So It Looks Like This Red Sox Season Will Be Much More Interesting Than We Thought

Listen, we all figured that the Red Sox were toast a long time ago so there's no need to lie and say any sane person that we know felt otherwise. Still, I'm happy to report that Boston (46-52 overall, 26-26 at home) is finally playing some good baseball in 2014 (it only took them nearly 100 games!) as they blanked Kansas City (48-49 overall, 26-24 away) 6-0 this afternoon at Fenway Park for the three-game sweep.

The Red Sox have won seven of their last eight games to climb within six games in the Wild Card and 7.5 in the AL East. Jon Lester (10-7) continued to consistently perform like one of the top pitchers in MLB: eight innings, four hits, eight strikeouts and two walks as he lowered his ERA to 2.50. The only reason he didn't stay in for the shutout was that he threw 115 pitches. At this point, he is a serious Cy Young contender and with each outstanding start, his already hefty price tag continues to go up. If only he had accepted Boston's joke offer (4 years, $70 in spring training)!

There aren't many things you can count on in life anymore or at least you realize that when you grow up, however Kansas City never ceases to fall apart in the middle/dog days of the season. Seriously, will they ever truly be relevant again on a national level? Young fireballer Yordano Ventura (7-8) was no match for Lester's brilliance as he allowed six earned runs on nine hits in only 4.1 innings.

The Red Sox took the lead in the first inning as Dustin Pedroia's fielder's choice scored Brock Holt (2 for 5). Daniel Nava's (2 for 3, walk) ground-rule double knocked in David Ross (2 runs, walk) and Jackie Bradley Jr. (2 for 3, 2 runs, walk) in the third inning. David Ross' two-run homer in the fourth went over the Monster, his sixth of the season, and it also drove in Shane Victorino (2 for 4, double). Boston added the final insurance run a few batters later as Nava plated Bradley Jr. with a sacrifice fly.

The next two weeks represent Boston's best chance to really get back into those respective races that I mentioned. You see, they have 13 games in a row against AL East opponents: they go to Toronto for four games then Tampa Bay for three. The Red Sox return home to face the Blue Jays three more times then they host the Yankees in three games right after the Trade Deadline (July 31).

Toronto (51-48 overall, 3rd in AL East) is only 4-6 in their last 10 games but they've won their last two (vs. hapless Texas) heading into this critical series vs. Boston. Other than no Lester, the Red Sox' pitching lines up pretty well against the Blue Jays who still don't have an ace or No. 2 if we're being honest. John Lackey (10-6) faces Drew Hutchison (6-8) on Monday night (7:07, NESN) followed by Jake Peavy (1-8) vs. J.A. Happ (7-5) on Tuesday (7:07, NESN). Clay Buchholz (5-5) takes on knuckleballer R.A. Dickey (7-10) on Wednesday (7:07, NESN) then they wrap up on Thursday afternoon (12:37, NESN) with Rubby De La Rosa (3-2) facing fellow rookie Marcus Stroman (5-2).

I'm certainly not predicting it will happen but I'd like to note before the series begins that if Boston could sweep Toronto, they would be tied in the loss column. Something to keep in mind as the series progresses if the Red Sox win the first two or three games.

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I Can't Believe That I'm Saying This But Did We Count Out the Red Sox Too Soon?

Let's be honest: it would take one hell of a turnaround for the Red Sox to push for a Wild Card spot let alone compete in the upside down AL East. Still, the last few days have been a revelation in terms of showing us that maybe there is a reason to tune in and hope for the improbable for the rest of 2014.

Boston (42-51 overall, 19-25 away) won their third straight game as they opened the final series before the All-Star break with an 8-3 win at Houston's (39-55 overall, 20-27 home) Minute Maid Park. The Red Sox had 12 hits and led 8-1 in the sixth inning en route to a very rare laugher (in a good way). They are within eight games of the second Wild Card spot and 9.5 behind first-place Baltimore.

Pitching in his home state, John Lackey (10-6) became the first Red Sox pitcher to reach double digit wins this season. His usual pinpoint control was off (3 strikeouts/5 walks) but he still lasted six innings and only allowed two earned runs on four hits.

For once, Boston built an early lead and proceeded to increase it over the next few innings just like a good team. Brock Holt (2 for 4, double, 2 runs, walk) had an RBI triple in the third and Dustin Pedroia followed with an RBI double for the 2-0 advantage. Rookie catcher Christian Vazquez had quite a memorable night: recording his first MLB hit, extra base hit and RBI. He added an RBI double in the fourth as the Red Sox went up 3-0 on the hapless Astros.

Enrique Hernandez's RBI single cut it to 3-1 in the fourth but Scott Feldman (4-6) couldn't keep it even that close as he was charged with seven earned runs on 11 hits in 5.1 innings. Vazquez notched a two-run double in the sixth and David Ortiz greeted lefty Darin Downs with a bases clearing double that put this in the win column for the Red Sox.

