The comeback kings return, just in the nick of time

Sox 5, D-Backs 4
WP: Smith (1-0)
LP: Qualls (1-6)
SV: Papelbon (22)
HRs: BOS-Pedroia (7); ARI-Tracy (4)

SUMMARY:
The Red Sox snatched a victory from the jaws of defeat tonight when they plated four runs in the eighth inning to overcome a 4-1 deficit and eke out a one-run win. Mike Lowell tied the game with a 2-run double and Jason Varitek won it with an RBI single, giving rookie reliever Chris Smith his first major league victory.

#1 STUNNER: Smith 2IP, 0H, 0R, 1BB, 1K, 28P
Lowell and Tek both had clutch two-out hits that allowed the Sox to pull out the win, but they're supposed to do that shit. Smith bouncing back from allowing a grand slam to his second major league batter on Saturday to pitch two no-hit innings and earn his first ML win - that deserves star of the game honors.

THE BIGGEST LOSER: Chad Qualls 2/3IP, 4H, 2ER, 0BB, 1K, 24P
With a line score like this he might want to go back to being a DJ.

RECAP:
Let me start off by saying I missed most of this game due to technical difficulties with my Extra Innings package.

The picture would flash on and off in spurts, freeze at some points, and go black at other times.

It got so bad that I was frustrated to the point of watching the premiere of "Wipeout", that Americanized/ESPN-ized version of "MXC" that ABC shoved down our throats throughout the entire NBA Finals, which wasn't so bad because from what I could gather from GameCast the Sox were getting wiped out as well.

In between blank screens I found out that Dustin Pedroia put the Sox ahead 1-0 in the first inning with a titanic blast off Arizona starter Doug Davis, but the 'Backs tied it right up in the top of the second inning on an RBI single by Chad Tracy off Justin Masterson (6IP, 7H, 4ER, 4BB, 4K, HR, 101P).

While I was watching a bunch of effeminate dudes and one pretty hot chick getting covered in mud, blasted in the package and bouncing face first off giant balls (teehee, get it?), Arizona was busy taking the lead when light-hitting Tracy (3-4, 1R, 4BI) launched an 0-1 pitch from Masterson over the Red Sox bullpen for a three run homer and a 4-1 Diamondbacks lead.

Speaking of a blast in the package.

Luckily the score stayed that way for a while because I missed all the action in between, like Masterson working out of two on, two out situations in the fourth and fifth innings and Boston doing absolutely nothing off Davis (7IP, 3H, 3ER, 1BB, 6K, HR, 98P) after the first inning and prior to the eighth.

By the time my reception got back to 21st century standards it was the bottom of the eighth inning and Jacoby Ellsbury had just singled to right to put runners at first and second (evidently Julio Lugo had just singled as well) with nobody out.

That development got Davis, who has now tossed three straight quality starts and has nothing to show for it, removed from the game in favor of Chad Qualls, a move that backfired on Arizona manager Bob Melvin worse than New Coke.

Pedroia (2-4, 2R, 2BI) worked the count by fouling off four consecutive pitches before driving a single into center field to score Lugo and cut the deficit to 4-2, and with two on, no one out and JD Drew and Manny Ramirez coming up it looked like the Sox were going to break this one wide open.

But then Qualls got the suddenly slumping Drew (0-4, 2 for his last 19) to strike out, and one pitch later Manny grounded out to third, although he did advance the runners up a base.

That little piece of fundamental baseball proved to be mighty advantageous for Boston
because Mike Lowell (2-3, 1R, 2BI) took a 2-0 pitch from Qualls and popped it off the Monster for a clutch-as-hell two run double that tied the game at four and brought the Faithful back to life.

But the heroics didn't end there.

Up stepped captain Tek, who just snapped a career-worst 0-24 skid last night with a double off of Dan Haren and was mired in a brutal 1-30 stretch entering this at bat.

After looking at strike one from Qualls, the captain said "what fucking slump?" as he dropped a single into right field that scored Lowell with what wound up being the game winning run, provided Papelbon could brush off a couple of recent blown saves and nail down the win in the ninth.

