The Fish that Got Away - Rays Win 2-1 in the 9th

I have to say, last night's game was more like it. The night before, a 13-5 cake walk, was embarrassing. But, last night the Rays regrouped and put up a proper playoff fight. Their players shaved their heads into Mohawks and lined up to do battle against Josh Beckett. They knew their chances were slim, but they went at it anyway.

Beckett had a brilliant night, only making one mistake on a pitch to Carlos Pena leading off the 7th inning, that turned into a solo home run. That erased the Red Sox' 1-0 lead and was the only blemish on Beckett as he went 8 complete innings only allowing 3 hits and one walk while striking out 7. For a while, it felt like Beckett might even make a run for a no hitter, until Cliff Floyd registered the Rays' first hit with one out in the 5th inning. Unfortunately for Beckett, the Red Sox offense was silent, which is pretty typical the game after scoring runs in double digits. The Red Sox only run came on a sacrifice fly by Kevin Youkilis in the 6th inning. Otherwise, Rays' starter Andy Sonnanstine, was able to match Beckett's outing.

Other than brilliant pitching in general, Rays' catcher, Dioner Navarro, was the hero last night, twice. In the 8th inning, with one out, Jacoby Ellsbury singled. This was big for the Sox. If Ellsbury steals second with one out, the sox would have a great shot at scoring a run and taking the lead. That would put Papelbon on the mound in the 9th inning. So, Ellsbury took off for second, and Navarro fired one of the more perfect throws to second I have ever seen. A laser of a throw that landed perfectly in Akinori Iwamura's waiting glove. Iwamura did not have to even move the glove, he simply had to close it around the ball as Ellbury slid in to it. if the ball had been throw just a foot off, Ellsbury probably would have touched the base before being tagged out.

So often in baseball, the guy who makes the big defensive play comes up later and gets the big hit. I don't know if it is adrenaline, or a self confidence from the big play, but you can almost always count on it. Last night was no exception. With the score still tied, Justin Masterson was sent in to get the Rays out in the bottom of the ninth inning. The first batter, Jason Bartlett, barely got the bat on the ball, but ended up on first base as the looping fly ball landed in that spot behind first base that no one can reach. Then, Masterson dug himself a deep hole. He walked Carlos Pena, struck out Evan Longoria, and then plunked Cliff Floyd on the knee to load the bases. That brought up Navarro, who smashed a 2-2 fastball deep to center field, easily bringing home the winning run from third.

So, faced with the prospect of losing possession of first place outright, the Rays stepped up and showed some life. I tip my hat to that. But, even though the Sox lost, they still moved forward in the playoff race as the Yankees, Blue Jays, and Twins all lost last night. The losses reduce the Yanks and Jays elimination number to a mere 3, while the Twins' elimination number in the Wild Card race dropped to 5. With 11 games to play, the Sox are more solidly entrenched as a playoff entrant. The question that is becoming the only remaining question, is who will be the Division Winner, and who will take the Wild Card spot between the Red Sox and the Rays?

The Sox were without Jason Bay last night, who flew quickly back to Boston to be present for the birth of his daughter, Evelyn Jane, last night. Word is Jason got there with only 45 minutes to spare. Ah, the life of a major league family. I'm Bay is already on a plane back to Florida to play in tonight's game. But, there will be plenty of time this off season to play with the baby.

I am concerned about Mike Lowell. Having been forced to retire from baseball with a bad hip myself, I cringed last night as Lowell came up limping after making a barehanded grab of a softly hit ground ball and making the throw to first. It was a nice play, but the twisting motion clearly aggravated Lowell's right hip, which has been diagnosed with a torn labrum. The right hip is also the center of a right handed batter's strength. A hobbled Lowell will still be able to contribute, but not at the levels he is fully capable of. Bad timing for that injury, but Mike has been there before, barely recovering in time from a broken bone in his left hand prior to the 2003 playoff with the Marlins. Let's hope he still has some magic healing powder left.

(Photos Courtesy of ESPN)

Red Sox Give Blue Jays the Byrd

Actually, wasn't it the Indians who gave the "Byrd" to the Red Sox? Well, so far so good. Paul Byrd has pitched reasonably well in his two outings with the Sox, coming away with his first victory last night in Toronto. Byrd was not overpowering, but he was steady and kept the Sox in the game going 6 complete innings and allowing 4 runs. The runs came on two separate two run homers, and other than those two damaging swings, Byrd pretty much kept the Jays in control.

So, Byrd only lasted 6 innings. Weren't you scared about turning this one over to the bullpen with the score just a little too close, the Sox leading 6-4? Three long, arduous innings. Not only did we have to worry about the 8th inning, but we had to get through the 7th to even get there.

First up was, thankfully, Justin Masterson, rather than David Aardsma or Manny Delcarmen or Mike Timlin. I love those guys, but lately they have been just too scary. Masterson pitched a scoreless inning, but did surrender back to back walks with two outs. He seemed to be going for the strike out by painting the outside corner to bother batters but just could not find it.

