If Buchholz Ever Decides To Return This Season, The Red Sox Would Have Some Kind of Rotation

They are doing it in many different ways and the bottom line is that the Red Sox continue to stack up victories and series wins in 2013, a far cry from 2012 (only 1 win away from last year's pathetic total). Boston (68-45 overall, 39-21 home) moved to a season-high 23 games over .500 with a 4-0 shutout of the Diamondbacks (56-55 overall, 26-31 away) this afternoon at Fenway Park.

The Red Sox have the most wins in MLB, one more than the Braves and Pirates, and they won the series (2-1) while wrapping up a memorable homestand (5-2 with a pair of walk-off wins and Jake Peavy's debut being the main highlights besides today). They also lead MLB with 23 series wins.

There was a time when Felix Doubront (8-5) could be counted on for short outings and high pitch counts. This latest quality start marked 15 straight outings where he's given up three runs or less, not bad right? He went seven solid innings, allowing five hits with five strikeouts. My two favorite numbers for him: 95 pitches and zero walks.

Rookie Drake Britton still hasn't allowed a run in MLB, he pitched a scoreless eighth and Koji Uehara had a scoreless ninth (don't ask me why he appeared with a four-run lead). Matt Thornton left with an oblique injury, he was the first guy out of Boston's bullpen.

Brandon McCarthy (2-5) kept Boston off the scoreboard for four innings but Jacoby Ellsbury changed that with a sacrifice fly in the fifth. Dustin Pedroia added an RBI double two batters later.

The Red Sox added two more runs in the sixth which was more than enough. Ellsbury and Shane Victorino (2 hits) each had RBI singles. I'd say that the top of the lineup got it done today for Boston. Ellsbury owed his RBI to Arizona right fielder Gerardo Parra who lost his easy fly ball in the sun, this came after a first inning error by Parra.

Cody Ross and Martin Prado each had a pair of singles for the Diamondbacks in the loss.

Boston will play 16 of its next 19 games on the road. There next 10 contests are all away from Fenway (longest road trip of the season), starting with three in Houston (36-74, 5th in NL West)-MLB's worst team-beginning tomorrow night (8:10, NESN) with Texas native John Lackey (7-8) vs. rookie Brett Oberholtzer (1-0). Knuckleballer Steven Wright (2-0) makes his first career MLB start on Tuesday (8:10, NESN) vs. Jordan Lyles (4-5). Ryan Dempster (6-8) closes it out at Minute Maid Park on Wednesday (8:10, NESN) against another rookie-Jarred Cosart (1-0). The Red Sox swept a four-game series with the Astros April 25-28 at Fenway.

That's followed by four against the red-hot Royals (seriously) in Kansas City and three in Toronto against the hapless Blue Jays. Boston's next game at Fenway isn't until August 16 vs. Yankees.

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Cody Ross Pummels The Red Sox In His Inaugural Return to Fenway Park

I know that we all passed around an industrial size bottle of bleach after last season ended for the Red Sox-thereby erasing most of that nightmare. However, one of my only positive and lasting memories from the miserable 2012 campaign was Cody Ross. Tonight, in his first game back at Fenway Park with the Diamondbacks he went 4 for 4 with two doubles, a solo homer, two runs and three RBIs as Arizona (56-53 overall, 26-29 away) beat Boston (66-45 overall, 37-21 home) 7-6.

Believe it or not, the Red Sox had a great chance at notching their third consecutive walk-off win as Stephen Drew (2 hits, 3 RBIs) and Jacoby Ellsbury (2 hits, triple, run) were on first and second with one out but Diamondbacks closer Brad Ziegler got Shane Victorino to fly out and Dustin Pedroia grounded out to end the threat and game.

Boston lost because Jon Lester (4.1 innings, 6 earned runs, 11 hits) went back to his dark place after two great outings in a row. The best player in MLB that you've never heard of-Paul Goldschmidt-gave Arizona a 2-0 lead with a two-run homer in the first. David Ortiz answered with a two-run homer of his own during Boston's first at bat, his 21st of the season came off Diamondbacks starter Randall Delgado (4-3).

The Red Sox took a 4-2 lead in the next inning on a pair of sacrifice flies by Drew and Brock Holt. Lester coughed it up as Ross cut it to 4-3 with an RBI single in the third then Arizona scored three times in the fifth to chase the big lefty. Martin Prado (2 doubles, 2 runs) and Ross had RBI doubles while Jason Kubel (2 hits) ended Lester's night with a run-scoring single.

I can't explain it but Drew has been on a tear the last few weeks (for him) and he came through with a two-run homer, his 8th of the season, to tie it in the sixth. Fittingly, Ross had the last laugh though with a solo homer off Pedro Beato in the seventh.

Arizona had 16 hits, six guys had multiple hits including former Blue Jays star Aaron Hill (2 for 5 with double, 2 runs). Mike Napoli was 2 for 5 with a run in the loss but Boston was held to nine hits.

Scoring figures to be way down tomorrow night (7:10, NESN) as NL rookie of the year/Cy Young candidate Patrick Corbin (12-2) takes on Jake Peavy (8-4) in his Red Sox debut.

UPDATE 8/3: Red Sox recalled reliever Rubby De La Rosa and sent Pedro Beato back to Pawtucket.

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The Only Guys On The Red Sox That Should Show Their Faces In Boston Before April

So after last season's meltdown, I felt the need to review every player that was on the Red Sox' roster when it all ended. After this season's long and slow death, I don't have the patience or desire to recreate that tedious exercise. Instead, I want to identify the small group of players that deserve positive recognition for various reasons. Above all, they mostly overachieved based on whatever small expectations we had for them.

Scott Podsednik-19 runs, 60 hits, 7 doubles, 12 RBIs, 8 stolen bases, .302 batting average, .322 OBP and .352 SLG in 63 games.
When they signed Podsednik off the scrap heap, naturally I laughed thinking that he had nothing left in his washed up body. He proved me wrong and at 36, he can still play in MLB.

Pedro Ciriaco-33 runs, 76 hits, 15 doubles, 19 RBIs, 16 stolen bases, 293 batting average, .315 OBP and .390 SLG, in 76 games.
He was the buzz in Spring Training and amazingly enough, a guy that was released by the Pirates turned out to be a diamond in the rough. It seemed like he always made something happen when he was in the lineup and he'll be a great utility guy off the bench.

Dustin Pedroia-81 runs, 163 runs, 39 doubles, 15 homers, 65 RBIs, 20 stolen bases, .290 batting average, .347 OBP and .449 SLG in 141 games.
Numbers wise, it was about an average season for Pedroia but I mention him since he played the last two games with a broken finger. If there was any doubt, he's still the heart and soul of this team and somebody we can all root for/be proud of.

Will Middlebrooks-34 runs, 77 hits, 14 doubles, 15 homers, 54 RBIs, .288 batting average, .325 OBP and .509 SLG in 75 games.
After tearing it up in Pawtucket, Middlebrooks was called up to Boston in May and promptly took Kevin Youkilis' job. One of the worst moments of this season was when he broke his wrist in Cleveland after getting hit by a pitch. His future seems limitless.

