Our Regional Nightmare is Over: Lackey Headed to St. Louis, Craig & Kelly Coming to Boston

He bounced back in a big way last season and helped the Red Sox win a World Series title but even then, it was always difficult to pretend to cheer for that jerk John Lackey. The good news for Boston fans is that now that awkward situation is behind us since he was traded to St. Louis (56-50) along with minor league pitcher Corey Littrell and cash considerations for outfielder Allen Craig and right-handed starter Joe Kelly.

Lackey is 11-7 with 3.60 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 116 strikeouts in 21 starts this season. At age 35 (36 in October) and coming off a major elbow injury, it's a miracle that he has returned to this level. His team option for next year is only $500,000 which shows how little faith the Red Sox had that he could ever be himself again.

Like Yoenis Cespedes, acquired earlier today from Oakland, Craig was an All-Star last season. The difference is that this year, he's gone off a cliff coming back from a foot injury (remember that from the World Series?). This season he's hitting .237/.291/.346 with seven homers, 44 RBIs, 17 doubles and 34 runs in 97 games. Last season, he hit .315/.373/.457 with 13 homers, 97 RBIs, 29 doubles and 71 runs in 134 games. Granted it was a smaller sample size but last season's breakout wasn't that crazy since he was good in 2011 and 2012. At age 30, he's a good guy to take a chance on.

Kelly is 26 and this is only his third full season in MLB. He's also been banged up, dealing with a hamstring injury hence why he's only made seven starts in 2014. He's 2-2 with 4.37 ERA and 1.46 WHIP. He was solid last season, 10-5 in 37 games (15 starts) with 2.69 ERA, 1.35 WHIP and 79 strikeouts/44 walks in 124 innings. Since the Red Sox' pitching rotation is now wide open, Clay Buchholz is the only holdover from Opening Day, Kelly should have a great chance to earn a spot for at least the next few years.

UPDATE 7/31: Looks like the Red Sox are done for the day after they shipped Andrew Miller (3-5, 2.34 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 69 strikeouts/13 walks in 50 appearances) to Baltimore for Double-A pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez (their No. 3 prospect). Miller is having a career year but he'll never be better than this; get ready to see him facing David Ortiz a million times a season.

Showing that they have a good sense of humor, the Red Sox traded one bucket of crap-Stephen Drew-to the Yankees at the last minute before the deadline for a bucket of shit-second baseman Kelly Johnson. That means that Xander Bogaerts will get to move back to shortstop (where he should have been all season) and Will Middlebrooks will return from purgatory aka Pawtucket. The ironic part is that New York comes to Fenway for a three-game series starting tomorrow night. At least there is a reason to watch the rest of the season with all these new guys on the Red Sox.

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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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Red Sox Sweep a 3-Game Series With Twins By Scoring 5 Total Runs

It was a complete grind, from the first inning on Monday night until the 10th inning this afternoon but the Red Sox somehow managed to sweep the Twins thanks to a thrilling 2-1 victory at Fenway Park in 10 innings. For the first time in franchise history, Boston (34-38 overall, 20-19 home) hit back-to-back homers in extra innings. David Ortiz tied it with his 16th of the season then Mike Napoli followed with a blast to center that just got out for his seventh of the season and ended it.

I can't ever recall a team playing worse offensively in a series than what Minnesota (32-38 overall, 17-21 away) turned in this week. After getting shut out on Monday, they managed only single runs on Tuesday and today. Red Sox fans were treated to a perfect baseball game: 86 degrees, 1:35 p.m. start and it only went 2 hours and 31 minutes. The win pulled Boston four games under .500 and just four games back in the Wild Card (yes it's mid-June) which makes me puke but hey, it's progress (5-2 homestand).

John Lackey was superb again, he went nine shutout innings, allowing only three hits with nine strikeouts and one walk. For whatever reason, Boston can never seem to score runs when he's on the mound this season similar to what happened with Jon Lester a few seasons ago. Lackey didn't factor into the decision but his ERA dipped to 2.96. I never thought I'd say this but he deserves to be an All-Star if he keeps this up.

Coming into a scoreless game in the 10th proved to be Koji Uehara's (2-1) kryptonite: he allowed a solo homer for the immortal Chris Parmelee (3 for 4). What made it even more strange is that he got the first two outs including a strikeout before Parmelee took him deep to right field. So he probably didn't deserve the win based on today's performance but call it a gift from his otherwise flawless campaign.

Twins youngster Kyle Gibson pitched about as well he you can if you're not named Clayton Kershaw. In seven innings, he allowed only one hit with eight strikeouts and no walks. I have no clue why Minnesota didn't use their solid closer Glen Perkins in the tenth when they had the 1-0 lead. He hadn't worked the last few nights but instead, Casey Fien (3-4) turned into the sacrificial lamb who allowed both bombs.