Then, for what feels like the first time since last season, the Sox wrapped up the game in classic form. Hideki Okajima pitched a 1-2-3 8th inning and, even though it was not a save situation, Jonathan Papelbon wrapped up the 9th to preserve the much needed victory.

The win simply allowed the Red Sox to keep pace with the Tampa Bay Rays, who actually helped the Red Sox out in the Wild Card chase by beating the Chicago White Sox. The White Sox and Twins have been playing quite a game of leap frog lately, and today the Twins hold possession of first place, while the White Sox sit a mere 1/2 game behind the Red Sox for the Wild Card. The Yankees also won, but have a ways to go before they are a team to worry about.

Speaking of worry, it appears that JD Drew has a herniated disc in his back. That can be a very delicate situation. He's working through it, but it sure is a rough time of year for all these injury issues.

Mike Lowell - oblique strain
Julio Lugo - quad pull
JD Drew - herniated disc
Tim Wakefield - shoulder stiffness
Josh Beckett - finger numbness

Supposedly, Wake and Beckett may both be back for the upcoming Yankee series, which would be a huge relief. Lugo may not be back at all, which might also be a huge relief. But, these are the issues a team has to fight through, and the Sox have been doing it all season, getting terrific support from their minor league system along the way.

This afternoon, Jon Lester takes the hill against Jesse Litsch. According to what you will read in the pitching match-ups, Litsch showed off his "newly added four seam fastball" in his last outing. What? That can't be right, can it? Doesn't every pitcher throw a four seam fastball? I guess, if you throw it too flat, and with not enough pop (sub-90's), you would have one that you would rarely use. But, that seems like a weird pitch to have "newly added". Most pitchers add a splitter, a forkball or something like that. What Jon Lester is going to add, is another win on his way to a superb 2008 season!

Sox Sweep Seattle to End Road Trip

That was a close one, and also a timely win. Both the Yankees and the Rays won yesterday, and when your competition wins, you want to win and keep step with them.

Clay Buchholz was much improved over his past two outings, and that is a good sign. Clay went 5 1/3 innings and gave up 3 runs, but he held the line early on, and did not fall behind quickly like he has in his last two outings. In fact, entering the 6th inning, he had only surrendered a solo home run to that point. In the 6th, he started to unravel giving up a two run home run and putting two men on base with one out before turning the game over to Justin Masterson. Masterson is working out of the bullpen for the Sox and this was a big test. How does he handle coming in to the inning with 2 men on and one out? Simple. He strikes out the next two batters to end the inning.

Masterson did not stop there. He went on to record a 1-2-3 7th inning, followed by a 1-2-3 8th inning! So far, whoever thought he'd work well out of the bullpen looks like a genius. Also, since Masterson had been training all year as a starter, he can be used (at least for a while) in long relief situations very effectively. Masterson did a nice job of getting to the ninth inning for Jonathan Papelbon, but the problem was that the game was only tied 3-3.

In the 3rd inning, Ichiro Suzuki kept the game from getting out of reach when he leaped high on the right field wall to rob JD Drew of a sure 3 run home run. It was an amazing catch, and the Sox may have been able to use that to build a comfortable lead. But, as strange things always happen in baseball, the next batter, Kevin Youkilis, laced a line drive to right field. As Ichiro chased it down and bent to scoop it up, the ball snuck under his glove and rolled to the wall for an error, allowing two runs to score. That's baseball. Once play you are a hero and a sure web gem, and the next play you make an error that could cost the game.

More great pitching for Boston came after the 8th inning as Hideki Okajima and Manny Delcarmen combined to pitch two scoreless innings. In an interesting move, with the game still tied, Terry Fancona went to Papelbon to pitch the bottom of the 11th inning. Papelbon finally got a strikeout (he's had fewer of those lately) and induced a double play to end the 11th.

The 12th inning, the Red Sox had had enough. Time to end this thing. They worked the bases loaded with one out, and Mike Lowell became the designated hero with a line drive single to left. Jacoby Ellsbury scored from third, and JD Drew showed some speed sliding in safe at home from second base. Sean Casey singled in an insurance run to bring the score to 6-3. So, now we're thinking Papelbon will be back out and end this, right? Wrong. Francona, perhaps not feeling Papelbon has enough bullets left in the gun, and also thinking a 3 run lead should be comfortable enough, sends in none other than Craig Hansen to close the game out. Hansen did it, but he did not do it easily. With two outs and a runner on first, Hansen surrendered a single and a walk to load the bases. White knuckle time, folks. So, Jose Vidro steps to the plate and watches the first three fastballs go by, none of them is a strike. Bases loaded, three balls, no strikes, two outs. Next pitch, called strike. Next pitch, Vidro tops the pitch for an easy bouncing ball to Dustin Pedroia who flips the ball to first to end the game. Phew! Close one there Hansen!

Tomorrow, the dreaded Yankees come to town. Stay tuned...