Cody Ross-70 runs, 127 hits, 34 doubles, 22 homers, 81 RBIs, .267 batting average, .326 OBP and .481 SLG in 130 games.
A blueprint of a player that can handle things in Boston. He had a great first season individually with the Red Sox. The rare baseball player that seems to be a good guy while also consistently productive. Any day now, he should get an extension.

Junichi Tazawa-37 appearances, 1 win, 1 loss, 1 save, 5 holds in 44 IP; 0.95 WHIP and 1.43 ERA.
It is hilarious that the player that was a complete afterthought has turned into a better pitcher than the supremely hyped Daisuke Matsuzaka, at this point in their respective careers. He should be a big part of the bullpen moving forward.

Scott Atchison-42 appearances, 2 wins, 1 loss, 5 holds in 51.1 IP; 0.99 WHIP and 1.58 ERA.
Who knows how much longer old man Atchison's bionic arm will stay attached to his body? He was great before his forearm injury but he shocked everyone by returning late in the season. Ride the wave.

Clayton Mortensen-26 appearances, 1 win, 1 loss, 1 hold in 42 IP; 1.21 WHIP and 3.21 ERA.
A mystery man, he was what the Red Sox received from the Rockies for Marco Scutaro. He was the mop-up guy but he proved that he is deserving of a better role than that.

Andrew Miller-53 appearances, 3 wins, 2 losses, 13 holds in 40.1 IP; 1.19 WHIP and 3.35 ERA.
We've all accepted long ago that Miller will never live up to his crazy potential. Still, this season was a step forward for him. He proved to be a capable lefty set-up guy.

Craig Breslow was good after coming over from the Diamondbacks but he only made 23 appearances and Jarrod Saltalamacchia hit 25 homers but he batted .222 with a .288 OBP plus 139 strikeouts in 121 games (yikes!).

Hopefully all these guys find themselves back with the Red Sox next spring, they all earned another chance and proved they were winners amid all the drama and losing.

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Goodnight To The Worst Red Sox Team Of My Lifetime

Well the time that we've all been dreaming of since about mid-May is finally upon us: the 2012 Red Sox' tour of pain is over. We won't see them again until April in a meaningful game and not a moment too soon at that.

Fittingly, for Daisuke Matsuzaka's (1-7) last outing as a Red Sox (69-93, 35-46) and Bobby Valentine's final night as an MLB manager, both were thoroughly embarrassed as New York (95-67, 51-30 home) trampled Boston 14-2 at Yankee Stadium. It clinched the third AL East title in four years for the Yankees and 18th overall after the Rays beat the Orioles 4-1.

Now is when the real fun starts, we can only hope that the Red Sox owners and GM Ben Cherington come up with a better choice than Valentine. Then again, who could possibly be a worse pick? It is horrifying that last winter, after months of deliberation, that clown was their hire.

Dice-K didn't stick around long, he probably had a flight back to Japan to catch. In 2.1 innings, he allowed five earned runs on six hits with two strikeouts, a walk and two homers.

Hiroki Kuroda (16-11) went seven innings (2 earned runs, 7 hits, 4 strikeouts, 2 walks) for the Yankees, who will host the winner of Orioles-Rangers starting on Sunday in the ALDS.

It was a monster night for Robinson Cano (4 for 4, 3 runs, 6 RBIs, 2 homers) and Curtis Granderson (2 homers, 4 RBIs). Nick Swisher was 2 for 3 with a run, RBI and two walks while Alex Rodriguez (2 for 3, double, 2 runs, 2 walks) and Ichiro Suzuki (2-run double, 2 runs) contributed to the laugher for the Yanks.

Cody Ross was 2 for 3 with an RBI single, Pedro Ciriaco was 2 for 3 with a double and run while Dustin Pedroia had a double, walk and stolen base. In the near future (possibly tomorrow) after I have some time to breath and wash the stink away from this incomprehensibly bad season, I plan to write a post highlighting the few Red Sox that had good seasons (hint: those three play prominent roles). Jose Iglesias also had an RBI single, hopefully that gives him some confidence heading into the winter.

Until then, let's hope that a Men In Black type mind eraser device exists and that we can all use it to get rid of all our memories having to do with the 2012 Red Sox. They were truly the most hateable Boston sports team that I've ever seen and it would be tough to top them in that particular way.

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Orioles Clinch 1st Playoff Spot Since '97; Red Sox Secure Worst Record Since '66

Two franchises in the AL East are heading in completely different directions. The Orioles (92-67, 47-34 home) clinched their first playoff spot since 1997 with a 6-3 win against the Red Sox (69-90, 35-43 away) this afternoon at Camden Yards and a win by the Rangers over the Angels tonight.

The loss means that Boston (losers of 5 straight and 16 of their last 22) has secured a Top-10 pick in the 2013 MLB Draft, they are also one game behind Toronto for last-place in the AL East with three games remaining.

Baltimore swept the three-game series penultimate series of the regular season and they are still tied atop the AL East with the Yankees. On the other side of the spectrum, Boston locked up its first 90-loss season since 1966, you know 44 years ago. Facts like that really reinforce how this truly has been the worst Red Sox season that many of us have ever witnessed.

Joe Saunders (3-3) went 7.1 innings for the win. He allowed three earned runs on eight hits with five strikeouts. Darren O'Day got the last two outs in the eighth and closer Jim Johnson had a 1-2-3 ninth on seven pitches (haha) for his MLB-leading 50th save of the season.

Zach Stewart's (1-4) second start for Boston was even more pathetic than the first. The guy that was traded for Kevin Youkilis clearly won't be back next season, or at least I hope not since he obviously blows. In 2.2 innings, he allowed five earned runs on seven hits.

Baltimore scored three runs in the first and two in the second to put it out of reach immediately. Nate McLouth (2 hits, stolen base) had a lead-off homer (his 7th of the season), a run scored on a double play and Jim Thome's RBI single.

J.J. Hardy (2 hits, 2 runs) hit a solo shot (his 22nd of the season) in the third and the ageless Thome added another RBI single.

Cody Ross had a solo homer of his own in the fifth (22nd of the season) and Daniel Nava added a two-run blast in the seventh (his 5th of the season). In between, Chris Davis (31st of the season) hit his third homer in as many days with a solo homer in the sixth.

Our long regional nightmare is almost over, the Red Sox are finally on death row with their execution scheduled for Wednesday night around 10:30 p.m. Before that, they head to the Bronx for three games with the Yankees (92-67, tied 1st place AL East) to close out 2012.

Ryan Lavarnway was 2 for 4 with a double and run while Pedro Ciriaco was 2 for 4 with a double in the loss.

Clay Buchholz (11-7) faces C.C. Sabathia (14-6) tomorrow night (7:05 p.m., NESN), Jon Lester (9-14) takes on Ivan Nova (12-8) on Tuesday night (7:05 p.m., NESN) then Daisuke Matsuzaka puts the finishing touches on Boston's masterpiece as he opposes Hiroki Kuroda (15-11) on Wednesday night (7:05 p.m., NESN).

The two things you can count on if you bother to watch one second of this series: 1) the Red Sox will lie down like the losers they are and 2) the Yankees will get the sweep they desperately want.

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Red Sox Serve As A Small Speed Bump As Orioles Tie Yankees For 1st Place In AL East

Once in a while in MLB, there is a great team that defies explanation. The Orioles are 28-9 in one-run games and 72-0 when leading after seven innings in 2012.