Chris Carter went over .200 and boosted his stats with a pair of garbage time solo homers in the sixth and eighth (his 18th and 19th of the season). Houston finished 1 for 6 with runners in scoring position and they left 10 men on base. Daniel Nava and Jackie Bradley Jr. each collected two singles and scored a run in the victory.

Assuming that he's not traded before first pitch (4:10, NESN)-a very real possibility-Jake Peavy (1-7) will take the mound tomorrow vs. Brett Oberholtzer (2-7). As you can tell by their records, this is unlikely to be a pitcher's duel but rather a battle of bullpens and a long game so stock up on some adult beverages to get through it comfortably.

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Are You Not Entertained? Another Day, Another Walk-Off Win for the Red Sox

At this rate, we can only conclude that A.J. Pierzynski is the anti-Christ while Dan Shaughnessy puts together his newest classic: "The Curse of A.J." The Red Sox improved to 2-0 in the post-Pierzynski era (that has a nice ring to it) and both came in walk-off fashion vs. the White Sox' dogshit bullpen. This afternoon on a perfect summer day at Fenway Park, Boston (41-51 overall, 23-26 home) came away with a 4-3 win in 10 innings thanks to Mike Carp's RBI single that scored Daniel Nava.

In the home finale before the All-Star break, the Red Sox earned a split of the four-game series with the White Sox and built some momentum (what a concept!) heading into the last series of the unofficial first half: three games in Houston.

I'm not Jon Lester's agent, though I wish I was with the dump trucks of money soon coming his way, but this game served as a perfect example of why Boston would be crazy to let him go either in free agency or via trade. He's pitching as well as he ever has in the regular season. It went down as a no-decision but he was brilliant, going seven innings and allowing one earned run on seven hits with 12 strikeouts and no walks. His ERA is down to 2.65.

Boston had more runs than total hits (3), so how did they come out on top? Well Chicago was 0 for 10 with runners in scoring position and left eight on base, sound familiar? White Sox starter Jose Quintana (7 innings, 3 earned runs, 2 hits, 7 strikeouts, 2 walks) pitched well too but for the second game in a row, Chicago's pathetic relievers blew it.

Jose Abreu (2 for 4, walk, stolen base)-who is a lock to be AL Rookie of the Year now that Masahiro Tanaka is on the DL-made it 1-0 with an RBI double in the first that scored Adam Eaton (3 for 5). Quintana was working on a perfect game until the sixth when Boston tied it on Jackie Bradley Jr.'s RBI single and went ahead 3-1 on David Ortiz's two-run double off the Green Monster.

That looked to be enough for the Red Sox as Junichi Tazawa worked a 1-2-3 eighth inning with two strikeouts. Koji Uehara couldn't nail down the save though as pinch-hitter Conor Gillaspie took him deep for a two-run bomb wrapped around Pesky's Pole. Alexei Ramirez was 3 for 5 with a double, run and stolen base in the loss for Chicago.

No worries, Nava led off the bottom of the tenth with a walk then Mookie Betts sacrificed him over with a bunt. After Stephen Drew was intentionally walked, Carp (pinch hitting for David Ross) delivered with an opposite field single to left that scored Nava. Andrew Miller (3-5) had worked around a single and intentional walk to Abreu to survive the top of the frame.

I'm still not used to having the Astros (39-54 overall, 4th in AL West) in the AL (change is hard!) because I wanted to call this an interleague series. By looking at their record, you'd think Houston is awful and I suppose that yes they still are really bad. The difference is that now they have young stars like Dallas Kuechel and UConn's George Springer doing their thing in H-Town.

The two Texas starters on the Red Sox get outings in their home state-shoutout to Brandon Workman toiling away in Pawtucket!-as John Lackey (9-6) faces Scott Feldman (4-5) tomorrow night (8:10, NESN) in the series opener. Clay Buchholz (3-5) takes on Collin McHugh (4-8) on Saturday afternoon (4:10, NESN) then the jets will be lined up on the runway Sunday afternoon (2:10, NESN) when TBA opposes Houston's Jarred Cosart (9-6). After that, John Farrell, his coaching staff, Lester and Uehara will head to Minnesota for the Midsummer Classic while everyone else scatters around the country with four glorious days off in a row.

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Red Sox Fall a Season-High 10 Games Under .500, Drop Into AL East Basement

Like a car crash or late night porn on HBO, I have to admit that I can't help but intently watch the Red Sox even when their season becomes more and more over by the day. This afternoon, Boston (39-49 overall, 21-24 home) lost 7-6 to Baltimore (48-40 overall, 25-19 away) in 12 innings (5 hours and 5 minutes!) at Fenway Park. The Orioles clinched the series and went up nine games on the Red Sox who also find themselves in last place in the AL East after Tampa Bay won at Detroit.

