Sox look clueless in lackluster loss to Rays

Rays 3, Sox 1
WP: Garza (7-4)
LP: Wakefield (5-6)
SV: Balfour (2)
HRs: None

SUMMARY:
The Red Sox offense has disappeared without a trace as Boston could muster just six hits - 5 singles, two of the infield variety, and one meaningless 2-out 9th inning double - off three Rays pitchers, and once again Tim Wakefield pitched a brilliant game and got nothing to show for it.

The loss dropped the Sox 2 1/2 games behind Tampa Bay, the furthest they have been out of first place this season.

#1 STUNNER: Dionner Navarro 2-4, 2BI
The Rays catcher drove in two of Tampa Bay's three runs, both were big and both came with two outs.

THE BIGGEST LOSER(s): Hansen & Delcarmen 1IP, 1H, 1ER, 2BB, 2K
Can anyone in that fucking bullpen come in and get three consecutive outs? Is that too much to ask of a bunch of guys who throw 95+ mph and are supposed to have such scintillating stuff?

Evidently so.

RECAP:
As I was sitting on my sofa and watching tonight's game on the HD set, trying not to get annoyed with the nauseating Rays announcers I'm stuck listening to down here, I suddenly realized the similarities between tonight's and last night's games are pretty freaky:

-Tampa Bay jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning of both contests

-the Sox didn't get their first hit until the 4th inning, when they went on to tie the game at one

-the Rays came right back to take the lead again in the bottom of the 4th, both times for good

-Tampa Bay's starter handcuffed the Boston batters for the better part of the night

-the Sox had a chance to tie or win the game in the 9th, but a late rally came up short

-the Rays won both games

The other similarities between the two games has been the anemic Boston offense.

In two games Boston has tallied five runs, 14 hits, four extra base hits and just four walks. By contrast in their game against the Astros on Saturday the Sox scored 10 runs, ripped 13 hits including 6 XBHs and walked four times, although they lost that game too, and they were facing inferior pitching.

But my point is the Rays pitching hasn't been all that great, it's just that the Sox offense has sucked worse than The Love Guru.

Case in point tonight. Starter Matt Garza (7IP, 5H, 1R, 0ER, 0BB, 3K, 102) was nowhere near as dominant as he was in his 1-hitter against the Marlins last week, and he threw mainly fastballs near the plate the whole night, yet the Sox batters could do nothing with his heater.

Ditto interim closer Grant Balfour, who was "bringing the heat" with 93 mph cheese, yet the Boston batters acted like they were facing a pre-injury Joel Zumaya. Fouling pitches off, looking at strikes right down the plate, LATE ON 93mph FASTBALLS.

Guys this is the freakin' major leagues. If you can't crush a mid-90s fastball get back down to AAA, okay. I mean you'd have thought the Sox were facing Nolan Ryan and Bob Gibson, not a 24-year-old head case and 30-year-old mediocre middle reliever for crying out loud.

Like last night the Sox had their share of chances in this game too, thanks to some shoddy fielding by the Rays MLB-best defense, which committed three errors on the night, all while Jacoby Ellsbury (2-4, R, SB) was burning down the first base line.

After Tampa Bay took the lead in the first on a walk, a ground out, an error by Alex Cora and a wild pitch by Wakefield (7IP, 5H, 2R, 1ER, 3BB, 4K, 115P) Boston tied it up in the fourth when Ellsy reached on an infield single and made it all the way to third base when Navarro threw the ball into right field.

One out later J.D. Drew hit a sac fly to tie the game, but just like last night the Rays wasted no time taking the lead right back.

In the bottom of the inning Evan Longoria (1-3, R) reached on a one out infield single, moved to second on another Wake wild pitch and scored on a clutch two out single to right by Navarro before Eric Hinske struck out to end the inning.

And the score would stay 2-1 for a while despite Boston getting men on base in each of the next five innings.

In the fifth a two out single by Brandon Moss (2-4) went nowhere when Cora ended the inning by grounding out; in the sixth Ellsy again reached on an infield hit and made it to second on an error by shortstop Jason Bartlett, followed by a bloop single by Dustin Pedroia, but Drew popped out and Manny fouled out to squelch the threat.

The seventh was deja vu of the fifth - Moss two out single, Cora shit the bed. Then the eighth represented Boston's best chance yet to take control of the game once and for all, but again the inept offense couldn't get the job done.

Ellsy (stop me if you've heard this before) reached on a error by pitcher J.P. Howell to lead off the frame, then stole second in front of a walk to the Little Big Man, and with Drew, Manny and Lowell due up it was rally time for sure, right?

Wrong.

Drew inexplicably watched three straight mid-80s pitches from the junkballer Howell go right down the plate to earn the statuesque strikeout (June's over, guess he's back to being Nancy), and after Manny (0-3, BB, K) drew a walk from newly inserted Balfour to load the bases, Lowell grounded out meekly to short, and the Sox hopes to pull this game out might as well have died right there.

I only say that because Tito called upon the Boston pen to keep it a one run game, and lately that's like asking Nick Hogan to drive your kids to school.

Craig Hansen, he of the nasty 95 mph stuff, walked Carlos Pena and Cliff Floyd sandwiched between a couple of outs, and then for some reason Francona thought Manny Delcarmen would be a better candidate to get out of the jam than the similarly armed Hansen.

Delcarmen, he of the nasty 95 mph stuff, went to 2-2 on Navarro before the portly catcher laced a single into center to score Longoria with the all too important insurance run, and with the way Boston had been batting it might as well have been 13-1 instead of 3-1.

Turns out the run was big (what a shock) when Cora miraculously lined a two out double down the third base line to keep the Sox hopes alive, but Balfour (1.1IP, 1H, 1BB, 3K), juiced up on adrenaline, get Jason Varitek to strike out to end the game and the Trop nearly imploded under the joyous screams of all the new Rays fans.

Two games, two putrid performances and a 2 1/2 game deficit in the AL East. If the Sox don't find a way to hit Rays ace Scott Kazmir tomorrow night, and Dice-K doesn't reprise his outing from last Friday in Houston, it's gonna be a long trip to the Bronx for this team.

So I suggest the boys eschew the temptations of Ybor City and Channelside tonight and hit the sack early.

After all, they can't hit anything else here.

RECORD: 50-36
AL EAST: 2nd, 2 1/2 GB
STREAK: L4
LAST 10: 4-6
UP NEXT: Wed @ TB 710 Matsuzaka vs. Kazmir

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Game preview: Sox @ Rays GM2

Wakefield (5-5, 3.88) vs. Garza (6-4, 3.76)
Game 2 of 3 7:10 @ Tropicana Field

If the Sox are going to stem the tide of the red hot Rays and stay within striking distance of first place it will be up to Boston's Rays killer to get the job done tonight.

Tim Wakefield has enjoyed an uncanny mastery of the team from Tampa Bay over the course of his career, especially in the Trop. In 29 career starts (39 apps) against the Rays the knuckelballer owns a 19-3 record with a 3.16 ERA, and in the dome he is even better: 9-1 with a 2.52 ERA in 15 starts (22 apps).

Blame it on the lack of wind, the sterile conditions inside the Teflon Trop or just plain luck, but whatever the reason Wake owns the Rays.

Hopefully that ownership continues tonight.

Luckily for Boston Wake has pitched lights out over the past month. Since May 28th he has allowed 10 earned runs in 43 innings (2.09 ERA) spanning six starts, and he hasn't pitched fewer than seven innings or allowed more than 3 earned runs in any of them.

Last time out he tossed a brilliant 2 hitter against the Diamondbacks, which earned him just his second win since early May.

Unfortunately for Boston Wake's mound opponent is just as hot as he is.

24-year-old righty Matt Garza is coming off a 1-hit gem against the Marlins in which he went 9 innings and struck out 10, walking just 1 batter and throwing only 108 pitches. In his last four starts he's allowed 8 earned runs in 26 innings (2.79) as he has finally lived up to expectations the Rays had when they traded Delmon Young for him in the offseason.

Unlike Wake he owns a modest 2-1, 4.71 mark in four career starts against the Sox, and he allowed five earned runs and six hits in a 7-4 loss in Fenway earlier in June.