The Red Sox won't play at Fenway again until June 30 vs. Cubs. Before that, they have a grueling 10-game road trip covering Oakland (4 games), Seattle (3 games) and New York (3 games). All three of those teams are over .500 (yes even the Mariners) while the A's (44-28) have the best record in baseball and look the part. Boston took two of three at home against Oakland in the beginning of May but I feel like they always struggle on the West Coast.

Jake Peavy (1-4) faces Scott Kazmir (8-2, seriously) tomorrow night (10:05, NESN), Felix Doubront (2-4) returns on Friday (10:05, NESN) to face Jesse Chavez (6-4), Rubby De La Rosa (2-2) takes on Brad Mills (0-0) who makes his A's debut on Saturday afternoon (4:05, NESN) and Jon Lester (8-7) closes it out on Sunday afternoon (4:05, NESN) vs. Tommy Milone (5-3).

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David Ortiz Saves the Day For the Millionth Time in His Red Sox Career

We all know that there currently is little reason to tune into Red Sox games. Still, once again David Ortiz proved to be must-watch TV whenever he steps to the plate. Boston (28-34 overall, 13-17 away) was headed to its sixth straight loss at Detroit's (33-26 overall, 16-15 home) Comerica Park until Ortiz connected for a go-ahead three-run bomb (his 14th of the season and 445th of his career) against former overhyped Yankee Joba Chamberlain (1-3). Joba rules got to be the Tigers closer for a night since Joe Nathan has been a mess this season.

They can't be too worried about the standings yet, however it should be noted that the Red Sox gained a game on all four of the other teams in the AL East since they all lost earlier in the day. Boston finally found a way to beat Detroit after starting 0-5 against everyone's pick to win the American League in 2014 (ever hear of Oakland?). It was the 27th game-tying or go-ahead hit in the ninth inning or later for Ortiz on Boston, the 16th that was a homer.

Ortiz will receive all the credit but a couple other guys kept the Red Sox in it, laying the foundation for his almost routine heroics (we are so spoiled). John Lackey (8 innings, 3 runs, 2 earned, 7 hits, 5 strikeouts, 1 walk) is still Boston's best starting pitcher while Brock Holt (4 for 5 with a triple and run) has morphed into Pedro Ciriaco circa 2012 (let's hope the team's season is a little different). Meanwhile, Mike Napoli returned with a bang: 3 for 4 with a solo homer in the sixth that tied it at two (his sixth of the season) and his first stolen base of the season. Oh and Koji Uehara pitched a 1-2-3 ninth on 13 pitches for his 12th save of the season, haha his ERA is 0.68 so I guess 2013 wasn't a complete fluke.

Dustin Pedroia gave his team a 1-0 lead in the third with a sacrifice fly. After that, Anibal Sanchez (6 innings, 2 earned runs, 6 hits, 7 strikeouts, 2 walks) kept the Red Sox in check except for Napoli's blast to right field. Tigers rookie shortstop Eugenio Suarez (great name) provided a boost with RBI singles in the third and seventh inning. Victor Martinez put Detroit up 2-1 in the fourth with an RBI single. The greatest hitter of his generation-Miguel Cabrera-was 2 for 3 with a double and run before he tapped out in the sixth with a tight hamstring. It's too much to ask for him to be in shape I guess, at least as far as we know he's not a drunk anymore.

This victory means nothing if the Red Sox can't build up some positive momentum. They have been so schizophrenic: losing 10 games in a row, winning seven and dropping the last five before tonight's Sunday Night Baseball. Here's an idea: be more consistent. Toronto (38-26) looks like the team to beat this season in the AL East while Baltimore (31-30) and New York (31-31) are the epitome of average. Tampa Bay (24-40) is the one team I think that you can completely write off in the division, assuming you haven't done that already with Boston.

The Red Sox can chip away at their 3.5 game gap behind the Orioles beginning tomorrow night (7:05, NESN) at Camden Yards. Boston plays three games against Baltimore, the Red Sox are 4-3 so far in 2014 against the O's. Jake Peavy (1-3) faces Bud Norris (4-5) in the opener, Brandon Workman (0-0) opposes Chris Tillman (5-2) on Tuesday (7:05, NESN) and Rubby De La Rosa (1-1) takes on Wei-Yin Chen (6-2) on Wednesday (7:05, NESN) in the series finale.

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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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Things The Red Sox Don't Like This Season: Sweeping Other Teams & Being At .500 or Better

Listen, coming into the weekend I thought there was no chance that the Red Sox would sweep the A's-the AL's best team-at Fenway Park. However, after Boston (15-17 overall, 8-11 home) won on Friday and Saturday, I was hoping that they could beat Oakland (19-12 overall, 13-6 away) on Sunday for two simple reasons: 1) It would be the first sweep of the season in Boston's favor and 2) they would finally reach the elusive .500 mark (they were 0-7 coming into Sunday afternoon in games where they could get to .500). Naturally, the A's won 3-2 in 10 innings to salvage something from the three games.