How can the defending World Series champs that didn't lose anyone of real importance besides Jacoby Ellsbury and Jarrod Saltalamacchia (and that's stretching it) get this bad seemingly overnight? The easiest explanation is that Boston's offense is terrible which is totally true. There are rare occasions like this though where they score enough runs but the pitching stinks. It sounds simple but they can never get those two facets going at the same time. Plus their defense is spotty and baserunning could be described as incredibly poor.

The O's built a 6-1 lead in the seventh inning before the Sox battled back to tie it in the home half of the frame. After four scoreless innings, J.J. Hardy (2 for 4, run, walk, 3 RBIs) knocked in David Lough-who had tripled-with the winning run. Brad Brach (4-0) cruised through three innings of relief to earn the win and closer Zach Britton worked around a single and struck out two for his 14th save of the season.

It's easy to dump on him since he's close to being washed up and had many clunkers this season but lately, Jake Peavy (6 innings, 6 hits, 2 runs, 1 earned, 2 walks, 3 strikeouts) has been the victim of virtually no help from his teammates. On a good team, he could have some value particularly in the JV NL so look for him to get traded before the deadline (July 31).

Orioles youngster Kevin Gausman (5.1 innings, 4 hits, 1 earned run, 2 walks, 7 strikeouts) is still very raw but with his stuff, he has the potential to be a top of the line starter which is what Baltimore still lacks. The O's led 2-0 after an error on Xander Bogaerts (2 for 5, run, RBI) in the fourth and sacrifice fly by Caleb Joseph in the sixth inning.

David Ortiz (4 for 5 with double, walk, 2 RBIs) cut it to 2-1 with an RBI single in the sixth. Baltimore put up four runs in the seventh as Nelson Cruz (3 for 6, 2 runs, double) had an RBI single, Hardy's single scored two and Ryan Flaherty's (2 for 4, walk) RBI single made it 6-1 Orioles. All-Star Adam Jones was 2 for 5 with a run and walk in the win for Baltimore.

Surprisingly enough, David Ross' solo homer (his 5th of the season) got the rally started for Boston then Bogaerts, Daniel Nava, Ortiz and Napoli kept the line moving with RBI singles of their own. Dustin Pedroia can't get extra base hits anymore but his batting average is rapidly climbing (3 for 6) with all those singles. Jackie Bradley Jr. (2 for 4 with run, walk) might have put together his best game of the season as he made a spectacular diving catch at the wall then also threw out Manny Machado at home on another play (he would have been credited with a second assist if Ross could have held onto a throw).

Losses like this are brutal for many reasons, foremost on the list is that Boston burned six relievers so you know a few of them won't be available tomorrow namely Koji Uehara (2 scoreless innings, 1 hit, 1 walk, 1 strikeout). Boston has two more series, seven games in total (4 at Fenway, 3 in Houston) before the All-Star break officially starts a week from tomorrow.

The White Sox (42-47, 4th in AL Central) visit with Clay Buchholz (3-4) facing rookie Scott Carroll (2-5) tomorrow night (7:10, NESN), Brandon Workman (1-2) gets John Danks (7-6) on Tuesday (7:10), most likely Rubby De La Rosa will be recalled to take on Chris Sale (8-1) Wednesday (7:10, NESN) then Jon Lester (9-7) meets Jose Quintana (5-7) on Thursday afternoon (4:05, NESN). Chicago is similarly blah but at least you can see Sale (who is up for the final AL All-Star spot) and slugger Jose Abreu who is tied for MLB lead with 27 home runs.

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Red Sox Beat Indians 5-2 in Series Opener at Fenway, See That Wasn't So Hard Guys

It still doesn't feel like summer (come on weather!) and the Red Sox are still scuffling like there's no tomorrow but at least they played well tonight. Boston (30-36 overall, 16-17 home) began a four-game series with Cleveland (33-34 overall, 12-23 away) and seven-game homestand at Fenway Park with a rare (in 2014) easy 5-2 victory.

Jon Lester (7-7) pitched like an ace, going 7.2 innings and allowing only two runs (one earned) on eight hits with four strikeouts and one walk. After Jason Kipnis (2 for 4) singled with two outs in the eighth, Lester was lifted after 109 pitches. Junichi Tazawa struck out the ghost of Carlos Santana (the baseball player) before a 1-2-3 ninth with one strikeout for Koji Uehara's 14th save (in 14 opportunities) of the season.

After the mediocre Indians swept the Red Sox last week in dumpy Cleveland, it was nice to see Boston come out with somewhat of a pulse as former Indians star Grady Sizemore had a ground-rule double in the second that scored Mike Napoli (2 for 4) for a 1-0 lead.

