Yankees 5 Boston 2

I have this summary for the Yankees and Red Sox from this morning"s BOSTON GLOBE. I come back with a post a little later today...
The Yankees took the first game of this three-game set against the Red Sox to whittle Boston's lead to a half game in the American League East before a Fenway Park crowd of 37,773.

"CC Sabathia (18-7), winless in four previous starts against the Red Sox, went six innings and allowed two runs on 10 hits and two walks while striking out 10.
John Lackey (12-10) went seven innings and allowed five runs (four earned) on seven hits and four walks while striking out three.
New York pitchers gave up 13 hits but struck out 13 as Boston stranded 16 runners in a 3-hour-59-minute game that saw Yankees pitching coach Larry Rothschild (seventh) and manager Joe Girardi (ninth inning) ejected by third base umpire Mark Wegner.
Rothschild was run from the game when he protested John Lackey's hitting catcher Francisco Cervelli, who hit a solo homer off Lackey in the fifth inning. Girardi was ejected when closer Mariano Rivera plunked Sox catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia on the left wrist in the bottom of the ninth."

Lackey's five runs doomed his club. Oh well, we'll get 'em today. We'd better!

Back To Work For The Yankees & Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox will put on their uniforms and tackle with the NY Yankees tonight after a very wet interruption. Here are the pitching match ups, but first, a word from our DH...

“This is great. Our guys need the rest. We’ve been going like crazy around here and guys are tired and this is going to give us a little bit of a break physically, so we can get our energy ready to go the rest of the way. We’ve got the Yankees coming in and that’s always going to be a tough series and very intense for everybody. So we’re going to be rested for that.’’


Tonight, John Lackey will be on the hill at wet but still friendly Fenway. I'll see you soon.

For What It's Worth...

Theo Epstein was involved in a big way with Boston's acquisition of Adrian Hernendez. The Padres coveted our center fielder, Jacoby Ellsbury. Now he's turned himself into an irreplaceable cog in the Red Sox offensive attack and their defense. Imagine the Sox without Jacoby. I don't even want to go there. Here's reliever Daniel Bard...

“A lot different. Who’d be playing center field for us? We’d probably have had to go sign someone else, or maybe Cam (Mike Cameron) would still be here. Jacoby’s the sparkplug for our offense. You could say he’s been our most consistent guy all year. He had a really good spring training, maybe a little bit of a slow April, and he’s pretty much been on fire ever since.”

So thank you,Theo Epstein. You did good.

The hurricane tracked just to the west of where I live but unbelievably, my power stayed on with nary a flicker. For that, I'm thankful. What I'm not thankful for is the lack of ingress and egress. (I can't go anywhere until tomorrow because the road I live on is underwater. So I'm stuck here. Don't get me wrong. The fire department came yesterday and they knocked on every door to tell the people living here that Town Farm Road and route 4 are underwater. They told me things should be back to normal tomorrow. I have my two kinds of insulin here but one of them needs to be refrigerated. I have plenty of food and drink and I'll be fine until tomorrow morning. The river that keeping me penned in is the Farmington river, a tributary of the Connecticut river. Oh well, you can't fight Mother Nature.

On that note, I'll say goodbye. As always, stay safe. Thanks.

Red Sox Grab Two Wins On Saturday.. 9-1 & 4-0..Yankees/ Baltimore Sunday Doubleheader Has Been Cancelled

The Boston Red Sox had a great but rain-delayed day while capturing two wins yesterday against Oakland at Fenway Park in Boston. The first game's final score was 9-1 Sox for the Lester win and 4-0 for the Bedard outing. The only reason Bedard was denied a victory was another rain delay. That's too bad but I'm very happy he's part of the Boston starting quintet. For a number five guy, he's pitching well. So today, you must pick something other than baseball to spend your lazy afternoon with. Here's Boston's manager, Tito Francona...

“We’ll use it (two days off) to our advantage. That’s what we always try to do. We were really fortunate the way it worked out. Now we can let the guys regroup because they’re going to need to. This has been a long haul here.”

Yes, after a couple days off today and Monday, the Yankees will invade Fenway Park. With yesterday's Red Sox double whammy over Oakland, they are a full 2 games ahead of their New York rivals. Let's keep it there. Or more!

“It’s always a big series,” David Ortiz said of the impending matchup. “We always play to win so it’s always good.”

I have to run. No, I don't have anywhere to go (we're not supposed to be on the roads) but I do have to do a full house walk-through coming up right now. The winds have picked up and as soon as the sun makes its first appearance, I'll have an update.
It's still pitch dark outside. So be safe today. If you live in the northeast, as I do, you know you have to be careful. They just said the hurricane's landfall will be right around the previously announced 11 am EDT. So sit tight (or sleep well) until then. You can click on this post's title for more Sox news and as always, be careful, be well. If you have any questions, just leave yours as a comment and I'll answer it, IF we have electricity. I have a funny feeling we're not going to lose it. As always, BE WELL, my Constant Readers. What would I do without you? Don't forget to get in touch with me through the comment sections of every post and as always, BE WELL.

