This Shit Is Starting To Get Real

If you're a Red Sox fan, you're more than used to August swoons and September slides, but all of that past history can't prepare you for what's going down now: another possibly monumental collapse.

Boston (85-60) lost its fourth straight, 6-5 to Tampa Bay (80-64) in 11 innings tonight at Tropicana Field. The Rays have climbed within 4.5 games of the wild card lead (5 head-to-head matchups left).

About the only glass half full thing I can muster is that the Yankees are in a similar downward spiral, losing four straight as well and dealing with countless injuries of their own. The bad part is that New York is ahead of Boston by 2.5 games.

After Jonathan Papelbon was excellent, throwing the very rare two innings of relief (no hits, 14 of 16 pitches were strikes), Daniel Bard (2-7) came on and had his second straight meltdown. He gave a lead-off triple to Desmond Jennings (2 hits, 2 runs), got B.J. Upton to ground out but then Evan Longoria (2 hits, 2 RBIs, 2 walks) hit a walk-off single.

In a market filled with so many clown Red Sox writers, it's hard to tell sometimes when to panic since some are known to constantly fan the flames (cough, Shaughnessy) but this has gotten serious my friends. Boston's starting rotation is a shell of itself, meaning the bullpen is taxed and the lineup isn't what it used to be with Youk out and Pedroia not himself.

The Sox actually rallied in the ninth from down 5-3 as Jarrod Saltalamacchia (16th of the season) and Jacoby Ellsbury (26th of the season) hit back-to-back homers off Rays closer (and former Yankees scrub) Kyle Farnsworth; the eighth time the team has done that this season.

It didn't look good early for Boston as rookie Kyle Weiland (making his third MLB start) loaded the bases with no outs in the first. He somehow escaped and just allowed one run in that frame on a ground out. He lasted four innings, allowing three earned runs on six hits with three walks and a strikeout.

His short outing meant that Alfredo Aceves had to come in earlier than usual. He wasn't as good as he usually is but you can't complain about four innings, two earned runs, three hits, one walk and three strikeouts. With those type of numbers, he could be the number two starter at the moment. Sadly, that is kind of true.

Rays rookie Jeremy Hellickson bolstered his case for AL Rookie of the Year with a quality start: six innings, three earned runs, five hits, three walks and two strikeouts.

Boston tied it in the second on Jed Lowrie's ground out but Tampa Bay added a run in the second (on Jennings' ground out) and in the third on Casey Kotchman's (2 hits, 2 RBIs) sacrifice fly.

Adrian Gonzalez tied it at three with his 25th homer of the season, a two-run shot. Ellsbury's single earlier in the inning increased his latest hit streak to 15 games.

Kotchman took Aceves deep in the fifth and Longoria had a sacrifice fly in the sixth to make it 5-3 in favor of Tampa Bay.

An interesting side note to the game is that the winning reliever for the Rays was none other than Brandon Gomes (2-1) who is a Fall River, Mass native and Tulane graduate. He got the last four outs for what I'm going to assume was his most memorable MLB win.

Jon Lester vs. James Shields is the juicy pitching matchup tomorrow afternoon in the series finale. Unfortunately, the ratings should be terrible since tomorrow is the first Sunday of the 2011 NFL regular season. I'll be checking my phone, Twitter and the gamecast while also peeking at the game between commercials or when I need a break from the Red Zone.

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Red Sox put a bow on best nine-game road trip in 34 years

The Boston Red Sox return home from an extremely successful road trip, 8-1 over the nine games in New York, Toronto and Tampa Bay.

Last night, Boston (41-27) closed out the Rays (36-33) with a 4-2 win at Tropicana Field. The nine-game road trip was Boston's best in 34 years and they come into Fenway Park and a stretch of 15 interleague games having won 11 of their last 12 games.

The only negative things to come out of last night were the fact that Jed Lowrie is likely headed to the disabled list (not a huge deal) and Clay Buchholz's creaky back is acting up again (which could possibly shelve him).