(Photos Courtesy of ESPN)

Rays Take Charge of First Place in 5-4 Win Over Boston

The Red Sox continue to look sluggish and unable to generate runs, resulting in another frustrating loss on the road, this time costing them a chance at regaining first place. Many people are looking at this series between Boston and Tampa Bay as a gauge to evaluate whether the Rays are truly for real this year. So far, they do seem to be for real.

Justin Masterson pitched a decent game, but sure got off on the wrong foot. His very first pitch of the night to BJ Upton ended up clearing the center field wall, putting the Rays up 1-0. Masterson's control was not as sharp as we have seen it, as evidenced by the 5 walks in 6 innings. All but one of the walks came with two outs in the inning, and two of those ended up scoring. That was the difference between a brilliant night, and a mediocre night. In the fourth inning, Masterson got two quick outs, but walked the next batter only to give up a 2 run home run to Gabe Gross. The very next inning, Masterson again got two quick outs, followed by another walk. This one scored thanks to a double by Carlos Pena to deep center field. He also walked batters with two outs in the 2nd and 6th innings, but managed to keep either of them from scoring. If not for those walks extending innings, and driving his pitch count up, we would have been looking at a much different game.

Tampa's 5th, and deciding run, came in the 7th inning thanks to rookie, Chris Smith. This was Smith's 3rd appearance of the season, and his career, but it do not go as well as his past two, as his control was just abysmal. He walked the first batter, Carl Crawford, a dangerous base runner, on four straight pitches. The next batter, Willy Aybar, executed a terrific bunt down the third base line that Smith had to make a terrific defensive play on to just catch Aybar at first for the only out he would get. Smith walked the next two batters to load the bases, and a frustrated Terry Francona marched out to the mound to yank his rookie experiment. Javier Lopez induced pinch hitter, Jonny Gomes, to hit a ground ball to Julio Lugo's right. Lugo fielded the ball cleanly, fired to second for one out, and Dustin Pedroia quickly relayed the ball to first, but not in time to get the double play and end the inning. The 5th, and winning run scored on that play.

The Sox offense struggled to generate any real rally for most of the game. In fact, Rays' starter, James Shields, set down the Red Sox lineup in order the first time through with three straight 1-2-3 innings. Not a strong start for the good guys. In the 4th inning, Pedroia became Boston's first base runner with a single, and the struggling Manny Ramirez walked to put runners at first and second. Mike Lowell, who had a hot night going 3 for 4, laced a single down the line to left to drive in the first Sox run. Their second run would not come until the 6th inning thanks to a solo home run by JD Drew, his 16th of the season tying him with Manny for the most on the team.

Entering the 9th inning, the Sox were trailing 5-2 and had one last chance, but had to get past the Rays' closer, Troy Percival, to do it. Manny Ramirez lead off the inning, and is normally a very smart batter, simply working with whatever he can get from a pitcher. But, in this at-bat, he was taking monster cuts at the ball as if a home run would win the game. I found myself yelling at the TV trying to get Manny to realize we needed base runners, so stop swinging for the fence. He did not hear me, and struck out swinging for the fence.

But, the Sox were not ready to quit yet. Lowell stepped up and stroked a nice shot to center field for a double, and Kevin Youkilis ripped one down the line that third baseman, Evan Longoria, could not handle. It deflected off his glove, and the Sox had runners at 1st and 3rd with one out. Now, a home run would make a difference! Brandon Moss stepped up to the plate. In the first game of the season, Moss hit a home run for the Sox in Japan against the Oakland A's to tie the game in the 9th inning. The Sox won that game in the 10th inning. Could Brandon Moss repeat that feat with a game tying home run? Moss took an upper cut swing at the first pitch he saw, lofting it out to deep right field. As Gabe Gross settled in to catch the ball, I thought, "well, at least that will bring in Lowell from third base". Suddenly, the ball dropped harmlessly in fair territory, about 50 feet in front of Gross. "What the heck happened?", my mind asked. Then I remembered, they are playing indoors, and that ballpark has numerous catwalks crisscrossing not quite high enough up out of the way. The ball had hit a cross walk and fell in for a hit. Mike Lowell scored, Youkilis ended up on third base, and Moss settled in to second for an unusual double.

Now things looked promising. The Sox would battle to the end, and snatch victory right out from under the Ray's noses. Jason Varitek was the next batter. Tek has not been hitting well lately, but has been known to get his share of clutch hits. Jason hit a long fly ball to right field and Gross again found his spot and settled under it. This time, however, the ball would not hit a cross walk, and instead landed softly in Gross' glove for out number two, scoring Youkilis from third. The lead had been cut to 5-4 with two outs, and Brandon Moss was at third base, ready to tie the game. Julio Lugo was the next batter, but Terry Francona decided Sean Casey, a lefty, would have more success against Percival, and was about to make the move, when we all saw Troy Percival hopping on one leg. He apparently pulled his hamstring as he ran to third to cover on the previous play. Percival was forced to leave the game, and Joe Maddon had apparently been paying attention and saw the upcoming Sox move. So, Maddon called in the left handed JP Howell to replace Percival. So, Casey sat back down, Lugo headed out to the plate, and ended the game with a sharply hit line drive to short. So close.