That Was Yesterday, Yesterday's Gone...Oakland 15 Boston 5

I'm happy this type of games, score wise, are so few and far between with this club from Boston. The final score? 15-5 Oakland A's over the Boston Red Sox. It was a combination of things, every one of them not good for the Sox. But I want to make this post short and dwell on the doubleheader scheduled for today. Jon Lester will be starting for the Red Sox ready to face Moscoso. Here are the statistics for both upcoming game. Weather wise, game one should be OK, game two is still a question sign. But at least they have a CHANCE to play it. If the powers that be decided to play the evening game tomorrow, there wouldn't be a chance to play it. Nice.

Sat. 27 Oak **12:05 PM ET CSCA/NESN **J. Lester (13-6) vs. G. Moscoso (6-7)...12 noon
Sat. 27 Oak **5:05 PM ET CSCA/NESN** E. Bedard (4-9) vs. TBA

Two great games for an ever-darkening late summer day into night. I really hope the two teams, in game two, can get in at least 6 quality innings as well as the nine plus in game one but right now, I don't think that scenario will play out. Why? I'm just looking at the timeline. The Red Sox want to win both of these games. Last night, the NY Yankees also lost, so Boston's place in the AL East has been preserved for game one at least. Again, if you're planning to go to game one, you'll have no weather problems at all. Game two? That could get a little complicated. Today, we'll take it one game at a time. Game one begins at noon at Fenway with the skies, slate gray and getting darker, holding off dropping their loads. But WHO REALLY KNOWS? Does anybody really know what time it is? I'm sure there's someone somewhere that that information. If not, CONSTANT Readers, GUESSTIMATE.

I'll talk to you tomorrow first thing in the morning unless the hurricane God makes a personal visit here. As always, BE WELL. If you're in the mid-Atlantic coastal region visiting us. Make it go away! Just kidding. GO SOX...TWICE. Again, in my opinion, that second game looks more and more iffy but it's only 6:11am here and in Boston so the grounds crew will work hard for the playing field to be ready for a game two.

Have a great day and please, enjoy the games. After yesterday's wipeout the Red Sox will be trying extra hard to win both games today. Hmm...that's it for me! Click on this post's title for more Sox stuff. Thanks.

Red Sox To Play Two Saturday

Yes, in order to make Sunday's storm irrelevant, meaning Boston's chances to play that third game would be little to none, the Sox will try to get in two on Saturday. The first game will begin at noon tomorrow and the second, IF the weather holds, will be at six. That makes sense to me in every way. But don't forget, the two teams (Sox and Oakland) will play tonight in the opener shortly after 7pm. Timmy Wakefield trys once again to win his 200th game. GO TIMMY, GO SOX. The weather for that game will be just fine. Saturday's noon game should be OK, too, but after 6pm, all bets are off. I'll be back first thing in the morning.

Power Surge For Adrian Gonzales Carries Red Sox To A 6-0 Win Over Rangers

Gonzales (two), Papi and Salty all homered to bring the Boston Red Sox to their third straight victory over the Texas Rangers. Now, it's bye bye Texas, hello Fenway Park. Here are the upcoming pitching match ups...

Fri. 26 Oak** 7:10 PM ET CSCA/NESN** T. Wakefield (6-5) vs. G. Gonzalez (10-11)
Sat. 27 Oak **12:05 PM ET CSCA/NESN **J. Lester (13-6) vs. G. Moscoso (6-7)
Sat. 27 Oak **5:05 PM ET CSCA/NESN** E. Bedard (4-9) vs. TBA

Adrian Gonzalez continued his homer tear with two more long balls to give him five in the past three days, while David Oritz and Jarrod Saltalamacchia each went deep to back an effective Andrew Miller, who tossed 6 1/3 shutout innings. Here's the hot hitter, AGonz...

“When you’re not feeling well, you don’t go up there and be ready to swing at the first pitch. You might want to see a pitch or two. When you’re not feeling well, you don’t go up there and be ready to swing at the first pitch. You might want to see a pitch or two. That’s something everybody would agree with.’’

Makes sense to me. Boston pitcher Andrew Miller looks like he will stay in the rotation. He pitched 6 1/3 innings and gave up three hits and zero runs. The bullpen, in the form of Aveves and Wheeler, kept the shutout alive. This was a nice effort from all the pitchers and this win was a great way to finish this road trip. But you know what they say...all's well that ends well.

Have a great Friday as a tons of Connecticutions prepare for this storm late Saturday into Sunday. The only thing that would upset me other than my house being damaged would be a prolonged period of no electricity. I need my refrigerator to keep my insulin very cool. I myself have to stock up the refrigerator and freezer with plenty of food and pick up most of my prescription medications. I'll keep you posted on this dire storm situation over the weekend, unless I DO lose power.

Thanks for stopping in, click on this post's title for more Red Sox stuff and as always, BE WELL. Thanks.