Buchholz (6-3) was pitching well when he was forced to depart after five innings. He allowed one earned run on two hits with three walks and five strikeouts.

Rays starter-and one of the my favorite pro athletes on Twitter-David Price (7-6) continued his up and down season (trust me, I have him in Fantasy Baseball). He labored through five innings, throwing 106 pitches and allowing three earned runs on five hits with five walks and five strikeouts.

David Ortiz got the Red Sox on the board in the first with a bases-loaded walk. Darnell McDonald extended the lead to 2-0 in the third with an RBI single and then Dustin Pedroia drove him in with an RBI double.

Sam Fuld (2 hits), one of the only good things to ever come out of New Hampshire, had an RBI double in the third as Tampa Bay cut it to 3-1.

Casey Kotchman (2 hits) made it interesting with a solo home run off Alfredo Aceves in the sixth to make it 3-2 Boston.

Daniel Bard secured the hold with the last out in the seventh and a 1-2-3 eighth. Adrian Gonzalez (2 hits, 2 walks) gave Boston an insurance run in the ninth with his 14th homer of the season off Rays closer Kyle Farnsworth.

Jonathan Papelbon gave up two hits to start the ninth but he recovered to get three straight outs (the last two on strikeouts) for his 13th save of the season.

The Milwaukee Brewers are coming to Boston for only the second time since they went to the National League in 1998 and I couldn't be more thrilled. The Brew Crew are one of baseball's best teams this year but they're never on national TV. Looking forward to seeing Prince Fielder, Ryan Braun, Corey Hart, Rickie Weeks and Co. up close.

Interleague play started out as a gimmick but I see it as a welcome diversion from the boring monotony of baseball's way too long regular season. After facing the Brewers, the San Diego Padres (Gonzalez's former team) come to Fenway. Then the Red Sox travel to Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Houston. It also helps that Boston has the best record (97-50 since 2003) during interleague play in the last nine seasons.

This couldn't come at a better time since all the focus in New England is finally on the Red Sox after the Bruins won the Stanley Cup on Wednesday night. It's going to take some time to adjust to how boring baseball is compared to playoff hockey (and basketball) but we've got all summer to get reacquainted.

Former Blue Jays starter Shaun Marcum (who is sneaky good) opposes John Lackey tonight.

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Shields shuts out Red Sox, snaps nine-game win streak

Well it was bound to happen at some point. As sure as nobody will ever care about the Tampa Bay Rays in Florida and they'll never build a decent fan base in the land of medicare and blue hair, the Boston Red Sox weren't going to win all their remaining games in 2011.

"Big Game" James Shields (6-4) finally lived up to his preposterous nickname with a 4-0 shutout (his third of the season) over the Red Sox (39-27) in the series opener last night at Tropicana Field.

Shields allowed five hits with three walks and five strikeouts as the Rays (36-31) backed his outstanding start with some timely hitting off Boston starter Tim Wakefield (3-2).

In what was likely his last start (for now) with Andrew Miller getting called up from Pawtucket, Wakefield acquitted himself well. He went seven innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits with five walks and two strikeouts.

Adrian Gonzalez had three hits but the rest of the Red Sox, including Carl Crawford who was 0 for 3 in his return to the Trop, couldn't put anything together at the plate.

Justin Ruggiano gave the Rays a 1-0 lead in the fifth as he jumped on a high knuckleball from Wakefield.

Two passed balls in the sixth by Jarrod Saltalamacchia gifted a run to Tampa Bay.

Former Red Sox great Casey Kotchman made it 3-0 with an RBI single in the eighth and John Jaso added another RBI single for the final Tampa Bay run in the frame.

Not that anyone in New England will be watching, save for until the puck drops (in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals: Bruins vs. Canucks) and between periods, but the baseball game tonight should be a good one with Josh Beckett taking on Rays youngster Jeremy Hellickson.

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Okajima lets his stinkbomb speak for itself

Just when it appeared the Red Sox were gaining a sliver of momentum, winning the first two games in Seattle, it all came crashing down as they couldn't pull out a win in Lester's gem on Saturday night and yesterday afternoon the bullpen imploded for the millionth time this season.