It promises to be another intense game in St. Pete, and for a change the Sox backs are up against the wall as they find themselves needing a win to keep pace in the AL East.

Another solid effort from Wake should get the job done.

But if that knuckler isn't dancing it could be a long night for the reeling Red Sox.

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Sox Cash in on superb outing by Wakefield

Sox 5, D-Backs 0
WP: Wakefield (5-5)
LP: Johnson (4-6)
SV: Papelbon (23)
HRs: BOS-Cash (1)

SUMMARY:
The Red Sox rebounded from a string of sub par games by executing a near-perfect performance in the series finale with the Diamondbacks. Tim Wakefield tossed seven shutout innings, battery mate Kevin Cash hit his first homer since 2005, and the Sox outhit Arizona 12-3 in the rubber match.

#1 STUNNER: Wake 7IP, 2H, 0R, 1BB, 6K, 94P
Boy, when that knuckler is working it's like a work of art. Of course when it's not it resembles torture porn, so thankfully tonight it was working.

THE BIGGEST LOSER: Eric Byrnes 0-4, 1K
I know he just came off the DL prior to the start of this series, but the D-Backs leadoff hitter was 1-13 in the three games, failing to provide the spark this slumping club needed.

RECAP:
Old beat older tonight as Boston's ancient warrior Tim Wakefield out dueled Arizona's grizzled vet Randy Johnson in a battle for the aged.

No word if the AARP protested on Yawkey Way.

But the way these two guys pitched tonight, you would have to think that the other old folks are pissed at being shown up by a couple of 40-something hurlers who have no business getting hitters out with such alarming regularity as these two.

Johnson, 44, known for his lanky frame, lousy haircut and high '90s fastball, threw his best game in over a month but got nothing to show for it because once again his anemic offense couldn't give him any run support.

That was mostly due to the fact that his soft-tossing counterpart Wakefield, 41, was baffling the D-Backs' batters with an array of butterflies, moths and other assorted flittery flying flutterballs.

It was an interesting study in contrasts in what was the oldest mound match up in a Red Sox game since 1965, and the most interesting part was that the slower, young guy beat the faster, old guy, but not by much.

In fact both geezers were pretty damn awesome this evening, giving instant credence to the term "forty is the new twenty".

(Sorry, something happened with this post and the rest of it got erased. Here's the finished version)

I said up above that the Sox pulled off a near-perfect performance tonight, and the reason it was "near" perfect and not absolutely perfect is because they missed out on quite a few chances to blow the D-Backs out of the park.

For example, Boston put the first two men on base in the second inning when Mike Lowell led off with a single and Coco Crisp (3-4, R) followed with the first of his three doubles on the evening.

Two on (in scoring position) + no outs = big inning, right?

Ah, no. Kevin Cash lined to center, Brandon Moss (0-3, 2BI) got one run home with a ground out, and after Julio Lugo walked, Jacoby Ellsbury grounded out to the Unit and the Sox had to settle for just the one run.

After that the two hurlers traded scoreless innings for a while, scattering a hit here and a walk there but not really encountering any trouble.

Boston had another golden opportunity to add to the lead when Lugo led off the fifth with a double off the Monster and then stole third one out later, but after Pedroia (3-5) reached on an infield single to short Kevin Youkilis, returning to the lineup after receiving that nasty bump below his eye and sporting some funky sunglasses, bounced into an inning ending double play to kill the rally.

The Sox did get another run home in the sixth when once again Lowell (2-3, BB, 3R) singled and Coco doubled (deja vu), but after Cash was intentionally walked to load the bases, all Boston could muster was a sac fly by Moss for another solitary run and a 2-0 lead that could have been five or six-zip.

Ugh!

The good news about that frame is that it was Johnson's last. Although he pitched well (6IP, 8H, 2ER, 2BB, 5K, 109P), working in and out of all those jams raised his pitch count and it was time for the ole' mullet man to get some rest.

And it didn't take long for Boston to break it open against Arizona's pen men.

Juan Cruz allowed a two out double by Youk (1-4) in the seventh but escaped that spot, and after Manny Delcarmen tossed a 1-2-3 eighth with two Ks, the Sox tagged Cruz in the bottom of the inning to blow the game open.

Lowell walked to lead off the frame and then Cruz (1IP, 3H, 3ER, 1BB, 2K, HR, 36P) surrendered Crisp's third double of the game three pitches later.

Then, after an epic 8-pitch at bat, the slender right hander gave up Cash's first home run since June of 2005, a titanic blast that cleared the Monster, and finally the Sox had some breathing room at 5-0.

The breathing was a bit labored, though, thanks to Craig Hansen loading the bases on two walks and an infield hit in the ninth inning.

But Tito called on Paps as soon as the game became a save situation, and the closer needed just five pitches to dispatch Chad Tracy on strikes to save the game and wrap up the series win.

So the Sox ended up salvaging the home stand, ending up with a 3-3 record when it could easily have been 1-5, and the team will get a day off before starting the final interleague series of the year in Houston on Friday.

After that a first place showdown awaits with a trip to the Trop to face the Rays, and hopefully by this time next week the boys will have a comfortable lead in the East as the prepare to face the Feeble Empire in the Bronx.

RECORD: 49-32
AL EAST: Up 1 gm (damn Rays!)
STREAK: W2
LAST 10: 6-4
UP NEXT: Thu-Off; Fri @ Houston 8:05 Matsuzaka vs. Hernandez

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Interleague Game Preview: D-Backs @ Sox GM3

Johnson (4-5, 5.09) vs. Wakefield (4-5, 4.17)
Game 3 of 3 7:05 ESPN2 @ Fenway Park

Wow, what a coincidence - tonight's pitching match up features 4-5 Randy Johnson vs. 4-5 Tim Wakefield, and they're both 45 years old! Freaky, huh?!

Okay, so the Unit is 44 and Wake is "only" 41, but the joke was too easy to pass up.

Seriously though these two veterans are two of the oldest players in the game right now, and between them they have 460 wins, 1,105 starts, 6,647 1/3 IP and 6,540 Ks.

And they're a combined 85 years old.

Just sayin'.

Luckily for the Sox their 40-something starter is pitching much better than Arizona's lately, even though the both have identical records and similar ERAs.

In his last five starts Wake has allowed an average of 5 hits and 2 earned runs per start, yet he is 1-2 with two NDs due to an abysmal lack of run support.

In those five starts Boston has scored 0, 3, 11, 6 and 4 runs, and for the season the Sox offense is supplying the knuckleballer with just over four runs per game, among the lowest of all starters in the league.

As for Johnson he has been awful the last month. In four June starts Unit has allowed 33 hits 21 runs in 24 1/3 innings (7.77 ERA), losing all four starts and raising his ERA from 3.83 to 5.09.

To be fair Arizona has scored a grand total of 13 runs in his last 6 starts, but when you toss back-to-back 10+ hit, 7 ER games, it doesn't really matter how many runs your teammates score for you.

One thing's for sure, Boston needs to put those kind of numbers on the board and tonight would be a good time to start. During this home stand the Sox have scored just 18 runs in five games and are a few clutch hits away from an 0-5 mark.

According to the Globe Kevin Youkilis will return to the lineup tonight, which is a good thing considering he had been one of the club's hottest hitters (11-28, 4HR, 8RBI last 8 gms) before he got popped in the eye by an errant grounder and missed the last two games, but slumping outfielder J.D. Drew (2 for his last 19) will get the night off in favor of Brandon Moss.

The only thing that would make this game better would be if Johnson's ex-teammate and sparring partner Curt Schilling was going up against him tonight.

As it is we'll have to settle for the two old timers with contrasting styles in a battle royale to decide who's the best of the rest (home).

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Miscues and longballs cost Sox against Cards

Cardinals 5, Sox 4
WP: Lohse (9-2)
LP: Wakefield (4-5)
SV: Franklin (10)
HRs: BOS-Lugo (1); STL: Molina (4), LaRue (2), Schumaker (5)

SUMMARY:
A couple of costly miscues in the 6th inning by Julio Lugo broke a 1-1 tie, and a late home run allowed by Hideki Okajima ended up being the game-winning run as Boston dropped its 8th game at Fenway this season.