Boston Guns Down The Rangers

For the second game in a row, the Boston Red Sox scored a ton of runs and the starters kept Boston in charge for the balance of both games. Last night the final score was 13-2 Boston. Crawford, Jacoby and Big Papi were all back and the difference in firepower was astounding. Yesterday, Josh Beckett picked up his tenth victory, allowing that lone run on four hits. two bases on balls and four punch outs. That mark had been a long time coming (finally). Here's one of the returning starters, Carl Crawford...

"We've got a few guys back in the lineup. We've got Jacoby back and Big Papi back. Whenever you can have both of those back healthy, we kind of feed off that. It definitely gives the lineup a boost. We've been all swinging the bat pretty good."

And the skipper, Terry Francona...

"He didn't go out there and get lazy with the strike zone. He pumped strikes and he threw all his pitches and he kept them off the scoreboard, which is good."

The entire game was great, maybe because the Sox were ahead 4-0 after the top of the first inning, or "right off the bat." There was no doubt about it. The two teams ( NYY and the A's) go at it again today). Bard and Papelbon were never called to action because the lead was too bloated. That's fine with me.

I have an early Doctors appointment coming up a little later. I'm not looking forward to it, not at all but after the doctor's office, I'm going shopping to refresh all that I need for up to one week. The hurrricane is named Irene and its most likely track called for it to hug the coast on its northward trek and cross Connecticut right up the middle. I'll have everything about Irene first thing every morning until Sunday morning.

As always, be well. The main effects of this Hurricane will be rain and strong winds exceeding hurricane force Saturday night and Sunday and I'm a little worried. As is the norm, we'll make it. As always, be well and please click on this post's title. Have a great day and upcoming weekend as the storm approaches. Thanks.

The Sounds Of Silence For Boston Bats

The Sounds Of Silence is a great Simon & Garfunkel tune, a giant hit in its day. But you never want to hear it if you're a Boston Red Sox fan and the words described the Red Sox bats last night in tough Texas. Sox starting pitcher Eric Berdard pitched good enough to win except for a three run sixth inning home run. Until then, Bedard was pitching well but three runs are three more than the zero Boston tallied. The final score, by the way, was 4-0 Rangers. Here's Bedard's catcher, Jarrod Saltalamacchia...

“Trying to throw it (that pitch) up. Trying to get him to pop up or miss it. I just tried to throw a good pitch and tried to get him out, and he got it out."

Red Sox manager Tito Francona has further praise for their pitcher, CJ Wilson...

"His stuff is just filthy, and when we've had our full lineup, he's gone through us. I don't know that you can make an excuse. He's got a lot of good pitches and he went right through us. We had a couple of chances, but then he made really good pitches."

So that's the way it was Monday night in Arlington, Texas. A good pitching effort was beaten by a better one. Even with three starters out of the Boston lineup, they've been scoring enough runs to win 55% of their games.Unfortunately, if that trend continues and we do get two of those three players back SOON, we'll be the American Wild Card entry or better. We all want to win the AL East and be done with it. The last five plus weeks of this 2011 series will not go by quickly. That I'm pretty sure of.

Here are the pitching match-ups for games two and three of this four game series...

Tue. 23 at Tex** 8:05 PM ET NESN/FxSW** J. Lackey (11-9) vs. C. Lewis (11-8)
Wed. 24 at Tex** 7:05 PM ET ESP2/FxSW** J. Beckett (10-5) vs. M. Harrison (10-8)
Thu. 25 at Tex **8:05 PM ET NESN/FxSW** A. Miller (5-1) vs. A. Ogando (12-5)

May the force guide us to victory. Hey, we need all the help in the world we can get at this juncture of 2011. Please don't forget to click on this post's title for more video and print about last night's wipeout loss and as always and forever, BE WELL.

Wakefield Denied #200 Yet Again

Tim Wakefield was OH so close to his 200th win , holding a 4-1 lead in the middle of the sixth but the KC Royals stormed back with eight runs in the bottom of that frame and won going away 9-4. Here's Timmy...

“It is what it is, you know. We’re trying to win the game, not trying to do a favor for me. We’re trying to win the game as a team.’’

That's Wakefield's true team spirit. Boston was playing without 1/3 of its normal lineup. Most of you know about Big Papi and Youk's being on the 15 day DL. Terry Francona decided to take Jacoby Ellsbury out as a precaution because he was hit in the back the day before by an errant pitch. Hopefully, this will be a short-term loss for our favorite team but man, the Sox's lineup last night was weird looking. Here's the Boston manager, Tito Francona...

“We’ll give him another day for sure. He’s pretty sore. He’s moving around OK, though. He’s trying to rally a little bit.”

With yesterday's Yankee loss, the Red Sox would have been in first place had they won but my, my, they didn't. But today's another day, another game with Lester (12-6) ready to face D. Duffy (3-7). Recently, Jon has had trouble in the first couple of innings but after that, he turns into a left-handed super pitcher. Let's be good from inning number one, Jon. With our depleted lineup, every win is essential.