Seattle (39-60) won 4-2, to earn a split in a series that Boston (55-44) simply had to have. Now, the Sox are eight games behind New York (goodnight) and five behind Tampa Bay for the wild card (keep dreaming). Ugh.

Yesterday's goat was Hideki Okajima (3-3), who had another terrible outing in a terrible season for him that's been chock full of them.

Dice-K had given his team the standard six inning outing: four hits, one run (earned), five walks, four strikeouts. Typical with Matsuzaka, he pitched out of trouble well (including a bases loaded, one out jam) but his high pitch count (110) cost his team since someone other than Daniel Bard and Jonathan Papelbon had to enter the game.

Okajima entered with no outs and a runner on first in the eighth and promptly gave up five hits for two runs (both earned). You have to believe me that none of the balls were hard hit, two were bunt hits, but that doesn't matter at all. He compounded things by screwing up one of the bunts, he fielded Casey Kotchman's (3 hits) bunt, turned to third, hesitated then threw to first. Everybody was safe.

Jose Lopez (2 hits) gave the Mariners a 1-0 lead in the third with an RBI single.

Kevin Youkilis (2 hits) tied it up for Boston with an RBI double in the fourth and ex-Mariner Adrian Beltre put the Red Sox ahead with an RBI single.

In the fateful eighth, Michael Saunders drove in two with a bloop single and Kotchman scored on Milton Bradley's bunt.

David Aardsma, another ex-Red Sox player, got a 1-2-3 ninth for his 18th save.

After a 3-4 stretch in Oakland and Seattle, the Sox wrap up their west coast trip with three in Anaheim against the Angels. Clay Buchholz takes on Joel Pineiro, former Sox bum.

Time to pull the plug on old man Smoltz

A wise man once said, "you can't make chicken salad out of chicken shit." Don't the Red Sox know that right now as John Smoltz at this point in his hallowed, Hall of Fame career is basically chicken shit every fifth day.

In game one of a pivotal four game set in the new Yankee Stadium, Smoltz got rocked and the Yankees (66-42) rolled 13-6.

Staked to a 3-1 lead, Smoltz couldn't hold it as he and PawSox call-up Billy Traber (who I had never heard of before yesterday) gave up an eight-spot to the Bombers.

Smoltz's final line: 3.1 innings, eight earned runs, nine hits, four walks, three strikeouts. The question now: will that be his last start for the Red Sox (and his career)? Maybe he could be used for an inning or two out of the bullpen but at the moment, the Sox (62-45) desperately need starting pitching, like Kate Hudson (A-Rod's main squeeze) needs a boob job.

With the loss, Boston fell 3.5 games behind New York while also ensuring that even if they win the remaining three games this weekend, they'll still occupy second place.

The ironic thing was that last night Joba Chamberlain (8-2) was not on his game but he looked like Tim Lincecum next to Smoltz's batting practice stuff. Joba lasted only five innings, giving up four earned runs on six hits with a career-high seven walks and five strikeouts.

Dustin Pedroia (3 hits, 2 RBIs, walk) hit a solo shot to right in the third as the Red Sox grabbed a 1-0 lead.

Johnny Damon (3 hits, 3 runs) answered with a solo shot to the same cheap spot in right, to tie it in the bottom of the third.

Casey Kotchman made the most of his first start for Boston as he cranked a two-run bomb to the exact same place in the fourth, giving Boston a 3-1 lead.

In the huge fourth, Melky Cabrera (2 hits) and Jorge Posada (3 hits, 2 runs) both crushed three-run homers.

Mike Lowell (2 hits) made it 9-4 with an RBI single in the fifth but New York added single runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh including another bomb, a solo job by Mark Teixeira (3 hits, 2 runs) in the seventh.

The Red Sox scored two in the ninth for yucks.

Clearly, Josh Beckett needs to play his usual role of stopper tonight as he opposes former Marlins teammate A.J. Burnett. The Red Sox' season is spinning out of control and it needs something positive.

