When does the ALCS vs. the Yankees start?

As I texted to three of my friends, who were all (seperately) at the game last night, "the Red Sox own the Angels."

Sure that looked stupid when Anaheim (86-59) took a 7-5 lead in the seventh or an 8-7 lead in the top of the ninth.

At Fenway Park and against the Angels, the Sox (86-58) are world-beaters and they proved that once again with a thrilling 9-8 walk-off win courtesy of Alex Gonzalez. It was their seventh straight win overall and tenth in a row at home.

With Paul Byrd on the mound, the Angels built a 3-0 lead on a Erick Aybar (4 hits) infield single in the third, a Bobby Abreu (3 hits, 2 RBIs) RBI double in the fifth and solo bomb by Torii Hunter in the sixth.

Boston finally got to Angels starter Joe Saunders in the sixth, with a big assist from the usually reliable Angels defense.

Jason Bay (2 hits, steal) cut it to 3-2 with a two-run single and Rocco Baldelli tied it with an RBI single of his own.

Foreshadowing his walk-off bloop to win it, Gonzalez gave Boston a 5-3 lead with a flare to shallow right field which scored two.

Anaheim kept battling and scored three times in the seventh: Howie Kendrick RBI single, two-run double by Juan Rivera (3 hits) and an RBI double by Mike Napoli.

Both bullpens had their major troubles on the night as Boston scored twice more in the eighth. A run came in on Casey Kotchman's groundout and Jacoby Ellsbury's RBI single tied it at 7.

Abreu's RBI single in the ninth off Daniel Bard (2-1) (Papelbon and Wagner weren't available) looked like the game-winner with the bottom of the lineup due up in the home half of the inning.

In one of the most improbable comebacks you'll ever see, Nick Green walked with the bases loaded (after taking a pitch for ball four that was clearly a strike) and then Gonzalez hit a broken bat single to left off Brian Fuentes (1-5), who threw 27 pitches.

Josh Beckett faces Ervin Santana tonight in the series finale and I think after the craziness of the first two games, you can expect a perfect game or at the very least a no-hitter from Beckett, who has not been himself for over a month.

Texas lost again last night so they're 6.5 games back in the wild card. Good night Rangers and thanks for playing.

The Diceman Cometh

Now that the Red Sox are 5.5 games in front of the Rangers in the wild card (six in the loss column) and 6.5 behind the Yankees (only five in the loss column), we can finally exhale and assume that yes, Boston will be in the playoffs again.

It's pretty much guaranteed that if you do in fact make it, they'll play the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, for the millionth consecutive year.

And yes the Angels (86-58) have been one of baseball's hottest teams since the All-Star break but do you really fear that team?

The teams opened up an intriguing three-game set last night at Fenway and Boston won 4-1 behind Daisuke Matsuzaka's triumphant return to the big club.

Dice-K had been on a minor league odyssey since he was last seen at Fenway (June 19), out of shape and completely ineffective. With Clay Buchholz locking up the third spot in the rotation, all we need is a few signs from Dice-K that he can bring something positive to this season.

Obviously, he had a no-hitter into the fifth inning last night and in total, threw six shutout innings. Matsuzaka (2-5) allowed three hits, walked three and struck out five in one of the most promising things to happen to the Red Sox all season.

The Angels own the Yankees and most other teams in baseball but for whatever reason, when they come to Fenway (and especially when they meet in October) they turn into Grade A frauds. The Sox have beaten them in 12 of their last 13 playoff games (spanning '04, '07 and '08).

The Sox even beat Anaheim at their own game last night: small ball. Dustin Pedroia bunted to move over Alex Gonzalez and Jacoby Ellsbury (at first and second respectively). Angels pitcher John Lackey botched the throw on Pedroia's bunt and Gonzalez came around to score, giving Boston a 1-0 lead in the sixth.

David Ortiz singled home Ellsbury later in the inning for a 2-0 lead.

Boston added two more in the eighth as Jason Bay singled home J.D. Drew and Ortiz ripped a solo homer.

Erick Aybar had an RBI double in the ninth off Jonathan Papelbon but that was pretty much irrelevant.

Paul Byrd opposes Joe Saunders tonight in game 2.

Jars of Clay

Looks like Clay Buchholz might be a decent big league pitcher after all. It's still ludicrous that the Sox wouldn't trade him and other prospects to get Roy Halladay but last night Buchholz outpitched Halladay as the Red Sox won 6-1 in Toronto.

