Back On Track...Red Sox 5 Twins 2

The Boston Red Sox defeated the Minnesota Twins by a score of 5-2 Saturday evening, and Friday's loss has faded into the past just like useless windblown dust on the side of an unpaved lonely road. Daisuke Matsuzaka was just what the team needed after the ninth inning defeat the day before, going seven innings and giving up six hits and two earned runs. He had seven K's and 63 of his tidy 93 pitches were strikes. This is what pitching coach John Farrell had to say about Dice K...

“We had a lengthy conversation after his (Matsuzaka's) last bullpen session, not that we’re trying to change his style, but just trust his abilities a little bit more around the plate,” pitching coach John Farrell said. “In the middle innings I think he got into a little bit of a rhythm. And what set the tone early was he used his offspeed stuff right from the get-go, didn’t try and overthrow his fastball and got into the flow of the game.”

Peter here, and it worked. Farrell has always amazed me with his competance and knowlege. Hideki Okajima worked a clean and quick eighth frame and Friday loser Jonathon Papelbon earned his eleventh save with a two strikeout ninth. He had this to say after his successful outing...

“When you go on a run and you have good outings after good outings you tend to try and have a better outing than the last one when all you need to do is stay right where you’re at,” Papelbon said. “Any hitter or pitcher has that tendency. I think that’s what happened to me is that I was trying to throw splits and fastballs better than what I had been doing. Well, I just needed to stick with what I had been doing because it had been working.”

Peter here, and what worked for Jonathon last night was his fastball and his many sliders. The two strikeouts in the inning were so nice to see. Only a pop fly that hit the roof and was "deemed" a single marred a perfect ninth. But we know anything can and usually does happen in that horrid dome. Boston improved its "under a roof" 2008 record to 2-8, and Tim Wakefield will be ready to go tonight on the nationally televised ESPN game. His mound opponent will be Nick Blackburn, who I am not familiar with. I WILL be after tonight's contest, that's for sure. Timmy is looking to build on his splendid eight inning winning performance against the Tigers five days ago. If he gets on a hot streak, the timing would be perfect. ANYTIME WOULD BE PERFECT! Contrary to ESPN reports, there IS another game between these two teams tomorrow, and then Boston has a two game set with the Orioles. And then, believe it or not, a day off. One game at a time, however, starting tonight shortly after 7pm EDT. Enjoy!

If you'd like, click on the title of this post for the latest on Julio Lugo's non-severe concussion that occured Friday night, from my hometown paper, the Hartford Courant. And then click on "baseball" (on the left side of your screen) to read all about last night's victory. Jed Lowrie, who started at shortstop last night, had his first big league home run and is a more than capable replacement for Julio. He had three hits and, with teammate Coco Crisp, went back to back with taters (home runs) in the seventh inning to put the Sox up for good. GREAT JOB JED. We'll be seeing a lot more of you in the months (and years) to come.

Well, it's still before 6am on this Mothers Day Sunday. I know, I know, WAY too early! I woke up at 4am and could not go back to sleep. I do want to wish all the mothers and mothers-to-be the best of the best on this special Sunday of May, YOUR day. And to the rest of you, thank you for stopping by yet again. I don't know what I'd do without you. And as always, BE WELL.