A Laugher, Just What The Red Sox Desperately Needed

Let's be honest, yesterday's loss given the length (11 innings) and outside factors (Beckett getting hurt, Yankees winning) was one of the worst ones of the second half for the Boston Red Sox.

Their annual August choke job seems to have taken a vacation and begun a few weeks later, in early September. Therefore it was nice that for one night at least, thoughts of Beckett's ankle and Clay Buchholz's back were put aside for a moment as Boston (85-56) absolutely crushed Toronto (70-72) 14-0 at the Rogers Centre.

With Jon Lester (15-6) on the mound, the Red Sox were heavily favored especially with the Blue Jays countering with a bad reliever that they're trying to convert into a starter-Luis Perez (3-3)-does that ever work?

Lester's ERA has dipped below 3.00 (2.93) as he has really found a groove in the stretch run. He went seven crisp innings, allowing three hits with one walk and 11 strikeouts in 100 pitches. Rookie Kyle Weiland threw two scoreless innings, getting his feet wet for another start on Saturday (in Tampa Bay; for Beckett).

This was over almost immediately as Perez was tagged for eight earned runs on ten hits in 2.2 innings.

Boston put up two or more runs in each of the first five frames.

The offensive stars in the 20-hit, 14-RBI night included Marco Scutaro (4 hits, 4 RBIS, 2 runs), David Ortiz (4 hits, 3 runs, 2 RBIs), Adrian Gonzalez (3 hits, 3 runs, 2 RBIs), Kevin Youkilis (2 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks, RBI), Jacoby Ellsbury (2 runs, 2 hits) and Darnell McDonald (2 hits, RBI).

Ironically, with all those runs (two touchdowns and PATs) the Red Sox only had two home runs. Jarrod Saltalamacchia (two-run; his 15th) and Josh Reddick (solo; 7th) had the honors.

Tim Wakefield faces Brandon Morrow in game three of the series tomorrow night.

As of this post, Boston trails New York by two games. Believe it or not, the Yankees are currently in the sixth (leading 3-2) vs. the Orioles. Their game started at 11pm in the Bronx due to the rain. Really. I'm sure the Bombers will pull it out, all you can count on from the Orioles is a whole bunch of losing.

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