#1 STUNNER: Kyle Lohse 6IP, 6H, 2R, 1ER, 2BB, 4K, HR, 109P
The St. Louis starter wasn't overpowering but he got the bigs outs when he needed them, including fanning Manny Ramirez with the bases loaded in the 5th, en route to winning his 6th consectuive decision.

THE BIGGEST LOSER: Okajima 1IP, 3H, 1ER, 0BB, 2K, HR, 19P
The woes continue for the team's once most reliable set up man as even bringing him in with a deficit couldn't prevent Oki from blowing this game.

RECAP:
Before this series started if you said St Louis would beat the Sox and Tim Wakefield by bashing three home runs in the opening game, nobody would've thought twice about it.

After all Wake has a tendency to give up the long ball, and the Cards have mashers like Pujols, Glaus, Ankiel, and Ryan Ludwick who are capable of hitting the ball out of the park at any time.

But to lose a game when stiffs like Yadier Molina, Jason LaRue and someone named Skip Schumaker go deep off not only Wake but the artist formerly known as Hideki Okajima, well that's a bitter pill to swallow.

To make matters worse clueless Julio Lugo committed two more costly errors, both coming on back-to-back routine plays in the 6th inning with the game tied at one, and even though he atoned for his flubs with a game-tying home run in the bottom of the inning, the Boston pitchers couldn't prevent those unsung Cards hitters from going yard.

The Sox actually had a lead in this one when Lugo (1-2, R, 2BI, BB) hit a sac fly to score Ramirez with the bases loaded in the second inning, but Boston's inability to capitalize on three sacks full situations in the game would come back to haunt them big time.

In fact the Sox had the bases loaded in the second, two on in the third, bases loaded in the fifth and again in the seventh and only managed to score two runs out of all those opportunities; they stranded 11 men total in the game.

Staked to the 1-0 lead Wake (7IP, 7H, 4R, 3ER, 3BB, 4K, 2HR, 111P) made it hold up for a few innings, working out of a bases loaded situation himself in the fourth when he got Molina and Adam Kennedy out after allowing a single and a pair of walks with one out.

But in the fifth the Cards tied the game when LaRue, a backup catcher batting just above the Mendoza line, blasted an 0-1 offering from Wake over the Monster to lead off the inning for his second homer of the year, and after Boston blew the bases loaded sitch in the bottom of the inning St Louis would take the lead in the top of the sixth.

Rick Ankiel (2-5, R) started the inning with a shot off the base of the Wall in left center that went for a double, and on the next pitch Lugo botched Glaus' routine grounder when he threw the ball wide of Youk at first, allowing Ankiel to take third.

A few pitches later Wake got Chris Duncan to tap into a surefire 3-6-3 (or 1) double play, but Lugo's relay from Youk back to first sailed past a covering Wakefield as Ankiel scooted home with the Cards' second run of the night.

It was Lugo's 16th error of the season, the most in the majors for any position, three fewer than he had all of last year and just 9 away from his career high of 25, set with Tampa Bay in 2005.

I'd say right now that number is easily within reach.

As I said he did make up for his butchery (somewhat) when he drove a Lohse pitch high and deep over the Monster for his first home run of the year to tie the game at two in the bottom of the sixth, but unfortunately the glory was short-lived as Wake served up a gopherball to the immortal Skip Schumaker with one on in the seventh to give the Cards the lead for good.

The Sox really had a chance to tale control of the game and earn a come-from-behind win when they loaded the bases with no outs off ineffective reliever Randy Flores in the bottom of the inning on a single by Ellsbury and walks to Pedroia and J.D. Drew (1-3, 2BB), but the ancient Russ Springer got Manny to tap into a double play that scored Ellsy but stopped the game-changing rally right in its tracks.

Still down just 4-3 with two at bats left and Lohse out of the game, a comeback was a definite possibility.

And then awful Oki entered the game, allowed a home run to Yadier Molina with one out in the eighth to tack on the all-important insurance run, and all hope was basically lost.

Compounding the pain was the fact that David Aardsma came in and pitched a 1-2-3 ninth, registering three strikeouts of the Cards' most potent hitters - Ludwick, Ankiel and Glaus.

Ouch.

Turns out that run was even more painful than it seemed at the time because Boston did mount one last comeback attempt in the ninth off closer Ryan Franklin when Pedroia hit a one-out double, Manny drew a two out walk and Mike Lowell drove in Dustin with a seeing-eye single up the middle to slice the deficit to 5-4.

Then Franklin, who's subbing for injured closer Jason Isringhausen, got Youk to fly out to right to end the game, and the Sox suffered a rare home loss made all the more frustrating by the way in which they lost.

Game 2 should be interesting as Daisuke Matsuzaka makes his first start since May 27th and puts his undefeated record on the line in a nationally televised game on FOX.

As long as he steers clear of the deadly trio of Yadier, Skip and LaRue, he should be okay.

RECORD: 46-30
AL EAST: Up 1.5 gms
STREAK: L1
LAST 10: 6-4
UP NEXT: Sat vs. STL 3:55 FOX Boggs vs. Matsuzaka

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Youk blasts game-winning home run in return to hometown

Sox 6, Reds 4 (10)
WP: Papelbon (3-2)
LP: Lincoln (0-2)
SV: Hansen (1)
HRs: BOS-Youk (11), Crisp (3); CIN-Dunn (18), Phillips (13), Encarnacion (11)

SUMMARY:
After the Boston bullpen blew yet another lead, including a rare blown save by Jonathan Papelbon, Kevin Youkilis capped off a successful return to his home town when he hit a home run off Mike Lincoln in the top of the 10th to give the Sox a rare and much-needed road victory.

#1 STUNNER Youk 3-5, 1R, 2BI, 2K
Is there a better way to return home, with 150 family & friends in the stands, than to hit a game-winning extra inning home run against the team you loved growing up, and that snubbed you in the draft just a few years ago?

Thought not.

THE BIGGEST LOSER: Lincoln 1.1IP, 3H, 2ER, 1BB, 2K, 2HR, 29P
The Reds had all the momentum after tying the game with two outs in the bottom of the 9th, but Lincoln put out that fire quicker than you can say "longball" as he surrendered back-to-back homers to Youk and Coco in the top of the 10th.

RECAP:
"YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUKKKKK!"

The familiar chant that is heard at both Fenway Park and stadiums all over the Nation every time the good-natured, high-strung Sox first baseman comes to bat or makes a great defensive play was never heard in such full throat as it was this afternoon in his return to the city he grew up in.

In a storybook game that could have been penned by George Will Kevin Youkilis came back to the Queen City in grand style this afternoon, clubbing three hits and a pair of RBI with 100+ family members and friends sitting in the stands cheering for him, each hit bigger than the one that came before it.

The scene was made all the more amazing by the fact that he had struck out in his first two at bats of the day against hard-throwing Reds righty Edinson Volquez, perhaps because he was pressing, or perhaps because Volquez is good enough to do that to anyone.

But the stubborn, chrome-domed slugger, who has toned down his post-at bat antics since a dugout scuffle with teammate Manny Ramirez a week ago, fought through the butterflies and stayed patient, and he was rewarded with an experience he will never forget for the rest of his life.

And neither will the Reds.

To give you an idea of how big Youk is in Cincy, where he grew up, went to the University of Cincinnati and owns almost all the major offensive records at the school, when my son and I went to see the Big East college baseball championship a couple of weeks ago, players on the UC team were imitating his unique batting stance while goofing around in the on-deck circle before the game.

Simply put the "Greek God of Walks" is a god a UC and universally beloved in a city that has probably produced more home-grown major league talet than any other metropolis in the country outside of New York.

So for him to do what he did today, in a game that was an awesome, back-and-forth exciting affair right til the very end, was like living out a boyhood fantasy that any kid who's ever dreamed of being a major leaguer has ever had.

But the way things had gone just minutes before his dramatic homer it didn't look like the Sox were going to have anything to celebrate today.

Not after another bullpen implosion that saw three men waste a hard-fought 4-2 lead and a spectacular effort from Tim Wakefield that nearly sent the Sox to their 22nd road loss of the year.