Victory

As predicted by yours truly, the Red Sox made the biggest move of the trade deadline as they acquired Victor Martinez from the Indians for Justin Masterson and two minor league pitchers (not named Michael Bowden).

In a lower profile move, they also swapped Adam LaRoche for Casey Kotchman of the Braves. Roy Halladay stayed in Toronto and neither the Yankees nor Rays made a significant move.

Getting Martinez is a huge pickup for Boston. He's a switch-hitting catcher/first baseman/DH in the prime of his career and they have him at least through next season. Having Mike Lowell, Kevin Youkilis, Jason Varitek, David Ortiz, Martinez and Kotchman makes Terry Francona's life a little harder in terms of juggling the lineup but with a veteran club, it shouldn't create too many issues.

The fact that Theo Epstein got Martinez without giving up Clay Buchholz, Daniel Bard, Bowden, etc. is the most surprising part of the whole deal. Masterson was a versatile, nice kid that should have a good career but this move was a no-brainer.

As for Kotchman, he's a slight upgrade defensively over LaRoche and a little better hitter. He's not going to play much but he'll be useful as a late-inning replacement and pinch hitter.

It was hard to top that excitement but the Sox had one of their more thrilling games of the season last night as they held off Baltimore 6-5 at Camden Yards.

John Smoltz (2-4) picked up the win but he was more lucky than good. He lasted six innings, giving up five earned runs on eight hits with two strikeouts and no walks. He entered the sixth with a 4-3 lead but promptly gave it back as Aubrey Huff (2 hits) took him deep for a two-run shot.

Kevin Youkilis (3 hits, 2 runs, 2 RBIs) bailed out Smoltz and the Red Sox (60-42) with a two-run bomb of his own in the seventh.

Ramon Ramirez pitched a scoreless seventh, Hideki Okajima walked two but didn't give up a run in the eighth and Jonathan Papelbon got a 1-2-3 ninth (with two strikeouts) for his 27th save.

Nick Green gave Boston a 1-0 lead with a sacrifice fly in the second. David Ortiz (2 hits) made it 3-0 Red Sox with a two-run shot in the third.

Brian Roberts got the Orioles (44-58) back in it with an RBI single in the third and rookie Nolan Reimold tied it up later in the inning with a two-run homer.

Jacoby Ellsbury had a huge night as he went 3-for-5 with a homer, two runs and a stolen base. He also robbed Luke Scott of a homer in the sixth with a leaping grab.

Time to start taking the Angels seriously

After winning its sixth game in a row against the Red Sox last night (6 out of 7 this season), the Los Angeles Angels are looking pretty legit.

Their preference of small-ball has fallen apart in recent playoff history but they used the long ball to their advantage in last night's 7-5 win at Fenway.

Dice-K (11-2) went five innings, giving up six earned runs on seven hits with two walks and three strikeouts.

The better Weaver-Jered (9-8)-was good enough to win. He lasted 5.2 innings, giving up three runs on six hits with three walks and four strikeouts.

Los Angeles (65-40) took a 1-0 lead in the second on Juan Rivera's sacrifice fly. Boston (61-46) came back with two in the fourth on Manny Ramirez's two-run single.

Everything fell apart for Matsuzaka and the Red Sox in the sixth as Casey Kotchman had a two-run homer, Torii Hunter hit a three-run blast and Jeff Mathis's squeeze made it 7-2 before the Sox could blink.

Jed Lowrie's ground-rule double to right scored David Ortiz (2 hits, 2 runs, walk), making it 7-3 Angels in the sixth. Jacoby Ellsbury came up later in the inning with the bases loaded and two outs but struck out on a pitch in the dirt against Angels rookie reliever Jose Arredondo.

Ellsbury came through in the eighth with an RBI single off Scot Shields, cutting the lead to three (7-4 Angels).

For yucks, Manny hit a bomb (reminiscent of his walk-off in the 2007 ALCS) in the ninth off Francisco Rodriguez. That was the only blemish though for K-Rod, who recorded his league-leading 44th save of the season.

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.