Eric Byrnes (1-4) made things interesting when he worked Paps for a 9-pitch at bat that resulted in a base on balls with one out, but the steely closer buckled down and got Stephen Drew to strike out and Orlando Hudson to ground out to end the game, and Boston had a much needed come from behind victory to stay one game ahead of the Rays in the East.

The crisis may have been averted tonight but the Sox are still an extra inning home run and a couple of clutch two out hits away from an 0-5 record on this home stand, and if they don't start getting it together soon those effing Rays will overtake them for first place.

And that would be a HUGE blast to the package.

NOTES:
-Yoooouuuuk!: Kevin Youkilis, still recovering from the shiner he received courtesy of an errant warm up toss from Lowell last night, came on in the 9th inning as a defensive replacement for Brandon Moss and fielded the last out of the game, ironically a semi-low throw from Lowell

-Rem Dog honored: it was Jerry Remy day at the ballpark as the club honored the likable Sox second baseman turned analyst turned president of Red Sox Nation with a lengthy pregame ceremony. The cool thing was Extra Innings decided to carry the event live as a bonus for subscribers. The bad news was between the pregame rain and my shitty reception, I barely got to see any of it

-Speaking of rain: for the third straight game the start was delayed by showers, this time for 36 minutes. The two previous contests saw 32 and 50 minute interruptions

RECORD: 48-32
AL EAST: Up 1 gm
STREAK: W1
LAST 10: 6-4
UP NEXT: Wed vs. ARI 7:05 ESPN2 Johnson vs. Wakefield

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Repeat after me: Sox comeback to win. Again

Sox 7, LA of A 6
WP: Timlin (2-1)
LP: Oliver (1-1)
SV: Papelbon (8)
HRs: BOS- Ellsbury 2 (3), Youk (2); LAA- Kotchman (5), Mathis (3)

SUMMARY:
Stop me if you've heard this one before: the Boston Red Sox came back from a substantial deficit midway through the game and put together a late-inning rally against the opponent's bullpen to pull out another come-from-behind victory.

What's that? Okay, I'll stop now.

Superstar(s): Pedroia & Ellsbury 7-10, 4R, 3BI, 3 2Bs, 2HRs
Ellsbury (3-5) started the scoring with a first inning home run, and Pedroia (4-5)ended it in the 8th when he doubled in Jacoby, who'd reached on a bunt single, from first base for the deciding run of the game.

In between Ellsbury slammed another homer that gave Boston a 6-5 lead, and Pedroia ripped two more doubles as the two combined to give Boston a potent dynamic duo at the top of the order.

The Biggest Loser: Jered Weaver 5IP, 10H, 5ER, 0BB, 4K, 2HR
He's beginning to resemble his big brother Jeff more and more every year, and not just in the looks department.

Staked to a 5-1 lead after four Weaver fell apart by the 5th, surrendering four runs and the lead and wasting an opportunity for his team to get off the schneid vs. Boston.

RECAP:
Three or four games ago I said I was running out of ways to describe these comeback wins. After this one tonight I might have to take a creative writing class just to keep up with these guys.

Trailing 5-1 after spot starter David Pauley couldn't seem to retire the Angels in the first four innings, Boston mounted a methodical and businesslike comeback, scoring once in the fourth and three times in the fifth to tie the game before they kicked into late game heroics overdrive a few innings later.

It says something about your team when they shrug off a four-run deficit like it was nothing to worry about, confident in their ability to both score plenty of runs and not wilt when the pressure would crush lesser squads.

And that something is that this is yet another potential championship-winning ballclub.

In all fairness to Pauley, he did the best he could under the circumstances. Called up to potentially start just in case an ailing Beckett couldn't go, he was first told they wouldn't need his services but then management quickly reversed that decision when Boston's ace showed up at the ballpark with a stiff neck and was scratched.

Facing one of the top offensive teams in the league and making his first ML start since 2006, Pauley (4.1IP, 7H, 5ER, 2BB, 3K, 2HR) was a bit over matched. Handed a 1-0lead courtesy of Ellsbury's 1st career leadoff homer, the young righty gave it right back in the third when he surrendered three straight hits, a walk, and after two outs, a 2-RBI single by Garret Anderson that gave Anaheim a 3-1 lead.