Boston jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead against stud starter Volquez (7IP, 7H, 3R, 2ER, 1BB, 9K, 101P) when Jacoby Ellsbury led off the game with a single, went to second on a wild pitch by Volquez, stole third after one pitch to Dustin Pedroia and trotted home when cather Paul Bako threw the ball into right field trying to gun Ellsbury out.

But Cincy tied it right up when Dunn launched his second homer in two days and 18th of the season off Wakefield in the bottom of the 2nd inning, a blow that was lessened when Brandon Phillips got greedy after stealing second and was gunned down trying to take third when the ball got away from the Boston infield.

The mistakes continued as Boston took the lead in the fourth when J.D. Drew (2-5, 2R, 2B, 3B) tripled over Dunn's head in left field and then waltzed home on another wild pitch by Volquez.

Now the score was 2-1 Boston, although both starting pitchers were pitching brilliantly.

Wakefield (7IP, 4H, 2ER, 2BB, 6K, 2HR, 89P) continued to stymie the Cincy hitters, retiring 10 out of the next 16 Reds batters while Boston added to its lead on an RBI single by Youk, driving in Pedroia who had led off the sixth with an infield single.

Staked to a 3-1 lead Wake's bugaboo - the longball - came back to bit him again when he surrendered an upper-deck shot to Phillips (2-5, R, BI) to lead off the 7th to cut the Sox lead to 3-2.

But Boston quickly recaptured its 2-run lead off reliever David Weathers when Drew led off the 8th with a double, again to the opposite field, and Mike Lowell followed with an RBI single to push the lead to 4-2.

Unfortunately a botched play by third base coach DeMarlo Hale cost the Sox a chance at breaking the game open and preventing the late-inning heroics.

After Lowell's single Youk drove a pitch from Weathers over Jay Bruce's head to deep right center, but instead of settling for runners at second and third and no outs Hale sent Lowell home all the way from first where he was easily thrown out.

Still, a 4-2 lead with just six outs to go seemed pretty solid.

Except Oki shit the bed again.

Things started out bad when Bako hit the first pitch from Oki for a leadoff single, and when Bruce walked on four pitches one out later Tito quickly went to the pen and removed the struggling Japanese lefthander.

But instead of calling on Paps for the five out save, he brought in Manny Delcarmen, who immediately gave up an RBI single to pinch hitter Javier Valentin to cut the lead to 4-3.

The only thing that saved Boston from losing the game right there was Ken Griffey Jr (0-4, BB, 2K) swinging at a 3-0 pitch and grounding into an inning-ending double play, yet another in a long line of botched and boneheaded plays in this game.

No worries, though, as all paps had to do was get three outs and this one was in the bag.

Papelbon (1IP, 1H, 1ER, 1BB, 1K, 1HR) got Phillips and Dunn to each ground out to second to nearly wrap things up, but then he got sloppy with Edwin Encarnacion and the third baseman ripped a 2-2 offering into the left field stands for a game-tying, shock-inducing home run, and suddenly what looked like an exhilarating victory was resembled a devastating defeat.

And the came Youk.

After Lowell struck out to lead off the 10th, Youkilis pounced on a 2-2 fastball from Lincoln and deposited it into the right field seats for the game winner, and as his teammates and cheering section celebrated Coco cracked the next pitch to almost the exact same spot for a big insurance run, and at 6-4 Sox this one was all but wrapped up.

Sorta.

Craig Hansen relieved Paps and quickly retired the first two hitters in the bottom of the 10th before Jolbert Cabrera singled to center and Junior walked, but Hansen got Phillips to fly out to Drew on the warning track for the final out, and the fans piled onto Pete Rose Way knowing they got their money's worth.

And they were all chanting Yooooooouuuuuukkkk!

RECORD: 43-28
AL EAST: Up 1.5 gms
STREAK: W1
LAST 10: 7-3
UP NEXT: Sun @ CIN 1:35 Beckett vs. Bailey

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Sox bounce back with massacre of Mariners

Sox 11, Mariners 3
WP: Wakefield (4-4)
LP: Batista (3-7)
SV: None
HRs: BOS-Manny (14), Drew (7); SEA-None

SUMMARY:
Boston got back to business today - the business of winning at Fenway. Tim Wakefield handcuffed the Seattle hitters for seven innings and the Sox batters took care of the rest, pounding 13 hits including mammoth homers by Manny & Drew in a satisfying rout of the M's.

#1 STUNNER: Drew 3-5, 3R, 2BI, 3B, HR
The Sox right fielder continues to wield a blazing hot bat, ripping a triple ahead of Manny's homer in the first and then blasting a homer of his own to straightaway center in the sixth.

Over his last 15 games Drew is batting .396 (21-53) with 4 doubles, a triple, 4 homers and 12 RBI. Yes, keep those fingers crossed he stays healthy.

THE BIGGEST LOSER: Miguel Batista 4.1IP, 6H, 5R, 4ER, 6BB, 1K, 1HR, 85P
The Seattle starter was solid but not spectacular in his start against Boston in their recent series in Seattle, but today the veteran righty was downright awful, walking a half a dozen men including two in the 4th and 5th innings when the Sox broke open a close game.

RECAP:
Wasn't it nice to witness a game in which no punches were thrown, no one got ejected, no fights erupted in the dugout and the Sox came out on top?

Now if they could just get the regular starting lineup back on the field everything would really be kosher.

As it is we'll happily settle for the results put forth by another of Tito's patchwork lineups as the substitute Sox simultaneously slapped Seattle while keeping the Rays at bay in Boston's 24th home victory this season.

For the third straight start Tim Wakefield pitched at least seven innings and allowed 2 earned runs or less, but this time he actually got a win to show for his efforts.

And if Manny Ramirez and JD Drew keep crushing baseballs like they have for the past 10 days or so the Sox might not need Ellsbury, Papi, Pedroia, Lowell in the lineup anyway.

After all the team did pretty well without them today.

With the Mariners having posted 21 consecutive scoreless innings on the Sox over their last three meetings, all Seattle wins, Boston wasted no time in breaking that embarrassing streak.

In the bottom of the first inning Drew smacked a ball off Ichiro's glove and hustled it into a triple, and then Manny followed with a titanic shot that cleared the Monster and landed in a parking lot on Lansdowne for his sixth homer in the last 10 games and 504th of his career.

Seattle tied it in the third when Wake's knuckler wasn't knuckling and the Mariners plated two runs on a pair of singles and a ground rule double by Raul Ibanez, but after he walked Adrian Beltre following the double Wake retired 12 straight batters until Kenji Johjima's one-out single in the seventh.

In the meantime Boston slowly pulled away, thanks to the wildness of Miguel Batista and the timely hitting of the makeshift lineup.

With Ellsbury still nursing his strained wrist and Manny's hammy still too sore for him to play the outfield, plus other myriad situations, Francona went with a lineup that once again resembled a split squad spring training game: Cora subbing for Pedroia at second; Youk taking third in place of Lowell while Casey manned first; Brandon Moss playing left in place of Manny; Cash of course catching Wake; and the odd 1-2 combo of Coco and Lugo leading off at the top.

Even with that odd configuration the Sox managed to pile up the runs against a team that had confounded them for most of their meetings this season, scoring two in the fourth and one in the fifth to take a 5-2 lead before blowing it open late in the game.

Boston too the lead back for good in the fourth on a walk to Moss a deep double to left center by Cora (2-4, 2R, BI) and an RBI single by Coco Crisp, his second hit in two innings and the first in a few games that involved his bat and not his fists.

In the fifth the Sox loaded the bases on walks to Moss and Manny (1-2, 2R, 2BI, 3BB) and a single by Casey, chasing Batista from the game, but reliever R.A. Dickey came on to squelch the threat, allowing just one run to score and that was on a passed ball by Johjima.

The lead went to 6-2 when Drew hit a tracer missile off the wall above the camera stand in center field, and after Craig Hansen relieved Wakefield and pitched a scoreless 8th, Boston blew the game open in the bottom of the inning when it sent nine men to the plate and five scored.