Sonny Gray (6 innings, 2 earned runs, 6 hits, 3 strikeouts, 2 walks) and John Lackey (6 innings, 2 earned runs, 5 hits, 4 strikeouts, 3 walks) were both good while each offense conversely couldn't get much going. Oakland took a 1-0 lead in the first on former Red Sox great Brandon Moss' (2 for 4, double) RBI single. Grady Sizemore (2 for 2) tied it with an RBI double in the fifth.

Once again, the A's pulled ahead with an RBI double by Yoenis Cespedes in the sixth. A.J. Pierzynski answered with a solo homer, his third of the season and first at Fenway, in the seventh. Andrew Miller, Junichi Tazawa and Koji Uehara all pitched scoreless innings before Chris Capuano (1-1) ran into a little trouble in the 10th. Oakland's winning run was pushed across on an infield single by Cespedes. Boston was shut down by former Orioles closer Jim Johnson (3-2) who got the last five outs of the game.

It is a weird schedule for the Red Sox this week since they are off tomorrow then host Cincinnati (15-16 overall, 3rd in NL Central) for two games before another off-day on Thursday. Felix Doubront (1-3) faces Homer Bailey (2-2) on Tuesday (7:10, NESN) and Jake Peavy (1-1) meets Mike Leake (2-3) on Wednesday (7:10, NESN).

For their sake, the not ready for primetime Red Sox better hope that the Bruins keep advancing in the playoffs, the Celtics win the first pick in the NBA Draft and something interesting happens with the Patriots. Otherwise, people will turn their attention to the Red Sox and as they've proven so far, they are not worth keeping close tabs on so far in 2014.

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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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There's Dumb and then There is Michael Pineda

It's about time that Red Sox-Yankees had some new drama since admittedly the last few years have been pretty blah for the alleged best rivalry in MLB. Tonight shall forever be known as the night that Michael Pineda overdosed on pine tar. He had gotten away with having it all over his hand two weeks ago when New York (12-9 overall, 6-6 away) beat Boston (10-12 overall, 5-7 home) 4-1 at Yankee Stadium but it was a different story in the friendly confines of Fenway Park.

Red Sox manager John Farrell pointed out the pine tar all over Pineda's neck (I'm serious) and the Yankees hurler was ejected with two outs in the bottom of the second. Boston had already scored twice in the first inning and they went on to post a 5-1 victory that will perhaps propel them out of the depths of mediocrity that they've been stuck in since the opening series in Baltimore.

Let's not have Pineda's utter stupidity completely overshadow what was John Lackey's best performance as a Red Sox (8 innings, 1 earned run, 7 hits, 11 strikeouts, 0 walks), in the regular season at least I know he had some great ones last postseason. It's the second time in his career that he's had 11 Ks & 0 BBs vs. New York (the other was when he was an Angel) and he became only the fourth Red Sox pitcher to do that (joining Pedro Martinez, Jim Lonborg and Cy Young).

Pineda figures to be suspended by MLB, how long is another question but he also screwed his team over since his manager Joe Girardi had to burn through four additional relievers. Boston went up 2-0 in the first on RBI singles by Dustin Pedroia (2 hits, 2 runs) and A.J. Pierzynski (walk). The Red Sox pushed two more runs across in the third against David Phelps on a ground rule double by Mike Napoli (3 for 4) and a wild pitch.

Alfonso Soriano's sacrifice fly in the sixth produced New York's only run. Brock Holt (2 walks) continued his fine play with an RBI single in the eighth that drove in Xander Bogaerts (single, run). You hate to see him used in non-save situations but Farrell always plays Koji Uehara when he's warmed up so he went out there in the ninth and struck out the side to end it.

To kill time before Bruins-Red Wings Game 4 tomorrow night (8, NESN), we will probably see about 1.5 innings of the series finale between the Red Sox and Yankees (7:10, NESN Plus). CC Sabathia (2-2) faces Felix Doubront (1-2) and they both suck so both teams could put up big numbers as they try to clinch the three-game series.

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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 Pick Up Their 1st Win of 2014, 6-2 Over Orioles

After a day of fun at the White House, the Red Sox came back relaxed as they beat the Orioles 6-2 tonight at Camden Yards. Boston (1-1) received a strong outing from John Lackey (6 innings, 2 earned runs, 3 hits, 6 strikeouts, 1 walk) and three scoreless innings from its bullpen to even the series at one game apiece. Baltimore (1-1) was limited to six hits, the only one for extra bases was a two-run homer by Nelson Cruz (his second homer in as many games).

Ubaldo Jimenez (0-1) once again couldn't find a way to quiet Boston's bats. In six innings, he allowed four earned runs on five hits with six strikeouts and three walks. The Red Sox had 10 hits as a team including four singles (and two runs) by Dustin Pedroia. David Ortiz got Boston on the board with a two-run homer to right in the third inning for a 2-0 lead.