After the O's (91-67, 46-34 home) beat the Red Sox (69-89, 35-42 away) 4-3 tonight at an extremely rare sold-out Camden Yards, Baltimore is tied with New York (who lost 3-2 in Toronto this afternoon) for first place in the AL East with four games remaining.

Two more unlikely stars in a season full of them stepped up tonight for the Orioles as rookie Manny Machado and Chris Davis provided all the offense for a team that seems to be firing on all cylinders headed into October. Machado had an RBI single in the second and Davis hit a two-run homer (his 30th of the season) in the fourth inning for a 3-0 Orioles lead.

Boston tied it on Jarrod Saltalamacchia's two-run homer (his 25th of the season) in the fifth and a sacrifice fly by Cody Ross in the sixth. Machado's solo homer (his 7th of the season) provided the winning run in the seventh.

In his last start of the season, Felix Doubront (11-10) had his typical up and down performance which is how you could describe almost all of his starts in 2012. He went seven innings and struck out 10 which is good. However, he allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits including a pair of homers. Hopefully over the off-season, he realizes that strikeouts are overrated and innings/outs are way more important.

Steve Johnson (who?) went five innings for Baltimore, he allowed three earned runs on four hits with three strikeouts and three walks. Tommy Hunter (7-8) threw two scoreless innings of relief for the win and Orioles closer Jim Johnson had a 1-2-3 ninth with a strikeout for his MLB-high 49th save.

Joe Saunders (8-13) gets the ball tomorrow afternoon (1:35 p.m.) as Baltimore wraps up a sweep of the three-game set with Boston. Zach Stewart (1-3) plays the role of sacrificial lamb in his second start for the Red Sox. Godspeed son.

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Now Seems Like A Perfect Time For Felix Doubront's Best Start Of His Career

I thought Felix Doubront should have been shut down weeks ago since what was the point of still running him out there? He's one of Boston's few pitching prospects that has a bright future.

For one day, the Red Sox (69-85, 34-45 home) proved there was some method to their madness as he helped them beat the Orioles (87-65, 45-33) 2-1 this afternoon at Fenway Park.

The win allowed Boston to avoid a three-game sweep at the hands of Baltimore which wasn't hurt too badly since New York lost to Oakland, keeping them one game back in the AL East and one game ahead of the A's for the top AL wild card spot.

Doubront received a no-decision but that won't stop me from raving about his outing which I saw about three seconds of: he went seven innings and allowed one earned run on four hits with 11 strikeouts (a career-high) and two walks.

Junichi Tazawa (1-1) had a 1-2-3 eighth inning on six pitches and closer Andrew Bailey survived two hits and a walk (loading the bases) to record his sixth save. He forced Manny Machado into a fielder's choice then struck out Ryan Flaherty to end it.

Chris Tillman gave Baltimore a solid start: six innings, one earned run on six hits with four strikeouts and a walk. Today the thing that will likely bury them in the playoffs-their lack of offense-bit them in the ass.

Cody Ross scored on Robert Andino's throwing error in the fourth as Boston led 1-0. Machado tied it with an RBI single in the fifth but Ross responded with an RBI double in the eighth which plated Dustin Pedroia (2 hits, double).

Scott Podsednik added two hits in the win. Afterwards, Ross admitted that he has already started negotiations with the Red Sox on a new contract since he's currently playing on a 1-year deal. It would be one of the only smart decisions Boston has made in the last few seasons, Ross has done everything and more you could ask of him in this trying year (his first here).

The Red Sox are off tomorrow then they host the Rays (83-70, 3rd in AL East; 3.5 out in wild card) for two games. Mercifully, it's the last series at Fenway in 2012. Personally I can't wait for Spooky World to open there in October, forget playoff baseball. That's way more fun and important.

Clay Buchholz (11-6) will face David Price (18-5) on Tuesday night (7:10 p.m., NESN) for the second time in a week. Jon Lester (9-13) takes on Alex Cobb (9-9) on Wednesday night (7:10 p.m., NESN). Boston won two of three in Tampa Bay last week at the Trop.

UPDATE 9/24: Yesterday, the Red Sox recalled outfield Che-Hsuan Lin. I don't know why they didn't do this earlier since he's just been sitting around since Pawtucket's season ended last week. Weird.

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You Knew The Rays Wouldn't Go Down That Quietly, Especially Against The Red Sox

The Rays probably won't make the playoffs this season, since they are 5.5 games out of the second AL wild card with 12 games to go. However, it was nice of the Red Sox to leave them with a parting gift for their dozens of fans.

Boston (68-83, 35-40 away) led 4-1 going into the bottom of the ninth inning tonight at Tropicana Field, poised to take three out of four from Tampa Bay (80-70, 41-34 home). That's when Andrew Bailey (1-1, 2nd blown save, 5 earned runs) completely imploded and the Rays rallied for a wild 7-4 walk-off win on B.J. Upton's (double) three-run homer (24th of the season) off Vicente Padilla.

Carlos Pena had cut it to 4-2 with an RBI single and Desmond Jennings (3 hits, double, 2 runs, 2 RBIs) tied it with a two-run single.

It had been a pitcher's duel with Clay Buchholz (7 shutout innings, 4 hits, 4 strikeouts, 2 walks) performing even better than AL Cy Young frontrunner David Price (7.1 innings, 3 earned runs, 8 hits, 7 strikeouts, 1 walk).

This should have been remembered (mostly by me) as Jose Iglesia's big offensive output. After collecting just two hits in his first 37 at bats this season, he went 3 for 4 with two runs including a solo homer (the first of his MLB career) in the ninth which made it 4-1. It was nice to see something positive after all the bullshit he had to put up with from Bobby V's unfathomable move to pinch-hit for him mid-at bat. He deserved that.

Cody Ross broke the scoreless proceedings with an RBI double in the sixth. Ryan Lavarnway (2 for 4, run) added an RBI single in the frame and Mauro Gomez's (2 hits) RBI triple in the eighth gave Boston a 3-0 advantage.

Ben Zobrist got the Rays on the board with a sacrifice fly in the eighth that seemed innocent enough at the time.

Hallelujah, Boston comes back to Fenway for its final homestand of 2012. They play three against Baltimore (85-64, 2nd AL East, tied with Oakland for wild card lead) and then two against Tampa Bay after an off-day on Monday.

Tomorrow night (7:10 p.m., NESN) Jon Lester (9-12) takes on Miguel Gonzalez (6-4). It is Aaron Cook (4-10) vs. Chris Tillman (8-2) on Saturday afternoon (1:10 p.m., NESN) then Felix Doubront (11-9) faces TBA on Sunday afternoon (1:35 p.m., NESN). The Orioles have been arguably the best story in MLB this season; they have pulled out countless extra innings and one-run contests. I don't know how they have made it happen but it's exciting to watch and it looks like they are a lock for October. Good for them.

UPDATE 9/21: Red Sox recalled pitchers Zach Stewart and Pedro Beato along with third baseman Danny Valenica from Pawtucket.