Cora got the party started with a leadoff single to right, and after Coco lined out Lugo slapped a single to right as well to set the stage for the team's hottest hitters.

And they didn't disappoint as Drew also laced a single to right for his third hit of the game to score Cora, and after Manny drew his third base on balls pinch hitter Mike Lowell lined a double down the third base line to score Lugo and Drew and push the lead to 9-2.

Kevin Youkilis, who has noticeably toned down his post-at bat antics since the Ramirez dugout incident, provided the final margin when he dropped a double into left that scored both Jacoby Ellsbury, who pinch ran for Manny, and Lowell, and all that was left was for closer Jonathan Papelbon to come in and get some much-needed work.

Unfortunately things didn't go so smoothly for the boys in the 9th as Youk made an error after moving to first base when he botched a throw from Cora, ending his record-setting errorless streak for a first baseman at 238 games.

That blunder, which perhaps was a karmic makeup for the one he should've got last night that went to Lowell, led to an unearned run by Papelbon, but a pair of Ks and a fly out to (appropriately) Drew put a cap on the day and sent the Faithful home happy.

Tomorrow the Sox can take the series from Seattle and put further distance between themselves and the ugly incidents of the Rays series.

Wonder what the lineup will look like.

RECORD: 39-26
AL EAST: Up 1/2 gm
STREAK: W1
LAST 10: 7-3
UP NEXT: Sun vs. SEA @ Fenway 1:35 Bedard vs. Masterson

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Game Preview: Mariners @ Sox

Batista (3-6, 5.90) vs. Wakefield (3-4, 4.50)
Game 2 of 3 3:55 FOX @ Fenway Park

The Sox will try to regroup after three tumultuous days in which they engaged in an on field brawl with the Rays that resulted in the suspensions of three players, an in-house disagreement between teammates that resulted in numerous denials in the clubhouse, and a shutout at the hands of the Mariners that resulted in the end of their 13-game home winning streak.

All in favor for getting back to winning, Bosox baseball say "aye".

Tim Wakefield will try to right the ship today, although the knuckleballer has had little success historically against the M's, posting a 3-9 record with a 4.15 ERA in 145 career starts (24 appearances.)

But the veteran has been awesome in his last two starts, allowing just 3 earned runs in his last 15 innings, although he's only got a loss and an ND to show for it.

His mound opponent, Miguel Batista, has been equally impressive in his last two starts, allowing 5 earned runs in 12 1/3 innings including a 7 inning, 5-hit, 2 earned run performance against the Sox in Seattle, but he only hasd 2 NDs to show for his efforts.

Boston should have Manny Ramirez back in the lineup this afternoon, but Jacoby Ellsbury will miss his second staright game with his wrist injury. With Sean Casey covering first and Kevin Cash catching Wake it will be another patchwork lineup for Franbcona and the Sox.

No matter. The Sox need to break the 21 inning scoreless stretch against the lowly Ms and take this game to get back on the winning track and put all the craziness of the last few days behind them.

No excuses today.

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Double dose of doom: Sox blow game, lose Ortiz indefinitely

Orioles 6, Sox 3
WP: Johnson (1-2)
LP: Okajima (1-1)
SV: Sherrill (18)
HRs: BOS-Ramirez (12); BAL-None

SUMMARY:
As if losing the game after they had just taken a 3-2 lead when Hideki Okajima suffered an atomic implosion wasn't bad enough, the Sox got worse news when it was learned David Ortiz will be placed on the DL and miss a minimum of a month and possibly the rest of the season due to his wrist injury.

All together now: "Ay, Papi!"

SUPERSTAR: Adam Jones 1-4, 3BI, 2B
The rookie was having a horrible series at the plate (3-17) until he came to bat with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 8th and blasted a double off the wall off Oki to win the game for his team.

THE BIGGEST LOSER: Okajima 2/3IP, 4H, 4ER, 1BB, 0K, 24P
How do you say "fuckinggodawfuldogshitstanknasty-performance" in Japanese?

All together now: "Oh-ka-gee-mah!"

RECAP:
Boy, that escalated quickly... I mean that really got out of hand fast.

I realize quoting Anchorman on a blog is akin to wrapping up a complex story with "and they lived happily ever after", but in this case that quote was actually the first thing that came to my mind as Hideki Okajima turned what looked like a satisfying come-from-behind victory into a horrific, soul-sucking loss in a matter of minutes.

To make matters worse shortly after absorbing that low blow I'm watching ESPN and I happen to catch on that annoying, omnipresent bottom crawl that Big Papi might have to miss the season if his wrist injury doesn't heal IN A MONTH!

In a month? Before this game started we were led to believe that this could be one of those pesky little injuries that might get better in a few days. Now we learn it's a torn tendon sheath which will require a minimum month's rehab, and if that doesn't work it's sayonara 2008 season for the team's most clutch slugger.

You talk about a devastating 1-2 punch. My gut felt like the ear of that guy who fought Kimbo Slice the other night.

Normally on the heels of such a devastating announcement the result of one game out of 162 would be a minor footnote. Except this wasn't an ordinary game.

Boston blew scoring opportunities in each of the first four innings off Orioles starter Jeremy Guthrie (6.1IP, 8H, 2ER, 1BB, 5K, 1HR), a theme that would come back to haunt them later in the game.

In the first inning Julio Lugo, batting second with Pedroia getting the night off, singled with one out and Kevin Youkilis (1-3, R, 2BB) followed with a single to right, but Guthrie retired Manny and Lowell to escape the jam.

After Tim Wakefield (7IP, 5H, 2ER, 4BB, 3K) escaped a two-on, one-out situation in the bottom of the inning thanks to a strike 'em out/throw 'em out double play, Boston botched another scoring chance in the second when JD Drew led off with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice, but once again Guthrie got the last two outs to end the threat.

Jacoby Ellsbury led off the third with a single, but Lugo quickly killed that potential rally when he grounded into a double play, and in the fourth inning Lowell (2-4, RBI) singled with one out and following a strikeout by Drew Coco Crisp broke an 0-22 skid with a single, but Alex Cora lined out to once again squelch the opportunity.

The missed chances would come back to bite Boston in the ass in the bottom of the fourth when Baltimore scored a pair of runs off Wakefield on a walk, and RBI double by Audrey Huff and a run-scoring single by The Original Idiot to give the O's a 2-0 lead.

The red hot Ramirez (2-5, R, BI) got half that lead back when he slammed his third homer in as many days, another opposite field blast, for his 502nd home run, and the Sox would tie the game in the next inning when Kevin Cash doubled in Cora, who had walked, and suddenly it was a new ballgame at 2-2.

Boston grabbed its first lead of the game off reliever Jim Johnson in the 8th when Youk led off with a walk, Manny followed with a single, and after a wild pitch moved them over Lowell singled past the second baseman to score Youk and give the Sox a 3-2 lead.

But a golden chance to get more runs went by the wayside when Manny inexplicably broke for home on a grounder to the shortstop, who was playing in to prevent the run, by Drew, and when Coco walked to load the bases all we needed was a single to break the game open.

Unfortunately Cora grounded into a rally-killing double play, and minutes later the failure to put more runs on the board would come back to cost the Sox a chance to win this game.

That's because the minute Hideki Okajima entered the game it was like a black cloud enveloped the stadium.

Toting a deceiving 0.72 ERA into the game, which belied the fact that Oki has been allowing inherited runners to score at an alarming rate this season, the lefty immediately proceeded to load the bases with no outs on three consecutive singles to right field, and everyone in the nation knew there was no where to go but down from here.

Sure enough Millah (1-3, 2BI) hit a booming sac fly that nearly left the yard to tie the game at three, but after a grounder by Luke Scott got Melvin Mora nailed at the plate thanks to a heads-up play by Youk, it looked as if Oki might escape the inning with the game tied.

Ah, not quite.

Okajima, who couldn't find the plate at all (13 of his 24 pitches were balls and he was behind every batter), then walked .218 hitting catcher Ramon Hernandez to load the bases, and then on a 3-1 count Adam Jones, still yet to prove his worth after coming over in the Erik Bedard trade, made himself a Camden hero by booming a ball high off the centerfield wall to clear the bases, ending Oki's night and the game as well.