Buchholz improved to 2-3 as he went six strong innings, allowing only one run on six hits with a walk and four strikeouts.

Halladay (13-6) like Josh Beckett the night before, was not on his game for whatever reason. He went just five innings, allowing five runs (four earned) on eight hits with four walks and seven strikeouts.

Boston (68-51) took a one game lead in the wild card thanks to its win and the Twins comeback victory over the Rangers.
David Ortiz (2 hits) continued to swing a hot bat as he hit a solo shot in the second inning. New shortstop Alex Gonzalez (2 hits) singled home Casey Kotchman later in the inning to make it 2-0 good guys.

In the fourth, Jacoby Ellsbury tripled home Gonzalez for a 3-0 lead. In the bottom of the inning, the Blue Jays (55-63) scored their only run of the game when Vernon Wells drove in Aaron Hill with a single.

Boston tacked on two in the fifth on Jason Bay's two-run bomb and one in the ninth on Victor Martinez (2 hits) solo homer.

Jon Lester takes the mound tonight as the Red Sox try to sweep the Blue Jays before coming home to face th

Nothing like a baseball "brawl"

If you're not a fan of the Boston Red Sox, Kevin Youkilis is probably the Sox player you hate the most. He talks a lot of shit, complains a ton about balls and strikes (he does have a Rainman like eye at the plate) and on top of it all is one ugly mofo.

It's no surprise then that Youk was in the middle of the action last night as the Red Sox beat the Tigers, 7-5 at Fenway.

In the second inning, Tigers (59-53) starter Rick Porcello hit Youk on the shoulder with a pitch. It was clearly intentional since Detroit star Miguel Cabrera was hit in the first inning by Red Sox rookie Junichi Tazawa (not intentional, it was 0 and 2).

Youk had also been hit the night before and he is always near the top of the league lead for hit by pitches so it was enough to set him off. He charged Porcello, threw his batting helmet at him and then took him down with a tackle before they rolled around on the infield grass.

Baseball fights are usually pretty weak (lots of posturing and talk) and this was no exception. However, it seemed to spark the Red Sox (64-48) who were down 3-0 at the time.

After Youk and Porcello were tossed and order was restored, a few batters later Jason Bay tied it with a three-run homer over the Monster seats.

MIke Lowell, who was subbed in for Youk, hit a solo homer in the third then a two-run bomb in the fifth.

After the disastrous first inning, Tazawa settled down and stuck around for five innings, grabbing his first win in his first start (and second appearance). Only one run was earned, he gave up four hits with two walks and six strikeouts.

Jacoby Ellsbury scored on a balk in the seventh and the Sox looked they were cruising after enduring the fight delay and a rain delay.

Curtis Granderson hit a two-run homer in the ninth off Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon. I guess the rationale for him being in there in a non-save situation was that he needed the work.

Boston tries to make it three in a row tonight with ace Josh Beckett going against Armando Galarraga.

Home cookin', sure sounds good, to a country boy like me

To say the Boston Red Sox limped home after losing all six games on their road trip (to Tampa Bay and New York) would be an insult to cripples and drunks everywhere.

The Sox (63-48) can't hit and the bullpen is falling apart but all those troubles were forgotten for an evening as they beat Detroit (59-52), 6-5 last night at Fenway in the start of a four-game series.

The Yankees lost to the Blue Jays last night and the Rangers were idle so Boston moved up to 5.5 games behind New York in the AL East and a half game up in the Wild Card.

It only took two innings for Boston to double its output from the last three games combined against the Yankees.

Dustin Pedroia hit a two-run homer in the first off Tigers All-Star Edwin Jackson. In the second, Nick Green hit a solo shot and David Ortiz knocked in Jacoby Ellsbury (2 hits, 2 runs) with an RBI single.

Brad Penny gave his usual six inning performance and it was better than most of his recent outings: six innings, three earned runs on six hits, one walk and two strikeouts.

Magglio Ordonez (3 hits) tripled home Miguel Cabrera in the fourth and Brandon Inge scored Ordonez with a single.

An inning later, Detroit cut it to 4-3 when Marcus Thames knocked in Curtis Granderson with a sacrifice fly.

Jason Bay hit a solo homer in the fifth that just stayed fair down the line in left.

What would a Red Sox game be without the bullpen giving up a lead? Manny Delcarmen did the honors last night in the seventh. Placido Polanco (3 hits) had an RBI single and Marcus Thames' RBI double tied the game at five.

Nick Green, who has been an automatic out for the last month and a half, knocked in the winning run (J.D. Drew) with a sacrifice fly in the seventh.

