Papelbon Surrenders Two Run Ninth Inning HR...Mets 3 Red Sox 2

This was a tough one to lose for the Boston Red Sox Saturday night at Fenway Park. Boston had a 2-1 lead after eight full as Josh Beckett was flat-out tremendous. He pitched eight brilliant innings and gave up only one run on five hits. He struck out five and walked only one. It was by far his best start of this 2009 season. But it all went for naught as the Metsies scored two in the top of the ninth on a home run hit by Omir Santos off Jonathon Papelbon. There were two outs at the time. It was Pap's first blown save in nine months. He said this after the game...

“I’m going to shoulder this one,” Papelbon said. “This is on my shoulders. It’s my job to go out and preserve the win and I didn’t, so it’s on me. Tonight is on me. I want to be back out there and get a chance tomorrow and pick my guys up and let them know I’m still here kicking. It’s not shocking because the simple fact is it’s an overthrown fastball right down the middle,” Papelbon said. “The guys in the big leagues are going to do that. It just wasn’t a well-executed pitch. In those situations and in games where hitters have had plenty of at-bats throughout the night, if you come in and mislocate and overthrow, you’re going to pay.”

No closer is perfect and Paps had gone SO long without something like this happening. But Boston managed only six hits while at the plate. That usually doesn't do the job, not by a long shot. It almost did Saturday night. Hey, it's part of the game of baseball, the game we love. Let's all turn the page...now. I said NOW!

This afternoon, it's Fenway baseball with the Mets once again as Tim Wakefield will face Tim Redding, who has no decisions so far this season. Let's give him his first loss...as a gift and a going-away present. Sounds good to me!

Thanks for stopping in on this very early Sunday, the day before Memorial Day. My girlfriend Nadia will be back in Connecticut by the end of the week and I can't wait. I miss her. Enough of that, I guess. Enjoy the game today...first pitch will be at 1:35pm EDT. Click on the title of this post for more Sox stuff and as always, BE WELL. If you're out there on the road, be careful. It's a holiday weekend with too many people on the roads, WAY too many, some drunk, most not. See you...real soon.