Boston actually had a chance to tie the game off closer George Sherrill, who walked Lugo and Youk with two outs, giving Manny a chance at capping a truly memorable weekend with a game-tying home run, but although Ramirez gave the ball a ride to right field once again the ball fell short of the seats and Baltimore had salvaged one game of the series.

But like I said a game is not as important in the grand scheme of things when one of the key pieces to the championship contender is on the shelf indefinitely. Combine that somber fact with the loss of number one starter Dice K and the first place Rays coming to Fenway tomorrow, and what was a bright and sunny weekend took a dark turn on a Monday night in Baltimore.

Like Ron Burgundy said, things really got out of hand fast.

RECORD: 35-25
AL EAST: 1 1/2 GB
STREAK: L1
LAST 10: 4-6
UP NEXT: Tue vs. TB @ Fenway 7:05 Masterson vs. Garza

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Game Preview: Sox @ Orioles GM4

Wakefield (3-4, 4.70) vs. Guthrie (2-6, 3.64)
GM 4 of 4 7:05 @ Camden Yards

The fourth and final game of this wraparound weekend series gets underway shortly at Camden with the Sox looking to sweep and the O's hoping to salvage one game and a bit of dignity following three horribly played games.

Two notes here:

1.) I absolutely hate these 4 game series that continue into Monday. Why? Because the start of the work week should coincide with the start of a new series (if it's not an off day). Continuing something from the weekend when everyone else has switched gears from weekend to weekday mode just doesn't feel right.

2.) The Orioles have looked like a little League team this weekend. Six physical errors have been compounded by numerous mental miscues, base running blunders, hit batters and general shoddy baseball fundamentals to add up to three straight miserable losses.

Perhaps that's why the Globe's Nick Carfado reported that the team was taking extra infield practice, spring training-like, before the game this afternoon.

That being said the results have been extremely positive for Boston. Coming in to this series the team had been in an offensive slump and had fallen to an anemic 11-19 on the road.

Three games later almost everyone on the club is hitting the ball well (save for Coco Crisp who is in the midst of an 0-21 skid), and even the loss of Big Papi didn't slow the team down yesterday.

With the results of Ortiz' MRI not expected for a while it's safe to say they will have to make due without their top slugger for at least a few games, but with Manny back to being Manny and the rest of the offense clicking, the loss shouldn't affect the team tonight.

Now if they can just get another spectacular outing from Tim Wakefield, they will be in perfect position for a sweep.

Last time out Wake tossed an absolute gem, going eight innings while allowing just five hits and a run in that heartbreaking 1-0 loss in Seattle last Wednesday.

That outing came on the heels of three straight poor efforts in which Wake surrendered 21 hits and 17 earned runs over 13 innings. So even with the performance in Seattle the knuckleballer is just 1-4 in his last 6 starts and needs to get back on the winning track ASAP.

His mound opponent tonight will be the unlucky Jeremy Guthrie. I say unlucky because despite allowing three runs or less in 9 of his last 10 starts the righty is just 2-5 in those starts thanks to the horrid Oriole offense.

For example in his last 3 starts he has allowed just 15 hits and 5 earned runs in 20 2/3 innings, yet he's 0-3 in those games even though his ERA is just 2.17.

See, unlucky.

As long as he remains that way the Sox will be poised for the sweep before heading into the big home series with the Rays tomorrow.

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Road Kill: Sox lose pitcher's duel in Seattle

Mariners 1, Sox 0
WP: Bedard (4-3)
LP: Wakefield (3-4)
SV: Putz (6)
HRs: SEA-Betancourt (3)

SUMMARY:
Tim Wakefield and Erik Bedard both pitched brilliantly but Wake made one mistake - he hung a pitch that Yunieski Betancourt hit out of the park in the 3rd inning - and that turned out to be the only run of the ballgame.

And so the Red Sox road woes continue as Boston lost for the fifth time in six games on this latest trip, and just like last night's walk-off loss this was another extremely painful defeat.

SUPERSTAR: Bedard 7IP, 2H, 3BB, 8K, 109P
The only reason he gets the call over Wakefield is because of that one bad pitch. Other than that Wake matched the former Orioles ace. In fact...

Honorable mention: Wake 8IP, 5H, 1ER, 0BB, 8K, HR, 96P
It's too bad the knuckleballer's 2nd best outing of the year had to go to waste

THE BIGGEST LOSER: None
For the first time ever no one was bad enough to take home this dishonor. I mean who could wear this crown when it was a well played ballgame that featured excellent defense and terrific pitching?

RECAP:
Another late night, another disappointing result.

For some reason these losses hurt even more when you stay up past midnight to watch them, although thankfully this one was played in a tidy 2 hours and 11 minutes, sparing us from another post-1:00am dose of depression.

But the depression will be sinking in soon with Sox fans as the realization dawns on us that this team, no matter how well constructed and loaded with All Star-caliber talent, will not be able to go deep in the playoffs if it cannot win on the road.

I mean who do they think they are, the Celts?

Tonight's loss dropped the sox to a horrid 11-19 away from the friendly confines this season, tied for the second most road losses in the majors with three
other teams - Cincy, Colorado and San Diego.

The only club with more losses away from home? These very Seattle Mariners.

Guess they didn't play them at the wrong time, just the wrong place.

The bad thing about this one, well aside from the fact that Boston got shut out for the 4th time this season and 2nd time in five days and managed a meager 2 base hits, is the fact that Tim Wakefield pitched better than he has in almost a month, since his 2 hit, 8 inning shutout at Detroit on May 6th.

In his three starts since then Wake had allowed 21 hits and 17 earned runs over 13 innings, walking nine and serving up five home runs.

Tonight the homer came back to bite him again, but the knuckler was dancing like Kristi Yamaguchi and you would expect the Boston offense to be able to overcome one little mistake.

Unfortunately Bedard was just as good if not better than Wakefield in what was by far the best outing of the lefty's short Mariner career.

Picked up in the offseason from Baltimore in a controversial trade for both sides that sent stud outfield prospect Adam Jones, among others, to the Birds, Bedard had yet to fulfill the expectations that a former 15 game winner and strikeout king brings to a struggling club.

Until tonight.

In his last start against the Stanks Bedard was shellacked to the tune of 8 hits and 9 earned runs allowed in 4 1/2 innings. Tonight against our Sox the effort was the exact opposite.

All Boston could manage off the lanky lefty was a trio of walks and a pair of base hits, which led to just one scoring chance when Manny and Mike Lowell singled in the 4th inning. But Sean Casey, starting his third straight game in place of the still-injured Kevin Youkilis, grounded into a double play, and the Sox only threat of the night off Bedard went by the wayside.

As good as Bedard was Wake was even better, scattering five hits but issuing no free passes as his knuckler baffled the Mariner hitters all evening. Except for the home run, which Betancourt hit on a 1-1 count with one out in the third, Wake was near perfect.

It's just that Bedard was perfect, as far as not allowing any runs to cross the plate.

But manager John McLaren replaced Bedard, who threw a lot of pitches, with hard throwing reliever Brendan Morrow to start the 8th, and Boston nearly had the reliever on the ropes.

A leadoff walk to JD Drew set the table, but Julio Lugo failed to advance the runner when his bunt went right to first baseman Miguel Cairo who nailed Drew at second. Still a groundout by Jacoby Ellsbury got Lugo into scoring position with two outs, but Morrow fanned Dustin Pedroia with a 100 mph missile, and the threat was over.

The Sox would get one more chance to tie the game in the 9th off All Star closer JJ Putz, but once again the cards were not in their favor.

Putz, still rounding into form after an early season trip to the DL, walked Ramirez
with one out, then after Lowell popped out he walked Casey to set up a potential game-losing situation.

But Coco Crisp grounded harmlessly to second, and the Sox had suffered their first 1-0 defeat since last September 10th against the Rays.

Boston will now travel to Baltimore and enjoy an off day in the Inner Harbor before taking on the Os in a four game wraparound series this weekend.

With Dice K back in Boston for tests on his shoulder and his status in doubt, and a 1-5 record already trailing behind them on this 10 game roadie, the Sox need to take 3 of 4 from the Birds or else this season could go south in a hurry.

