COMEBACK WASTED...Tigers 10 Red Sox 9

You can't win 'em all, but last night's 10-9 loss to the Detroit Tigers really hurt. The Tigers had lost five games in a row and Boston had WON five straight. But when the Red Sox finally went ahead by a score of 9-8 going into the bottom of the ninth, an improbable Boston comeback veered into the realm of a probable victory. But it was not to be, for the Tigers, on the strength (??) of a checked-swing roller, a costly error by Julio Lugo, a sacrifice bunt that traveled no more than three yards and a shattered bat bloop single, scored two vital runs to get the victory. I could go into who hit what when, but you can click on the title of this post for all those details. The Boston comeback was thrwarted by the two unearned ninth inning runs. Oh well, turn the page. It's all we can do, so let's do it! I already have, late last night. Sleep was a tossed and turning trip of dreamlike states.

It was a bad night for Clay Buchholz, who went four innings and gave up five runs on ten hits. Julian Tavarez unfortunately followed, and he was WORSE, giving up another three runs and fours hits in just one inning. From there the bullpen, in the form of Aardsma, Lopez and Okajima held the tide while their team came back to take the lead. And then there was Paps and the bottom of the ninth. This team from Boston has so much heart, and this is but a bump in the road.

The batting stars for the Sox were none other than Kevin Youkilis and Mike Lowell. Youk bashed two taters and Lowell one. Ellsbury contributed multiple hits, too, and the Sox were in double hit figures yet again. But as Jonathon Papelbon said after the loss...

“It’s a title fight,” said Papelbon, who had converted all 10 of his save chances this season after going 37-for-40 a year ago. “A little jab isn’t going to knock us out."

Peter here, and Jonathon is right. That Tiger jab landed and momentarily stung the first place team from New England, but Josh Beckett will be ready shortly after 7pm EDT tonight to exact revenge. He'll face Detroit's Verlander, who is sitting on an ERA of 6.28 and a record of 1-5. He is due, but it will have to wait. Josh "Baseball" Beckett, a tough luck loser in his last start when his team was mired in a hitting slump, will come out throwing flame and fire mixed with finesse and off speed stuff. I give the edge to the Sox tonight, and if they DO win, they will have taken three out of four, just as I predicted before this four game set started. But anything is possible until the last out of the ninth inning, and that'll happen in about, oh, sixteen hours. Don't forget to click on the title of this post for the Boston Herald Red Sox homepage. From there, you can click on just about ANYTHING. So enjoy, turn the page and, as always, BE WELL. GO SOX. Love ya all. I always will!!