Red Sox Fall To A Mighty Depressing 2-4 On West Coast Trip Thanks To 3rd Walk-Off Loss

It's a good thing that A) nobody is watching or B) that nobody really cares about the Red Sox this season because this current West Coast road trip would give you nightmares all summer, trust the sucker that has watched or listened to most of it.

Tonight, Boston (42-39, 21-18 away) suffered another mind-numbing loss, 3-2 to Oakland (40-42, 21-19 home) at O.co Coliseum.

This was the 81st game of the season for the Red Sox-the exact halfway point-meaning that they are on pace for 84 wins. How mediocre.

Making matters much worse, it came on a walk-off sacrifice fly by old punching bag Coco Crisp in the bottom of the ninth that scored Cliff Pennington. Alfredo Aceves (0-6) blew his fourth save of the season but he wasn't helped out by Ryan Kalish's error on the RBI single by Brandon Moss that tied it at two. Compounding that, Bobby Valentine decided to pitch to Crisp with runners on the corners and one out. Ugh.

It was a Tour De Force of shitty baseball from the Red Sox who have scored two or less runs in four straight games and five of six overall on this swing (2-4) through the dredge of the AL West. Boston had runners on first and second with no outs in the top of the ninth but somehow didn't score a run as Nick Punto bunted into a double play (really) then Kalish was caught stealing third base. How that's possible outside of Little League, we'll never know.

Jon Lester's best outing in a month and a half went all for naught. He allowed a lead-off homer to Crisp (his 3rd of the season) in the first but he was locked in after that, going 6.2 innings and allowing one earned run on four hits with a season-high nine strikeouts and one walk.

Former Red Sox doughboy Bartolo Colon was similarly on point, he went six innings and allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits with three strikeouts and a walk. Not bad for a guy making his first start off the DL.

Then again, anybody could shutdown Boston's limp lineup right now. They had seven hits and all but one was a single. Even worse, they were 0-for-8 tonight with runners in scoring position.

Jarrod Saltalamacchia (16th of the season) tied it with a solo homer in the second then David Ortiz scored on an error in the fourth, giving Boston the temporary 2-1 advantage.

Mr. Single himself Adrian Gonzalez was 2-for-4 (both singles of course) to extend his fraudulent hit streak to an MLB-best 14 games. Woo, feel the excitement.

After striking out pinch-hitter Seth Smith to end the seventh, Vicente Padilla managed to not allow a run in the eighth despite facing runners at 1st and 2nd with no outs after an error by Mike Aviles and a single. Oakland had a sacrifice and intentional walk but he struck out the last two batters to record his 18th hold of the season. If Aceves ever gets demoted, Padilla should be the next closer. Just saying.

Lefty Jerry Blevins (2-0) got the last five outs for the A's to receive the unexpected win.

The Red Sox will try to restore a shred of dignity while they close out this miserable road trip (their last before the All-Star break) tomorrow afternoon (4:05 p.m., NESN). Aaron Cook (2-1) faces rookie AJ Griffin (0-0) on the Fourth of July and I doubt that you have better plans than to watch what should be one of the better pitching matchups of the season. Haha! Plus, does it get more patriotic than Oakland?

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Red Sox Pick Up First Extra Innings Win Of 2012, 2-1 In Seattle After 10 Miserable Innings

It only took them six tries (1-5) but the Red Sox can finally say that they won a game in extra innings during the 2012 season.

Boston (42-37, 21-16 away) salvaged a split of a very forgettable weekend in Seattle (34-47, 15-23 home) with a 2-1 win in 10 innings this afternoon at the hitter's graveyard better known as Safeco Field. Don't believe me? Well the Mariners scored five runs in four games this series while the Red Sox had nine.

Pinch-hitter Ryan Kalish doubled with one out in the 10th, moved over on Dustin Pedroia's single and scored on David Ortiz's sacrifice fly. It couldn't have been more of a layup for the Red Sox beat writers as Ortiz drove in the winning run just hours after being named the only All-Star from Boston for the 2012 MLB All-Star Game.