At least Bedard won't be waiting for them in Baltimore, too.

RECORD: 32-24
AL EAST: 1 1/2 GB
STREAK: L2
LAST 10: 5-5
UP NEXT: Thu-Off; Fri @ BAL 705

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Wake roughed up again as Boston's winning streak ends at 7

Oakland 8, Sox 3
WP: Harden (3-3)
LP: Wakefield (3-0)
SV: None
HRs: BOS-Pedroia (3); OAK-Thomas (7), Ellis (4)

SUMMARY:
Tim Wakefield continued his recent ineffective streak as the A's pounded him for 8 runs and 8 hits in 5 innings, and Frank Thomas and Rich Harden picked right up where they left off earlier this season in propelling Oakland to the win.

SUPERSTAR: Thomas 3-4, 2R, 2BI, HR
His 3rd homer this year off Boston, which gave Oakland a 3-0 lead in the first inning, set the tone for the night.

Doesn't matter what uniform he's wearing, the Big Hurt puts a big hurtin' on the Sox.

THE BIGGEST LOSER: Wakefield 5IP, 8H, 8ER, 4BB, 4K, 2HR
Over his last three starts Wake has allowed 23 hits, 17 earned runs and 5 homers in 13 innings for an ERA of 11.77 and a WHIP 2.38.

That knucklin' luck has to run out eventually, right?

RECAP:
We knew the winning streak had had to end sometime, but did it have to be so soon?

As I hinted at in my preview post Oakland's best chance to grab a win in this series had to be tonight. Rich Harden, Oakland's ace (when healthy), who had pitched well earlier this season against the Sox, was on the hill for the A's while Tim Wakefield, who had not been pitching well of late, was on the mound for Boston.

Sure enough form held and just like that seven games of joy and a week's worth of celebrating went down the tubes in front of 29,000 at the Oakland Mausoleum.

The only good thing about the loss was that it was pretty much guaranteed early on, as Oakland put up three runs in the first inning and then four more in the third to take a 7-0 lead, enabling the viewers on the East Coast to tend to other matters such as watch a movie, engage in carnal activities or both.

Since it was such a shitty game and it is so late here I'm gonna do a quick recap and then hit the sack and try to forget all about this one.

Don't worry, it won't take long. Like I said, it was over quick.

After Harden (6IP, 4H, 2ER, 3BB, 8K, HR) pitched a 1-2-3 first inning including two strikeouts, Oakland got right to work in the bottom of the inning. With one out Bobby Crosby doubled to the left field corner, Jack Cust singled him home two pitches later, and on the very next pitch Wake threw Thomas launched a drive to deep left for a confidence-crushing two run homer that gave the A's a 3-0 lead before most people had even settled into their easy chairs.

Two more 1-2-3 frames by Harden left the Sox struggling to catch up, a feat that would prove impossible after Wake allowed four runs in the bottom of the third to all but seal the loss.

Crosby flied out to start the inning before Cust walked, the first of two bases on balls to he had to add to his league leading total of 39 coming in. Thomas followed with a single to left and after a wild pitch moved Cust to third Ryan Sweeney singled to drive in Cust to make the score 4-0 Oakland.

Wakefield did manage to get A's leading RBI man Emil Brown (0-4, 2K) to strike out, but then second baseman Mark Ellis, who had missed 9 games with a hammy problem, deposited a 1-0 pitch from Wake into the left field seats and right then the winning streak was over and the rest of the game was reduced to garbage time.

Boston did have a chance to get back in it, scoring its first run on its first hit of the game, a solo shot by Dustin Pedroia in the top of the 4th and then plating another in the 5th when Jacoby Ellsbury (2-4, 2BI) drove in JD Drew, who had doubled to lead off the inning, to cut the A's lead to 7-2.

But the game was basically decided in the following inning when Boston got men on 2nd and 3rd with one out but couldn't get a run home as Youk fouled out and JD Drew struck out to end the threat.

In the bottom of the inning the A's scored again on a walk, double and a sac fly, and even though David Aardsma and Mike Timlin combined for 3 innings of no hit relief, the offense couldn't muster enough steam to overcome the large early deficit.

More misery came for Boston as bench coach Dave Magadan was ejected for arguing with the ump about how much pine tar Drew had on his bat, and Ellsbury was cut down stealing for the second time in his career (and this week) when he overslid the bag in the 7th after he had singled in Julio Lugo for the Sox third run.

It was that kind of night in Oaktown.

Now it's time to move on and hope Beckett bounces back from his 4-homer debacle to right the ship tomorrow.

No need to start another losing streak here, fellas.

RECORD: 31-20
AL EAST: Up 1.5 gms
STREAK: L1
LAST 10: 7-3
UP NEXT: Sat @ OAK 905 Beckett vs. Duchscherer

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Sox back in 1st after doubleheader sweep of Brewers

Sox 7, Milwaukee 6
WP: Hansen (1-2)
LP: Torres (3-1)
SV: Timlin (1)
HRs: BOS-Lowell (5); MIL-Hart (2)

SUMMARY:
The comeback kings returned tonight as the Sox mounted a late-game rally after the bullpen gagged again in a sloppy nightcap at Fenway. Tim Wakefield bounced back from an awful start to give the team 5+ quality innings, but after Aardsma and Hansen blew a 5-1 lead, Boston scored two in the bottom of the 8th to pull out the win.

SUPERSTAR: Mike Lowell 2-4, R, 4BI, 2B, HR
The third baseman continued his recent torrid streak by clubbing a two-run double in the first inning and crushing a two-run homer out of the ballpark in the fourth.

Over his last 11 games Mikey is batting .367 (18-49) with 4 doubles, 5 homers and 15 ribbies. Ssssssssmokin!

THE BIGGEST LOSER: Bill Hall 0-4, R, K, 2Es
Remember when this guy was the talk of MLB after he hit a game-winning home run with a pink bat on Mother's Day a few years ago? Now he's batting under the Mendoza line and regularly butchering balls at third base.

Mr. Hall, your 15 minutes are officially up.

RECAP:
Boston and Milwaukee combined to play 6 hours and 15 minutes of baseball over a span of just over eight hours today.

That could explain why the finale of the teams' split doubleheader was such an abomination of baseball by the middle of the game tonight.

How bad was it? The teams combined for seven 'actual' errors in the game, although there were 2 or 3 other borderline plays that were ruled hits, and both teams committed two errors in one inning.

The teams combined for 13 runs, 15 hits, 9 walks and 326 total pitches thrown.

Throw in three hit batters (2 in one inning by Boston), three wild pitches, four double plays and assorted missed calls and errant balls and what you had was the equivalent of the Cavs/Celts series played on a baseball diamond.

Okay, so maybe it wasn't that bad, but it was pretty damn close.

For the 5th straight game including today's matinee the Boston offense grabbed at least a 3-0 lead for its starter, but has been the case so many times in recent weeks, if the starter doesn't gag the hard-earned advantage the bullpen surely will.

This afternoon the big blow was David Ortiz' 3-run homer in the second inning that gave the Sox a 3-0 lead. Tonight, with Manny having the nightcap off and Papi having already done his work for the day, it was Mike Lowell's turn to carry the club.

Boston seemed to have Milwaukee starter Dave (sorry I called you Mike earlier) Bush on the ropes from the get go tonight, and in two of the first three innings, Lowell made him pay for his mistakes.

In the opening frame Bush (6IP, 5H, 5R, 4ER, 2BB, 2K, HR) quickly got the first two outs before Ortiz drew a walk, Youk doubled to deep center, and Lowell knocked them both in when he sliced a double down the left field line.

In the third inning Dustin Pedroia singled to lead off the inning and two outs later Mike launched a 1-1 pitch from Bush over the Wall, over the Monster seats and onto Lansdowne St. for a momentum-building two run shot, and with a 4-0 lead and Wake's knuckler dancing better than it did in Minny, it looked like smooth sailing for the home team.

Of course it couldn't be that easy, right.

While Wakefield (5.1IP, 6H, 3ER, 3BB, 5K, HR) had been escaping jams all night he did manage to make it to the 6th inning without allowing a run, but he stumbled in the sixth and needed the bullpen to bail him out.

