Starting Pitchers Slumping Bigtime...Baltimore 5 Boston 4

The starting pitching rotation, which was so hot a week and a half ago, is anything BUT that right now. In four of the last six games, the pitching has allowed at least seven runs and ten hits. That won't help to win many ball games. And Josh Beckett, the Red Sox ace, was not even spared Tuesday night in Baltimore. The Orioles, after staking Boston to a 3-0 lead, their second in two nights, won the game 5-3. Josh Beckett allowed all five earned runs and surrendered a season-high eleven hits, the most of any starter this season. It was certainly not a vintage Beckett outing. He threw 97 pitches in only 5 2/3 innings and had this to say after the game...

"The loss definitely goes in the right man's hand tonight," Beckett said. "It's pretty simple. I just didn't execute pitches tonight."

That's a good wrap-up, Josh...pure and simple. The bullpen was just fine, thank you, but Boston just couldn't score when they needed to. Manny Ramirez came to the plate in the top of the seventh inning with the bases loaded and nobody out. He grounded into a double play and the Sox did not score. In fact, all of their scoring was in the first inning, with three tallies, and a single run in the eighth. It was a frustrating time for all, and a painful night for some. Coco Crisp had to leave the game in the sixth with a headache and nausea, and JD Drew, trying to make a shoestring catch in the third, hurt his left wrist when it was bent back by the ground. He will know more today how that wrist is, but it's a sure thing that he will miss a few games, hopefully not MORE than a few. JD left the game immediately as the fans nervously quieted. Kevin Youkilis was forced to play rightfield, his first time ever out there. What would we do without him? This is how JD described what happened...

"It's day-to-day right now," Drew said. "I'll know a little bit more today, see how it responds. I rolled it pretty good out there. It's one of those plays you really can't protect or anything. The ball hit the web of my glove and took my wrist around with it."

Peter here, and that's too bad. We are shorthanded and not playing well and every healthy body helps. Look for a call up from the minors soon, in time for Friday's game. It's day baseball today, however, as Jon Lester opposes Daniel Cabrera, who usually gives us fits. If you want to read more about last night's loss, be my guest. Just click on the title of this post. You'll be directed to the Boston Herald Red Sox homepage, where you'll find more than you would want to know. Thanks for stopping by, and as always, take care of yourselves. BE WELL. And thank you in advance for any and all comments. I'll respond to every one. What is going on with our starting pitching? Is this just a once in a while thing, or will we be saddled with a team with so many talented postion players only to be let down by the starters? No way. I hope not. In fact, I KNOW not. Hey Big Baseball Guy in the sky...can you hear me??