Cruz answered with his two-run homer to right in the fourth but Mike Napoli responded with a two-run bomb to center in the fifth. He added a two-run single in the seventh for a pair of insurance runs. Edward Mujica pitched a scoreless seventh in his Red Sox debut. He handed the ball over to the lockdown pair from last season: Junichi Tazawa and Koji Uehara. Tazawa had to throw 15 pitches and Uehara used 18 pitches but they both got the job done with limited drama in their respective innings of work.

The series finale is tomorrow night (7:05, NESN) with the gross pitching matchup of Felix Doubront vs. Wei-Yin Chen.

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Red Sox Complete an Incredible Turnaround in 1 season, Capturing Their 8th World Series Title

If you had told me in 2003 right after the Red Sox lost in heartbreaking fashion to the Yankees in Game 7 of the ALCS that the next year they'd win the World Series (for the first time in 86 years) then twice more in the next decade, I would have laughed for about an hour. Tonight was one of those special moments that sports singularly provides as Boston beat St. Louis 6-1 in Game 6 of the 2013 World Series to win the series 4-2. They are the first team in MLB to win three titles in the 21st century.

The Cardinals finally figured out they didn't have to pitch to David Ortiz, he walked in four out of five plate appearances (two intentionally) but still scored two runs and picked up the World Series MVP trophy. John Farrell became only the sixth manager in MLB history to win a title in his first year with a club (last one ironically was Terry Francona here in 2004). Red Sox became only the second team in MLB history (Twins, 1991) to finish in last place in their division one season then win the World Series the following season.

This was the first time since 1918 that the Red Sox had won the title at Fenway Park, giving the night some legit historical significance. Red Sox also became the first team in MLB to win three times in the past decade and this was their eighth title in franchise history. You can't help but be astounded at how much changed in one season: Boston was the worst team in the AL in 2012 and now they're back on top for the eighth Boston sports title since 2000 (3 for Patriots and Red Sox; 1 for Bruins and Celtics).

The easy storyline is John Lackey (6.2 innings, 1 earned run, 9 hits, 5 strikeouts, 1 walk) who picked up the clinching win. I think that's well established by now so I'd rather focus on Koji Uehara getting the last three outs in a 1-2-3 9th capping his insane run as Boston's closer. You want more unlikely heroes? How about Stephen Drew (2 hits) hitting a solo homer and Shane Victorino driving in four runs after he missed Games 4 and 5 with back problems.

Michael Wacha is a great young pitcher, one of the best in MLB, but his magic carpet ride came to a screeching halt as he allowed six earned runs in 3.2 innings. Boston actually scored all the runs they needed on Victorino's bases-loaded double in the third to make it 3-0. The Red Sox tacked on three more runs in the fourth on Drew's solo homer into their bullpen, Mike Napoli's RBI single and an RBI single by Victorino. In past years, you'd worry about something bad happening to the Red Sox but I have to admit that once they got up five or six runs, I was very confident that it was all but over.

In probably his last game for the Red Sox, Jacoby Ellsbury was 2 for 4 with a double, walk and two runs scored. St. Louis' only real chance to threaten (or at least make it interesting) came in the bottom of the seventh, Junichi Tazawa came in with the bases loaded and two outs but he got one-legged Allen Craig to ground to first. Did you know his foot was hurt? The only run for the Cardinals came on Carlos Beltran's RBI single earlier in the seventh.

Rookie Brandon Workman had a 1-2-3 eighth which set the table for Uehara's last appearance of the season. Fittingly, this incredible journey ended with him striking out Matt Carpenter (3 for 5, double) to end it.

Every championship is different and I hate to compare them; you have to appreciate each one and I think we will certainly do that after all the garbage and drama of the last few seasons on Yawkey Way. 2004 is what everyone will always remember for obvious reasons, 2007 was complete domination and this year was about restoring pride in this beloved team. Mission accomplished, what else can you say? The Red Sox exceeded all expectations except their own, they were a likable team that had fun playing baseball and enjoyed being around each other. What more do you want? Enjoy the parade on Saturday.

UPDATE 11/2: The Red Sox picked up Jon Lester's option for 2014 ($13 million) and declined Matt Thornton's.

UPDATE 11/4: Boston made qualifying offers (1 year, $14 million) to Jacoby Ellsbury, Mike Napoli and Stephen Drew. They didn't make offers to Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Joel Hanrahan and John McDonald so they are free agents that can sign with any team and that club doesn't have to give up a draft pick.

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As They Have All Season, Red Sox Bounce Back With Win-This Time in Game 4 of the World Series

Even in professional sports, the best teams-ones that win championships-often defy logical explanation, that's what makes them so fun to follow. Isn't that how you would describe the Red Sox in 2013? An overachieving group that consistently finds ways to squeeze everything out of their diverse talents. In the biggest game of the season, Clay Buchholz was limited to four innings but five relievers helped Boston hold off St. Louis 4-2 in Game 4 of the 2013 World Series at subdued Busch Stadium.