It didn't.

Staked to a 5-0 lead to start the 6th Wake allowed a one-out homer to Corey Hart (that one left the ballpark, also) and then a single to Gabe Kapler, who made his return to Fenway after two years and received a hearty ovation from the Faithful in his first at bat. Then a wild pitch and a hit batter told Tito it was time to yank his veteran before things got out of hand.

He probably should have taken his chances with the knuckler.

David Aardsma came in throwing gas (98mph) and caught catcher Mike Rivera looking at a ball inside for strike three, but it was all downhill from there.

As the Brewers batters either fouled off his heater or watched as he missed his spots with his breaking stuff, Aardsma fell apart and ended up hitting Craig Counsell with a pitch, allowed a single by Ricky Weeks to cut the lead to 5-3 and walked Mike Cameron before getting Ryan Braun (0-5) to foul out to first with the bases loaded to end it.

With that bullet dodged and the lead still intact Francona brought in 7th inning in training man Craig Hansen, but this time it was the Boston defense that let the team and the pitcher down.

A leadoff single by Prince Fielder (2-4, R) and errors by Lowell and Alex Cora (on a questionable call) loaded the bases with one out, and after an RBI groundout cut the score to 5-4, former World Series hero Craig Counsell hit a clutch 2-out double to clear the bases and give Milwaukee its first lead of the night, 6-5.

Needless to say the boo birds, especially the ones who had been there all day, let the team hear it after that mess of an inning.

But the Boston batters quickly silenced the boos and bailed out their bumbling mates by scoring a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame off Solomon Torres. Milwaukee committed two errors to open the inning, allowing Ellsbury and Pedroia to reach base with no outs, a groundout by Ortiz scored Ellsbury to tie the game, and a blooper by Youk to righ field fell in to score Pedroia for what turned out to be the game winning run, and so wrapped up a long, odd, yet fruitful day of baseball for the Bososx.

Coupled with the extra inning loss by the Rays in St. Louis Boston's sweep sent them into a tie with Tampa Bay atop the AL East.

And just think in a mere 17 hours or so from now the Sox could be alone in first again.

Get some rest.

RECORD: 26-19
AL EAST: Tied for 1st
STREAK: W2
LAST 10: 4-6
UP NEXT: Sun vs. MIL 1:35 TBS vs. Beckett

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Sorry Moms, no miraculous comeback tonight

Minnesota 9, Sox 8
WP: Blackburn (3-2)
LP: Wakefield (3-2)
SV: Nathan (12)
HRs: BOS-Crisp (2); MIN-Monroe, 2 (4), Everett (1)

SUMMARY:
The relentless Boston offense kept coming back despite facing deficits of 7-1 and 8-4, but ultimately it could not overcome three Twins home runs, even though the Sox outhit Minnesota 15-10.

SUPERSTAR: Craig Monroe 2-4, 2R, 4BI, 2HR
The former Tigers castoff has found a new home in the Twin Cities, and after hitting two homers tonight, including what turned out to be the game winner in the 7th, you can bet he will be a fan favorite at the Homerdome for a while.

THE BIGGEST LOSER: Mike Timlin 1.2IP, 1H, 1ER, HR
At the time the homer he gave up to Monroe to lead off the 7th, which made the score 9-6 Twins, seemed innocent enough. But a 9th inning rally would have tied the score had Tired Arm not given up that gopher ball, so the hit proved mighty costly after the fact.

RECAP:
Last year on this day, the Red Sox delivered a special present to all the Nation's moms when they mounted a miraculous comeback by scoring 6 runs in the bottom of the 9th inning to beat the Baltimore Orioles in dramatic fashion, 6-5.

Tonight we almost had a repeat performance.

After trailing the entire game by as many as six runs, Boston kept pecking away at the Minnesota lead until the game came down the Sox with the tying run on second base and pinch hitter Manny Ramirez at the plate facing Twins closer Joe Nathan in the 9th inning.

But instead of miracles we were treated to heartache as Ramirez grounded out meekly to end the game.

And so ended a wild contest at the Metrodome that saw the Sox outhit the Twins but Minny out-slug the potent Sox, as light-hitting Craig Monroe popped two homers and lighter hitting Adam Everett hit his first homer in nearly a year, and it all added up to another difficult loss for Boston, the third such agonizing 1-run defeat in the past five days.

Can't they just friggin' get blown out?

Sox starter Tim Wakefield was coming off his best start of the season, a 2-hit, 8-inning shutout last Tuesday in Detroit, and his success in domes like Tropicana Field is well documented.

But tonight Wake got hammered like Kiefer Sutherland at a wrap party, surrendering 7 hits and 6 earned runs in just 2 2/3 innings of work, putting his teammates in a huge hole before the game was even three innings old.

Luckily for him he's got one of the league's best offenses on his side.

Unlucky for him he also has fellow geriatric hurler Mike Timlin on his team.

After Monroe's first homer, a 3-run blast in the bottom of the second, and Everett's first since last June 3rd gave Minny a 5-0 lead after two innings, Boston started chipping away at the deficit. They scored once in the 3rd on a sac fly by Mike Lowell, but that was all they could get despite having the bases loaded and no outs to start the inning.

To make matters worse the Twins tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the inning on a single by Friday night's hero Mike Lamb to make it 7-1, prompting Francona to yank Wakefield after less than three innings, his shortest outing since last September 11th when he went three innings against the D-Rays.

After his departure the Sox got right back in the game in the 4th when Coco Crisp (2-5, 2R, 3BI, 3B, HR) tripled over Delmon Young's head in left and scored on a single by Kevin Cash. Cash then came around to score on a throwing error by shortstop Matt Tolbert on a grounder by Dustin Pedroia, and another run scored when Kevin Youkilis hit a hot shot off Lamb at third base, cutting the Twins lead to a manageable 7-4.

Too bad it wouldn't stay manageable for long.

The Twins got one run right back when Julian Tavarez (1.1IP, 1H, 1R, 2BB, 1K) loaded the bases in the bottom of the 4th and Mike Lowell made an error on a tough grounder off the bat of Monroe to push the lead back to four at 8-4, but the Sox came right back again when Coco cracked his 2nd homer in two nights off reliever Matt Guerrier to slice the lead to 8-6.

That's when things really got screwy.

Timlin, who has allowed 9 earned runs and 14 hits in his 6 innings of work this season, came on in the 7th and immediately surrendered Monroe's second homer of the game, and with the lead back to three runs (9-6), it was going to take a minor miracle for the sox to pull this one out now.
And they nearly got one.

Joe Nathan, who had only allowed 1 run all year, took the hill in the 9th and everyone figured it would be 1-2-3 it's over time.

Everyone except the Boston batters.

Youk dropped an infield single to short with one out to start the rally, and Lowell followed with a sharp single to center, and suddenly the sox had something cooking against the Twins All Star closer.

When JD Drew hit a tracer over center fielder Carlos Gomez' head for an RBI double to make the score 9-7, the thoughts of last Mother's Day started creeping into everyone's heads.

Coco then hit a comebacker to the mound that Nathan bobbled, and although Lowell scored what would have been the tying run had Timlin not been so Timlin-like, the closer did manage to get the force out at third base for the all-important second out of the inning.

So it was all up to Manny, who sat out the game with a sore hammy, but the mojo was not in Boston's favor this year as ManRam tapped out to shortstop, and the thrilling comeback ended up just one run short.

Thanks a fucking lot, Timlin.

Maybe you should take a seat on the bench with Lugo.

NOTES:
-Bye bye Jed: with Alex Cora activated from the DL the Sox shipped Jed Lowrie back to Pawtucket, as expected. In other words, they gave him the Brandon Moss treatment - hit a big homer, get sent to the minors.

-Other DL news: Mayor Casey is scheduled to be activated tomorrow, meaning another body has to be jettisoned. Expect reliever Craig Hansen to hop back on the PawSox shuttle.

RECORD: 24-16
AL EAST: Up 1.5 gms
STREAK: L1
LAST 10: 7-3
UP NEXT: Mon @ MIN Buchholz vs. Hernandez

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