Enjoy your Sunday, click on this post's title for all the highlights you'd ever want to see and as always, BE WELL.

Boston Red Sox 7 KC Royalsl 1..Wakefield goes for 200 Victories

Timmy Wakefield takes another shot at victory number 200 tonight and I'll be rooting for him...loudly. Coming up are the pitching matchups for tonight's festivities. But first, last night the Sox were in KC and beat them convincingly, 7-1. Andrew Miller started and went 5.1 innings. Aceves finished the game without giving up a run. Nice pitching and neither Bard nor Papelbom were needed or used. Adrian Gonzalez, who hasn't had a tater in more than 100 at bats, took the field mustache-less. He says he isn't superstitious But he responded with a single and two doubles. With Papi and Youk out, it's up to him and Pedey to keep this boat from Boston afloat. Here's Gonzo...

“Just got some good pitches to hit. It doesn’t change what’s going to happen tomorrow. All that matters is that we won. The numbers are what they are. I don’t feel great at the plate. I’m just working through it. . . . It’s just timing. Hitting is always timing. You lose your timing for whatever reason and you try to get it back.

The hitting star for the Sox was Jarrod Saltalamachia, who smashed a three run long shot in the fifth. The Royals never had a chance after that bomb. Good pitching AND good hitting makes for a winning result, almost always. As I mentioned in this post's title, Timmy Wakefield will go for victory number 200 tonight. Here is the pitching matchup for todays game. I am well aware that if Paulino messes up in any way, Timmy will hit the 200 win mark with a decent performance or if his team's bats can do it right. I hope today's the day he'll do it. In Boston or in KC, it doesn't matter to Wakes or to me. Here are the official matchups. Time of first pitch will be 7:10pm EDT. Go Timmy...

**T. Wakefield (6-5) vs. F. Paulino (1-5) at 7:10pm EDT. **

So I wish every one of you a terrific weekend and a fantastic Friday night. Please don't forget to click on this post's title. Everything you'll ever want is right there, videos included. As always, take care and be well. GO SOX.

Red Sox Beat KC On The Road...Youk On 15 Disabled List

The Boston Red Sox defeated the KC Royals by a score of 4-3 but there was bad news to accompany the good. Kevin Youkilis was placed on the 15 day disabled list because of back woes. He's had the pain on and off all year and Boston wants to rest Youk and his back for an extended period of time. He joins Big Papi David Ortiz on the bench, which makes it tough when it comes to scoring runs..

Thursday night in KC, in the first of four games with KC, it was the three RBIs from cleanup hitter Pedey Pedroia and the seven three runs innings from Josh Beckett that broke their losing streak...finally. Bard and Papelbon were perfect in the eighth and ninth innings and Josh finally earned his tenth victory. He deserved it, too but he clearly wasn't in favor with the Seattle to Boston trip with no day off involved. Here is Mr. Beckett on exactly that...

I don't know how they expect them to still score eight runs after coming back from Seattle, having half an off day and then go get 'em for three games in a day and a half. ... I don't who the fuck agreed to that. It was the dumbest thing I've ever seen."
This travel has been horrible. I don't know how they expect them to still score eight runs after coming back from Seattle, having half an off day and then go get 'em for three games in a day and a half. I don't who the [expletive] agreed to that. It was the dumbest thing I've ever seen."

I completely agree with our ace. But last night, the four runs scored by Boston were enough to do the job. Here are the pitching match ups for the remaining three games in KC.

Fri. 19 at KC 8:10 PM ET NESN/FxKC A. Miller (4-1) vs. J. Francis (4-13)
Sat. 20 at KC 7:10 PM ET NESN/FxKC T. Wakefield (6-5) vs. F. Paulino (1-5)
Sun. 21 at KC 2:10 PM ET NESN/FxKC J. Lester (12-6) vs. D. Duffy (3-7

Thast's all I have for you right now. I hope your Friday will be a spectacular one, click on this post's title to see all the highlights and as always, BE WELL.

Red Sox Losing Streak At 3 after 6-2 Defeat To TB...Triple Play Does Not Help..No DL Time For Papi

Although they won the first game 3-1 behind the incredible pitching of Jon Lester, Boston Red Sox starter Eric Bedard had a 36 pitch first inning IN GAME TWO but still managed to go 6 full. But the Sox bats have been quiet lately and they couldn't make up those four runs. His pitch count is up where he wants it to be but he hasn't put it all together and won a game. On Bedard, here's Sox skipper Terry Francona...

"We didn't help Bedard a lot at times. A couple of runs; it's not always errors. It's maybe extra opportunities, things like that."

And MVP candidate Jacoby Ellsbuy...

"He pitched well. He only gave up three hits. I thought he did a good job mixing up various pitches. He has good stuff. He's locating, getting guys to chase."

And the man himself, Bedard...

"I feel good. My pitch count is back up to normal. I'm just going out there and trying to keep the team in the ballgame."