The Red Sox' win tonight makes it 2-2 and guarantees a Game 6 back at Fenway Park, now the question is who will be playing for a title in that one. Game 5 is tomorrow night (8:07, Fox), the third game in three nights in St. Louis with Jon Lester (1-0) facing Adam Wainwright (0-1). After Game 3's bizarre ending, Game 4 staked its claim in baseball history as pinch runner Kolten Wong was picked off first base by Koji Uehara (1st save) to end it.

Boston received contributions from many guys as usual but Felix Doubront (2.2 innings of relief, 3 strikeouts) picked up the win and Jonny Gomes hit the deciding three-run homer in the sixth inning. Carlos Beltran gave St. Louis a 1-0 lead in the third with an RBI single but ironically he was the guy at the plate when Wong committed his most unforgivable of mistakes. It was only Uehara's third successful pickoff of his MLB career.

Naturally, Stephen Drew tied it in the fifth with a sacrifice fly that scored David Ortiz (3 for 3, double, 2 runs, walk) who is hitting 8 for 11 (.727) in the World Series. Lance Lynn (0-1) cruised through the first four innings but he started to fall apart after Boston forced him into long at bats and increased his pitch count.

If the Red Sox win two more games, Gomes' three-run blast in the sixth will go down in Boston sports lore. It was a no-doubter and he celebrated right out of the box but don't tell Braves hardo catcher Brian McCann about that fun detail. He was a last-minute addition to the lineup since Shane Victorino's back tightened up on him.

Craig Breslow's magic is gone but Red Sox manager John Farrell hasn't seemed to figure that out yet. He keeps throwing him out there which isn't resulting in positive outcomes for Boston. Tonight he allowed an RBI single to Matt Carpenter (2 for 5, run) that cut it to 4-2. Junichi Tazawa was summoned to face Matt Holliday with runners on first and second but he retired him on a grounder to second to end the threat.

The last time John Lackey pitched in relief was in 2004 and he hadn't done it in the playoffs since his rookie year (2002) but this evening, he pitched a 1-2-3 eighth for the hold. Who could have imagined that scenario the last few years with all of his drama and poor performances for the Red Sox?

Lester will need to give Boston's taxed bullpen some innings tomorrow night but he should be up to the task after pitching very well in his previous postseason outings. They are at home but now the pressure falls squarely on St. Louis because if they lose Game 5 then they'd have to win twice in Boston which is a tall order for any team even one as good as they have proven to be this October.

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Unlike the Rays & Tigers, The Cardinals are not Frauds

If you are not a moron, you had to know that Game 1 was an anomaly. There was no way the Cardinals, a proud team that had won 97 games in the regular season-just like the Red Sox-was that bad. St. Louis showed what they're made of in 2013 by winning Game 2 of the World Series 4-2 tonight at chilly Fenway Park. This evens the series at one and ensures that the next three games will all be at Busch Stadium. Oh and it snaps that silly nine-game win streak by Boston in the Fall Classic dating back to 2004 vs. St. Louis.

Cardinals rookie pitcher Michael Wacha (1-0) was really good: six innings, two earned runs on three hits with six strikeouts and four walks. John Lackey (0-1) beat Justin Verlander in the ALCS but he couldn't beat Wacha who seems destined to be a star-he's only 22! Lackey went 6.1 innings, allowing three earned runs on five hits with six strikeouts and two walks.

Just like in the regular season, the Red Sox simply can't score runs when Lackey is on the mound. Another troubling trend: their bats disappeared much like they did for most of the ALCS. Boston only had four total hits in Game 2, two by David Ortiz. Speaking of Big Papi, he ruined Wacha's shutout bid with a two-run homer (his 17th career postseason bomb) that just sneaked over the Monster in the sixth for a 2-1 lead.

St. Louis had taken its first lead in the last six World Series game vs. Boston with a ground out in the fourth by Yadier Molina that scored Matt Holliday who had tripled. The Red Sox bullpen-its biggest strength vs. Detroit-showed wear and tear or perhaps just came back to Earth and Craig Breslow gave up the tying run on Matt Carpenter's sacrifice fly in the seventh. He compounded that by allowing another run on the same play since he airmailed a pointless throw to third base.

Carlos Beltran (2 hits) added an RBI single later in the frame which gave the Cardinals a 4-2 lead which was more than enough for their young fireballers in the bullpen. 22-year-old Carlos Martinez struck out three in two scoreless innings while greybeard Trevor Rosenthal (23!) struck out the side in the ninth on 11 pitches (very Koji-like) for his first save of the series.

Boston really could have used this win since Game 3 is Joe Kelly vs. Jake Peavy-who knows what to expect from him after the debacle in Detroit?. Before this series started, I think most rational fans thought this would go six or seven games either way. Good news for baseball and tough luck for your hearts: I agree that it is going to last a while.

There is also some lineup moves to make in order to hopefully spark Boston's offense. It is time for Daniel Nava to start in left field now that Jonny Gomes isn't unbeaten anymore in games he starts (7-1). I'm also hoping that David Ross starts over Jarrod Saltalamacchia who made an error in the seventh and was 0 for 3 with a walk and two strikeouts. I would love to see worthless Stephen Drew take a seat as well but I'm not holding my breath on that. He's too good defensively for manager John Farrell to abandon his boy.