Jonathan Papelbon came on in the eighth with runners on second and third, two outs and Granderson at the plate. Papelbon got him to pop out to catcher Victor Martinez and then he recorded a 1-2-3 ninth for his 28th save of the season.

23-year-old rookie Junichi Tazawa gets his first MLB start tonight against Tigers rookie Rick Porcello.

Are we looking at 2006 all over again?

As the Red Sox lost 6-4 to the Rays last night at Tropicana Field, moving their record there to 2-13 since the start of last season, you had to wonder, is Boston (62-44) about to have an epic collapse?

That might seem like a stretch for a team that is in control of the AL wild card and 18 games over .500 but anyone that has watched closely realizes that this is a very flawed squad.

Nobody outside of Josh Beckett and Jon Lester has stepped up; Tim Wakefield might return at the end of next week and Dice-K possibly in September (not holding my breath on that). Clay Buchholz, Brad Penny and John Smoltz are each almost automatic losses.

Penny (7-6) went six innings last night but gave up five runs on six hits with two walks and five strikeouts.

Tampa Bay (60-48) starter David Price (5-4) looked like the stud from last fall's playoffs. He went six innings, allowing two runs on six hits with five strikeouts and no walks.

Victor Martinez was a great addition but he can only do so much for a lineup that just doesn't have the juice it had in the first half of the season. Martinez was the only player from either team to have two hits, a double and a homer.

Jason Bay crushed a homer to left in the second to give the Red Sox an early 1-0 lead.

The Rays answered with Carlos Pena's two-run homer in the third and birthday boy Carl Crawford's (28) two-run blast in the third.

Martinez's solo shot in the sixth cut it to 4-2 but Penny gave up his third long ball of the night as bum Pat Burrell went deep for a 5-2 Tampa Bay advantage.

Every time the Sox scored, Tampa quickly responded. Jed Lowrie's groundout in the seventh made it 5-3 in the seventh but Jason Bartlett hit a solo homer off Manny Delcarmen.

Kevin Youkilis produced the last run with an RBI groundout in the eighth but Rays closer J.P. Howell struck out two in the ninth for his 12th save of the season.

The Sox travel to Yankee Stadium, the four-game series starts tonight and it should be a great barometer for where this team is going. New York has been the best team in baseball for months now, a far cry from their 0-8 early-season record against Boston.

New York is 2.5 games up on Boston and the Red Sox are just three games ahead of Tampa Bay. The Yankees are obviously going to win at least one game this series but the Red Sox need at least a split to show they're doing more than treading water.

John Smoltz pitches against Joba tonight, a complete mismatch if I've ever seen one. I think Boston's relievers are warming up as we speak.

I'm in the club howling "A Bay Bay, A Bay Bay"

After their bats slept through Monday night's game, the Red Sox woke up last night and beat the A's 5-2 behind their All-Star contingent.

Josh Beckett (10-3) joined teammate Tim Wakefield in the 10-win club. Beckett went 6.2 innings, allowing two runs on six hits with a walk and four strikeouts.

Jason Bay broke out of his slump with a double, homer, two runs scored, a walk and two steals. Dustin Pedroia, who missed Monday night's game to be with his wife in the hospital (she's about to give birth), returned last night with an RBI single and walk.

Closer Jonathan Papelbon gave up one hit but still struck out the side in the ninth for his 21st save of the season.

Oakland (35-47) took a 1-0 lead in the first when Scott Hairston hit a solo home run off Beckett.

Boston (50-33) took a 2-1 lead in the second on Bay's homer (a bomb to the light tower in center) and a run came home when Nick Green grounded into a double play.

In the third, Jason Varitek (2 hits) plated two runs with a single.

Adam Kennedy cut it to 4-2 Boston in the fifth with an RBI double but Pedroia drove in the last run with the single in the sixth.

The Red Sox look to take the rubber game of the series tonight with Wakefield getting the start.

DC has a baseball team?

The Red Sox made their first trip to see the Washington Nationals in our nation's capital and game one last night was a complete success. Up 4-3 in the eighth, Boston (43-27) exploded for six runs en route to a comfortable 11-3 win.

As expected, Red Sox fans filled the stands at Nationals Park, accounting for a record sellout. The three-game set is supposed to be the only sold-out series of the season for the hapless Nationals (20-48).