His ERA is in the lower threes...that's fine and he'll win a few games with that pitching production. Just not yet. There was a bright point for the team from Boston in game two. They pulled off a triple play, their first since 1994. Here is the way the Boston Herald described it and simply click on this post's title to see all the highlights of both games. My thanks go out to the Herald for this...

"With the bases loaded and no outs, Sean Rodriguez ripped a hard grounder to third baseman Jed Lowrie. Lowrie tapped the bag and fired to second baseman Dustin Pedroia, who rifled a throw to first to complete the first Red Sox triple play since Valentin turned the trick against the Mariners 17 years ago."

Want to hear something funny? Sure you do. I remember watching that game 17 years ago. My goodness, how time flies. It's going too fast for me, that's for sure.

Big Papi David Ortiz, who has been one of the MVPs on this team so far, has had a setback with his right heel. But there will be no DL time, not as of yet. Here's our skipper once again...

"We're going to get him out of his spikes for a couple days and get him in a little bit of a walking boot, just to kind of alleviate some of the pressure. We'll keep re-evaluating him every couple days, but we want to get him off that for a little while."

Papi, we can't afford to lose you at this late date of the 2011 season. Please heal. As for the AL East standings, the Yankees won once again so they are one half game ahead of second place Boston. Here are the standings for NY and Boston...

W L Pct GB Home Road East Central West Last 10 Streak
NY Yankees 74 46 .617 ** 40 - 24 34 - 22 24 - 21 18 - 12 19 - 8 6 - 4 W 3
Boston 74 47 .612** 0.5 38 - 23 36 - 24 31 - 14 18 - 15 15 - 10 6 - 4

And this afternoon's starters will be J. Lackey (11-8) vs. D. Price (10-10). Price is one tough cookie but Lackey has been winning a ton of games. Let's hope he keeps it going, although he'll need some run support. He's usually good for giving up 3-5 tallies. The first pitch will occur at 1:35pm EDT. FOR the BOSTON RED SOX, it's a HUGE game and the team needs a win desperately. Here's hoping.

Please click on this post's title for more on the half-successful Tuesday doubleheader. I'll be back around gametime. Count on it. As always, BE WELL and thanks for being here once again. GO SOX.

Tied With NY Yankees, Boston Red Sox Ready To Play Tampa Bay At Fenway Park Today

Hello to Tuesday morning, my readers. The Red Sox' off day is over and it's time to play east coast Fenway Park baseball tonight. Here are the entire pitching match ups for the series...

Tue. 16 TB 1:05 PM ET ** SUN/NESN ** J. Lester (11-6) vs. J. Shields (11-9)
Tue. 16 TB 7:10 PM ET** SUN/NESN ** E. Bedard (4-7) vs. J. Niemann (7-4)
Wed. 17 TB 1:35 PM ET** SUN/NESN ** J. Lackey (11-8) vs. D. Price (10-10)

The other Red Sox news is scarce so I'll just say so long for now. GO SOX! So it's day baseball once again for the second game in a row. Oh, don't forget to click on this post's title for a photographic menage by the Boston Globe's famed sports photographer, Stan Grossfield. I was fascinated. In fact, I'm clicking on the title and looking at them again, right now. In lieu of more Boston Red Sox news, I'll say have a great Tuesday and as always, stay well. Thanks. Click away!

Wakes Stuck In The Muck At 199 Wins...Sox Lose To Mariners And Head Back To Where They belong...Boston.

It was another "good enough" performance over 8 innings by Timmy Wakefield, who is striving to earn his 200th victory. Boston manager Terry Francona let him pitch a complete game but it was all to no avail. And it was one inning, the third, that the Rays pounced. In his haste to turn two, the umpire (another just dandy performance by the men in blue) pronouced that Lowrie's foot was off the base. A run scored with more to come soon. The game was over according to the scoreboard after the sixth inning ended. But after the game, that "bad" call in the third inning on Lowrie, negating a double play, still was a source of torment. Here's the skipper, Titp Francona...

"I really thought he grazed the bag. I think you got to be pretty sure on that one if you're going to make a call like that. After looking at the replay, I don't know how he can be sure."

You can click on this post's title to gain access to the Boston home page and the all-important video of the play. As for Wake's overall eight full innings, here's Papelbon's opinion. After all, who would know better?...

“I think everyone on the team is pulling for Wake, Even our manager is doing everything in his power to get him that 200th win. Wake can’t do any more than he’s doing. He’s gone deep into the games. He’s just got to keep going out there.’’

Thanks to you, my Constant Readers, with your similiar sentiments. After all, we're almost all Wake fans. Oh, please don't forget to click on this post's title to see that horribly called blown double play call, but tomorrow's another day. The Yankees were rained out so the lead is down to one game. Here are the three game series pitching match-ups...

