Red Sox sweep the A's, thanks to your favorite Muppet

Like an unreliable friend drug addict or alcoholic, the Boston Red Sox have learned to expect the worst when it comes to the disaster that is John Lackey in a Red Sox uniform.

Therefore, yesterday afternoon's return from the DL for Lackey (3-5) and subsequent win was nice but does it really mean much? Probably not. Bigger picture, the Red Sox (33-26) swept the Oakland A's (27-33) with a 6-3 win at Fenway Park. Putting them in a good frame of mind heading into an off-day and then a big three-game series in the Bronx starting tomorrow night.

After the no-show against the White Sox (a three-game sweep), Boston was able to get back on track and end the homestand at an even 3-3.

Lackey was at his mediocre best vs. a team that he usually owns. He went 5.2 innings, allowing three earned runs on three hits with two walks and two strikeouts.

The more exciting news for Red Sox fans was that the team finally solved A's lefty Brett Anderson (3-6), who was 5-1 lifetime against them heading into yesterday's game. He went five innings, allowing five earned runs on nine hits with two walks and two strikeouts.

Carl Crawford got the Red Sox out to a 3-0 lead with a three-run bomb (his first at Fenway as a Red Sox and fifth of the season) in the second inning.

Just to remind you how bad he is, Lackey gave up a solo shot to Kevin Kouzmanoff in the third. Daric Barton added an RBI single in the fourth, driving in Kurt Suzuki and cutting the Boston lead to 3-2.

Adrian Gonzalez quelled any thoughts of a complete meltdown as he hit a two-run bomb over the Monster (2nd in two games there, 12th of the season) which drove in Jarrod Saltalamacchia (3 hits) in the fourth for a 5-2 lead.

Barton drove in Conor Jackson with an RBI double in the sixth but Dustin Pedroia (2 hits, walk, stolen base) increased the lead back to three with an RBI single in the same frame.

The Yankees lead the Red Sox by one game heading into tomorrow's series opener. The pitching matchups are Lester vs. Garcia, Wakefield vs. Burnett and Beckett vs. Sabathia. So Boston should be favored in game 1 while games 2 and 3 are toss ups. Should be solid.

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Props to Billy Beane for throwing away another season

It turns out that the 2008 Oakland Athletics as currently constructed are the cure for what ails you.

After a week of doom and gloom, with the Sox playing terribly against the Yankees and Angels before shipping away Manny Ramirez, everything is bright and sunny once again on Yawkey Way.

Boston won 5-2 yesterday at Fenway, sweeping the three games against the A's, who have traded Joe Blanton and Rich Harden earlier this season, all but surrendering the rest of the year.

Dice-K improved to 12-2 with a typical start. Six innings, two runs allowed on four hits with two walks and eight strikeouts. He would have been gone anyway after 105 pitches but a short rain delay made that a moot point.

The Red Sox (64-48) offense was paced by Kevin Youkilis (2 hits, RBI), Jason Bay (2 hits, 2 runs), Jed Lowrie (run, 2-run triple, walk) and Coco Crisp (2 RBI sacrifice flys).

Dustin Pedroia led off the bottom of the first with a double. Youk followed with an RBI single and moved up to second on the throw.

Boston put three up in the fourth inning to take a 4-0 lead. Lowrie drove in Mike Lowell and Bay with a two-run triple to the triangle in center. Coco knocked in Lowrie with his first sacrifice fly.

The A's (53-57) made it slightly interesting in the fifth as Daric Barton hit a two-run homer to right off Matsuzaka.

Coco's second sac. fly in the sixth scored Bay with the last run of the game. It was a great first weekend for Bay at Fenway, he also threw out Mark Ellis at second, trying to stretch a single into a double.

Hideki Okajima pitched a scoreless seventh, Manny Delcarmen worked a clean eighth and Jonathan Papelbon recorded a 1-2-3 ninth for his 31st save.

Boston heads out on the road for a seven game trip: three at Kansas City then four at the White Sox. Hopefully the Sox can continue their solid play against the Royals, another team that has little but pride to play for as we had into the dog days of Summer.