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Red Sox Beat The Rays Again, 7-5 This Time

When the Rays look back on the 2012 season after they miss the playoffs, they can point to the last two nights as one of the main reasons they are watching October on TV like the rest of us slobs. Somehow a nine-inning affair took 4:09 and honestly, it felt like longer than that.

The Red Sox (68-81, 35-38 away) rallied for a 7-5 win tonight at Tropicana Field, the second game in a row that they've beaten Tampa Bay (78-70, 39-34 home) to start this critical series for the sons of Joe Maddon.

Ironically, Boston has won four of five and looks somewhat rejuvenated while Tampa Bay appears lifeless and accepting of the fact that they are done. The Rays have lost seven of their last eight games and four straight. Unbelievably, the Red Sox are 9-5 against the Rays this season, including a 5-2 mark at the Trop.

Felix Doubront (11-9) was effectively wild. In six innings, he allowed three earned runs on one hit with five strikeouts and five walks. After Ben Zobrist's two-run single in the third and Evan Longoria's sacrifice fly, he settled down immensely.

Jeremy Hellickson was kept on a short leash. He went four innings, allowing three earned runs on five hits with seven strikeouts and two walks.

The Red Sox chipped away as the Rays struggled to get anything going at the plate (3 hits, 8 walks). James Loney had an RBI single in the fourth then Boston tied it with two in the fifth on Jacoby Ellsbury's RBI single and Dustin Pedroia's sacrifice fly.

The go-ahead run scored on an error by Sean Rodriguez in the sixth. Jarrod Saltalamacchia had an RBI single in the seventh and Ryan Lavarnway (2 hits, run, walk) stroked an opposite field two-run double in the following at bat.

Clayton Mortensen was charged with two runs in the seventh (on a two-run single by Zobrist) but Craig Breslow had a clean eighth inning after inheriting a runner and Andrew Bailey recorded his fifth save with a scoreless ninth.

Cody Ross was 2 for 4 with a double, two runs, a walk and stolen base.

Daisuke Matsuzaka (1-5) faces rookie Chris Archer (0-3) tomorrow night (7:10 p.m., NESN) in what amounts to a must-win for Tampa Bay.

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That's More Like It, Red Sox Rally Falls Short Against Yankees

Jacoby Ellsbury had two walk-off hits in a row last season but he couldn't record the same feat this season-obviously-as the Red Sox fell 5-4 to the Yankees tonight at Fenway Park in the middle game of three.

Baltimore beat Tampa Bay 3-2 on a walk-off hit by Nate McLouth so the Orioles and Yankees remain tied for first place in the AL East. The Rays dropped to three games behind both teams.

To show you how important this game was to New York (80-62, 39-34), Joe Girardi used seven pitchers in a nine-inning contest and nobody had to leave early with an injury.

Boston (64-79, 33-42 home) were down 5-1 in the seventh inning but scored twice in that frame on a ground out by Mauro Gomez and Mike Aviles' RBI double. Jarrod Saltalamacchia (double, triple, walk) cranked a solo homer in the ninth (his 24th of the season) against Yankees closer Rafael Soriano. After Aviles reached on an infield single, Ellsbury represented the winning run. He never swings at the first pitch, except then as he grounded to Soriano, who got his fourth and final out for his 37th save.

New York was 0 for 13 with runners in scoring position but it didn't matter since they scored all their runs on three homers. Curtis Granderson had a solo homer in the fourth and two-run bomb in the seventh (his 37th of the season). Robinson Cano had a two-run homer (30th of the season) of his own in the fourth.

David Phelps (4-4) earned the win after 5.2 innings, one earned run on five hits with five strikeouts and a walk. Aaron Cook (3-10) went five innings, allowing three earned runs on seven hits with two strikeouts and no walks.

Things got wacky in the late innings, try to keep up. Dustin Pedroia (2 for 3 with double, run) left in the seventh inning to attend the birth of his second child; Derek Jeter (2 for 5 with run) hurt his ankle running to first base in the seventh and had to leave the game. Cody Ross was called out on a totally bogus third strike to end the eighth with a runner on second, he went bananas leading to his ejection along with manager Bobby Valentine (6th of the season, new team record) and third-base coach Jerry Royster.

James Loney (2 for 4 with double) produced Boston's first run with an RBI single in the fourth which cut it to 3-1. Nick Swisher was 3 for 5 with a pair of doubles while Eric Chavez also had two doubles.

Tomorrow night (7:10 p.m.) is the series finale and the last Red Sox-Yankees game at Fenway in 2012. Felix Doubront (10-8) faces Phil Hughes (14-12).

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Even If Nobody Watches Or Cares, The Red Sox Still Lose Like Their Lives Depended On It

You'll be proud to hear that I am really starting to kick my pathetic Red Sox addiction. With NFL Week 1 in full gear this afternoon, I honestly didn't watch one pitch of Boston's 4-3 loss to Toronto at Fenway Park. Fittingly, the Patriots (1) have already matched the Red Sox' (1) win total in September.

However, I couldn't help myself as I read that the Red Sox (63-78, 32-41 home) have fallen two games below the Blue Jays (64-75, 30-41 away) in the AL East basement. Toronto swept the three games this weekend, sending Boston to its 11th loss in their last 12 games. With 21 games left in 2012, the time can't go by fast enough for the Red Sox so maybe they can start to make some long-term decisions: firing Bobby V is the logical start.

Let it be noted that I think the only guys that began the season with the team and are still trying for Boston had good performances today. Clay Buchholz (11-6) went 8.2 innings, allowing four earned runs on seven hits with four strikeouts and three walks. Dustin Pedroia (2 hits) had a solo homer (his 14th of the season), Cody Ross was 2 for 4 with a double, walk and run while Jacoby Ellsbury had a two-run blast (his 3rd of the season).

Carlos Villanueva went six innings for Toronto, allowing three earned runs on seven hits with two strikeouts and two walks. New London CT native Rajai Davis was 2 for 5 with two runs, a walk and stolen base while Anthony Gose was 2 for 4 with a run and stolen base.

Former Red Sox pitcher Brandon Lyon (2-0) earned the win in relief after retiring Pedroia on a ground out to end the eighth inning. Blue Jays closer Casey Janssen struck out one in the ninth for his 20th save of the season.

Ellsbury's two-run homer in the second put Boston up 2-0 but Toronto scored four times in the fourth. Jeff Mathis and Adeiny Hechavarria had RBI singles wrapped around a sacrifice fly by Omar Vizquel (foreshadowing!). Pedroia's homer in the sixth tied it at three but the Red Sox winning is not allowed anymore so old man Vizquel put Toronto back on top with another sacrifice fly, this time in the ninth.

After Monday off, the Red Sox host the Yankees (79-61, 1st place AL East) for three games at Fenway. I wish I could get into trying to be a spoiler but that's the role of perennial losers like the Royals. Better yet, I'd rather watch (work with me here) Boston get drilled by New York which will most certainly happen.

Jon Lester (9-11) faces Hiroki Kuroda (13-10) on Tuesday night (7:10 p.m., NESN), Aaron Cook (3-9) gets David Phelps (3-4) in what's sure to be a classic on Wednesday night (7:10 p.m., NESN) and Felix Doubront (10-8) opposes Phil Hughes (14-12) on Thursday night (7:10 p.m., NESN) in a game that could end 20-18.

