Wakefield, Penny, The Bullpen And The Bats Fuel Red Sox Sweep Over Twins...7 In A Row

The Boston Red Sox continued their hot streak Wednesday with a two game sweep over the Minnesota Twins. The first game was all Wakefield all the time as Boston defeated the Twinkies by a score of 10-1. Timmy pitched his second straight complete game and became the oldest pitcher to pitch consecutive complete games since 1992. With his teammates giving him plenty of run support, he was able to mix fastballs and curveballs in with his signature knuckleballs. He was in complete control. After the game, he said this...

"I was excited to pitch today," said Wakefield, the oldest pitcher (at 42 years, 263 days) to throw two consecutive complete games since Charlie Hough (44 years, 169 days) in 1992, and the first Sox pitcher to do so since he did it in 2005. "I really felt good in Oakland, took a no-hitter into the eighth. I just carried that confidence and momentum that I had after that game into today's game, so I feel like my checkpoints and my mechanics are coming together. Throwing a lot of strikes, mixing in my pitches when I need to."

In the nightcap, Brad Penny pitched well enough to win and the Boston bullpen, in the form of Ramirez, Okajima and Papelbon, continued to shine. Get this...the 'pen has only allowed two runs in the last 28 2/3 innings. That translates to an ERA of 0.63, by far the best in baseball. This team of ours is going to go a long way in 2009. Kevin Youkilis expressed his feelings after the second game...

"We're playing good ball," Kevin Youkilis said. "We're pitching well. We're hitting well. If your pitching holds the opposition down, I think that's our biggest key: pitching and defense. That's going to take us a long way."

Kevin, we're on that magical mystery trip with you, a journey to October baseball in Boston. There's a long way to go but the team's starting pitching will only get better with the addition of Daisuke Matsuzaka and John Smoltz. The sky is the limit, and I expect to see the sky...soon. They've won seven in a row and a three game set with the Yankees at Fenway Park begins tomorrow. I LOVE THIS STUFF! I love this team.

Please click on this post's title for more details of Terry Francona's 50th birthday victories. Hey Tito, happy birthday!! We love you. As always, thanks for stopping by and BE WELL. I'll be back later with all the details of a BRUCE Friday night in Hartford. I can't wait. There's only one BRUUUUUCE. He's simply the best. Rock and roll will rule in Connecticut...Bruce style. I'll be joining my girlfriend Nadia and my nephew Skip for a downtown dinner and then the concert at the XL Center. I'll post the full review Saturday morning. It will be my 60th Bruce show. My first few were in 1974 and the rest, as they say, is history. Wonderful and memorable history, Springsteen style.