Let's hope the Sox can build on that 9th inning rally and use it to generate a rally or two tonight. The Sox cannot rely on the occasional solo home run to win games. They need to hit, get base runners on, and cause some damage. Tim Wakefield takes the mound against Matt Garza. Wake generally has success pitching indoors, particularly at Tropicana Field. Hopefully, he'll do that again tonight, and give the Sox a chance to even the series up at a game a piece.

On a final note, all of you are apparently just terrible fans. You were all much more lovable and cuddly when your poor Red Sox were helpless in their efforts to win a World Series. It did not matter how much money the Sox spent, or how many fans swarmed visiting ball parks around the country. The Sox could not win a title, and you were all sympathetic figures who needed a hug. But, now that the Sox have won, not one, but two titles, you are all jerks. Notice in every ballpark the Sox visit, some dunce from the home town paper gets assigned to write an article about how much everyone hates the Red Sox and their fans. Tampa Bay was not going to spoil that pattern, and gave their assignment to Tom Jones of the St. Petersberg Times. He listed the top ten reasons to hate the Red Sox, and must have had a little trouble finding ten good reasons. I mean, seriously, a reason to hate the Red Sox is that Ted Williams, Carl Yastrzemski, and Jim Rice were grumpy? Or that Varitek actually has the nerve to wear a "C" on his uniform? Give me a break!

(Photos Courtesy of Yahoo Sports)

JD Drew Leads Red Sox Past Phillies 7-4

I am not sure Phillies' starter, Kyle Kendrick, was fully warmed up when this game started. Kyle started the game by giving up singles to Jacoby Ellsbury and Dustin Pedroia, and then gave up a 3 run home run to JD Drew followed by a solo shot to Mike Lowell. Before the Phillies could score a single out, the Sox were up 4-0. It was nice to see the Red Sox hitting for power with both Manny Ramirez and Kevin Youkilis getting the night off to nurse minor injuries. Dustin Pedroia's single may have been aided by Jacoby's presence on first base. During Pedroia's at-bat, Kendrick threw 4 pick off attempts to first base, and tried a pitch out once. All to keep Ellsbury close to first. That level of effort focused on the base runner can only help the hitter.

After Mike Lowell's home run the Phillie's pitching coach visited the mound. I don't know what he told Kendrick, but it worked, as Kendrick immediately set the next three batters down 1-2-3. The Sox would get to Kendrick again in the 3rd inning. JD Drew hit a double (one of 4 hits in the game for Drew!), Mike Lowell was hit by a pitch, and Jason Varitek walked to load the bases with 2 outs. Another injury hit the Red Sox when Coco Crisp strained his hand on a swing in his first at bat. Brandon Moss replaced Crisp and took advantage of the situation by lining a single to center scoring two runs. JD Drew would drive in the 7th run with a single in the 4th inning scoring Pedroia from second base. While the Sox are without their usual big hitters, particularly Big Papi, JD Drew continues to fill the gap admirably, continuing the biggest tear he's been on in a Sox uniform.

All those runs contributed to Justin Masterson earning his 4th win of the season. Masterson pitched well, but ran his pitch count up too soon, departing after 5 innings. In this game, it would be Craig Hansen who came out of the bullpen and forgot how to pitch. The other day it was Mike Timlin, and prior to that Hideki Okajima was the culprit. But, in this game, Hansen got to show that he will not be brilliant every night. Here is what Hansen did in the 7th. He gave up a lead off single, followed by a walk, a wild pitch, and a single that scored two runs. That was enough for Terry Francona, and Hansen got a quick hook. Luckily, Manny Delcarmen did remember how to pitch and salvaged the 7th inning and pitched a scoreless 8th inning. Jonathan Papelbon wrapped up the ninth for his 21st save of the season.

The Red Sox get today off, and hopefully everyone will take a nice big rest and heal those nagging injuries. Kevin Youkilis ought to be back in the lineup on Friday, recovered from back spasms. Manny Ramirez may also at least return to the DH spot on Friday in Fenway Park. Coco Crisp is a day to day decision. We won't really know more until he sees how it the hand feels the day after. With the St. Louis Cardinals coming to the Fens, we get to see a rematch of the 2004 World Series. Unfortunately, too much time has passed for this to still hold the intrigue it would have 3 years ago, but it will still be fun to beat up on them one more time.

Tim Wakefield will start the series off, followed by the return of 8-0 Dice-K Matsuzaka from the DL on Saturday, and Jon Lester on Sunday. The Sox should fare better against NL teams at home where they can rely on the DH being in place. Just keep winning at this pace, and no one will be catching them!