If any opposing manager in MLB could understand the danger of pitching to David Ortiz, you'd figure it would have to be Cleveland's Terry Francona (that still doesn't sound right) but for some odd reason, he let Josh Tomlin (4-3) go after him with two outs in the fifth and Jackie Bradley Jr. (single, walk, stolen base, 2 runs) on third base with first base open. You'll never guess what happened next! OK, a baby could, as Ortiz went deep to center for his 15th home run of the season and a 3-0 Red Sox advantage.

Cleveland's two runs in the sixth were a gift by multiple Red Sox as Lester couldn't handle a relatively easy throw at first base from Napoli then Kipnis lined a two-run single (generous ruling) under Dustin Pedroia's glove, a play that the Gold Glover normally makes in his sleep. Bradley Jr. made up for those miscues with an awesome catch of Michael Bourn's sinking line drive to center in the seventh then he doubled off "Friendly" Mike Aviles at first base for the third out.

Boston added a pair of insurance runs in the home half of the sixth on a two-run double by Brock Holt (2 hits). Daniel Nava was 3 for 4 in the win which is a monumental achievement given his alarming struggles in 2014. Even Jonathan Herrera got in on the act, well kind of, going 2 for 4 with a triple (his second extra base hit of the season!) and scoring a run.

It is supposed to rain all day tomorrow but if they get the game in, it will be John Lackey (7-4) vs. Justin Masterson (4-4) scheduled for a 7:10 p.m. start. Masterson pitched a gem (7 scoreless innings in a 3-2 win) against his former team last week at Progressive Field. He can't do that twice in a row, right?

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It's The Little Things: Red Sox Pick Up Their 1st 3-Game Win Streak of 2014

Don't look now but there might actually be a reason to tune into the Red Sox this summer besides new material to use to make fun of them. After losing 10 games in a row, Boston (23-29 overall, 11-17 home) has begun to find some stability with three straight wins (last team in MLB to do that) vs. fraudulent Atlanta (28-24 overall, 10-12 away). Tonight, the 2004 Red Sox were honored at Fenway Park (for the second time, don't forget 2008) which served as the perfect opener for a solid 4-0 win by the current iteration over the Braves.

John Lackey (6-3) was excellent (6.1 IP, 0 earned runs, 8 hits, 9 strikeouts, 0 walks) and three relievers got the final eight outs. Neither Lackey nor Jon Lester are aces in the true sense but at least Lackey has been the stopper so far this season when the Red Sox need it. Chris Capuano got out of a bases loaded jam to end the seventh while Junichi Tazawa had a 1-2-3 eighth with two strikeouts and Craig Breslow pitched a scoreless ninth. Koji Uehara started to get loose in the ninth after Breslow gave up a single but thankfully, he wasn't used for the third game in a row.

Atlanta starter Gavin Floyd (0-2) was fine (5 IP, 2 runs, 1 earned run, 6 hits, 3 strikeouts, 3 walks) except that he racked up pitches (106) at a Dice-K pace. Daniel Nava grounded into a double play in the second but a run scored. A.J. Pierzynski (2 for 4) had an RBI single in the third, Jackie Bradley Jr. (2 for 4) added an RBI double in the sixth and Jonny Gomes (2 for 3, 2 runs, walk) capped it with a run-scoring single in the seventh.

Xander Bogaerts continues to rake as he went 3 for 4 with a double, run and walk. Boston was 5 for 14 with runners and scoring position which made up for leaving 11 men on base. Conversely, Atlanta (who has looked terrible most of this series) was 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position and they left 10 on base.

Boston will look to go 4-0 vs. Atlanta and its second consecutive sweep in this bizarre home and home as Jake Peavy (1-2) faces Mike Minor (2-3) tomorrow night (7:10, NESN). Earlier today, Clay Buchholz was put on the DL with a hyperextended knee (wink wink, nudge nudge). Alex Wilson is back from Pawtucket while headcase Buchholz tries to get his mind right.

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For Once, The Rays Don't Look Like Much of a Threat in the AL East

Due to major injuries to starting pitchers Matt Moore and Alex Cobb, the Rays are a bit of a mess at the moment. Since manager Joe Maddon took over in Tampa Bay (11-16 overall, 4-9 away) I have always been in awe of what they can do with tight pockets and few fans. Honestly, I have feared the Rays more than the Yankees in recent history since they usually seem to give the Red Sox fits.

However, this season could be a bit of a trip back to their shitty Devil Rays past as Boston (13-14 overall, 6-8 home) beat them 7-4 tonight at Fenway Park in their first (of 19) meeting of the season. John Lackey (4-2) had his second straight really good outing that lasted eight innings (2 earned runs, 6 hits, 5 strikeouts, 1 walk). It was actually 7-2 in the ninth before the Rays scored two runs on an infield single by Yunel Escobar and throwing error by Xander Bogaerts.

