Felix Hernandez Shuts Down Boston Red Sox Offense...Seattle 8 Boston 0

Chalk up Friday night's Boston Red Sox loss to the Seattle Mariners, an 8-0 whitewashing, to superior pitching, and that pitching was authored by Felix Hernandez, who ALWAYS pitches well at Fenway Park. Last night, he went six innings and gave up only six hits. The Mariners' bullpen took over from there and made that shutout official. Here's what he, his manager and one of his opponents had to say after the game...

“Felix stepped up and has been pretty good in Fenway Park,” Mariners manager John McLaren said.
“It was important for me, important for the team. I was trying to keep the lead,” said Hernandez, who won for the second time in as many starts after going seven starts without a win.
"He did a great job of keeping us off base, and really not letting us get anything together and when we did have something going, he made some pitches when he had to,” Casey said.

Peter here. Boston starter Bartolo Colon's performance was better than the "runs allowed" figure indicates. He went six innings and allowed six big runs, but three of them were unearned. One of those errors was his very own when, on a sure-fire double play ball, he threw it into the outfield. That was a biggie. Hey, the Sox weren't going to win this one, NO MATTER WHAT, and Bartolo was not THAT bad, so all the doom sayers out there, don't rise up as one and declare this the beginning of the end for the world champions...it's only one game. Just as Dorthy chanted "there's no place like home, there's no place like home," in THE WIZARD OF OZ, try the same thing with the words "it's only one game, it's only one game." After a couple minutes, you'll feel better, or you'll wake up. I don't know which. Please consult your doctor before trying this.

The suspensions are in and a total of seven Boston and Tampa Bay "personalities" will be sidelined for up to seven games, including Jon Lester. That's the one I do not get. If you can help me understand, please leave me a comment by clicking on "comment." Here is the penalty breakdown...Crisp received the most severe punishment, a seven-game suspension, with teammates Jon Lester getting five and Sean Casey with only three joining him. For the Rays, Shields got six games, Jonny Gomes and Edwin Jackson five, Carl Crawford four, and Akinori Iwamura three. If it was up to me, Shields would have gotten a ten game suspension. That's like missing two starts and HE threw the first punch, deftly avoided by Coco Crisp as Crisp landed a glancing counter right. And with our Big Papi out, Manny's hamstrings preventing him from playing defense and Ellsbury day-to-day, the Sox are shorthanded and lumber light. But as I've said before, it's a long season which won't be decided in ten days, when all of this (except Papi's wrist) should be resolved. Boston has to concentrate on winning TODAY. Seattle is a REAL team when they have a pitcher like Hernandez on the mound. When the Sox give them three gift runs via the error route, they're going to win. It's simple! Don't make the mistake of dismissing them just because of their record. Oh, click on the title for more juicy (well, more like depressing) details of last night's hogwashing, and to every one of you, have a safe a tremendous weekend. And remember, BE WELL. Always and forever.