(Photos Courtesy of ESPN)

Reds Beat Red Sox in Opener

The Cincinnati Reds took the first game of the three game series by the score of 3-1 yesterday. The game featured a good pitching match-up with Justin Masterson starting for the Red Sox against Aaron Harang for the Reds. Masterson has been terrific in his 5 starts for the Red Sox, and continued that excellence yesterday. He lasted 6 2/3 innings only allowing 3 runs, which is normally good for a win when you are a starter on the Red Sox. Unfortunately, Harang was just a bit better as he went 7 innings allowing only one run, an RBI single by Manny Ramirez to score Jacoby Ellsbury who had doubled in the fourth inning.

Reds' fans must feel encouraged today. Harang entered the season as the ace of their pitching staff, but has had a rather disappointing season thus far. Going into last night, Aaron had a record of 2-9, and had not had a win since May 12. Since then he has been struggling right up until his last start against the Marlins on June 8, when he gave up 7 earned runs in a 9-2 loss. But, last night, Harang pitched like the pitcher the Reds had expected him to be. Harang held the Red Sox to 4 hits, struck out 7, and did not walk anybody. The Red Sox do have a history of faring poorly against pitchers they have never faced, and that may very well have played in Harang's favor. Whatever the reason, he simply kept the Red Sox from getting any momentum, and spoiled a fine outing by Masterson.

Manny Ramirez had proclaimed that his leg felt good enough to play left field, and it was a good thing as he drove in the Sox' only run. But, late in the game he tweaked the hammy again and was replaced by Coco Crisp. Manny will sit out today's game, and the timing is not great with the Red Sox going up against Edinson Volquez (try saying that 5 times fast). Volquez is having a super season boasting a 9-2 record with a minuscule 1.56 ERA. That is not the type of pitcher you want to face with both Manny and David Ortiz out of the lineup. Not only are both of the Sox marquis sluggers sidelined, but there is no DH while playing in a National League park, so Tim Wakefield will be batting ninth. The Sox lineup will be significantly weakened.

The key to the Red Sox scoring runs today may be to leverage the speed this lineup can offer with both Ellsbury and Crisp in the outfield, and Julio Lugo at short. Those three can all create trouble on the bases. If they can get on, steal bases, get in scoring position, the Sox may be able to squeeze in a run here and there - particularly if JD Drew, Mike Lowell, and Kevin Youkilis decide to wage another game of who can hit the most home runs this year. All three are currently tied with 10 a piece. If the speedsters can get on base, the sluggers may be able to do some damage.

The last piece of the puzzle will be shutting down the Reds' offense. The Sox will have an excellent defensive alignment today, so it will come down to how effective Tim Wakefield's knuckle ball is. The Reds probably don't see very many knuckle balls, so if Wakefield can make it dance, he ought to have a solid outing.

Now get out there, get the lawn mowed, get your chores done, and head back in at 3:55 to watch the battle begin!

(Photos Courtesy of ESPN)

JD Drew Provides the Offense, Red Sox Beat Seattle

JD Drew has taken his game to a new level in June. Yesterday, he did it with defense, robbing Richie Sexon of a sure double with a leaping catch in front of the bullpen fence in the second inning. Then, he did it with patience. In the third inning, facing the tough lefty pitcher, Erik Bedard, with the bases loaded and two outs, JD worked the tough Bedard long enough to finally get hit on the hand with a pitch, driving in a run. Later in the game, JD did it with power. The Red Sox, as usual, had little success against Bedard, but what they did do was wear him down. They showed excellent patience, slowly driving his pitch count up, until finally, Bedard was removed from the game after the 5th inning. Right handed pitcher, Sean Green, came into the game, making the left handed hitting JD Drew, leading off the 6th inning, very happy. JD welcomed Green with a perfect swing, sending the ball over the center field wall, making the score 2-1. That score would last until the end.

JD did not do it all himself. Some credit has to go the the great pitching, once again, by Justin Masterson. Going up against Erik Bedard, Masterson had to keep the score low, and that is just what he did. The Mariners clawed their way to a run in the second inning, but would get nothing else, as Masterson's slider was just wicked, and his sinker had good movement, making easy work of an aggressive Mariners lineup. Masterson is now 3-0, and has the bullpen to thank for holding the score down.

The Sox bullpen has been getting better and better as the season progresses. Yesterday, Craig Hansen took the 7th inning (exactly what the Sox were looking for from Hansen), Okajima handled the 8th, and Papelbon, as usual, shut things down in the ninth. Papelbon got help from some defense, namely Coco Crisp, who seems to have put his fighting days behind him. To lead off the 9th, Adrian Beltre ripped a ball to deep center field, but Crisp used speed and talent to track the ball down and haul it in. The last out of the game, fittingly, was a fly ball to JD Drew.

The Sox get a day of rest today, and don't even need to travel. Baltimore is up next on Tuesday night. With the Celtics (now 2-0 in the Championship Series against the Lakers) playing in L.A., there will be no adjusting the game time, so get to Fenway at 7:05, see the first pitch, and cheer Red Sox ace, Josh Beckett, on to another Fenway Park victory!