With one runner on base, Red Sox manager John Farrell made the curious decision to put in closer Koji Uehara. Still, he struck out Ben Zobrist on three pitches to end it for his sixth save of the season. Other than Lackey, Shane Victorino (4 for 4, double, 2 RBIs) was the main attraction. We know that he can't do it for a full season anymore but he is certainly valuable when Boston can get him on the field.

Former Red Sox great Erik Bedard got the start and actually only allowed one run but in typical fashion he threw way too many pitches (104) in just five innings. That meant that Boston did their damage vs. Tampa Bay's crappy middle relievers. Victorino had driven in Boston's first run in the fifth with a sacrifice fly which is what Evan Longoria answered with in the next frame. For once, the Red Sox hung a crooked number (5) on the scoreboard in the sixth. A.J. Pierzynski (2 for 4, run) started it with an RBI single then Will Middlebrooks, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Victorino knocked in a combined four runs with doubles.

Andover's Ryan Hanigan cut it to 6-2 in the seventh with an RBI single but David Ortiz regained the five-run advantage with an RBI single in the eighth. Tomorrow (7:10, NESN) is the sixth time that Boston can get back to the .500 mark in April (they've failed the previous five occasions) as Felix Doubront (1-3) fights for his job against Chris Archer (2-1). There are three Game 7s in the NHL tomorrow night so if you can focus primarily on this contest then you are a very sick person.

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What's Up With Clay Buchholz?

There was a time when Clay Buchholz was one of the most talented starting pitchers in MLB. Of course, he could never really put it together for a full season based on his frail body and reluctance to play through any type of pain. Now, those days seem like a distant memory as he continually gets lit up (twice in four starts this season). Today he ruined what was a perfect Patriot's Day in Boston with the Marathon as the Red Sox fell 7-6 to the Orioles at Fenway Park in the four-game series finale which the teams split.

Buchholz (0-2) allowed six earned runs on seven hits in 2.1 pathetic innings. Boston (9-11 overall, 4-6 home) was down 6-0 in the third inning and almost completed another amazing comeback for the second day in a row but you can't expect that against a decent team like Baltimore (9-9 overall, 5-5 away) or any in MLB really outside of maybe the Cubs.

The frustrating part was that Baltimore didn't exactly crush hits around the ballpark, they just kept getting on base vs. Buchholz in the six-run third. Nick Markakis, Nelson Cruz and Chris Davis had RBI singles, a run scored on a fielder's choice, Steve Clevenger hit an RBI double and Jonathan Schoop ended Buchholz's holiday early with a run-scoring single.

Wei-Yin Chen (3-1) didn't have a great outing by any means but compared to Buchholz, he looked like Nolan Ryan in his prime. He went five innings, allowing three earned runs on four hits with five strikeouts and three walks.

The Red Sox cut the lead in half with three runs in the fifth. Jackie Bradley Jr. started it off with an RBI double, Brock Holt (2 hits, run) had a sacrifice fly and Dustin Pedroia (2 doubles, 2 walks) played wall ball with an RBI double. David Ross made it 6-4 Orioles with a solo homer into the Monster seats, his first home run of the season.

Ryan Flaherty added an RBI single in the eighth for the Orioles which turned out to be a very important run because Mike Napoli hit a solo bomb in the home half of the frame and Boston could have put together a bigger inning if Xander Bogaerts didn't have a careless baserunning blunder.

Baltimore's bullpen is one of the things that will probably hold them back for contending for the AL East all season, personified by mediocre pitcher turned closer Tommy Hunter. Still, he got the job done today at least despite allowing a run on Napoli's ground out. Pinch hitter Mike Carp was the last out as he stranded Pedroia on third and David Ortiz on second. Ugh. The good news regarding him and the utterly useless Jonathan Herrera is that both should see much less playing time in the near future with Shane Victorino and Will Middlebrooks currently rehabbing in Pawtucket.

Boston's tour of the parity filled AL East (all five teams were separated by two games entering today) continues tomorrow with three games against the Yankees (11-8 overall) at Fenway. Then they have three in Toronto this weekend and three against Tampa Bay in Boston. The Red Sox-Yankees pitching matchups are Jon Lester (2-2) vs. Masahiro Tanaka (2-0) tomorrow night (7:10, NESN), John Lackey (2-2) takes on Michael Pineda (2-1) on Wednesday (7:10, NESN) and Felix Doubront (1-2) opposes not fat CC Sabathia (2-2) on Thursday (7:10, NESN).

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Now That's What I Call A Baseball Game! (Ducks Eggs and Tomatoes Being Thrown)

If you were enough of a loser (like me) to sit through five hours and 17 minutes (spoiler: I didn't really pay attention until hockey was over), at least the Red Sox rewarded us with a 6-4 win in 14 innings over the White Sox are U.S. Cellular Field. We could get wrapped up in the details like Chicago's (8-7 overall, 6-3 home) losing pitcher-Luery Garcia-is actually a utility infielder. Nope, Boston (6-9 overall, 4-5 away) snapped its three-game losing streak despite going 3 for 17 with runners in scoring position and leaving 16 on base.