The Mariners are a complete joke, they scored one run or less in three of the four games this weekend yet they went 2-2. That is wild. Somehow, Seattle looked like they might get their third walk-off win of the series when Justin Smoak hit a one-out double in the ninth. Luckily, Vicente Padilla (2-0) got Dustin Ackley to fly out, intentionally walked Chone Figgins then Brendan Ryan flew out to end the threat.

Get this, Red Sox closer Alfredo Aceves had a clean 10th inning that was over in five pitches. I don't know if I've ever seen that before but it was good enough for his 19th save of the season.

Felix Doubront did his best Dice-K impression but if we're being honest here, he still has to fine tune it. He labored through 102 pitches in 4.1 innings but only allowed one earned run on three hits with four strikeouts and five walks. Matsuzaka would have allowed way more runs and hits than that, come on Felix!

Lefty Jason Vargas almost shut down the Red Sox as he went eight solid innings, allowing one earned run on five hits with six strikeouts and a walk.

Ichiro provided the Mariners only run with a sacrifice fly in the third that scored Figgins. Can we pour out a cup of saki for our homie Ichiro? His batting average is .271 and his OBP is .297. He is 38-years-old and been in MLB for 11 seasons. At least he's got to play on many World Series contenders, oh wait. Well who could forget all those Octobers with him prominently featured in them?

Pedroia (6th of the season) tied it in the eighth with a solo homer to left, his first long ball since May 10.

Boston's bullpen saved Doubront and the rest of the team from another embarrassing loss. They went 5.2 innings, allowing one hit with one strikeout and two walks. Matt Albers was first (1.2 innings), Scott Atchison (2 innings) was next then Padilla and Aceves. Albers had the most memorable play for the relievers as he came in with the bases loaded and one out in the fifth. On his first pitch, he got Jesus Montero to ground into an inning-ending double play. You can't draw it up better than that.

The Red Sox have one last series on the road before the All-Star break: three games in Oakland (38-42, 3rd in AL West). The A's actually won two of three at Fenway (April 30-May 2) earlier this season but they are still the mediocre team you remember that can't hit or score runs therefore making wins pretty tough to come by for the sons of Billy Beane. The funny thing is Oakland has in many ways become the Pawtucket Red Sox: Josh Reddick, Coco Crisp and Brandon Moss are all in their current lineup.

Daisuke Matsuzaka (0-2) is still looking for his first win of 2012, he faces Jarrod Parker (4-3) tomorrow night (10:05 p.m., NESN). Jon Lester (5-5) gets King Koopa aka Bartolo Colon (6-7) on Tuesday night (10:05 p.m., NESN) and Franklin Morales (1-1) takes on rookie A.J. Griffin (0-0) Wednesday afternoon (4:05 p.m., NESN) on the Fourth of July.

After only beating Seattle twice, Boston needs to win at least two in Oakland to make this road trip feel a little better before they come home to face the Yankees.

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Oritz Homers Twice But Doubront Has Nothing & Red Sox Fall 9-6 To Blue Jays In Series Opener

In the first game of the post-Kevin Youkilis era, the Red Sox scored some runs but Felix Doubront was a mess so they lost 9-6 to the Blue Jays in the series opener at damp Fenway Park.

Toronto (38-35, 19-20 away) scored four runs in the first and a run in the second to take a 5-2 lead. Boston (38-35, 19-21 home) tied it at five in the fourth inning but it's almost impossible to win when you allow a trio of two-run homers.

Doubront (8-4) was never himself. He gutted out six innings but it was ugly since he allowed seven runs (five earned) on a career-high 11 hits with two strikeouts and a walk.

Henderson Alvarez (4-6) left in the sixth with an elbow injury (yikes!) but he was in line for the win and the Blue Jays were able to hang on and survive an hour-and-56 minute rain delay in the top of the seventh.