(Photos Courtesy of ESPN)

Red Sox Inch Closer to First Place with Win over the Rays

I was incredibly fortunate to get the opportunity to attend the game last night in one of the corporate luxury boxes on the EMC Level (a million thanks to Jen for the invitation!). It was my first time in a luxury box, and I have to say, it is pretty darned nice! Plenty of great food and drink, comfortable seating indoors with a 50" flat screen TV, and cushioned seats outside with an incredible view that makes you feel like you are hovering right over the field. I could get very used to watching games there! Especially well played games in perfect weather!

Heading in to the game, Tampa Bay was all alone in first place in the AL East, 1 1/2 games ahead of Boston. Today, they are still in first place, but clinging to a scant 1/2 game lead and having to face Red Sox' ace, Josh Beckett tonight. Many people have been doubting how long the Rays can stay in the hunt for a playoff spot, and expect them to begin to fade - but when? To me, it looked like the fade began last night.

Justin Masterson took the mound in place of the injured Dice-K for his third call up from the minors this season. Masterson was not quite as sharp as he had been in his previous two outings, but he was good enough to earn his second win, lasting 6 innings and giving up 4 runs. If it were not for Carlos Pena, Justin's stats would have looked much better. Pena doubled in the 4th on a hard hit to deep right field that hopped the wall and drove in a runner from second base. That was just a prelude to the 6th inning when Pena let loose with an incredible upper cut swing that cleared the right field fence for a two run home run. The only other damage that Masterson allowed was a lead off home run to Akinori Iwamura - the fourth lead off home run of his career - three of those coming against the Red Sox!

The Game had been a back and forth battle until the Sox took charge for good in the 6th inning. In the second inning, Mike Lowell sent a drive into the Green Monster seats with Manny Ramirez on first base to take a 2-1 lead. The Rays tied it at 2 on Carlos Pena's double in the fourth, but JD Drew answered right back with a solo home run that was crushed to right field. The fun thing about that home run is that, after carefully reviewing the replays, I saw that the ball landed right in my usual seats in right field! Doesn't that figure? Pena's homer in the 6th put the Rays back on top, and it looked like Masterson would not get a win for his efforts.

But, the Sox came through in the bottom of the 6th scoring 4 runs. Kevin Youkilis had reached first after being hit by a pitch. Then Manny Ramirez hit a hard grounder to short. We watched in amazement as Manny charged hard to first. His effort must have startled shortstop Jason Bartlett who bobbled the ball before firing to first. The hustling Manny beat the throw by half a step! Rays' starter, Matt Garza, had pitched well, but was tiring. We could see that, but manager Joe Maddon apparently could not. He watched from the dugout as Garza walked JD Drew to load the bases with one out for Jason Varitek. 'Tek singled up the middle to drive in Youk, and Coco Crisp stepped up to the plate. Still no movement from Maddon, but Garza was clearly done. Crisp took advantage and laced a drive the opposite way, down the left field line and off the wall. Two runs scored as Crisp settled easily into second base for a double.

Finally, Joe Maddon (a student of Grady Little no doubt?) decided to go to the bullpen. So, who does he bring in to pitch? Grant Balfour! Of all the unfortunate last names for a pitcher to inherit. you know he asks himself all the time, "why can't our surname be Strikethree?". True to his heritage, Balfour tossed four straight bals (European spelling) to Julio Lugo for a walk to load the bases. Jacoby Ellsbury hit a deep fly to center that allowed Varitek to easily tag and score from third. The score was now 7-4, and would remain that way until the end.

We also got to witness some managerial chess moves in the 8th inning. Joe Maddon saw Jonathan Papelbon warming up in the bullpen and knew the 8th inning would be his last chance to score, so he pulled out all his moves. Terry Francona had sent in the left handed Javier Lopez to start the 8th. Evan Longoria, a right hander, was leading off the inning, but Maddon's lineup had three straight left handed batters up next. Perfect time for Terry to take advantage and send a lefty pitcher in. Lopez walked Longoria, and Maddon made his first move. He replaced Cliff Floyd with switch hitting Willy Aybar to bat right handed. With two more lefties coming up, Francona stuck with Lopez. Maddon's move worked as Aybar hit a single off Lopez. Then, Maddon made his next move, sending the right handed Jonny Gomes to bat for Eric Hinske. By now, Francona had caught on to the pattern, and replaced Lopez with the right handed Craig Hansen. Maddon had one more move to make. Before Hansen could throw a single pitch, Maddon sent in the left handed Carl Crawford to hit for Gomes. With only one player left on the Tampa Bay bench, the moves ended, and so did the inning as Hansen collected three straight outs to get the game moving again.

Maddon was right to fear the ninth. Papelbon came in like Zeus throwing lightning bolts from Mount Olympus. He struck out the pesky Iwamura on four straight pitches of 99, 98, 99, and 99 miles per hour! He followed that up with three pitches to Dioner Navarro that hit 100, 99, and 99 miles per hour. The ball was nearly invisible as it sped to the plate - amazing the hitters could see it at all. Navarro grounded out, and B.J. Upton struck out swinging to prompt Dirty Water to start playing across Fenway and send the crowd home happy.