Six of Boston's last seven series of 2012 are against AL East playoff contenders (Yankees, Rays, Orioles) which means that they'll be lucky to win any games.

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I Was One Game Off On My 0-9 Road Trip Prediction For The Red Sox

The West Coast trip from hell came to a quiet halt tonight as Boston fell 2-1 to Seattle at Safeco Field.

That wraps up a 1-8 stretch for the Red Sox (63-75, 31-37 away) while the Mariners (67-71, 36-33 home) clinched the series and basically guaranteed that they will finish with a better record in 2012 than the Red Sox. What's more, Seattle could even be .500 which is amazing when you consider the utter lack of talent they possess.

It was a battle of two guys that probably should not have jobs in MLB anymore as former Pawtucket Red Sox great Kevin Millwood (5-12) was a little better than Aaron Cook (3-9). Both went six innings but Millwood allowed one earned run on four hits with three strikeouts and three walks. Cook allowed two earned runs on seven hits with a season-high five strikeouts and three walks.

The only offense from these two punchless teams came via Dustin Ackley's two-run single in the fourth and Cody Ross' (3 hits) RBI double in the sixth.

Seattle has found a good new closer as Tom Wilhelmson struck out two in the ninth for his 24th save and the second of the series.

Boston returns home to Fenway Park and a city that is ready to eat them alive, that is if anyone is paying attention anymore since the Patriots get started for real this weekend. After an off-day tomorrow, the Red Sox and Blue Jays (61-75, 5th AL East) will find out who is the undisputed worst team in the division.

Felix Doubront (10-7) faces Henderson Alvarez (7-12) on Friday night (7:10 p.m., NESN), Daisuke Matsuzaka (1-4) opposes Ricky Romero (8-13) on Saturday night (7:10 p.m.) and best of all, Clay Buchholz (11-5) and J.A. Happ (10-11) get started at 1:35 p.m. on Sunday in the series finale that will be watched by five people (since the Patriots-Titans game starts at 1 p.m.).

If there is any justice, the Red Sox will finally acknowledge that their sham sellout streak has ended and the miserable souls that show up to these pointless games boo everything from start to finish. After another day off on Monday, they host the Yankees for three games as New York tries to hang on in the AL East.

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Red Sox Decide To Give That Winning Thing A Try

Get the Duck Boats ready, the Red Sox won't go 0-9 on this West Coast road trip! Boston (63-74, 31-36 away) dug itself a 3-0 hole (which to them is more akin to 30-0) before rallying for a 4-3 victory tonight at Seattle's (66-71, 35-33 home) Safeco Field. That snapped a seven-game losing streak for the Red Sox which had sucked the life out of an already dead team.

Jon Lester (9-11) went six innings, allowing three earned runs on nine hits with four strikeouts and two walks. The real heroes were Junichi Tazawa (2 outs to wiggle out of a jam in the seventh), Vicente Padilla (scoreless 8th, 23rd hold) and Andrew Bailey who recorded his second save with a clean ninth.

The immortal Blake Beavan (9-9) couldn't get the job done for the Mariners. He went 5.2 innings and allowed four earned runs on eight hits with one strikeout and no walks.

Jesus Montero (3 for 5) had an RBI single in the first then Franklin Gutierrez (3rd of the season) and Kyle Seager (16th of the season) went back-to-back in the third for the 3-0 advantage.

Dustin Pedroia (2 hits, run, walk, stolen base) extended his hitting streak to 15 games with a single in the sixth. Even better, Cody Ross blasted his 20th homer-a 3-run shot-and two batters later Ryan Lavarnway (1st of the season) went deep in that frame. Things were going so well that Jose Iglesias (previously 0 for 17) notched his first hit of the season: a double.

James Loney was 2 for 4 with a double in the extremely rare Red Sox victory. Dustin Ackely was 2 for 5 with a run and stolen base for Seattle. Him, Seager and Montero are a nice trio, if only the Mariners would spend some money and surround them with proven veteran hitters.

In the finale of this torturous road trip, Aaron Cook (3-8) faces Kevin Millwood (4-12) tomorrow night (10:10 p.m., NESN). Make sure to flip over when there are commercials during the Giants-Cowboys game. Watching that instant classic pitching matchup should be almost as entertaining as seeing Tony Romo and the Cowboys pee down their legs like always.

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The Curse Of J.D. Drew Is Alive And Well, A's Sweep The Red Sox Thanks To His Little Brother

In Major League Baseball, you'll be hard-pressed to find two teams that are headed in more opposite directions than the A's and Red Sox. Oakland (76-57, 42-27 home) polished off a three-game sweep this afternoon as they beat Boston (62-73, 30-35 away) 6-2 at O.co Coliseum.

When you delve a little deeper into the numbers, it is staggering the difference between those clubs. In Oakland's last 81 games, they are 54-27. The A's have won nine straight games. Conversely, Boston has lost six in a row to begin their West Coast trip in California a healthy 0-6. For this series, the A's outscored the Red Sox 33-5, but wait it gets better. Boston has been outscored 54-15 during those six losses in California.

Brett Anderson (3-0) was superb and Daisuke Matsuzaka (1-4) was his usual bum self. Dice-K threw 97 pitches in 3.2 innings (so efficient) and allowed six earned runs on seven hits with four strikeouts and four walks. He allowed two home runs. Anderson recently returned Tommy John surgery, he looks like he has fully recovered and then some. His presence makes the A's formidable rotation that much better. In six innings, he allowed one earned run on five hits with four strikeouts and a walk.

Stephen Drew of all people was 3 for 4 with a double, solo home run and two RBIs while Seth Smith was 2 for 3 with a two-run homer, walk and two runs. Coco Crisp added two walks, two runs and a stolen base.

Smith's bomb (13th of the season) was in the first and Drew's (1st of the season) was in the second. The A's were up 5-0 in the third after Josh Reddick's sacrifice fly and Drew's RBI single. Yoenis Cespedes' groundout in the fourth plated the final Oakland run at 6-0.

Cody Ross (RBI single in the sixth) and Mauro Gomez (sacrifice fly in the ninth) were the only reasons that the Red Sox weren't shut out. Dustin Pedroia was 3 for 4 with a double and run in the loss.

The fun continues in the Pacific Northwest as Boston meets Seattle (65-70, 3rd AL West) for three games. Sadly, the only reason anyone would watch these meaningless contests is to see Felix Hernandez and he's not scheduled to pitch. Instead, it is Clay Buchholz (11-4) vs. Jason Vargas (13-9) tomorrow afternoon (4:10 p.m., NESN) on Labor Day; Jon Lester (8-11) vs. Blake Beavan (9-8) Tuesday night (10:10 p.m., NESN) then a battle of washed up mediocre pitchers on Wednesday night (10:10 p.m.) with Aaron Cook (3-8) taking on former Paw Sox Kevin Millwood (4-12).

UPDATE 9/3: The Red Sox have called up reliever Chris Carpenter (compensation for Theo Epstein) and infielder Ivan De Jesus Jr (who was part of the trade with the Dodgers) from Pawtucket.

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MLB Really Needs Relegation: The Royals Would Be First On The List To Go

It only makes sense that in a series complete with a monster salary dump/trade and brand new outlook for the Red Sox, Daisuke Matsuzaka closes it out with a gem in what has to be one of his last starts for Boston.