Five players on Toronto had multiple hits, led by Colby Rasmus (3 hits, 3 RBIs, 2 runs). Ben Francisco (2 hits, 2 runs), Edwin Encarnacion (2 hits, RBI, run), Brett Lawrie (2 hits, run, stolen base) and Yunel Escobar (2 hits, stolen base) all had nice nights at the plate.

Dustin Pedroia was 2 for 4 with a triple, stolen base and two runs scored.

Rasmus (14th of the season) sneaked a two-run homer in the first around Pesky's pole in right field. Encarnacion had an RBI double and a run scored on Rajai Davis's groundout. It was 4-0 before most of the fans had settled into their seats.

David Ortiz (3 runs) hit a two-run homer to right center, his 19th of the season, in the bottom of the first.

Rasmus added an RBI single in the second before scored twice in the third and once in the fourth to draw even. A run came across on an error then Adrian Gonzalez had an RBI single in the third. Ryan Kalish's (2 hits, stolen base) RBI single tied it at five in the fourth.

J.P. Arencibia (10th of the season) hit a two-run bomb over the Monster off Doubront in the sixth then Jose Bautista (24th of the season) did the same in the seventh except it was against Matt Albers. Toronto led 9-5 which was more than enough.

Ortiz hit a solo homer in the eighth off Darren Oliver to center, his 11th straight season with 20+ homers (second game with two this season; 37th with the Red Sox, 39th all-time in his career) but Blue Jays closer Casey Janssen struck out the side in a clean ninth for his eighth save of the season.

Tomorrow night (7:10 p.m., NESN) promises to be anything but an instant classic as Daisuke Matsuzaka (0-2) takes on journeyman Aaron Laffey (0-0), who is making his first start of the season due to all the injuries to Toronto starters. Get your bullpens ready!

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Red Sox Pound Marlins 15-5, Get Out Of Last Place & Gain A Game On Everyone In AL East

There have been very few nights like this lately where basically everything goes right for the Boston Red Sox. When that happens, you remember why you started watching baseball in the first place.

Boston (35-33, 16-19 home) rolled to its fourth straight win as they blew out Miami (33-35, 16-17 away) 15-5 tonight at Fenway Park. The Red Sox have now won six of their last seven games as they slowly try to make people pay attention since summer is truly here.

The only negative part for fans was that it was an absurd 96 degrees when the game started at a place that is naturally a sweat box to begin with. Still, there was plenty to be happy about as the Red Sox climbed out of last-place for the first time since June 3 and also gained a game on every other AL East team since they all lost.

The Marlins are reeling (no pun intended) as they've lost 12 of their last 14 games. Starter Ricky Nolasco (6-6) was shelled as he allowed nine earned runs in only 3.1 innings.

Red Sox starter Felix Doubront (8-3) beat Miami for the second time in a week thanks to six innings of work. He was not nearly as good as last time out but with a big lead, he did more than enough.

The home team gave its sweaty fans plenty to cheer about as they posted a season-high in runs including 16 hits, 14 RBIs and five walks. In a cool thing that you'll very rarely see, Boston hit every variety of home run in the lopsided victory: grand slam (David Ortiz), three-run (Mike Aviles), two-run (Will Middlebrooks) and solo (Jarrod Saltalamacchia).

Every starter in the lineup-except of course for Nick Punto-had a hit led by Daniel Nava (4 hits, 2 runs), Aviles (2 runs, 2 hits, 3 RBIs), Salty (3 runs, 2 hits), Ryan Kalish (2 runs, 2 hits) and Kevin Youkilis (2 hits). Not to be forgotten, Cody Ross added a bases-clearing double.

Logan Morrison and John Buck had solo homers for the Marlins while Omar Infante (3 hits), Justin Ruggiano (2 runs, 2 hits) and Jose Reyes (2 hits) all had multiple hits.

Boston was 5-for-13 with runners in scoring position and Miami was 2-for-14 in that same spot.