The Red Sox only had six total hits so this victory was all about Chicago's wretched bullpen which allowed 15 walks. Each team had a golden opportunity to end it much earlier but both obviously choked. The White Sox were up 3-1 in the eighth before they allowed a sacrifice fly to A.J. Pierzynski in the eighth and Grady Sizemore in the ninth.

Jonny Gomes put Boston up 4-3 in the 11th thanks to a-you guessed it-sacrifice fly. Temporary closer Edward Mujica failed as he allowed an RBI single by Tyler Flowers in the home half of the frame. Things finally came together in the 14th as Chicago had run out of pitchers so they were forced to use Garcia who allowed a two-run double to Jackie Bradley Jr. Chris Capuano (1-0) had two scoreless innings of relief and he recorded the first two outs of the 14th before Burke Badenhop got the last out with a runner on first for the vultured save.

Boston led 1-0 in the first on Xander Bogaerts' (2 walks, stolen base) RBI single. Chicago tied it in their first at bats thanks to a throwing error by Ryan Roberts. Alexei Ramirez smoked a two-run homer in the sixth for a 3-1 White Sox advantage.

Dustin Pedroia returned to go 2 for 6 with three runs, two walks and a stolen base. The unsung heroes that made this all possible was Boston's bullpen: 8 innings, 4 hits, 1 earned run, 1 walk and 9 strikeouts. Craig Breslow got four outs, Junichi Tazawa had two outs and Andrew Miller worked two scoreless innings.

It felt like it happened a week ago but Clay Buchholz (6 innings, 6 hits, 3 runs, 2 earned runs, 2 walks & 6 strikeouts) and John Danks (6 innings, 3 hits, 1 earned run, 4 walks, 3 strikeouts) were both pretty good on another chilly night in Chitown.

Both teams will be going for the series clincher tomorrow night (8:10) as young ace Chris Sale (3-0) faces Jon Lester (1-2). Runs have been at a premium for Boston all season but they'll really need to dig deep to get anything vs. Sale. Lester has only allowed two earned runs in each of his three starts. For your sake, I hope you haven't seen much if anything of the last two night's games. I know more playoff hockey is on but you should at least click over to what should be a wonderful pitchers' duel.

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Red Sox Beat Rangers 5-1 for Their 1st Win at Fenway Park In 2014

The Red Sox had a lost weekend vs. the Brewers (getting swept in 3 miserable games at Fenway) and the bad feelings started to build up as Will Middlebrooks (calf strain) joined Shane Victorino (hamstring) on the 15-Day DL. With people calmly wondering what was going on with Boston (3-4), they bounced back to defeat Texas (3-4) 5-1 tonight at rainy Fenway Park in the series opener.

It still feels kind of weird to say it but John Lackey (2-0) has morphed into one of the best pitchers in the AL East. He improved to 2-0 thanks to one unearned run on five hits with five strikeouts and two walks. He was done after 95 pitches and he handed the ball over to Chris Capuano who pitched a scoreless eighth for his second hold and Koji Uehara who worked around two hits for a scoreless frame in a non-save situation (did they have to use him there?).

The Red Sox had 14 hits as a team, led by Mike Napoli (3 for 5), A.J. Pierzynski (3 for 5 w/2 runs) and Jackie Bradley Jr. (3 for 4 w/run & 2 RBIs). They still left 11 on base but at least they were 4 for 13 with runners in scoring position which was a dramatic improvement so there's that.

Bradley Jr. gave Boston a 1-0 lead in the second on an RBI single that scored Xander Bogaerts. The Rangers tied it in the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Mitch Moreland that scored old friend Adrian Beltre. That's all that Texas would get though as Bradley Jr. added another RBI single in the fourth then the Red Sox notched three important insurance runs in the eighth.

A run scored on a Rangers error, Daniel Nava had an RBI single and Dustin Pedroia's ground out still scored the final run. Boston will be looking to start their first win streak of the season tomorrow night (6:10) as Felix Doubront (1-0) faces Martin Perez (0-0) in the middle game of the series.

Utility infielder Ryan Roberts aka the tatman (since he's covered in tattoos) was signed earlier today for depth and Boston manager John Farrell already said that he'd play tomorrow and possibly Wednesday as Texas uses a pair of lefty starters. Don't expect much from him since he got released by the Cubs, which is never a good omen for your career.

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Red Sox Take Opening Series With Orioles

After losing the season opener on Monday, the Red Sox bounced back to win on Wednesday and tonight 4-3 against the Orioles (a team that has owned them the last few years) at Camden Yards to take the series (2-1). Boston (2-1) showed that it can win a close game, on the road, versus a quality opponent.