The Sox banged out 17 hits, led by Jason Bay (4-for-6, 3 runs, 3 RBIs), Jacoby Ellsbury (4-for-4 including his first two-triple game with 3 RBIs, a walk and steal), Dustin Pedroia (3 hits, 2 runs) and Kevin Youkilis (2 hits, 2 runs, 2 RBIs).

Boston starter Brad Penny was far from great but it didn't matter. He lasted 5.2 innings, allowing three runs on six hits with three runs and six strikeouts.

Manny Delcarmen (2-1) got the win in relief even though he only recorded one out.

Adam Dunn gave Washington a lead in the first with an RBI double which scored Ryan Zimmerman (2 hits, 2 runs).

Bay added to his AL-leading RBI totals with a solo homer in the second to tie it at one.

Ellsbury's first triple, in the fourth, scored Bay to make it 2-1 Red Sox.

Zimmerman scored on a Penny wild pitch in the fourth to tie it at two.

Youkilis' RBI single in the fifth scored Pedroia but a pair of bum ex-Sox tied it up as Willie Harris hit an RBI double in the sixth which plated Josh Bard.

Jason Varitek gave Boston the lead for good with a sacrifice fly in the seventh.

The Sox went wild on a bunch of the Nationals terrible relievers in the eighth. Bay began the damage with a two-run single. Varitek added an RBI single and Ellsbury's second triple scored two. Nick Green ended the big inning with an RBI single.

Youkilis made it 11-3 in the ninth with an RBI double.

Jon Lester goes for Boston tonight.

Whatchu talkin' about (Dontrelle) Willis?

Remember when Dontrelle Willis was one of the best young talents in baseball? The D-Train won the 2005 NL Cy Young award as a Marlin and with a great personality, he seemed poised to be around for a while.

Dontrelle hasn't become a drunk or drug addict (as far as I know) but he has completely lost his abilities as an elite pitcher. Since he was traded to the Tigers along with Miguel Cabrera, his stay in Detroit has been nothing short of a disaster. Willis was diagnosed with an anxiety disorder but unlike Zach Grienke, he hasn't comeback and been better than ever.

In yesterday afternoon's series finale, Willis only lasted 2.1 innings as the Red Sox (32-22) swept the Tigers (28-24) with a 6-3 win at Comerica Park.

Dontrelle (1-3) unraveled, walking five men who all came around to score. He left a game in which he didn't give up a hit. Yikes.

Boston is pretty much the last team that a wild pitcher wants to face. As it has been well documented under the Theo Epstein regime, the Sox work counts and make pitchers throw strikes.

Tim Wakefield (7-3) was the main beneficiary of the Sox's patience. He was down 3-0 after two but suddenly had a 6-3 lead in the third and cruised to the win. He went 6.2 innings, allowing three runs on eight hits with no walks and three strikeouts.

Jonathan Papelbon recorded his 14th save as Boston salvaged the trip with a 6-4 record.

In the second inning, the Tigers took a 2-0 lead after a two-run single by Brandon Inge. Adam Everett scored Inge with a ground out.

Then the Sox pushed across all of its runs in the third. J.D. Drew (4 walks) and Kevin Youkilis walked with the bases loaded and Jason Bay delivered a two-run double. Mike Lowell's ground out scored Youk and Rocco Baldelli hit an RBI single which scored Bay.

The AL West leaders, the Texas Rangers, come to Fenway for three this weekend, followed by three with the Yankees, who are currently tied with the Red Sox atop the AL East.

Dice-K, the best five inning pitcher I know

It only took until the start of June but Dice-K finally got his first win of the season in last night's 5-1 decision over the Tigers at Comerica Park.

Sure I should be easy on Matsuzaka (1-3), he did miss some time on the DL but other than that, he had been terrible.

Last night, he went five innings, allowing one run on six hits with three walks and six strikeouts. In a sign that Dice-K might be feeling like himself again, he put a bunch of runners on but somehow stranded them.

The Red Sox (30-22) won their second in a row as they did enough against Tigers (28-22) rookie pitcher Rick Porcello.

Boston jumped out to the 1-0 lead in the first when J.D. Drew (2 hits, run) singled home Dustin Pedroia (hit, walk).

Stud Miguel Cabrera singled in Clete Thomas in the bottom of the first to temporarily tie it up for Detroit Rock City.

Jason Bay provided the winning hit as he hit a two-run shot to left off Porcello with Drew on base.

The Sox added two more in the sixth off reliever Ryan Perry. Pedroia walked with the bases loaded and Kevin Youkilis brought home a run when he was hit by a pitch.