Daisuke Matsuzaka (0-2) will look for his first win of the season tomorrow night (7:10 p.m., NESN) as he faces Carlos Zambrano (4-5) and the Red Sox try to sweep the Marlins.

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Franklin Morales Strikes Out 9, Red Sox Beat Cubs 7-4 To Win The Interleague Series

The injuries continue to pile up at an alarming rate for the Red Sox but at least tonight, they got two unexpected contributions from Franklin Morales and Ryan Kalish that allowed them to beat the Cubs 7-4 at Wrigley Field.

With the win, Boston (33-33, 19-14 away) took the rubber game of the interleague series in Chicago (22-44, 14-19 home) and were able to return home back at .500 again with a day off on Monday.

Morales hadn't started in three years but that didn't stop him from pitching great all things considered. In only five innings, he struck out nine while allowing two earned runs on four hits with no walks. He did more than enough to earn another start next week against Atlanta.

Kalish hadn't played for the Red Sox since 2010 when he suffered a shoulder injury. He returned as Ryan Sweeney went on the DL this morning with inflammation in his broken toe. Kalish played center field and he came through with an RBI single in the seventh which put Boston up 4-3. He also scored the run that made it 6-3 later in the frame.

Befitting a contest that featured two last-place teams in their respective divisions, it was sloppy with both making two errors which was the result of generous scoring-Boston should have been charged with three. The Red Sox had four more hits than the Cubs (12-8) and their bullpen was better.

Paul Maholm was decent for Chicago. In six innings, he allowed three earned runs on six hits with six strikeouts and a walk.

Surely because it wasn't a save situation, Boston's closer Alfredo Aceves had to make it difficult when he appeared to start the ninth up 7-3. He allowed three straight singles by the Cubs before David DeJesus had a long sacrifice fly to center. Aceves settled down to strike out Reed Johnson and force Darwin Barney to pop up for the final out.

Boston gave Morales some early breathing room in the first as Dustin Pedroia (2 hits) drove in Scott Podsednik with an RBI double. David Ortiz (2 runs, walk) followed with an RBI single that scored Pedroia.

The one untouchable player on the Cubs-Starlin Castro-hit like a guy that deserves that type of unwavering respect. He was 3-for-4 with two RBIs and a home run shy of a cycle. He tied it with an RBI triple in the first and RBI double in the third.

Ortiz put Boston back on top with a solo homer (his 16th of the season) to center in the fourth inning which made it 3-2.

Chicago scored a run in the sixth on a botched fielder's choice from Matt Albers (2-0) to Mike Aviles at second base.

After Kalish's single, Will Middlebrooks pinch hit (can't believe he sat again!) and drove in Jarrod Saltalamacchia with a sacrifice fly. Kalish came home on Daniel Nava's suicide squeeze. Salty tacked on the last Boston run with a fielder's choice in the eighth.

The Red Sox relief before Aceves was excellent. Andrew Miller got the first two outs in the seventh before Mark Melancon shut the door. Scott Atchison had a 1-2-3 eighth on eight pitches.

Boston finished 4-2 in their last two intereleague series on the road. They are 6-6 overall (how fitting) during interleague this season with two series remaining at Fenway Park. The Miami Marlins (33-33, 4th in AL East) come for three games starting on Tuesday and then the Atlanta Braves will be here this weekend for the last three interleague games of 2012. The Toronto Blue Jays close out the nine-game homestand with three games of their own next week. The Red Sox won't have to leave Boston until June 27.

The Red Sox won two of three in Miami last week (June 11-13) and it will be like the Twilight Zone as two of the exact same pitching matchups occur once again: Clay Buchholz (7-2) faces Mark Buehrle (5-7) on Tuesday night (7:10 p.m., NESN), Felix Doubront (7-3) opposes Ricky Nolasco (6-5) on Wednesday night (7:10 p.m., NESN) then Daisuke Matsuzaka (0-2) closes it out against Carlos Zambrano (4-5) on Thursday night (7:10 p.m., NESN). Boston won Buchholz and Doubront's starts against Miami the first time around so they'll hope for that same success in the second meeting.