This game shouldn't have been so close since once again the Red Sox struggled with runners in scoring position (2 for 10) and they left nine on base. However, they put up 14 hits as a team so they were able to do just enough to scratch out their second straight victory.

It was mostly about the youngsters as Xander Bogaerts was 3 for 4 with two runs, Will Middlebrooks was 2 for 4 with a double and run while Jackie Bradley Jr. was 2 for 4 with a run and RBI. Felix Doubront (1-0) wasn't great (5.1 innings, 3 earned runs, 6 hits, 4 strikeouts, 1 walk) but David Ortiz was (3 for 5 with RBI) like always. I would say the most impressive contribution was Koji Uehara's 1-2-3 ninth for his first of the season; he threw only seven pitches and that included a strikeout!

Boston spread its runs out into four different innings. Middlebrooks killed a possible big inning with a double play ball in the second but a run still scored. Ortiz had an RBI single in the third and David Ross added one in the fourth for a 3-0 Red Sox lead.

Matt Wieters (3 for 4 with run and RBI) gave Baltimore its first run with an RBI double in the fourth, Delmon Young knocked him in with a single. Bradley Jr.'s RBI single in the sixth turned out to be important since Chris Davis (2 for 4 with double, 2 runs) scored a run on Brandon Workman's wild pitch. Things settled down from there as Springfield MA native Chris Capuano had a 1-2-3 seventh with one strikeout in his Red Sox debut. Junichi Tazawa worked around two hits for a scoreless eighth.

The action packed week continues for the Red Sox as they host the Milwaukee Brewers (1-2) this weekend at Fenway Park, the start of a six-game homestand that also includes three vs. Texas (2-1). Tomorrow (2:05, NESN) is the 2014 home opener where Boston will get their World Series rings and celebrate that team one last time.

As for the games, Jake Peavy faces Marco Estrada tomorrow, Clay Buchholz takes on Wily Peralta Saturday night (7:10, NESN) and Jon Lester (0-1) meets Yovani Gallardo (1-0) Sunday afternoon (1:35, NESN) in a battle of aces that should be awesome.

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When You Think About It, Jacoby Ellsbury & the Yankees are a Perfect Match

I'm not to spend much time on it because the fact is that we all knew that Jacoby Ellsbury was gone as soon as last season ended with his second World Series title. However, the reason that he is worth one last blog post is because he decided to sign a seven-year deal worth $153 million (with an option for an 8th year that pushes it to $169 million) with the Yankees.

That's right, the quiet guy that shied away from most attention in medium-market Boston will now go to a far tougher place with the additional pressure of the third richest contract in MLB history ever given to an outfielder hanging over him. Since he's from Oregon and went to Oregon State, I figured he would go to the Mariners or another team on the West Coast. In many ways, this totally fits the Yankees' recent losing philosophy: overspend on the sexy free agent (C.C. Sabathia, Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez come to mind) both in terms of money and years then be stuck with him in the latter stages of a bloated contract.

Ellsbury was drafted by Boston in the first round (23rd overall) of the 2005 draft. He sped through the minor leagues and was already in MLB by the time the Red Sox won the World Series in 2007. He was a big part of that postseason and when healthy (huge question mark), there is no doubt that he is a game-changer. Besides pink hats, most Red Sox fans will understand why Boston didn't want to invest so much into a player that is simply not dependable. Due to various injuries, he only played 18 games in 2010 and 74 in 2012. Even this past season, which was a good one (92 runs, 172 hits, 31 doubles, 8 triples, 9 homers, 53 RBIs, 52 stolen bases, .297 average, .355 OBP and .426 SLG) for him, he played in 134 regular season games in a free agency year.

Who knows if Jackie Bradley Jr. can come anywhere close to replace Ellsbury's Gold Glove defense in center field or consistent leadoff at bats? Maybe Boston shifts Shane Victorino to center field in 2014 to give Bradley Jr. another season to improve. Lazy sports writers and fans will compare this move to Johnny Damon signing with the Yankees. The problem is that Damon was much more of a leader when he was on the Red Sox. As talented as he is, Ellsbury always felt like a robot. We wish him well in New York (seriously) but it's time for all of us to move on.

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What We've Known For A While Is Official: Red Sox Are Back In Playoffs For 1st Time Since '09

If the last few humbling seasons have taught us anything, it is that you cannot take winning for granted in MLB, even in a big market like Boston with almost unlimited resources. Baseball playoffs are outstanding and they are so rewarding after sitting through a regular season that is way too long and often very boring. Tonight, the Red Sox (93-61 overall, 51-27 home) clinched a playoff spot with a tidy 3-1 win over the Orioles (81-71 overall, 39-38 away).