Jonathan Papelbon made it interesting in a non-save appearance in the ninth. He gave up three straight hits then proceeded to strikeout the next three hitters. It took 35 pitches so he probably won't be available. Just like Terry Francona drew it up. Tito actually earned his 500th career win with Boston as well.

Josh Beckett goes tonight against struggling Armando Galarraga.

It's time for Lester to be lights out

After losing two straight to the free-falling Blue Jays, it was time for the Red Sox to get their act together yesterday in the series finale at the Rogers Centre.

Behind Jon Lester's (4-5) career-high 12 strikeouts and four homers by a new-look lineup, Boston (29-22) salvaged one game before departing for Motown.

Josh Beckett has apparently started to find his game and after three decent (yesterday being great) starts in a row, hopefully Lester is up to his old tricks which would allow the Sox to have that 1-2 combination they rode last season to one game away from the World Series.

Lester allowed just one run on three hits with three walks.

Kevin Youkilis (hitting third) hit a solo shot in the first. Toronto (29-24) answered in the bottom of the first as Vernon Wells' sacrifice fly scored Marco Scutaro.

From there, Boston scored seven consecutive runs. New leadoff hitter (for the day at least), Dustin Pedroia hit a three-run bomb off Toronto starter Ricky Romero. It was Pedroia's first homer since Opening Day and it went off the foul pole in left.

Mike Lowell doubled in Youk in the fifth and J.D. Drew hit a sacrifice fly in the eighth before Youk and Jason Bay went back-to-back.

After an off-day today, the Sox start a three-game set with the AL Central-leading Tigers tomorrow night.

The Toronto Blue Jays=Frauds

The Toronto Blue Jays came into Fenway on Tuesday with a 3.5 game lead in the AL East, the surprise team in the American League over the first quarter of the season.

After last night's 5-1 Red Sox win enabled Boston (25-16) to sweep Toronto (27-17), it's clear that the Blue Jays are frauds that beat up on the sisters of the poor: the AL Central and West.

Jon Lester is starting to look like himself again as he improved to 3-4 last night with 6.1 innings outing where he allowed only one run on eight hits. He wasn't dominant as he struck out four and walked two but he did enough to win.

Boston jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first as David Ortiz scored Jacoby Ellsbury with an RBI groundout. Ellsbury's (2 runs, stolen base) hitting streak was extended to 16 games as he doubled before Ortiz brought him home.

Jason Bay continued to live a charmed life as he hit a two-run homer off Toronto rookie starter Robert Ray. Right fielder Alex Rios got a bad jump on it and it hit the top of the bullpen wall before bouncing over for the home run.

Kevin Youkilis made it 3-0 with an RBI single scored Dustin Pedroia in the third.

Pedroia knocked in Ellsbury with an RBI single in the fifth to give Boston its fifth and final run.

Aaron Hill had the Blue Jays' lone run with an RBI single in the seventh.

Interleague play begins tonight at Fenway as the banged up Mets come to town. It'll be fun to see National League stars David Wright and Carlos Beltran while Johan Santana (the best pitcher in baseball) opposes Dice-K this evening.

Ortiz finally hits a home run and the peasants rejoice

Remember those halcyon days when David Ortiz was the most clutch player in major league baseball? When he was the most feared hitter? I'm afraid to say those days are long gone my friend.

It only took Big Papi 135 at-bats this season (and 149 dating back to last season) to finally hit a bomb. It came at a good time too as the Red Sox (24-16) hit four homers in the fifth inning off Blue Jays starter Brett Cecil (2-1) on their way to a 8-3 pounding of Toronto (27-16) last night at Fenway.

After getting standing ovations on Tuesday night before every at-bat, Ortiz got a curtain call for his shot to deep center field. A little much? Yes but the unwashed masses of Red Sox fans are nothing if not loyal. Ortiz looks completely lost at the plate (off the juice?) but as long as he is stuck in the three spot in the lineup, he needs all the support he can get.

The subplot that probably nobody but Alyssa Milano (former cum dumpster) and Chuck Lidell (his karaoke partner) noticed was that Sox starter Brad Penny improved to 4-1.

In 6.2 innings, he gave up just two earned runs on nine hits, with a walk and two strikeouts.

Toronto still leads the AL East by 1.5 games but Boston has taken two straight in their first meeting of the season.

The Sox grabbed a 2-0 lead in the second when Jason Varitek hit a solo shot and Jacoby Ellsbury scored when Dustin Pedroia knocked into a double play.

