made his return to the lineup after missing 18 games with a sprained thumb. he received a loud ovation in his first trip to the plate but struck out, and was cheered for in each at bat even though he went 0-3. He is now batting a Papi-esque .182 for the season.

-Drew hurt-again: JD Drew left the game after the third inning when he suffered a quad strain running out a ball in the second; he was replaced by Moss. Between the injuries and his recent slump, it's only a matter of time before the calls of "Nancy" begin again, and the chants of "DREEEEEWWWW" revert back to 'boos'.

-Running on empty: the 9th inning score broke a string of 21 scoreless innings for the Sox, dating back to the 5th inning of Saturday's game against the Rays

RECORD: 16-12
STREAK: W1
LAST 10: 6-4
AL EAST: T-1st
UP NEXT: Wed vs. TOR McGowan vs. Matsuzaka

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Series preview: Toronto @ Sox

Toronto Blue Jays (11-15, 3.5GB in AL East)
at Red Sox (15-12, t-1st in AL East)
3 game series @ Fenway Park

Game 1 Tuesday 705
Halladay (2-3, 3.73 ERA) vs. Lester (1-2, 5.40 ERA)
Game 2 Wednesday 705
McGowan (1-2, 4.18 ERA) vs. Matsuzaka (4-0, 3.14 ERA)
Game 3 Thursday 705
Burnett (2-2, 6.07 ERA) vs. Wakefield (2-0, 4.16 ERA)

What to watch for: Sox exact payback for early April sweep
Boston had just returned from a trip to Japan and the West Coast when they arrived in Toronto for a 3-game set against the Jays, and after the Sox were outscored 23-9 in the series, it's safe to say the travel and jet lag probably contributed to the losses.

Now Boston is coming off another 3-game broom job by the Rays, and that combined with the memories of the Jays sweep and the return of a couple of key players should be plenty of motivation to kick their rears into gear.

Who to watch for: Mike Lowell
The Boston third baseman returns to the lineup after missing the last 17 games with a sprained thumb.

In the 9 games he played this season, Lowell, the 2007 World Series MVP, hit just .200 (6-30) with no extra base hits or RBI, but there's no doubt that his veteran presence in the lineup and on the field make the Sox a much stronger team.

PREVIEW:
The time is now.

With team leader Mike Lowell coming off the DL and Big Papi returning to lineup after a two game absence, the time has come to shake off the stench of losing five straight games, including three that helped catapult the once lowly Rays into the stratosphere of the AL East, and start a winning streak that separates the men from the boys in the division.

As long as struggling starter Jon Lester can defeat former Cy Young winner Roy Halladay tonight, ailing Daisuke Matsuzaka can overcome his 11-day layoff, Lowell is recovered and not rusty from his time on the DL, and Ortiz' knee problem isn't one that is going to hamper his swing like it did last year, then they should be fine.

It might be early in the season but this is a critical time for the defending champs. The team has had a topsy-turvy first month, with the long road trip leading to up-and-down stretches of baseball, and illness and injury forcing Tito to juggle the lineup like Roidger Clemens juggles excuses.

But now the flu is gone and so are the excuses. Lowell returns tonight and so does Papi, Beckett proved he's healthy with his 13-strikeout performance Sunday in St Pete, and the team has more depth than most any other team in the league.

Not to mention the good fortune of having the struggling Jays come into Fenway.

Thankfully Toronto is off to a worse start than Boston, having gone 7-15 since sweeping the Sox, and the team appears to be falling apart right in front of our eyes.

They recently jettisoned disgruntled DH Frank Thomas, who was a key part of the Sox sweep; they just got key off season acquisition 3B Scott Rolen back after he spent the entire season on the DL; and the decision to bring back LF Shannon Stewart and let go of budding star Reed Johnson has backfired immensely.

The problem is team is supposed to be an offensive juggernaut, but they sit in the middle or bottom of the pack in the AL in runs scored (115, 10th), average (.258, 7th) and homers (19, 11th) and that lack of production hasn't been enough to offset the fact that they are 4th in the league in ERA (3.91).

But Boston has its own offensive woes to worry about. The team scored a paltry 5 runs in 3 games in the Rays series and after scoring at least 5 runs in 10 straight games, have not scored more than 5 in the last five contests.

Part of that has to do with Papi going down, part of it has to do with guys who were hot, like Youk (8-37, .216 last 10 gms) and JD Drew (6-34, .176, 3BI in last 10 gms) cooling considerably of late.

But like I said earlier, the time is now for the team to put aside the travel, illness and injury bullshit and play some freaking winning baseball.

They're home, they're playing a weak team, they've got their team at full strength, and they're out of excuses.

No time like the present to start a new streak.

Especially with those pesky Rays coming to town this weekend.

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Beckett's good but Shields is better as Rays sweep Sox

Rays 3, Sox 0
WP: Shields (3-1)
LP: Beckett (2-2)
SV: None
HRs: BOS-None; TB-Longoria (3)

SUMMARY:
Josh Beckett pitched a hell of a game in his first outing since skipping a start with a stiff neck, but Rays starter James Shields was even better, limiting the Sox to just 2 hits in leading the Rays to a series sweep and a share of first place.

No, that is not a misprint - the Rays are now in first place. Check the skies for flying pieces of pork.

SUPERSTAR: Shields 9IP, 2H, 0R, BB, 7K
The young righty was in top form today, holding the high-powered Boston offense to a pair of singles and a walk while out-pitching last year's Cy Young runner up, Beckett.

THE BIGGEST LOSER(s): Boston hitters 1BB, 2H, 0R
The paltry showing today capped a series in which the team tallied a grand total of 17 hits and 5 runs in 3 games.

Against the Rays.

Even without Big Papi for two games and Sean Casey, this output is pathetically putrid.

RECAP:
Let me start off by saying I didn't see a minute of this game.

Let me follow that up by saying how happy I am that I didn't.

You see instead of watching the Rays and Sox play identity swap, I was at my son's Little League tournament, where our team played and won three games today and wound up the champs of our division.

So instead of watching Josh Beckett (7IP, 4H, 2R, 1ER, 1BB, 13K) plow through the Rays batters for seven innings, only to see a couple of miscues and hits turn a potential masterpiece into another kind of piece, I was part of an exciting series in which our team scored 38 runs and beat the best team in our division in a Texas tiebreaker in the championship game this evening.

And to say I had more fun being part of that than watching the Rays first ever sweep of the Red Sox would be an understatement of epic proportions.

Needless to say after spending the entire weekend at the ballfields and after hearing how the Sox lost this game today, I have no desire to do a full report on this game, never mind watch the recording of it on my DVR.

No, right now I am going to sink into my couch, think about all the excitement I was involved in in this tourney, and relish the fact that my son played a huge part in bringing a championship to our league.

At least I got to see some great things on a diamond this weekend.

Which is more than I can say for the skidding Sox.

Maybe when I wake up tomorrow I will watch the game and try to make sense of the fact that the Rays are now in first place in the AL East, percentage points ahead of the Sox.

Then again maybe I'll just stare at our championship medals and think positive thoughts.

Great job, GLLL Braves!

Red Sox, not so much.

RECORD: 15-12
STREAK: L5
LST 10: 5-5
AL EAST: Tied for 1st
UP NEXT: Off Mon, Tue vs. TOR

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