Boston is back in the postseason for the first time in four years while they try to get their first playoff win since 2008 (seriously). It is the 21st time in franchise history that they've reached the postseason and tomorrow night they have the chance to capture their first AL East title since 2007.

Easy storylines were falling out of the sky as Boston had 93 losses last season and John Lackey (10-12) pitched a complete game, probably his best ever performance for the Red Sox in his season of redemption. The Red Sox were the first AL team to secure their place in October and they did it only a few hours after the Dodgers won the NL West. Can you imagine a Red Sox-Dodgers World Series? How about Red Sox-Indians ALDS or Red Sox-A's ALCS? It is so enjoyable to know that we can bank on a few more weeks (at least) of quality baseball.

Lackey actually carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning but Adam Jones ended that with a solo moon shot over the Monster. Lackey only allowed one other hit and struck out eight with two walks on 113 pitches.

Orioles pseudo ace Chris Tillman (16-7) had been 3-0 in four starts against Boston this season but predictably, that came to an end as the Red Sox prevented a sweep by Baltimore. He went seven innings but allowed all three runs on seven hits with eight strikeouts and two walks.

Another reason that this game felt like a dream is that it was completed in 2:18, imagine that! Stephen Drew (triple) hit a two-run homer (his 13th of the season) that just scraped over the Monster in the second and Dustin Pedroia (double) followed later in the frame with an RBI single that scored Jackie Bradley Jr. (2 hits, double).

Get out to Fenway tomorrow or Saturday since Boston's magic number to win the AL East is down to one, the weather is supposed to be awesome and it is their last home series of the regular season. Those lovable punching bags from the North-the Blue Jays (70-82 overall, 5th in AL East)-stumble into town for three games. Red-hot Jon Lester (14-8) takes on Esmil Rogers (5-7) tomorrow night (7:10, NESN); Clay Buchholz (11-0) will try to stay unbeaten Saturday night (7:10, NESN) against Mark Buehrle (11-9) and on Sunday afternoon (1:35, NESN) when we're all watching the Patriots play the Buccaneers, Felix Doubront (10-6) gets another start vs. R.A. Dickey (11-9).

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It's Baseball Season Already? Ugh, Well At Least The Red Sox Won Their First Opener Since 2010

I did my best to avoid Spring Training like the plague that it is so I have to say it was strange to sit down this afternoon and watch the Red Sox 2013 regular season opener at Yankee Stadium against the Yankees. I got bored quickly and it went way too long (3:37) but that's how it always is for Red Sox-Yankees so the important thing is that Boston (1-0) won their first opener since 2010, 8-2 over the soon-to-be dumpster fire Yankees (0-1).

The expected pitcher's duel of Jon Lester (1-0) vs. C.C. Sabathia (0-1) never happened since both were gone after five innings. Who needs aces? Lester allowed two earned runs on five hits with seven strikeouts and two walks which made him look like Felix Hernandez compared to Sabathia: four earned runs on eight hits with five strikeouts and four walks.

Boston had 13 hits but only a pair of extra base hits: a triple by Jacoby Ellsbury (3 for 6, 2 RBIs, run) and a double by Jarrod Saltalamacchia (3 walks, 2 runs). Making their Red Sox debuts were Shane Victorino (2 hits, 3 RBIs), Jonny Gomes (2 hits, run, walk) and heralded rookie Jackie Bradley Jr. (3 walks, 2 runs, RBI, 1 sick catch in left field). Jose Iglesias had three hits, a run and RBI which is misleading since none of his "hits" made it out of the infield.

The Red Sox bullpen is seen as one of their few obvious strengths and they played that way for one game at least. Koji Uehara had a 1-2-3 sixth (on five pitches!), Andrew Miller got two outs then Andrew Bailey cleaned up his mess (two walks) by striking out Kevin Youkilis to end the seventh, Junichi Tazawa had a scoreless eighth and Joel Hanrahan put up a clean ninth albeit in a non-save situation.

Boston got all the runs they'd need in the second inning as Iglesias had an infield RBI single, Victorino added a two-run single and Dustin Pedroia (2 hits) notched an RBI single.

New York's only two runs were courtesy of Francisco Cervelli's two-run single in the fourth. With Curtis Granderson, Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter and Mark Teixeira all currently on the shelf, it's hard to see the Yankees playing well or scoring any runs for that matter. That's why the Red Sox and other AL East teams have to rack up as many wins as they can while the Yanks are fielding lineups more suited for the Royals.

Bradley Jr. tacked on a run via a grounder in the seventh, Ellsbury had an RBI infield single in the ninth and Victorino drove in Bradley Jr. with a single, a fitting way to end a memorable MLB debut for the 22-year-old former South Carolina Gamecock.

This always seems to happen but there is an off-day tomorrow so we won't see these teams again until Wednesday night (7 p.m., NESN) as Clay Buchholz faces Hiroki Kuroda.

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