Late in the game, we got to see a potential NFL running back candidate display his talents. A (foolish) fan leaped the fence near the Pesky Pole in right field and came running across the field. Security guards immediately took off in pursuit, but the fan was fast and had moves. Every time they were about to grab him, he'd zig, zag, and speed out of harm's way. Of course, there is a limited amount of space to run, so as he approached the fence along the third base line (he made it that far!), he leaped the fence, but right into the waiting arms of the law. Hopefully Bill Belichick got an opportunity to review the film so the night in jail was not a waste.

And how about our friends from the Bronx? Last night they opened a new chapter in their storied pitching history as they sent young phenom Joba Chamberlain out to the mound for his first start in a Yankee uniform. Joba has been quite impressive pitching in relief out of the bullpen, but Yankees owner, Hank Steinbrenner, insisted that he would be better served helping out the Yankees' struggling starters. The new chapter turned out to be a short one. Joba the Hut needed 38 pitches to get through the first inning and was removed not too long after, with one out in the 3rd. He gave up 2 runs, and left with the game tied, but did not do much to worry the Blue Jays, who proceeded to stomp on the Yankees' relief squad on their way to a 9-3 victory that give the Yanks sole possession of last place. Tough luck guys. And no, Bartolo Colon is not for sale.

Weather permitting, the Sox will look to jump over the Rays tonight to re-take first place. With Beckett on the mound, the chances look good. Manny Ramirez had been dealing with some hamstring soreness, and took over the DH spot last night in place of David Ortiz. If Manny's legs need more rest, expect more of the same tonight. But, Francona likes to get new guys into the lineup quickly, so I would not be surprised if Chris Carter gets in the game tonight. Carter is not much of a defensive player, but swings a big bat. If Manny is up for playing left field tonight, Carter will likely DH.

Finally, thanks to all the contest entrants, and there are a number of you. Look to the top right of this page to track progress. Although it is meaningless, if we scored the guesses as of today, our pal, Insight would be the winner. We'll see how long he can hold that lead.

(Photos Courtesy of ESPN)

Masterson Masterful in First Big League Win

Justin Masterson has made two major league appearances. His first was a terrific debut on April 24 against the Angels, in which he went 6 innings only allowing 1 run and left the game with a 3-1 lead. Unfortunately, the Red Sox bullpen combo of Javier Lopez and Manny Delcarmen could not hold the lead, and the Red Sox lost that game 7-5. Masterson looked incredibly solid, and made Sox fans pay attention and wonder if this kid was for real.

Last night Masterson added to the sentiment that he is indeed for real. He pitched a very similar game as his first outing, going 6 1/3 innings only allowing 3 hits and 3 walks to go with 5 strike outs. When he walked off the mound in the 6th inning he had a 2-0 lead, with one out, and a runner on second base. The next two pitchers in line from the bullpen? Javier Lopez and Manny Delcarmen! Was history going to repeat itself? Not last last! Lopez did his job, striking out the left-handed Ross Gload. Then Delcarmen came in and his first pitch, a curveball to John Buck, stayed too high in the zone and Buck sent it up the middle for a single, scoring the run from second. The score was now 2-1. But, Manny settled down and was able to strike out the next batter to end the inning, preserving the slim lead.

Hideki Okajima, pitching for the first time in 6 days while nursing a sore wrist, did not look as sharp as usual, giving up a leadoff double to David DeJesus. The inning was not smooth. He did induce a groundout and a strikeout, but also walked two batters to load the bases. With the game on the line, Terry Francona handed the ball to Jonathan Papelbon. You know the rest of the story. Four Royals batter later, the game was over, and the Sox had won their 5th game in a row, this one by the narrow score of 2-1.

The Red Sox pitching depth has been impressive so far this season. Clay Buchholz and John Lester have been fine additions to the rotation, and when needed, the Sox have confidence in spot starts from guys like Masterson, David Pauley, and Devern Hansack. Yesterday's announcement that Julian Tavares has agreed to an assignment in Pawtucket give the Sox some additional depth for middle relief. But, what about experienced pitching depth? How about Curt Schilling, who is still making progress in his recovery from shoulder problems, and has increased his throwing distance to 100 feet. He'd be a nice last season addition for a playoff run!

Want more veteran help? How about former Cy Young award winner, Bartolo Colon, making his season debut tonight against the Royals? Colon has been getting progressively better in his recovery from elbow troubles suffered last season. He has shown his strength is returning as his fastball has been clocked in the low 90's. Tonight, he'll most likely be limited to 80-90 pitches. The hope would be that he can get the Sox into the 6th inning on that pitch count, and be able to go deeper with each successive outing. If Colon is effective, what an incredible addition to the rotation! It could push the Sox over the top, so keep those fingers crossed that he stays healthy, and still has the stuff to get big league batters out.