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Just as We All Expected: Lackey Outdueled Verlander in Game 3 of the ALCS

We're only three games into what could be a lengthy 2013 ALCS but already I'm struggling to find ways to describe all these bizarre events. Today in Game 3 at Comerica Park, Boston beat Detroit 1-0 to take a 2-1 lead in the series. John Lackey (6.2 IP, 4 hits, 8 strikeouts, 0 walks) submitted his best start as a Red Sox while Justin Verlander (0-1) was his typical unhittable self: 8 innings, 4 hits, 1 earned run, 10 strikeouts, 1 walk.

Made fun of by everyone (myself included), Mike Napoli decided to make contract for once and boy did it pay off. His seventh inning solo home run turned out to be the only run of the entire contest. By reversing the score on Game 1, Boston ensured that there will at least be one more game this season at Fenway Park. The question is if that will be Game 6 of the ALCS or Game 1 of the World Series?

The Red Sox bullpen, which has proven to be one of its biggest strengths this postseason, had a chance to shine yet again. Craig Breslow got two outs, Junichi Tazawa got one important out (striking out Miguel Cabrera with runners on first and third) while Koji Uehara was called on for a four-out save. No problem, after striking out the very unclutch Prince Fielder to end the eighth, he allowed a single to Victor Martinez (2 hits) to lead off the ninth but settled down for a scoreless ninth with a double play ball from Jhonny Peralta and another strikeout. After recording the win in Game 2, he picked up his more customary save.

The Tigers had six hits, Torii Hunter was 2 for 4 but Detroit went 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position. Just like you know they'll start getting more runs, you can pretty much bank on the fact that Boston's neutered lineup will do something more than it has (7 runs in 3 games) to this point against an incredible pitching staff.

Game 4 is tomorrow night (8:07, FOX) and it pits Jake Peavy against Doug Fister. Detroit knows Peavy well from his years with the White Sox but on the other hand, he was great against Tampa Bay in the clinching Game 4 of the ALDS. The pressure has shifted squarely on the Tigers since they can't afford to go down 3-1 to this team that is clearly their equal (if not a little superior).

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Turns Out We Might Have Been Overestimating The Rays Just a Tad

Listen, it's not over by any means but oh boy, Red Sox fans have to be thrilled with how things have gone so far vs. the Rays. Tonight, Boston beat Tampa Bay 7-4 to take a commanding 2-0 lead (they've outscored them 19-6) in the ALDS and put the Rays on the brink of elimination. Game 3 is Monday night (6:07, TBS) at Tropicana Field as Clay Buchholz faces Alex Cobb.

David Ortiz hit a pair of solo homers (first time he's done that in his career in a playoff game, crazy right?) and David Price (0-1) was awful in what could have been his last start for Tampa Bay: 7+ innings, 7 earned runs on 9 hits with 5 strikeouts and 2 walks. John Lackey (1-0) wasn't great but unlike in the regular season, his teammates picked him up when he needed it (5.1 innings, 4 earned runs, 7 hits, 6 strikeouts, 3 walks) with some ample run support.

In their first somewhat difficult task, the Red Sox bullpen collectively was superb. Craig Breslow got five outs without allowing a hit, Junichi Tazawa pitched a scoreless eighth and Koji Uehara earned his first save with a 1-2-3 ninth with two strikeouts (all 11 pitches were strikes!).

Boston never trailed in Game 2 as they scored twice in the first inning on Dustin Pedroia's sacrifice fly and Ortiz's first long ball. Delmon Young had a sacrifice fly in the second but the Red Sox answered with two more runs in the third on Jacoby Ellsbury's (3 hits, 3 runs, stolen base) RBI double and a groundout by Pedroia.

Stephen Drew extended the lead to 5-1 with an RBI triple in the fourth but James Loney (2 hits) knocked in a pair of runs in the fifth with an RBI double. Pedroia finished his sneaky big performance with an RBI double in the fifth. Scummy Yunel Escobar (2 hits, run) cut it to 6-4 on an RBI single in the sixth but Ortiz's second homer-in the eighth-gave Boston some breathing room not that the bullpen needed it.

The other three series in MLB are all tied 1-1 after two games so the Red Sox are the only team with a chance to sweep their first round opponent. It would be most excellent if they could knock the Rays out and then watch the Tigers and A's go five games. First things first, take care of business on Monday in Tampa Bay.

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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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Tigers Completely Shut Down Red Sox 3-0 In Series Opener

John Lackey (8-12) continues to pitch very well this season but for whatever unexplainable reason, the Red Sox (82-57 overall, 45-25 home) can't ever seem to score many runs for him. This afternoon at Fenway Park, the Tigers (81-57 overall, 37-30 away) blanked Boston 3-0 thanks to seven shutout innings by Doug Fister (12-7) and just enough offense.