Boston (62-67, 32-38 home) beat Kansas City (56-71, 30-38 away) 5-1 this afternoon at Fenway Park to complete a 3-4 homestand. The Red Sox actually took three of four from the Royals, it would have been a sweep if they could have held a six-run lead in the seventh but I digress.

Dice-K (1-3) looked like a decent pitcher for a fleeting moment as he went seven innings, allowing one run (0 earned) on five hits with six strikeouts and two walks. It marked his first victory since May 8, 2011 (vs. Minnesota) and believe it or not, it was over in 2 hours and 34 minutes. I love how MLB games go by so much faster when teams are facing long road trips afterwards, I wish they always played with that pace and urgency.

Alex Gordon (2 hits, double) provided Kansas City's only run with a sacrifice fly in the first that scored Jarrod Dyson. Johnny Giavotella also had two hits including a double but the Royals only managed seven hits against Matsuzaka, Clayton Mortensen, Vicente Padilla and Andrew Bailey.

Haha Boston went 3 for 4 with runners in scoring position while Kansas City was 0 for 7. Remind me again when the Royals are supposed to be good? I feel like I've read the same story for the last five years, oh this is the team that's going to be a winner. They have so much young talent! Yeah ok.

Hitting out of the third spot in the lineup, Jacoby Ellsbury cranked a solo homer (2nd of the season) in the first against Luke Hochevar (7-12). Cody Ross, who has done more than enough to earn an extension, had a two-run single in the third and a wall ball RBI double in the sixth. James Loney notched his second RBI single in as many days, also in the sixth to make it 5-1.

Boston hopped on a plane to visit the West Coast. They play three in Anaheim, three in Oakland and three in Seattle. The Angels and A's are in contention for a playoff spot while the Mariners have the exact same record as the Red Sox. Boston won't play at Fenway again until Friday, September 7 vs. Toronto (ie. 2 days before the Patriots-Titans season-opener).

There are going to be some late nights coming up for insomniac Red Sox fans like myself. Six of the nine games begin at 10:05 p.m. ET, one 9:05 p.m., one 4:05 p.m. and one 4:10 p.m.

The Angels (66-62, AL West) swept a three-game series in Boston last week. Let's see if the Red Sox can return the favor (haha doubtful). Tomorrow night in the series opener (10:05 p.m., NESN), Clay Buchholz (11-4) has a rematch with Jered Weaver (16-3), who soundly outperformed him the first time. Jon Lester (8-10) faces C.J. Wilson (9-9) on Wednesday night (10:05 p.m., NESN) in a battle of underachieving quality lefties. Then Aaron Cook (3-7) meets Zach Greinke (11-5) on Thursday night (10:05 p.m., NESN) in the finale.

UPDATE 8/28: Alfredo Aceves was activated tonight after his suspension, he took Franklin Morales' place on the roster. Morales went on the DL with a tired shoulder. Who knew that would happen to a guy when they've changed his role multiple times in the same season?

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The More Pedros The Better, The Red Sox Seem To Have Good Luck With Them

If only the Red Sox could play the Royals like 40 times a season, then they might be a playoff time once again.

Boston (61-67, 31-38 home) beat Kansas City (56-70, 30-37 away) 8-6 this afternoon at Fenway Park. The Red Sox bounced back from their latest extra innings disaster (10-9 loss in 12 innings on Saturday Night) thanks to its two newest players: reliever Pedro Beato (1-0) who earned the cheap win in his first outing for Boston and James Loney who had an RBI single in his Red Sox debut.

With Alfredo Aceves serving his second game of a three-game suspension and Andrew Bailey getting the day off (after working three of four games), it was up to Mark Melancon to nail down the save. He allowed a single but struck out one in the ninth for his first save as a Red Sox.

It looks like David Ortiz could be shut down for the season tomorrow (and who could blame them/him?) but we still have Pedro Ciriaco (3 for 5, 2 runs, 2 RBIs, solo HR) who has shown no signs of slowing down. Like all teams, the Red Sox are enjoying Royals pitching. They had 14 more hits today including two each from Jacoby Ellsbury (run, RBI, stolen base), Dustin Pedroia (solo homer), Cody Ross (run, RBI, walk) and Mike Aviles (double, RBI).

Felix Doubront came off the DL and continued to pitch like a guy that doesn't have much left in the tank. His bad habit of high pitch counts keep happening. He went five innings (98 pitches), allowing four earned runs on six hits with seven strikeouts and two walks.

The Fresh Prince of Kansas City Will Smith (4-6) didn't have it for the Royals. He went five innings, allowing five runs (four earned) on nine hits with a strikeout and two walks.

The Royals had 11 hits, led by Alex Gordon (2 hits, stolen base), Salvador Perez (2 hits, run) and Tony Abreu (Bobby's little boy; 2 hits, 2 RBIs, run).

Ross had an RBI single in the first and Aviles added an RBI double in the second for a 2-0 Boston lead. Kansas City hung four on the board in the fourth thanks to Abreu's RBI single and a three-run homer by Lorenzo Cain (5th of the season).

Ciriaco homered over the Monster in the fifth (his second of the season) and Loney notched his RBI single. A run scored on Ellsbury's infield single in the sixth and Kansas City shot themselves in the foot in the seventh: a run scored on an error and another infield single-this time from Ciriaco.

Beato threw a scoreless sixth and seventh but he labored in the eighth since Boston's bullpen was almost all unavailable. He was responsible for the two runs that scored against Craig Breslow (he entered with bases loaded, 0 outs) on Eric Hosmer's sacrifice fly and Abreu's RBI single.

After what was shaping up to be a lost season for him individually, Pedroia has turned it on in August even while Boston's season has circled the drain. His solo homer (12th of the season) in the eighth gave Melancon some more breathing room which was a smart idea.

There is actually another game between these teams tomorrow afternoon (a makeup date) because really now, who doesn't want more Red Sox vs. Royals? Haha to top it off, it features the glorious return of Daisuke Matsuzaka (0-3). He faces Luke Hochevar (7-11) starting at 1:35 p.m. as the Red Sox try to take three of four against the Royals.

The traffic should be a nightmare and I'll bet you can buy a front row seat for like $5 since most people will be at work while this terrible game occurs. After that, Boston hits the West Coast for nine games (three in Anaheim, Oakland and Seattle), they won't be back again at Fenway until Friday, September 7 vs. Toronto.

UPDATE 8/27: Ortiz was placed on the DL and Ryan Kalish was recalled from Pawtucket to take his place on the roster. With Dice-K activated, Beato was sent down to the PawSox.

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Everyone Knows That A 6-Run Lead Is The Most Dangerous In MLB, Especially In The 7th Inning

I don't know what it is but the Red Sox really despise extra innings in 2012. They fell to 2-8 overall and 0-6 at home when it goes past nine innings with a 10-9 loss to the Royals tonight at Fenway Park in 12 innings.

Tony Abreu's RBI single off Junichi Tazawa (0-1) in the 12th was the game-winning hit. Francisley Bueno (1-0) got five outs for the win and Greg Holland had a 1-2-3 12th for his seventh save of the season.