Meanwhile, things are looking bleak in Gotham City. Alex Rodriguez returned from the DL and contributed to last night's game with a 2 run home run. But it was, once again, too little too late for A-Rod as the Yankees lost their 4th in a row getting spanked by the Orioles 12-2. This was one night after being spanked by the Mets 11-2! In the game, Derek Jeter was hit on the hand by a pitch. X-rays were negative, but he may be out for a couple of days now. The Yankees are looking up from the basement of the AL East today, 7 1/2 games behind the Red Sox. But, if there is any consolation for Yankee fans, it is this. Last year, through 45 games, the Yankees were 21-24, ten games behind the Red Sox, and they ended the season 94-68, only two games back. This year they are 20-25, and only 7 1/2 behind the Red Sox. So, if this season plays out like last season, they are within striking distance.

So, let's hope the Red Sox good fortunes continue, in the form of a healthy Colon, and we can keep the Evil Empire in the rear view mirror.

(Photos Courtesy of Yahoo Sports)

Red Sox Bullpen Lets Masterson Down

This must have been one of the best days of 23 year old Justin Masterson's life - his very first appearance in a major league game! This wasn't just any game either. It was a game pitching for the reigning champion Boston Red Sox, in Fenway Park, in front of 37,848 rabid baseball fans, against the AL West leading Angels. What could make it any more perfect? How about pitching your very best and getting your first big league win?

Well, Justin certainly did his part impressing Red Sox fans everywhere. He showed off an impressive repertoire of pitches, featuring a fastball in the low 90's, a change up in the low 80's, a slider, a splitter, and an occasional curve ball. Only Dice-K has more pitches in his bag of tricks. He lasted 6 innings facing exactly 4 batters in every inning except the 6th, when he only faced three. He never really got into trouble, his only mistake being a solo home run on a slider that stayed out over the plate to Mike Napoli in the 5th inning. This kid appears to be for real, and left the game with a 3-1 lead, thanks to a based loaded RBI ground out by Coco Crisp in the 2nd, and back to back ground rule doubles by Crisp and Kevin Cash in the 4th.

But, turning the game over to the bullpen, especially a bullpen battling the flu, is a risky proposition these days. Javier Lopez got the damage started in the 7th by allowing the only two batters he faced to reach base with a walk and a single. Manny Delcarmen was summoned to help out, and looked like he was still suffering flu side effects as he walked his first batter on four straight pitches to load the bases with no outs. We all knew this would not end well. Manny allowed a single to the next batter, scoring a run. This brought on the usually dependable Hideki Okajima, who gave up back to back singles allowing 3 more runs to score.

David Aardsma and Julian Tavares each gave up a run in the 8th and 9th innings respectively, leaving the Sox in a deep 7-3 hole going into the bottom of the ninth.

But, David Ortiz gave the Sox one last glimmer of hope. With two outs in the 9th, and Ellsbury on with a single, Ortiz thrilled the crowd with a home run to right field, further boosting everyone's hopes that the real Big Papi is finally back. The home run made the score 7-5, but it was too little too late as Manny Ramirez, who was a terrific 3 for 5, flied out to center field to end the game.

The Sox are lucky they have been winning as much as they have with the health issues they have been battling. Maybe what they need is a trip down south to Florida for a little R&R, as Tim Wakefield will kick off three games against the "Rays" (formerly known as the Devil Rays). That is unless Wake gets the flu, then it is anyone's guess who'll pitch!

Flu Shots Anyone?

I know I got my flu shot this year, but they must have run out of serum by the time they got to Fenway. For the second day in a row, the starting pitcher for the Red Sox has been scratched at the last minute due to the flu that has been going around the clubhouse. Terry Francona has been very creative using his bench, as well as the minor league systems, to get through the crisis. Yesterday, Dice-K Matsuzaka was at the park and looking fine, but as the day progressed the flu rapidly took hold. he was such a last minute scratch that Tito had little choice but to bump up Jon Lester a day early.

This was the first time Lester had pitched on three days rest, and the coaching staff had decided to limit him to about 80 pitches to reduce the possibility of an injury. To compensate for the expectation of going to the bullpen early, Craig Hanson was called up from Pawtucket. Hanson took over for Lester in the 6th inning with the score tied. He threw well, and it was encouraging to see. But, he did leave a fastball too far out over the plate resulting in a solo home run for Casey Kotchman. Other than that he looked fine and went 1 2/3 innings. Timlin gave up a run in the ninth in his one inning of work. Still not the lights out guy we need yet. Hanson was returned COD to Pawtucket after the game to keep the flu doors revolving.

The Sox lost, which seems inevitable after a 6 game winning streak and half the team out with the flu. One good thing was a 2 run home run by Big Papi in the 5th inning to tie the game. Nice to see Ortiz coming around.

Early game today at 1:35. Since Lester pitched yesterday, the Sox called up Justin Masterson, a 23 year old hot prospect pitching in double A Portland this season. This will be Masterson's major league debut, and a chance for Sox fans to get a look at him. He is a player Theo Epstein has been keeping close and refusing to trade. Expectations are good for him to make the starting rotation next season, so this will be a nice preview.


Now let's just hope Masterson got his flu shot!