The Red Sox had their first two batters reach base in the first, second and seventh inning but they could never push any of them across thanks to some deft work by Fister (4 hits, 4 strikeouts, 4 walks). Lackey (7.1 innings, 3 earned runs, 7 hits, 5 strikeouts, 1 walk) matched Fister for a while but Andy Dirks broke the deadlock with an RBI triple in the seventh. Detroit scored a run on a double play but Lackey was able to escape further damage.

The Tigers had the bases loaded but after Matt Thornton relieved Lackey, all he allowed was Prince Fielder's sacrifice fly in the eighth that scored Austin Jackson (2 for 4, double, stolen base). Somehow the Tigers improved to 9-2 this season with no Miguel Cabrera in their lineup.

Daniel Nava's (3 for 3, 2 doubles, walk) excellent season continued but unfortunately, he had half of Boston's hits. Fireballer Bruce Rondon who hit 102 MPH struck out two in the eighth after Phil Coke got the first out then Jose Veras recorded a scoreless ninth inning for his 21st save of the season. That number is misleading since most of those saves came in Houston; now, he's only the closer in Detroit when Joaquin Benoit needs a break.

Expect another low-scoring pitcher's duel (kiss of death) tomorrow night (7:10, NESN) as Jon Lester (12-8) faces Max Scherzer (19-1).

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Red Sox Keep Finding Ways To Win & Quiet The Few Remaining Naysayers

Everyone enjoys winning and the Red Sox have done plenty of that this season but one of the things that has made them so extra enjoyable to watch is that it feels like they're competitive in every single game. Indeed, the Orioles (70-61 overall, 32-32 away) led 3-1 in the seventh inning tonight at Fenway Park but choked that two-run lead away as Boston (79-55 overall, 42-23 home) won their fourth straight contest by a score of 4-3.

There were plenty of heroes for the Red Sox' cause: pinch hitter Mike Carp drove in the winning run-Jacoby Ellsbury (2 hits, run, walk, 2 stolen bases) with a bloop RBI single to left field. Craig Breslow (4-2) sneaked away with the win after getting the last two outs in the eighth and Koji Uehara had a 1-2-3 ninth with a strikeout for his 14th save of the season.

Early on it was the Chris Davis and Manny Machado show. Davis had an RBI double in the first and he clocked his MLB-best 47th homer in the sixth for a 3-1 O's lead. Machado (2 hits, 2 runs) had a solo homer of his own in the third inning. Boston hung around as Shane Victorino got them on the board with an RBI single in the third and Dustin Pedroia (2 walks) came through with a clutch two-run single in the seventh.

Stephen Drew doubled, walked twice and scored two runs while Jarrod Saltalamacchia was 2 for 4 with a double and run. The Red Sox chased Bud Norris after 5.1 innings, he had only allowed one earned run on five hits but his pitch count was 105. John Lackey lasted two innings more and threw 13 less pitches. It wasn't his best performance but as always, he gave them innings and didn't walk anybody (1 walk).

Boston will try to sweep the series tomorrow night (7:10, NESN) and throw a serious wrench into any plans Baltimore had of making the playoffs for the second year in a row. Jon Lester (12-7) meets Chris Tillman (14-4).

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It's Safe To Say The Red Sox Did Not Enjoy Their Time in Kansas City

The Pittsburgh Pirates are rightfully earning most of the praise and attention across MLB this season as the team that has totally turned it around after years of losing. However in the American League, Kansas City is starting to become a great story as well. With the Royals' (61-54 overall, 32-26 home) 5-4 win this afternoon over the Red Sox (71-49 overall, 32-28 home) at Kauffman Stadium, they took this weekend's series (3-1) and the season series (5-2).

The good news for Boston is that Tampa Bay has finally slumped a bit, losing their last five games including a sweep from the Dodgers this weekend. Strictly because of that, the Red Sox remain three games up on them for first place in the AL East.

James Shields (7-8) is still a good pitcher and he is certainly familiar with some of the Red Sox hitters from his time with the Rays. Shields went seven innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on seven hits with five strikeouts and three walks. John Lackey (7-10) did not have his best stuff by any means but he gutted it out for seven innings: four earned runs on seven hits with five strikeouts and two walks.

Boston got on the board first as Shane Victorino (double, stolen base) came around on Salvador Perez's throwing error in the first inning. Alex Gordon (3 hits) tied it with an RBI single in the home half of the first. Then Jarrod Dyson and David Lough (who?) added RBI singles in the second and Gordon smacked his 13th homer of the season-a solo shot in the third for a 4-1 Royals lead.

For whatever reason, it felt like the Red Sox were down by way more than three runs which is why Ryan Lavarnway's (2 hits) two-run single in the sixth woke everybody up. Kansas City's bullpen was equal to the task though with a scoreless eighth by Tim Collins and Aaron Crow while All-Star closer Greg Holland had a 1-2-3 ninth with two strikeouts for his 32nd save of the season (2nd of the series).

