Sixth Run Third Gives Red Sox Sweep Of Tigers...Papi To Get His Eyes Checked

The Boston Red Sox completed a ten day road trip with a 6-4 record as they beat the Detroit Tigers by a score of 6-3, completing a three game sweep of the AL Central leaders. Except for the second inning in which Wakes gave up the three runs, he was in control and very efficient. He earned his seventh win of the season, leading his club. He said this after the game...

“Throwing early strikes keeps me away from overusing my second and third pitches. I had no walks, which is a good thing. I was able to throw only 80 pitches in 6 2/3 innings. Very efficient. If I’m throwing a lot of strikes, they have to swing early,”

Where would we be without Wakes this season? I'll tell you...roughly seven games behind the first place Yankees. Instead, the two rivals have the exact same record. We'll see them at Fenway next week after a three game set with the AL Central first place Texas Rangers. Remember, the Rangers can hit but their pitching is suspect, to say the least. They ARE in first place, however. Here are the pitching matchups for the Fenway series...

Kevin Milwood vs. Brad Penny...tonight
Derek Holland vs. Jon Lester...Saturday
Vicente Padilla vs. Daisuke Matsuzaka...Sunday

In other Sox news, Big Papi David Ortiz, who sat out yesterday's contest in Detroit, has decided to have his eyes checked. Jim Rice's career dwindled as his nearsightedness increased, but those were the days before soft contac lenses and Lasik surgery. Here's a little of what he had to say...

"You know what? I've been thinking about getting my eyes checked, for real," said Ortiz, who occasionally wears glasses. "There have been some situations that something has happened to my eyes, my vision. But I'm planning on getting my eyes checked out sometime soon . . . just to make sure.

Makes a lot of sense to me, Papi. I'm nearsighted and always had trouble catching the ball in the outfield, but that was softball. Since I had the surgery more than twelve years ago, my vision has been a steady 20-20. I wish it had been when I was playing ball. We had a great team that came one run away from winning it all.

That's it for this Friday grey morning. Rain is moving in, precipitation that will make way for a sunny weekend. I hope you have a great one and I'll be back first thing in the morning, if not before. Click on this post's title for more Sox stuff and as always, BE WELL. See ya...soon.