Tue. 16 TB** 1:05 PM ET SUN/NESN** J. Lester (11-6) vs. J. Shields (11-9)
Tue. 16 TB** 7:10 PM ET SUN/NESN** E. Bedard (4-7) vs. J. Niemann (7-4)
Wed. 17 TB** 1:35 PM ET SUN/NESN** J. Lackey (11-8) vs. D. Price (10-10)

Hey Boston, let's string together 6 of eight and take a firm hold of the AL East. And to my Constant Readers, I hope every one of you has a terrific week (yes, 'tis Monday yet again) and as always, BE WELL. Enjoy the Boston off day and we'll resume the wars on Tuesday. GO SOX and click on this post's title for some nice, revealing videos.

Fourth Time's The Charm for Wakes...Sox Lineup

It's the last game of the trip, Here is the Sox lineup: — RED SOX (73-45) — Ellsbury CF — Pedroia, 2B — Gonzalez 1B — Youkilis 3B — Ortiz DH — Lowrie SS — Crawford LF — Saltalamacchia C — McDonald RF — Pitching: Tim Wakefield RHP (6-4, 4.92)

Beckett Can't Nail Down Elusive 10th Win...Seattle 6 Boston 4

This post will have to be a super quickly. The Boston Red Sox, playing their second to last game before flying east, lost to the Seattle Mariners by a score of 6 to 4. I'll have more on the game a little later. This afternoons game will feature T. Wakefield (6-4), again going for win number 200, vs. C. Furbush (2-4) at 4:10am. Thanks for popping in.

Red Sox Win...Papi Power In Full Splendor

The Boston Red Sox beat the at home Seattle Mariners by a score of 6-4. Down 4-2 after the fifth, they needed to step up, which they did to perfection. John Lackey had another OK to good start and his team mates were there to make sure he won. Here's Boston manager Terry Francona...

“The first couple of innings were tough, long innings, gave up some hits. Then he really pitched well."

And the starter himself, John Lackey...

“They put some pressure on me to make enough pitches to get out of those first couple of jams. Then the boys came through with some runs.’’

Thank you, boys. Coupled with the Yankees' loss on an off night for CC Sabathia, the lead is back to 2 1/2 games in the AL East. The Red Sox have been winning a great percentage of their games, enough to stay in first place. Let's get used to it. I love it!

Tonight, shortly after 10pm EDT, the two foes go at it again with Josh Beckett (9-4) ready to face Frank Hernandez (10-10). Let's hope Josh keeps pitching just the way he has been, spectacularly, as he goes for win number ten. Have a great Saturday, click on this post's title for more Sox articles and full highlights and as always, BE WELL.

Friday's Here-And-There

Hello to you on this Friday early morning, August 12, 2011. The Boston Red Sox are sleeping in Seattle (and hopefully not sleepless) and will play a three game series before they head back to their beloved northeast. John Lackey is slated to go and all of Red Sox Nation hopes he continues his season comeback. He's been great lately but this time he'll be facing a tough Seattle lineup. Here are the pitching match-ups for the entire 3 game set...

Fri. 12 at Sea** 10:10 PM ET NESN/ROOT** J. Lackey (10-8) vs. B. Beavan (3-2)
Sat. 13 at Sea** 10:10 PM ET NESN/ROOT** J. Beckett (9-4) vs. F. Hernandez (10-10)
Sun. 14 at Sea** 4:10 PM ET NESN/ROOT** T. Wakefield (6-4) vs. C. Furbush (2-4)

There is only a single game standing between the NY Yankees and first place so every game is important. Are the Yankees over-performing? Who knows? They can hit, right now their starting pitching is very good and their bullpen is just good enough. In most games, their bats do the damage. The Red Sox use the same approach...bash and bomb, bash and bomb.

Get set for three late night games to come. I am terrible staying awake after 11pm, unless it was the World Series. If that's the case, I take a nap. I just woke up so I can't even think "nap."

Enjoy your Friday as the weekend fast approaches. You can click on this post's title for more on that team you love and as always, BE WELL. Thanks for being here.

Lester Loses Control & Boston Red Sox Lose With Him..Yankees Win

Question: What are five walks and Jon Lester? Answer: Two things that do not belong together. Well, last night Jon Lester walked five Minnesota Twins and it showed in the final score, 5-2 Twinkies. But Big Papi David Ortiz did his best yet again by hitting a tater in the top of eighth inning that tied the game at 2. Lester had done his job-the game belonged to either team. Here's Jon talking about his lack of control...

“I felt like I had pretty good stuff. I just wasn’t able to locate. Gave them too many opportunities and when you do that, that’s what happens. It doesn’t matter what team it is in the big leagues. If you give them plenty of opportunities, they’re going to take care of them.’’

After the Sox scored one in the seventh and one in the top of the eighth (Papi), Lester, having thrown 106 pitches, came back to the mound. That was a mistake but Red Sox manager Tito Francona tells us what his thinking process was. After all, 106 throws isn't that much. Here he is...

“I thought he still had very good stuff. That really wasn’t an issue.’’

OK, Terry. I agreed with your managerial decision when you made it but the gamble didn’t pay off as Lester walked Joe Mauer to start the inning. With one out and Mauer on second, Jim Thome doubled to give Minnesota the lead. Francona ended Lester’s night after 119 pitches.