Making this one extra rough was the fact that Boston (60-67, 30-38 home) led 9-3 in the seventh inning yet gave it all back to Kansas City (56-69, 30-36 away) in that frame. Did I mention that the Red Sox had 20 hits? Haha it was the first time since 1960 that they had at least nine runs and 20 or more hits but lost. That takes some serious skill.

Eight Red Sox had multiple hits, only pinch hitters Che-Hsuan Lin and Jose Iglesias failed to get a hit. Mauro Gomez led Boston, going 4 for 6 with his first MLB home run and three RBIs. Cody Ross was 3 for 5 with a run and RBI but he left after tweaking his knee trying to make a diving catch. Word is that him and David Ortiz (who sat out tonight) could be going on the DL tomorrow.

Scott Podsednik, Jacoby Ellsbury (2 runs, double, stolen base), Jarrod Saltalamacchia (run, RBI), Ryan Lavarnway (run, walk), Mike Aviles (3 RBIs) and Pedro Ciriaco (run, walk) all had two hits for Boston.

The Royals won because they were an absurd 8 for 13 with runners in scoring position. The Red Sox were a pedestrian (by comparison) 5 for 11 and they left 10 on base.

Kansas City has no power (one of the million reasons they always blow) but they still got it done this evening. Billy Butler was 3 for 6 with two RBIs, a double and run and Alex Gordon was 2 for 4 with four RBIs, two runs, a double and walk. Alcides Escobar (2 runs, walk), Eric Hosmer (run, double, walk) and Tony Abreu (RBI) each produced two hits for the Royals.

Aaron Cook allowed three runs in the first inning (on four straight hits to begin the game) but he settled down and went six innings. He allowed those three earned runs on seven hits with no strikeouts and one walk.

Former Orioles bum Jeremy Guthrie was lit up for seven runs (6 earned) on seven hits in 2.2 innings. Unfortunately, Boston's bullpen falling apart let him off the hook.

Gordon had a two-run double (he leads the AL in doubles with 41) and Butler added an RBI single for an extremely early 3-0 Royals advantage. Gomez hit a solo homer in the second inning then former Royals great Mike Aviles put Boston ahead with a three-run blast (his 13th of the season) in the second.

A run scored on Gomez's infield single in the third and Guthrie's error opened the door for a gift run on top of that. Salty had a sacrifice fly in the third then Ross and Gomez had RBI singles in the fourth. At 9-3, who knew that the Red Sox would A) blow the lead and B) not score in the next eight innings. Baseball is a funny game as every 100-year-old writer will wax poetic and tell you.

Andrew Miller (4 earned runs) and Mark Melancon (2 earned runs) teamed up to shit the bed in the seventh when Boston choked just like they did two nights earlier against the Angels. Haha remember that? Seems like ages ago. Gordon started it with a two-run single, Butler had an RBI double, Salvador Perez had an RBI single then Ross totally misplayed Mike Moustakas' fly ball into a two-run triple (sweet ruling there Fenway scorekeeper). That must have been when he got hurt as well, adding insult to injury as they say.

Felix Doubront (10-6) makes his first start since August 9 tomorrow afternoon (1:35 p.m., NESN), it should be memorable too since he faces Big Willie Style himself Will Smith (4-5). I think it is sad that the actor/rapper has been forced to take on a third job as an anonymous pitcher for Kansas City but maybe he's studying for a new role? I promise to bring some quality Will Smith jokes tomorrow if I get caught in the trap of wasting time watching that terrible matchup.

UPDATE 8/26: Lin was sent down, James Loney was activated and reliever Pedro Beato (obtained in the Kelly Shoppach trade with the Mets) was called up.

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Angels Beat Red Sox 14-13 In 10 Innings At Fenway That You Had To See To Believe

For a team that has found a way to fall flat on its face time and again over the past year, you have to admire the Red Sox for still trying out new and different ways of losing. In that sense, it never gets old.

Los Angeles (65-60, 32-31 away) swept three games in Boston (59-66, 29-37 home) thanks to a surreal 14-13 win tonight in 10 innings at Fenway Park.

I'm going to rattle off a bunch of stats I dug up on Twitter after this loss, mostly from Red Sox beat writers. For this memorable game, there were five lead changes, 10 innings, 27 runs, five home runs, 15 pitchers, 410 pitches & three blown saves in four hours and 34 minutes.

This was the second time this season that Boston lost when they scored 12 runs or more. That hadn't happened since 1970 (276-0) before 2012. The frontrunners from Boston are 24-33 in games decided by one or two runs, that includes 2-7 mark in extra innings and 0-5 at home.

The Red Sox have lost nine of their last 11 home games. When you look at their numbers, it's almost impossible to believe that they could possibly lose. They were 9 for 14 with runners in scoring position, they had 18 hits and two guys with four hits apiece yet they still lost.

The Angels had four guys with three hits and three guys with two hits. MVP of the universe Mike Trout was 3 for 6 with two runs, two RBIs, two stolen bases and a walk. Torii Hunter (who is still getting it done at 37) was 3 for 6 with two runs, two RBIs and a walk. Providence native Chris Iannetta continued his tear by going 3 for 6 with two RBIs and a run. Kendry Morales was 2 for 5 with solo homer, three runs, two RBIs and a walk. Vernon Wells doubled and homered for three RBIs and two runs. Howie Kendrick was 2 for 5 with run, RBI and walk.

Fittingly, Boston's catchers Ryan Lavarnway and Jarrod Saltalamacchia were the only players with plate appearances that didn't record a hit. Pedro Ciriaco was 4 for 6 with four runs and a double. Dustin Pedroia was 4 for 6 with five RBIs, 3 runs, a double and home run. Jacoby Ellsbury was 3 for 6 with a double, three RBIs, stolen base and a run. Cody Ross was 2 for 5 with two RBIs and solo home run. Scott Podsednik was 2 for 4 with two runs, an RBI and walk.

Starters Franklin Morales (2.2 innings, 6 runs, 2 earned, 6 hits) and C.J. Wilson (5 innings, 7 runs, 6 earned, 8 hits) were long gone by the time this was decided.

Boston actually built a 6-0 lead by the second inning but it only took Los Angeles one half inning to put eight on the board in response. Adrian Gonzalez had an RBI single in the first before Podsednik and Ellsbury did the same in the second. Pedroia crushed a three-run homer (11th of the season) to put the Red Sox in front by six.

Turns out that Morales and Clayton Mortensen (0 outs, 2 runs, 3 hits) couldn't hold that slim margin. Kendrick had an RBI single, Morales walked with the bases loaded, a run scored on Ciriaco's error, Wells walked with the bases loaded then Iannetta, Trout and Hunter all produced RBI singles.

Ross' RBI single in the fifth trimmed LA's lead to 8-7. Mike Aviles' solo homer (his 12th of the season) and Ellsbury's RBI double in the sixth let the Red Sox grab back the lead at 9-8. Trout tied it in the seventh with an RBI single. Ellsbury added an RBI single in the eighth and Pedroia's infield single plated another run after that.

Handed an 11-9 lead, Alfredo Aceves (2-8, 7th blown save) came through with about the worst ninth inning possible. He allowed three runs and if that wasn't bad enough, he was stuck back out there in the 10th and he gave up two more for good measure.

