There Is Still No Reason To Put Any Emotional Investment Into The Red Sox

Nothing has changed with the Boston Red Sox. They still haven't won consecutive games since last August 27 (doubleheader vs. Oakland).

After going 0-6 to start 2011 and the historic collapse in September, you'd think that maybe they'd come out of the gates a little faster. Um, not so much with this group. They're 1-5 after losing 3-1 to the Toronto Blue Jays (4-2) this afternoon at Rogers Centre.

Toronto took two out of the three in the series and for the second straight start (Opening Day in Detroit), the Red Sox failed to give Jon Lester (0-1) any run support when he submitted a fine outing. Lester went eight full innings, allowing three runs (all earned) on three hits with six strikeouts and two walks.

Blue Jays starter Ricky Romero (1-0) came within two outs of a complete game. He allowed one run (earned) on three hits with five strikeouts and three walks.

Sergio Santos recorded the final two outs for his first save as Boston tried to rally but with runners on second and third with one out, he struck out Kevin Youkilis (2 for 20 to start the season) and got David Ortiz to ground out to end it.

Boston had a rare lead as Jacoby Ellsbury knocked in Mike Aviles with an RBI single in the third.

Toronto responded immediately with two runs in the home half of the third. Rajai Davis (2 runs, stolen base) had an RBI triple and then he came home on Yunel Escobar's sacrifice fly.

After Lester and Adrian Gonzalez screwed up a pickoff play on Davis in the eighth, he was able to reach second then later scored on Escobar's single. That insurance run totally deflated Boston who already looked checked out with one foot on the airplane home.

The best news I can give you about this joke squad is that they mercifully don't play tomorrow. Still, they come back to Fenway on Friday for the latest insufferable edition of Opening Day. Prepare for all the usual pomp and circumstance and needless celebration of a 1-5 team full of losers with the worst ownership group in Boston.

To make it even better, Tampa Bay (4-1) will be the opponent with four games this weekend-including the usual Patriot's Day matinee. The Rays look like the class of the AL East once again and I'm certain that like the last few years, they'll own the Red Sox. The Texas Toughguy gets the start on Friday against David Price. If there is anything right in this world, and I have my doubts with all the pink hats, Beckett will be booed relentlessly.

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For A Change, The Red Sox Give Winning A Chance

Well it was bound to happen at some point, the Boston Red Sox mercifully won their first game in 2012.

Things were looking good for the Toronto Blue Jays (2-2) in their home opener at the Rogers Centre tonight as they led 2-1 going into the top of the ninth and had closer Sergio Santos (0-1; 2nd blown save) enter for the save. He wasn't able to get finish it though as Boston (1-3) rallied for three runs and a 4-2 win.

Adrian Gonzalez tied it with a sacrifice fly that scored Dustin Pedroia who led off the ninth with a roped double. Ryan Sweeney's (2 hits) single scored pinch runner Darnell McDonald although the Red Sox had some good luck on the play as Jose Bautista's throw was on target but catcher J.P. Arencebia dropped it. Finally, Cody Ross came home on Santos's wild pitch.

The best aspect of it for the Red Sox was that Alfredo Aceves returned to the hill a day after blowing a save in Detroit and he was able to get a 1-2-3 ninth for his first save of the season. He didn't allow a hit and had a strikeout. The key was that he threw first-pitch strikes to all three hitters that he faced.

Felix Doubront only went five innings for Boston before he reached 101 pitches but the young lefty showed plenty of promise. He allowed two runs (both earned) on four hits with three walks and six strikeouts.

Reliever Scott Atchison (1-0) was the unsung hero as he pitched three scoreless innings, only allowing one hit with no walks and three strikeouts to pick up the win.

Blue Jays rookie Henderson Alvarez looked good too, he went six innings and allowed one run (earned) on four hits with a walk and two strikeouts.

Toronto scored its only two runs in the third on Kelly Johnson's fielder's choice and an RBI single by Edwin Encarnacion. The Red Sox should have tagged Colby Rasmus out at home on Johnson's grounder but Jarrod Saltalamacchia was too far in front of the plate to reach behind in time. Yunel Escobar scored on Encarnacion's hit.

Pedroia sparked Boston's offense with a solo homer in the sixth inning, his first of the season, which cut the Blue Jay lead to 2-1.