In his first game back from the DL, Kevin Youkilis continued to rake, going 3-for-5 which put his average at .404.

Ortiz's home run seemed to set off a chain reaction as Jason Bay and Mike Lowell also hit bombs in that inning. Varitek had hit his second earlier in the frame.

Boston looks for the sweep tonight (on a beautiful summer-like night) as Jon Lester takes the mound.

Demolition Man, tell your friends I'll demolish ya

Through the first month and a half of the season, the Boston Red Sox vaunted pitching rotation has been complete garbage, to the tune of the worst ERA in the American League.

Dice-K got hurt, Brad Penny has been up and down and most surprising of all, Jon Lester and Josh Beckett have been equally terrible.

Last night was a step in the right direction as Beckett and the Sox (22-15) broke a three-game losing streak with a 5-3 win at Safeco Field in Seattle.

Beckett (4-2) was not great but he battled through seven innings, throwing a season-high 120 pitches. He gave up three runs (two earned) on four hits with three walks and five strikeouts.

Boston teed off on former Orioles' bum Garrett Olson, hitting three home runs and scoring five runs in his six innings of work.

Jason Bay started it off with a two-run bomb in the first, followed by Jason Varitek's two-run blast in the second.

Yuniesky Betancourt (who for some reason seems to kill the Sox) started the Seattle (17-20) comeback with a two-run shot of his own in the second.

Russell Branyan's RBI double in the fourth cut it to 4-3 Boston but Jeff Bailey responded with a solo shot in the fifth for the game's final run.

Miguel Batista pitched three scoreless innings for Seattle.

The Red Sox trio of Hideki Okajima (2 outs), Ramon Ramirez (1 out) and Jonathan Papelbon (10th save) teamed up for two shutout innings.

Boston looks to end the West Coast trip on a high note by winning this series this afternoon.

A nice little Mother's Day is completed in style

The Tampa Bay Rays (15-18) are the Red Sox' biggest rival right now so it was great to see Boston (20-12) take two of three from the Rays with a 4-3 series finale last night at Fenway.

Josh Beckett was good but not great. He went six innings, giving up three runs on six hits with three walks and five strikeouts. More importantly, the Sox found a way to outlast Matt Garza, who has absolutely owned them. Garza went seven innings, allowing three runs on seven hits with two walks and six strikeouts.

Kevin Youkilis sat out his sixth straight game with a back strain. Dustin Pedroia left the game in the fourth after straining his groin.

Despite all the early-season injuries, Boston continues to find ways to get it done.

Down 1-0 after Pat Burrell's RBI single in the first, the Sox tied it on J.D. Drew's fielder's choice.

Boston scored twice in the fourth on Jason Varitek's RBI double and Nick Green's (2 hits) RBI single.

Carl Crawford made it 3-2 Boston in the fifth with an RBI single and Jason Bartlett tied it in the sixth with a sacrifice fly.

Jason Bay continued to play out of his mind as he had the game-winning hit, an RBI double that scored David Ortiz in the eighth.

Hideki Okajima got five outs, Ramon Martinez got the last out in the eighth (and earned the win) before Papelbon worked around a hit and error to strike out Carlos Pena, B.J. Upton and Crawford for his eighth save of the season.

Boston flew to the West Coast last night and opens a three game set with Anaheim tomorrow night.

Just Manny being Manny

Somehow it all seems fitting that Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Manny Ramirez still overshadows the Boston Red Sox, even during a memorable game like last night.

The reports surfaced yesterday afternoon that Manny was suspended 50 games by Major League Baseball for taking a performance enhancer, a drug that was used to up testosterone levels after a steroid cycle. It was the biggest name and incident since baseball started this steroid witch hunt.

I love baseball but I'm not surprised by anything that comes out these days. Can't we just assume if A-Rod and Manny were juicing that everyone except maybe David Eckstein was in the same boat?

It is MLB's fault for not policing it at the time and letting it get way out of control. And here we are.

The Sox (18-11) did everything they could to let fans forget about Manny's public relations disaster. Boston tied a major league record by scoring 12 runs in the sixth as they smoked the Cleveland Indians, 13-3 at Fenway.

Tim Wakefield continued his hot streak as he improved to 4-1. He went six innings, allowing two runs on four hits with four walks and three strikeouts.

Boston led 1-0 in the first after Dustin Pedroia (2 hits, 2 runs, 3 RBIs, walk) knocked in Julio Lugo (3 hits, 3 runs) with an RBI single.