It kept getting worse from there but I've come to a couple post-game conclusions. There was no way to avoid Alfredo Aceves, who let the game get away. The bullpen had been overworked and before the first pitch, Francona stressed that he wanted Bard and Paps to have Wednesday off. Thursday is an off day and he wanted to give them as much "off" time as possible. After all, Bard and Paps, in my mind, are the best duo in ANYBODY'S bullpen. So the most intelligent manager moves don't always add up to a win. The big equalizer was this. Three out of those 5 guys who Lester walked ended up scoring. So Wednesday night in Minnesota proved that baseball is a fickle game with small, minute things dictating winning or losing. Last night, it was a loss for Boston. The Yankees won, gained a game and are only 1 1/2 games behind. But that's all right...the Sox are the better team.

After today's day of rest, sorely needed, we go to Seattle for three and then jet back to Boston for the start of a three game home stand. I'll have the pitching match ups for the three game Seattle set first thing tomorrow. Until then, enjoy your Thursday, forecast to be one of the "ten best" days of the year here in the northeast. Click on this post's title for all the audio and video from last night and as always, BE WELL. I'll be seeing you, the Big Guy willing.

How To Write A Baseball Blog (While In The Hospital Once A Month)

It's easy! No, I kid you. It isn't. But I'm back, for better or worse, and while I've been gone the Boston Red Sox continued their stranglehold on first place in the AL East, MLB's foremost division. Yesterday, David Ortiz (who else), drove in Pedey with the winning run. The Red Sox managed only six hits but made them count. Here's how the go-ahead run crossed the plate in the seventh inning. It was 3-3 when Ortiz came to the plate with the bases loaded and one out to face Phil Dumatrait, a lefthanded reliever who once upon a time was a first-round draft pick of the Sox. Papi hit something low, just about in the dirt in front of the plate. The baseball rolled only halfway up the line. Dumatrait tried to pick up the ball with his bare hand but instead stumbled and fell to his knees.Pedey came in to score and Papi was easily safe at first. Another RBI for the big man. Ortiz was not happy (to say the least) but he did his job and his team (and ours) won their fourth in a row. The Yankees are 3 1/2 games back. Here's Big Papi...

“You hit a ball to the pitcher like that, he’s got to chase and you’ve got to run and you’ve got a guy coming in. There’s a lot of things going on at the same time.’’

Eric Bedard, cursed by Tim McClelland's tiny (about the size of a record groove) strike zone, walked four and threw a ton of pitches. If I had been able to watch the game, I would have been cursing him out big time. If there's something I absolutely cannot stand in the game of baseball, it's a blown strike call. That high first inning pitch count limited Bedard, in his second Sox start, to five innings. He surely would have gone six if not seven but for the oaf behind the plate. The Boston Red Sox bullpen, in the form of Albers (1 run), Marales, Bard and Papelbon, all with no runs, saved the day. As the Fenway Faithful filed out of the venerable Fenway Park, there were smiles to be seen and contented murmurs to be heard.

Today, Wednesday, another game with the slumping Twins is coming up. Here's all you need to know (I LOVE the pitching match ups)...

Wed. 10 at Min 8:10 PM ET** NESN/FxNo** J. Lester (11-5) vs. N. Blackburn (7-9) GO JON. GO SOX!

There's no place like home. There's NO place like home. Click on this post's title and see and read all about last night's win. Thanks for waiting me out and thankfully, I'm feeling great. Thank God.Thank him for me when you look up at that beautiful blue sky from your Fenway seats.

Mr.Walk Off Jacoby Ellsbury

It was Jacoby Ellsbury night Wednesday at Friendly Fenway as he stole the show with a walk-off home run. The final score was 4-3 Red Sox. Here's Big-Papi on our future and FOREVER star...

"Dude, he's good, He's learning how to play the game. Everything comes down to a lot of hard work and experience, and that's what he's taking advantage of right now. He's a guy that's always asking questions,"

Timmy Wakefield started the game but was denied his 200th victory. That's too bad because he pitched OK. It's just half the big bats took the day off. Here's Adrian Gonzalez with a comment...

“That’s baseball. Hopefully we can get it for him the next time he’s out there. He’s deserved to win the last two times and hopefully we can get it done for him next time.’’

I hope so too, Agonz. All in all, it was an enjoyable game. Believe me, I was in mid-air when Ells crushed that ball. And today brings us another Red Sox game Enjoy. My fingers aren't working in conjunction with my brain. I guess that would be called feeling "under the weather." Boy, do I As always, BE WELL.

Boston Red Sox Win Behind Beckett And Go With Bedard Thurdsay

Jacoby finished his last at bat the exact way the way he wanted to. And now our search for a starting pitcher is finished...
until.

Erik Bedard is on his way to Fenway Park, and now begins an even more daunting task:: finding someone who believes Bedard is a good fit in Boston.