It all started with Wells' solo homer (8th of the season) that shouldn't have been a homer since it bounced off the line on the Monster and back into play. The problem was that nobody on the Red Sox seemed to notice or care so it wasn't reviewed. Hunter and Mark Trumbo's RBI singles gave Los Angeles a 12-11 advantage.

Cody Ross aka anti-Adrian Gonzalez (more on that later) tied it with a solo homer (his 19th of the season) in the ninth against Angels closer Ernesto Frieri (2-0, 2nd blown save).

Morales greeted Aceves with a solo homer (16th of the season) in the 10th and Wells' RBI double turned out to be a valuable insurance run (aren't they all?).

Pedroia and Ciriaco wouldn't let the Red Sox die as Dustin singled in Pedro. Of course, with a chance to be a hero Gonzalez failed miserably by striking out to end it-he represented the winning run.

I assume you have already stopped paying attention weeks or months ago (I am like a junkie, I can't quit it cold turkey on this car crash season) but by all means, don't watch one second this weekend as the Royals (55-68, 3rd in AL Central) come to Fenway. These two loser teams will play four utterly meaningless contests. The only thing to watch is if the Red Sox will finally give up their charade and admit the sellout streak is over since there is no way you could get a full house for any of these games even if all the tickets were free courtesy of Dr. Creepy.

Jon Lester (7-10) faces Bruce Chen (9-10) tomorrow night (7:10 p.m., NESN), Josh Beckett (5-11) gets former Oriole Jeremy Guthrie (5-12) on Saturday night (7:10 p.m., NESN), Aaron Cook (3-7) opposes the other Will Smith (4-5) on Sunday afternoon (1:35 p.m., NESN) and Clay Buchholz (11-4) takes the ball on Monday afternoon (1:35 p.m., NESN) against Luke Hochevar (7-11) in a series and homestand finale that potentially could be attended by six people.

Not making any predictions but keep in mind that Kansas City could have a better record than Boston if they sweep this series.

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If Buchholz Pitches Like That, Red Sox Will Struggle To Win Any Games The Rest Of The Way

This season continues to punish Red Sox fans (assuming any of those still exist) as things only get worse both on and off the field for this hated ballclub.

Tonight, Jered Weaver (16-3) showed why he's one of the best pitchers in baseball as the Angels (64-60, 31-31 away) cruised to a 7-3 win against the Red Sox (59-65, 29-36 home) at Fenway Park.

Weaver went seven innings, allowing two earned runs on seven hits with five strikeouts and a walk. Red Sox starter Clay Buchholz (11-4) transformed back into his crappy self from earlier this season as he allowed a career-high 12 hits in 5.1 innings with seven earned runs (which also tied a career-high), three strikeouts and a walk.

Los Angeles pounded out 15 hits and it was the guys at the bottom of the lineup getting it done: Providence native Chris Iannetta was 3 for 4 with a triple and RBI; Maicer Izturis was 3 for 4 with two runs and an RBI; Howie Kendrick had a double, solo homer and two runs; Erick Aybar had two singles and scored twice.

Boston's futility was summed up by the fact that Scott Podsednick (3 for 5, stolen base) was the offensive star. Dustin Pedroia singled, scored a run and stole two bases.

Los Angeles scored twice in the third inning on Iannetta's RBI single and a run came home on Mike Trout's double play ball. Mark Trumbo and Izturis added RBI singles in the fourth as the Angels jumped out to a 4-0 lead.

Ryan Lavarnway and Mike Aviles had back-to-back RBI doubles in the fourth but 4-2 was as close as the Red Sox could get. After hitting a double, Albert Pujols left in the fourth with tightness in his calf but it didn't appear serious. Kendrick's solo homer (his 7th of the season) in the sixth and Torii Hunter's two-run single gave Los Angeles an insurmountable 7-2 deficit for Boston.

Cody Ross' RBI double in the eighth accounted for the final run of the game.

To illustrate how hopeless the Red Sox have become, the Mariners (61-64) have passed them in the AL wild card standings-haha not that either have a prayer of coming within five games of those. Franklin Morales (3-4) battles fellow southpaw C.J. Wilson (9-9) tomorrow night (7:10 p.m., NESN) in the series finale as the Angels go for the three-game sweep.

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If Only Clay Buchholz Could Pitch Every Game For The Red Sox, Then They Might Be OK

Clay Buchholz has earned the right to be Boston's Opening Day starter in 2013 with his superb second half. It continued tonight in Baltimore as the Red Sox (58-61, 29-27 away) salvaged a game against the Orioles (64-54, 32-29 home) with a 6-3 win at Camden Yards.

Not only did Buchholz (11-3) help Boston avoid the three-game sweep but he maintained his run of six quality starts in a row. What's more, he hasn't been charged with a loss since July 14 which is remarkable considering how much the Red Sox have lost in that time frame. He actually allowed two runs in the first and one in the second but settled down to go eight innings, allowing three earned runs on eight hits with seven strikeouts and three walks.

Alfredo Aceves, Boston's lonely closer, struck out the side in the ninth for a 1-2-3 inning and his 24th save of the season.

After struggling so badly with runners in scoring position the previous two nights, the Red Sox improved (5 for 16) even if they still left way too many guys on base (10). Boston had 13 hits, five RBIs and four walks. Cody Ross went 3 for 5 with a double and RBI, Dustin Pedroia was 2 for 5 with a double, two runs and an RBI, Carl Crawford was 2 for 5 with two runs, a double and stolen base, Adrian Gonzalez was 2 for 4 with two runs, two RBIs and a double while Scott Podsednik was 2 for 4 with a double, RBI and run.

Adam Jones had a two-run double in the first for the Orioles and Mark Reynolds blasted a solo homer (his 12th of the season) in the second inning but other than that, Baltimore was shut down. They went 2 for 8 with runners in scoring position and left five men on base.

Orioles starter Chris Tillman (3 earned runs, 6 hits) couldn't get out of the fifth inning but reliever Luis Ayala (4-4) allowed three runs in the sixth which turned out to be the difference.

Podsednik got Boston on the board with an RBI single in the second which cut it to 2-1. Boston tied in the fifth as Crawford scored on a wild pitch by Tillman and Gonzalez knocked in Pedroia with a sacrifice fly.

Pedroia started the scoring in the sixth by reaching on an infield single while Podsednik crossed the plate. Then Gonzalez and Ross kept the line moving with RBI singles of their own.

Boston improved to 4-8 against Baltimore this season; they play six more times with a home series for each team in late September.

The Red Sox are 3-4 so far on their 10-game road trip and it wraps up this weekend in the Bronx with three against the Yankees (70-48, 1st AL East), who are the top team in the American League. Remember when Boston won two of three at Yankee Stadium in the end of July? That was a real turning point of the season huh, oh wait.

Franklin Morales (3-3) faces Phil Hughes (11-10) tomorrow night (7:05 p.m., NESN), Jon Lester (6-10) takes on David Phelps (3-3) on Saturday afternoon (4:05 p.m., NESN) then Josh Beckett (5-10) closes out what could be a very ugly series vs. Hiroki Kuroda (11-8) on Sunday night (8:00 p.m., ESPN).

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