The Stopper Stops And The Lumber Awakens...Boston Red Sox 9 KC Royals 2

Though the Kanas City Royals collected twelve base hits Wednesday night in Kansas City, they were only able to plate two runners and the Boston Red Sox went on to a 9-2 victory, their first of this four game series. FINALLY. The Boston starter, Josh Beckett, pitched well in his early and late innings, but in the middle of his outing, it looked like his pitches flattened out. He did throw a ton of ground balls, some at his teammates and some not. The important thing is that KC scored only two runs on a night that Boston was good for a beautifully crooked nine. The 'pen was great, with Oki, Wags and Paps going a goose egg inning apiece. Big Papi clubbed his 25th tater of the season, a remarkable turnaround from his worse than dismal start to 2009 baseball. But it was a six run fifth that put this game away for the Good Guys. Here's our Big Papi, who we know and love...

“We have a lineup that works into really good counts with pitchers. We see a lot of pitches - that’s what makes us good,” said Ortiz. “When you see a lot of pitches, you get an idea what you want to do when you get to the plate. And that’s why after our second or third at-bat, our production gets even better, because we know what we’re dealing with.”

Here's Sox starter Josh Beckett on his hit-filled but very successful outing...

“I did a good job with the exception of three hits in the fourth inning,” said Beckett, who improved his record to 16-6. “This time of year, everything is based on results. Just giving us a chance to win, I feel like I did a good job of damage control with all the hits that piled up.”

Beckett is 16-6 with two more starts to go. Anyway anyone looks at those numbers, their conclusion would have to be that he's nearing the end of a great regular season. For six or seven starts, he was the best pitcher in all of major league baseball. Since then, there've been ups and downs, but last night was an UP, just when the Red Sox needed one. Thanks Josh. You're one of the "BIG FOUR" who will make up the postseason starting pitching rotation. No, Timmy won't be in there...either will (thankfully) Paul Byrd. It's Becks, Lester, Buchholz and Daisuke, live or die. LIVE WE WILL.

There's one more game to play with the pesky Royals tonight, the last of the season between the two clubs. It'll be an ailing (cold) Buchholz versus a healthy Hughes. Let's win it to gain a split when a split would not have been acceptable before this four game set started. And then...then....it's Bronx time. The Boston pitching rotation for the three games in pinstripe land leave much to be desired (Byrd is slated) but we do what we have to do. Yes, we can. Faith.

As always be well and click on this post's title for more about the good night in KC. Thanks for stopping in once again and I promise to be here bright (unless the dawn has not shown its golden face) and early tomorrow morning, if not before. See ya.