It was two minutes before the trade deadline Sunday when Theo Epstein acquired Bedard from Seattle, and it was about two minutes after the deadline that we began to wonder why. Maybe Theo couldn’t coax Matt Young out of retirement. Maybe the Sox decided John Lackey needed another ornery 32-year-old out of the AL West to keep him company. Or maybe they were so desperate for a starter to replace Clay Buchholz that they settled for a square peg and will try to jam him into a round hole.

Bedard is a hard-throwing left-hander with the proverbial good stuff, but when you take a look at the complete package, it’s obvious he belongs in Boston about as much as New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie belongs on an Abercrombie & Fitch billboard.

Bedard doesn’t like the media. He doesn’t like crowds. He doesn’t like attention. He doesn’t like day games. Some people wonder if he even likes baseball.

DOES THIS AT ALL SOUND LIKE WE'D LIKE that TYPE OF Player. After all, this OUR team!

Another Lackey Problematic Start

Monday night at Fenway Park brought a different American League foe for the Boston Red Sox, the Cleveland Indians. They can hit the heck out of ball. So can we but last night was their night to shine...temporarily. Our turn tonight, and the night after and on and on.

John Lackey started and provided another eh (!) start and the Boston Red Sox lost by a score of 9-6 to the power happy Cleveland Indians. Even Bard had his scoreless relief streak broken. Here's our skipper, Tito Francona...

"He's going to give up runs at some point. That's why we took him out -- so we can get him right back out there tomorrow. Not waste his pitches when we're down. Again, same thing, he tried to get a slider under the lefty and didn't quite get it there."

And Bardie, what say you...

"For sure. Start a new streak tomorrow. I don't care about it. It went longer than I probably ever expected it could. I'm about helping the team win, and tonight I didn't do that. Streak or no streak, I've just got to move forward."

Danny eventually HAD to give up an earned run at some point. Now, it's out of his system. I'm sorrow but I have to run. I'll give you all I have to give a little later. Thanks.

A Clay Buchholz Bulletin...Not Good

This was just released...

"Clay Buchholz, who's been out six weeks, is suffering from a stress fracture in his lower back, according to a person with knowledge of the situation. It's unlikely that Buchholz will pitch again this season, though a return in the postseason has not entirely been ruled out yet. Buchholz, whose last start was June 16, is scheduled to see noted back specialist Dr. Thomas Watkins in Los Angeles Monday. But Watkins will likely only confirm what has already been diagnosed. No surgery is required for a stress fracture, which is usually healed with rest and treatment."

Here's Red Sox GM Theo Epstein with sobering comments...

"Clearly, we have some concern for Clay. It's been almost a couple of months now, which is longer than we expected it to be. We're still awaiting some more feedback and another opinion. I think we have a feel for what may be going on, but Clay is seeing another expert to get his opinion, then we're all going to put our heads together this week. I'll refrain from answering in too much detail until we have a chance to talk to Clay and we all have a chance to talk things through. Clearly any time a pitcher of his caliber isn't on the mound for a while and throws a side as he did on Monday but then can't necessarily back it up with another side and getting out there on a rehab assignment, there's some concern."

I'm concerned enough to try and learn more about this and wait for the latest Bedard stats. Hope to see you soon, Clay, but if there's a broken bone, all timetables cannot be accurate. Best wishes. GO LACKEY. GO SOX and click on this post's title for more on Bedard. Thanks.

What A Month July Was For The Boston Red Sox

It was an OK game Sunday at Fenway Park as the Boston Red Sox defeated the Chicago White Sox by a score of 5-3. The game concluded the best July this ancient team has ever known. Andrew Miller survived his start with a little help from his bullpen friends. Number one, notably, was Alberto Aceves, who will STAY in the Boston 'pen now that a new Red Sox pitcher has been acquired. More on that later. Miller, who makes me SO VERY nervous with his erratic pitching (I almost didn't even enjoy the game but yesterday, I hung in there), was throwing SO many pitches, some so good and some I wanted to turn my head in disgust. But in the top of the seventh, Dustin Pedey Pedroia came though yet again. He screamed a two run single and those were the winning runs. Here Tito Francona is...

"Pedey, as normal, comes up with a huge, clutch hit, and we hung on with some good pitching. I have to keep it rolling. We don't have that big of a lead in the division, so we've got to play good baseball."

We're home now to play the Cleveland Indians for four big ones. Here's everything you'll need to know...

Mon. 1 Cle 7:10 PM ET** ESPN/NESN** J. Lackey (9-8) vs. J. Tomlin (11-5)
Tue. 2 Cle 7:10 PM ET** STOh/NESN** J. Beckett (9-4) vs. D. Huff (1-1)
Wed. 3 Cle 7:10 PM ET** STOh/NESN** T. Wakefield (6-4) vs. C. Carrasco (8-9)
Thu. 4 Cle 7:10 PM ET** STOh/NESN** J. Lester (11-4) vs. J. Masterson (8-7)

I'll be back with all the news of the newest Red Sox pitcher, ERIC BEDARD. See you then and don't forget to click on this post's title Thanks. See you in a couple of hours.