In the next inning the pesky Maicer Izturis walked with one out, stole second and
was driven home when catcher Jeff Mathis (2-4, 2R, 3BI) homered over the Monster to give LA of A a 5-1 lead.

But rather than panic the Sox just blew on their nails, spit in their palms and said, okay, time to go win this one.

In the bottom of the 4th singles by JD Drew, Kevin Cash, starting his 3rd consecutive game for the ailing Varitek, and Julio 'En Fuego' Lugo cut the Angels' lead to 5-2, and the deficit was erased in the 5th when Ortiz singled in Pedroia, who had doubled, and Youk brought Papi home with his 3rd homer of the season that evened the score at 5 and brought the Fenway Faithful to their feet.

The crowd got even more raucous when Ellsbury hit his second homer of the game with 2outs in the 6th off reliever Darren O'Day to give Boston aa 6-5 lead, but Julian Tavarez gave the nation reason to worry when he gave up back-to-back singles by Chone Figgins and Gary Matthroids Jr to start the 7th.

Tito called on Hideki Okajima, who hadn't pitched in a week due to a stiff neck of his own, to the mound, and after getting Vlad Guerrero (0-5, 2K) to fly to right, Oki retired Garrett Anderson and Torii Hunter to escape the jam, much to the delight of the nervous Nation.

The euphoria was short-lived, however, when Oki surrendered a solo homer to Seminole High's Casey Kotchman to lead off the 8th, and now with the score tied again, Boston would have to go into comeback mode to pull this one out.

Not a problem for a team that had already won 10 such games this season.

Ellsbury got the winning rally started against former Sox reliever Darren Oliver when he dropped a gorgeous bunt single in the Bermuda triangle between the pitcher and 1st & 2nd basemen, completing his rare trifecta of homering twice and recording a bunt single in the same game.

Scott Shields then relived Oliver to face Pedroia, and the little big man greeted him with a lser double down the third base line that scored Ellsbury all the way from first with what turned out to be the game winning run, and the comeback was nearly complete.

All that was left was for Papelbon to come in and slam the door, and throwing 100mph cheese, that's exactly what he did. Not having pitched in a couple of days, Paps ripped off one blazing fastball after another, fanning Matthroids and Guerrero before getting Anderson to pop out to end the game, and the Sox' 11th comeback win of the season was complete.

And while it's nice to know the team is capable of such late game heroics, it would be nice to have an old fashioned wire-to-wire win now and then.

You know, just to keep the heart rate down.

For the fans, not these ice water-in-the-veins assassins.

RECORD: 15-7
STREAK: W6
LST 10: 9-1
AL EAST: Up 3 gms
UP NEXT: Wed vs LA of A 7PM Garland vs. Matsuzaka

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Yet another late comeback propels Sox past Rangers

Sox 6, Texas 5
WP: Wakefield (2-0)
LP: Wilson (0-1)
SV: Papelbon (7)
HRs: BOS-None; TEX-Kinsler (1), Bradley (1)

SUMMARY:
They did it again! They did it again! The comeback kings did it again!

Trailing 5-0 after six innings and without ejected slugger Manny Ramirez, Boston rallied for a pair of runs in the 7th, then plated four in the 8th with the game-winner coming on a bases loaded walk as the Sox took their third straight game from the stunned Rangers.

And I missed it because my son had a game. *@!%!$#*&&@!!??%$!!!

Superstar: Dustin Pedroia 1-1, R, BI, PH 2B
After sitting on the bench for most of the day, the little big men came off the pine to provide the most clutch hit of the game, a 2-out double to deep center that tied the game and gave the Sox the opportunity to win it minutes later.

The Biggest Loser: C.J. Wilson 0IP, 2H, 2ER, 3BB, 0K
Look at that line score and nothing even needs be said. Just let it be noted that not only did this stiff not record an out in the 8th, but he walked three consecutive batters (1 intentionally) after surrendering RBI hits to the first two batters he faced.

Ah, those Texas relievers. They're as reliable as an oilman's ego.

RECAP:
I'm beginning to run out of ways to describe these comebacks by Boston.