Cleveland (11-18) jumped ahead 2-1 in the fifth as Matt LaPorta scored on a Wakefield wild pitch. Then Asdrubal Cabrera hit a sacrifice fly which scored Luis Valbuena.

It's still obviously early in the season but the Indians bullpen came into this two-game series with the worst ERA in the league and they didn't disappoint.

In the sixth, Jason Bay (2 runs, 2 hits, 4 RBIs) hit a RBI double, Rocco Baldelli hit a two-run single, Jeff Bailey (2 hits) added a two-run double, George Kottaras produced a two-run single, Pedroia hit a two-run single and finally Bay capped it off with a three-run bomb over the bullpen in right center.

Ryan Garko completed the scoring for the Indians with an RBI double in the eighth.

The Tampa Bay Rays (Boston's biggest obstacle in the AL) come to Fenway starting tonight for three games.

Red Sox win fifth straight over hapless Yankees

The Sox continue to play good baseball while the Yankees and their new train-wreck of a stadium continue to make headlines for all the wrong reasons.

Boston (17-10) swept the mini two-game series with a 7-3 win last night in the Bronx.

Josh Beckett (3-2) got the win after two consecutive lackluster starts. He wasn't great last night but he did enough to earn the W: six innings, three runs on ten hits, one walk and five strikeouts.

Joba Chamberlain (1-1) had a strange start for New York (13-13) as he went 5.2 innings, gave up four runs on six hits, walked two and struck out 12.

I'm no G.M. but with the Yankees current disaster of a bullpen, wouldn't Joba be best utilized as the setup guy for Mariano Rivera? Just a thought. I never understand why teams think a No. 3 or 4 starter is more important than a key bullpen guy. You use bullpen guys far more.

Boston got all the runs it needed in the first as David Ortiz knocked in Jacoby Ellsbury with an RBI single. Up next, Jason Bay hit a three-run homer to left which plated Dustin Pedroia (3 hits, 2 runs) and Ortiz.

Johnny Damon cut it to 4-3 Sox with a three-run shot of his own in the third.

However, the Sox got two in the eighth on a Jason Varitek sacrifice fly and an RBI single by Nick Green (can somebody kidnap Julio Lugo?).

The final run was scored in the ninth when Jeff Bailey walked with the bases loaded.

Hideki Okajima pitched a scoreless seventh and eighth for Boston while Takashi Saito recorded a 1-2-3 ninth including a strikeout.

After a three city roadtrip, Boston comes home to face the Indians in a two-game series beginning tonight.

I'm sure the calming influence of A-Rod will turn the Yankees season around

Remember when the New York Yankees were relevant? No really. They missed the playoffs last season, built a joke of a new stadium and continue to fade from prominence, all the while clinging onto their past glory.

After a lengthy rain delay last night, the Boston Red Sox (16-10) won their first game at the new Yankee Stadium, 6-4.

Jon Lester (2-2) got the win after seven solid innings: three runs on six hits, two walks and 10 strikeouts.

Mike Lowell (2 hits, 2 RBIs, walk) hit a solo homer and Jason Bay (3 hits) blasted a two-run bomb. Jacoby Ellsbury had two hits, a run, walk and steal, David Ortiz was on base four times with two doubles and two walks while J.D. Drew reached base three times on a hit and two walks.

Mark Teixeira busted out of his season-long slump for New York (13-12) with two solo homers and Johnny Damon added a two-run homer.

Jonathan Papelbon got five outs (including three strikeouts) for his seventh save of the season.

Weather-permitting, the second and final game of the series is tonight with Joba Chamberlain vs. Josh Beckett.

The Red Sox are playing some decent ball

Busy times in New England. The weather has been amazing lately and there's been plenty of actions in the arenas, fields and war-rooms of our favorite teams.

For the reasons just outlined, it has been overshadowed by the Celtics' mediocrity, the Bruins' dominance and the Patriots' 2009 draft class but last night at Progressive Field (no longer Jacobs Field?), the Sox (13-6) won their 11th game in a row.

Everyone's new favorite player Jason Bay provided all the offense in the 3-1 win as he bashed a three-run bomb off Indians (7-13) closer Kerry Wood in the ninth.

He had three of Boston's eight total hits. David Ortiz added two hits although he's still looking for his first homer of the season.

2008 Cy Young winner Cliff Lee pitched eight shutout innings, allowing just five hits with no walks and five strikeouts.

Tim Wakefield had his third straight outstanding start as he departed after seven scoreless innings. Manny Delcarmen (he of the 0.00 ERA) pitched a scoreless eighth for the win and Jonathan Papelbon was shaky in the ninth but recorded his fifth save of the season.