Scott Podsednik left in the fifth inning tonight with a groin injury. If it's serious, the Red Sox have Cody Ross about to return (possibly on Tuesday) anyway.

The weirdest thing is that Boston is 19-14 on the road this season and 14-19 at Fenway. It's time for them to start winning at home and taking advantage of what should be comfortable surroundings.

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Darnell McDonald and Ryan Kalish, outfielders of the future for the Red Sox?

2010 has been a revolving door for the Boston Red Sox as they have shuffled through a million lineups to augment an absurd level of injuries.

Jacoby Ellsbury and Mike Cameron were declared done for the season last night (no surprise) but the Sox (68-52) had no time to worry about it. More importantly, Dustin Pedroia-the team's heart and soul-returned to action after being out since June 25.

Thanks to two replacement outfielders: journeyman Darnell McDonald and rookie Ryan Kalish, Boston shut out the Los Angeles Angels (60-60) 6-0 at Fenway Park in the first game of a three-game series.

McDonald hit a solo homer in the third over the Monster that broke the back window of a car parked on a rooftop garage on Landsdowne Street. Pretty cool stuff, sorry person with Rhode Island plates.

Kalish topped that with a grand slam in the fourth, making it 5-0 Red Sox.

Victor Martinez doubled home David Ortiz (2 hits, 2 runs) in the fifth and Boston had accumulated an impressive 6-0 lead over Jered Weaver (5 innings, 6 earned runs, 6 hits, 2 walks, 4 strikeouts).

It shouldn't have taken this long to mention him but Clay Buchholz (14-5) improved his AL-best ERA to 2.36 as he has quickly added his name to the top of the AL Cy Young discussion. He went seven scoreless innings without his best stuff: five hits, two walks and three strikeouts.

Things figure to get much uglier pitching wise as John Lackey takes on Scott Kazmir tonight in game two. Lackey has been a big disappointment so far with the Red Sox and Kazmir has completely lost his wondrous talents he showed in obscurity for the Rays.

Tampa Bay and the Yankees both won last night, meaning they're both tied and 5.5 games ahead of Boston.

Mike Lowell says "I'm not dead yet"

After losing on Monday night to the Indians and having Kevin Youkilis placed on the DL with a thumb injury (that might keep him out for the rest of the season if he needs surgery), the Red Sox needed a boost of energy or else they're done.

Last night, that came in the form of Mike Lowell who returned to the field, playing first base, and hit a two-run homer as Boston (61-46) beat Cleveland (45-62) 3-1 at Fenway Park.

Josh Beckett (3-1) had his third straight good start, actually this was his best one in a long time. He went eight innings, allowing one earned run on three hits with no walks and eight strikeouts.

Jonathan Papelbon got a 1-2-3 ninth for his 25th save of the season. He also became the first closer to get 25+ saves in his first five MLB seasons.

Lowell cranked his two-run bomb off David Huff (2-10) in the second, taking the first pitch he saw in months in the big leagues over the Monster.

Lou Marson cut it to 2-1 in the third with a solo shot and Bill Hall (2 hits) pushed across the last run in the fourth with a solo homer of his own.

Ryan Kalish continued to impress, adding two more hits out of the ninth spot in his fourth MLB game. He's hitting .538.

Things got crazy in the eighth when Indians reliever Jensen Lewis threw behind Adrian Beltre. Beckett came out of the dugout and started barking at anyone in a Cleveland uniform, especially Shelley Duncan, who he plunked earlier in the game.

Beckett, Lewis and Indians third base coach Steve Smith were all ejected. Terry Francona was fired up too, yelling at Smith. However, it was a typical baseball "fight" with both benches emptying but not much actually happening other than some pushing and name-calling.

Former Red Sox Justin Masterson takes on Jon Lester tonight at steamy Fenway.