Especially when I don't see them live for myself.

The Red Sox staged yet another late come-from-behind victory this afternoon against the Texas Rangers at Fenway, and if they keep this up they won't even have to play the first 6 innings of the game anymore. The can just roll out there for the 7th, see how many runs the opponents scored while they were lounging in the clubhouse, and then go out and score at least one more than that.

I mean this team is the living embodiment of the age old baseball adages 'it ain't over til it's over' and 'play til the final out'; following the immortal words of the late Jim Valvano, they don't ever give up.

Which is more than I can say for some of their fans.

After witnessing the Sox fall behind early by a score of 2-0 thanks to a rocky start by Tim Wakefield (IP, 7H, 5ER, 0BB, 5K, 2HR), who allowed a homer to leadoff the game to Ian Kinsler and another run in the second on two singles and a groundout, I figured it was just a matter of time before the Boston batters erased that lead against fading Texas ace Kevin Millwood.

Except Millwood (6IP, 10H, 2ER, 2BB, 7K) decided to pitch like it was 2005 again, holding the Sox scoreless for six innings while "scattering" 10 hits.

That's because Boston couldn't scratch out a run despite having runners on base in every inning from the second to the sixth, including the bases loaded in both the fifth and six innings.

One reason the Sox couldn't capitalize on one of those opportunities is because the blazing hot bat of Manny Ramirez was absent from the later innings after he got ejected for arguing a called strike three against him in the second.

That left greenhorn Joe Thurston, who was signed in the off season and called up Wednesday when Alex Cora went on the DL, to bat with the sacks full in the 5th, where he promptly grounded out on one pitch, leaving every single member of the Nation groaning "if only Manny had been batting there..."

Turned out all that moaning and groaning would be all for naught.

But not before Texas made a comeback that much harder.

Wakefield had finally settled down and kept the game close, but in the 6th he ran into trouble when Michael Young and Josh Hamilton singled with one out, and then Milton 'memba me? Bradley crushed the first pitch from Wake over the Monster for a gigantic 3-run bomb that pushed the Texas lead to 5-0.

At that point even the most diehard fan thinking there's no way Boston could come back from that deficit, not without Manny and just 3 innings left.

Especially after Boston left the bases loaded again in the bottom of the 6th, and even though Wake needed just 14 pitches to get through the 7th, things looked bleak for the team at that point.

And it was at that point I had to leave for a makeup game for my son's Little League.

Now I had given thought to DVRing the rest of the game, but I quickly thought to myself "5 runs, 3 innings, no Manny, team looks unable to score a run today...NAH!"

Another terrific decision by yours truly.

When I got back I checked the Internet and saw what happened and I had the combination euphoric/sick-to-my-stomach feeling you get when something great happens to your team, but you were stupid/busy/lazy and missed it.

Evidently the rally began about four minutes after I left the house as super sub Jed Lowrie (2-5, 2R, BI) doubled off Millwood to lead off the 7th and David Ortiz singled him in to break the shutout and give the Sox fans hope.

Or so I would imagine.

After Thurston was hit by a pitch by reliever Wes Middleton and Youk grounded into a double play, JD Drew singled in Ortiz to make it 5-2 and set the stage for the final comeback in the next inning.

To make a long story short (since I didn't actually see it), Ellsbury started the winning rally with a 2-out single, and when Lowrie doubled him in to make it 5-3, Ron Washington brought in CJ Wilson, which marked the beginning of the end for Texas.

What happened next seems like something I would have seen at the LL field. Wilson allowed an RBI single to Ortiz, an RBI double by pinch hitter Dustin Pedroia that tied the game, and after intentionally walking Kevin Youkilis, Wilson walked Drew and Sean Casey, the last one "driving" in the winning run and sent Fenway into a frenzy.

Or so I would imagine.

And now the Sox can complete the sweep with a Marathon Monday win against ex-Sox starter Kason Gabbard.

Maybe they should spot him a 5-run lead, just for shits & giggles.

RECORD: 13-7
STREAK: W4
LAST 10: 8-2
AL EAST: Up 1 1/2 gms
UP NEXT: Mon vs. TEX 11AM Gabbard vs. Buchholz

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