The Flu is the Only Thing that Can Stop the Red Sox

After Josh Beckett missed the night before with neck stiffness, Dice-K was scratched from his start last night after coming down with the flu that has also hit Jason Varitek and Manny Delcarmen among others.

This meant Jon Lester had to pitch on three day's rest and well you know the result, the Sox lost 6-4 to the Angels at Fenway.

Lester didn't pitch all that bad under the circumstances, he gave up four runs on nine hits with two walks and one strikeout. Gary Matthews Jr. got a fresh shipment of steroids before the game and promptly homered twice off Lester.

Craig Hansen-called up from Pawtucket earlier in the day-took the loss after going 1.2 innings, giving up one run (a Casey Kotchman home run) on two hits. Hansen showed off his improved slider, striking out three. He hadn't been in Boston since his disastrous 2006 campaign so who knows what to expect from him. He's been quietly solid in Pawtucket but that doesn't mean much.

David Ortiz continued to warm up, hitting a two-run homer off Angels starter Jon Garland. Garland (3-2) went six innings, giving up eight hits, four runs, two walks and one strikeout.

The potent Red Sox (15-8) lineup continued to deliver, notching ten hits but the Angels (13-9) made even more noise with 13 hits. Vlad Guerrero had two hits and two runs while Tori Hunter managed four hits and an RBI. Sean Casey had two hits for the Red Sox including a double while Julio Lugo was 2 for 4 with an RBI.

The teams wrap up their three-game series this afternoon at Fenway as Joe Saunders faces Portland call-up Justin Masterson (one of the top arms in the Red Sox farm system).

I've always thought the Sox should have more afternoon games, particularly in the summer at Fenway. But I'm sure Boston being as backwards and not forward-thinking as it is, won't let it happen since the crowds would overwhelm the T and Kenmore Square. Or some bullshit like that, the liquor licenses don't allow them to sell beer before 7 p.m. during the week more than five times. Something wacky like that.