Mark DeRosa's RBI single in the ninth plate Shin-Soo Choo with the Indians' only run.

Boston looks to make it twelve in a row tonight as Brad Penny opposes Anthony Reyes.

Mike Timlin shouldn't be on the ALCS roster, let alone in a close game

For a playoff game that lasted five hours and 27 minutes over 11 innings, it might be surprising to hear that one decision made all the difference in the final outcome. With only Paul Byrd and Mike Timlin left in the bullpen heading into the bottom of the 11th, Red Sox manager Terry Francona made the wrong decision: he put Timlin in over Byrd (who hasn't appeared yet in the playoffs).

At that point, I knew it was over (most likely in that inning). I'm not that cynical but after watching Timlin completely lose his stuff the last two seasons, I felt like it was impossible that he'd be able to hold off the ultra-resilient Rays. Lo and behold, he walked three (one intentionally) and B.J. Upton hit a shallow sacrifice fly to right that scored pinch runner Fernando Perez. Tampa Bay won game 2, 9-8, evening the series at one game apiece.

You can't really say the Red Sox deserved to win. A couple players were outstanding and it's not like Tampa was that much better, however the law of averages had to tell you that there was no way Boston would take the first two games at the Trop.

Neither Josh Beckett nor Scott Kazmir were anything like they're capable of showing. In 4.1 innings, Beckett gave up eight earned runs on nine hits with one walk and five strikeouts. Kazmir lasted 4.1 innings, giving up five earned runs on six hits with three walks and two strikeouts. The two supposed aces each allowed three home runs.

The loss for Boston did spoil amazing performances by Jason Bay, Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis. Bay had three hits (including a double and homer), a walk and four RBIs. Youk had three hits (homer), two runs and an RBI. Finally, Pedroia cranked two homers off of Kazmir, a single, four runs, two RBIs and a walk.

Other than that, the Red Sox had some black holes in the lineup. Jacoby Ellsbury was 0-for-6, Mark Kotsay was 0-for-6, Jason Varitek was 0-for-3 before he was lifted for a pinch hitter. Jed Lowrie and David Ortiz didn't get a hit but they both walked three times and Coco Crisp added three hits.

Evan Longoria was the headliner for the Rays. He was 3-for 5 (2 doubles, homer) with three runs and three RBIs. Upton had a homer, two RBIs, two runs, walk and steal. Carlos Pena had two hits, two runs and an RBI while Carl Crawford had two hits and two RBIs.

Bay put Boston up 2-0 in the first with a two-run double which scored Ortiz and Youkilis. Longoria responded in the bottom of the first with a two-run blast off Beckett, scoring himself and Pena.

Pedroia hit his first homer in the third while Upton tied it back up with a moonshot of his own in the bottom of the third. Crawford gave the Rays the lead later in the inning with an RBI single.

The most unforgivable mistake by Beckett was in the fourth when Cliff Floyd hit a solo homer to center, making it 5-3 Rays.

Boston hit three homers in the fifth, retaking the lead at 6-5 and knocking Kazmir out of the game. Pedroia, Youkilis and Bay did the honors.

Hoping to get one more inning out of Beckett, Francona left him in there to start the bottom of the fifth. Pena touched him up for an RBI single, Longoria had an RBI double and Crawford took Beckett out with another RBI single.

Bay cut it to 8-7 in the sixth with an RBI single and Boston tied it in the eighth when Pedroia scored on Dan Wheeler's wild pitch.

Wheeler was the unsung hero of the game for the Rays as he went 3.1 scoreless innings (48 pitches), with four strikeouts. Think the Rays wanted this one?

The fact that David Price, the No. 1 pick in 2007, was the last reliever that Tampa used (he got the win), is funny when you think about who the Red Sox were forced to use. No idea why Francona went to Timlin vs. Byrd who could go multiple innings and has great control (he wouldn't have walked all those hitters).

Both teams used all their best arms out of the bullpen. Delcarmen, Okajima, Masterson and Papelbon for the Sox. Balfour, Howell, Bradford and Miller for Tampa Bay.

The series shifts to Fenway tomorrow afternoon for game 3, followed by games 4 and 5 which will also be in Boston. The Sox need to take at least two out of three. They can't go back to Tampa down 3-2 and forced to win two elimination games at the Trop. Jon Lester goes against Matt Garza in what should be much more a pitcher's duel than game 2.