Red hot Stephen Drew (seriously) was 2 for 4 with a double and run for Boston in the loss. This has been a bumpy road trip so far for the Red Sox (3-4) but they have a chance to go home on a positive note after three games in Toronto (54-63, 5th in AL East) starting on Tuesday (7:07, NESN) with Ryan Dempster (6-8) vs. rookie Todd Redmond (1-1). The other two pitching matchups favor Boston at the Rogers Centre: Jon Lester (10-7) vs. Josh Johnson (2-8) on Wednesday (7:07, NESN) and Jake Peavy (9-4) takes on Mark Buehrle (8-7) on Thursday (7:07, NESN).

They haven't been off since July 25 (rainout vs. Rays) so tomorrow will give Boston a chance to relax for the first time in a while.

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Red Sox Reclaim 1st Place in AL East With Epic 5-4 15-Inning Win Over Mariners

I try to steer clear of using tired clichés like "Team of Destiny"-haha what does that even mean? However, when it comes to this edition of the Red Sox and all the amazing wins they seem to pull out of their asses, you have to wonder if something special is brewing here. Tonight, they waged a 15-inning marathon (5:03) with the Mariners (longest game of the season so far) and lived to tell the tale after Stephen Drew's (2 hits, walk) walk-off single won it 5-4 at Fenway Park.

The game was so long that it started on Wednesday and ended on Thursday, even better it was July when the evening began and August when Drew wrapped it up. The Red Sox lead MLB with 10 walk-off wins in 2013, their most since they had 10 in 1996. They are also tied with the Pirates for most wins in MLB, haha who would have guessed that happening on August 1?

Boston (65-44 overall, 36-20 home) was rewarded with a Rays loss earlier in the night meaning that this victory propelled them back into first place in the AL East. It feels like a different guy steps up in nearly every win and along with Drew, we should also heap praise on rookie reliever Drake Britton (1-0) who picked up his first MLB win with two scoreless innings (2 strikeouts) to close it out.

John Lackey went seven innings, allowing three earned runs on eight hits with six strikeouts and one walk. Mariners (50-57 overall, 21-29 away) hurler Hisashi Iwakuma was effective (5.2 innings, 2 runs, 7 hits, 4 strikeouts, 2 walks) but his pitch count was much too high (102) to last very long.

As is usually the case with extra innings games, there were some whacky numbers. Seattle had 16 hits to Boston's 12 but the Red Sox saw 44 more pitches (246-202). Boston left 13 men on base, one more than Seattle. The Red Sox were 2 for 12 with runners in scoring position while the Mariners were 3 for 11.

Kyle Seager (3 for 6, walk) and Kendry Morales (3 for 4) continued to rake against Boston. Dustin Pedroia (2 hits, walk), Shane Victorino (2 hits, run, walk), Jarrod Saltalamacchia (2 for 7) and Drew all had multiple hits in the victory.

Seager gave Seattle a 1-0 lead with an RBI double in the fourth. Boston tied it on a gift by Nick Franklin (0 for 7 with 4 strikeouts)-an error-and it became 2-1 on Pedroia's ground out.

Morales drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in the sixth and the Mariners took their final lead (3-2) later in the frame on an RBI single by Raul Ibanez (2 hits).

Dustin Pedroia hit his second two-run homer in as many nights, his eighth of the season, in the sixth for a 4-3 Red Sox advantage. Seager tied it in the eighth with a solo homer.

Boston's bullpen was outstanding which was ironic since Red Sox GM Ben Cherrington didn't make any more moves at the Trade Deadline for relievers (like many expected) or anyone else for that matter. Koji Uehara threw two scoreless innings with three strikeouts. Matt Thornton had a scoreless 11th then Craig Breslow pitched two scoreless innings and Britton did his thing.

The Red Sox should have ended it in the 14th when Brandon Snyder led off with a double then was bunted over to third by Jacoby Ellsbury. Victorino hit a shallow fly ball to center and Michael Saunders gunned out Snyder at the plate by a few feet. Why they felt the need to send him I'll never know, especially with Pedroia and David Ortiz due up next.

Jonny Gomes gave them a chance to win it in the Bottom 15th after he robbed Saunders of a hit then doubled up old man Raul Ibanez at second base by running it in himself for the ultra rare unassisted double play to end the Top 15th. I don't know if I've ever seen that happen before in MLB.

Boston goes for the series sweep tomorrow night (7:10, NESN) and it promises to be difficult to pull off since Felix Hernandez (11-4) takes the ball for the Mariners vs. Ryan Dempster (6-8). Jake Peavy is expected to make his Red Sox debut on Saturday night against Diamondbacks.

UPDATE 8/1: It was confirmed today that Peavy will start on Saturday and Jose De La Torre was sent down to Pawtucket. With last night's extra long contest, Boston needed another reliever so they sent Brandon Workman down and activated Steven Wright.

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