Daniel Bard makes his first career start tomorrow as he tries to bring Boston to the .500 mark with its second win in a row. Toronto counters with young righty Kyle Drabek. I have no idea what to expect from Bard but at least Aceves got the job done tonight so we don't have to speculate about making Bard the closer for one outing.

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White Sox Still Own The Red Sox For Whatever Unknown Reason

Sure Chicago is a great city but let's be honest, the White Sox are nothing more than an average team in a bad division (AL Central).

Still that doesn't stop them from completely owning the Boston Red Sox in 2011, carrying on the tradition from the last few seasons as well.

The teams renewed acquaintances tonight in the Windy City and yet again, the White Sox (52-52) came out on top of the Red Sox (64-40) 3-1 at U.S. Cellular Field.

That marks seven straight wins for Ozzie Guillen's boys and 14 of their last 16 overall against Boston.

One streak was stopped for the Red Sox while another milestone had to wait for another day. Dustin Pedroia's 25-game hit streak (longest of his career and ever for a Boston second basemen) was ended along with his 37-game streak of getting on base after he went 0 for 4.

Likewise Tim Wakefield's (6-4) quest for his 200th win in a Red Sox uniform didn't happen despite a very solid start. He went seven innings, allowing three earned runs on three hits with two walks and five strikeouts. As is the case with most starts by Wakefield-precisely why he can't be counted on in the playoffs-he was great for most of his outing but out of nowhere he gave up a home run.

White Sox pitcher Gavin Floyd (9-9) improved to 6-0 in seven career starts against Boston. He went seven innings, allowing one earned run on three hits with two walks and six strikeouts.

Jarrod Saltalamacchia gave his team a 1-0 lead with a solo homer, his ninth of the season, in the third. Unfortunately that's all the Red Sox would get as they couldn't put anything together after that. Their best chance came in the sixth when Kevin Youkilis struck out looking (at a ball) with the bases loaded.

Paul Konerko's sacrifice fly drove in Juan Pierre in the sixth to tie it at 1-1 and A.J. Pierzynski hit a two-run blast in the seventh (driving in Carlos Quentin).

White Sox former closer and now setup man Matt Thornton got a 1-2-3 eighth with a strikeout for his 14th hold of the season. Closer Sergio Santos recorded a 1-2-3 ninth for his 22nd save of the season.

This rapidly paced game was over in a tidy two hours and ten minutes as both teams only had three hits apiece. Luckily, the Orioles beat the Yankees so the Red Sox hang on to a 2.5 game lead in the AL East.

Tomorrow night, Jon Lester (10-4, 3.23 ERA) takes on Philip Humber (8-6. 3.27 ERA) who is quietly having a good season.

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White Sox sweep the Red Sox at Fenway Park

For the life of me I can't figure out why, since they're not particularly good, but you can't dispute the ironclad fact that the Chicago White Sox own Fenway Park right now.

After polishing the Boston Red Sox off yesterday afternoon 7-4 for a three-game series sweep, Chicago (27-31) won its seventh straight at Fenway. They're 13-2 against Boston (30-26) in their last 15 games and 9-1 since the start of last season. What do you want me to do, call the White Sox my daddy? (Pedro Martinez reference).

A 3-0 lead for the home team didn't mean much as Tim Wakefield (6 innings, 4 earned runs, 7 hits, 1 walk, 4 strikeouts) and the Boston bullpen melted down in a rare midweek afternoon game.

Gavin Floyd (6-5) was shaky at first but he settled down and got the win. He went 6.2 innings, allowing four earned runs on nine hits with a walk and a strikeout.

The Red Sox put up three in the second inning as Jed Lowrie drove in David Ortiz with a ground-rule double and Jarrod Saltalamacchia knocked in two with a single.

Brent Lillibridge got an RBI double in the fourth to pull Chicago within 3-1 before the White Sox tied it in the fifth. Alexei Ramirez (3 hits, 3 run) drove in a run with a ground out before Carlos Quentin hit an RBI double. Wakefield could have got out of the inning on a clear out on the basepaths by Juan Pierre but that's not how the goober umpire saw it. Instead, Quentin got the hit and Boston spiraled out of control.

Lillibridge hit a solo homer in the sixth but Ortiz answered with his 13th of the season in the bottom of the frame to tie it at four.

It was the Paul Konerko show from there as he had an RBI double in the seventh which scored Ramirez and then a two-run bomb (scoring Ramirez) in the ninth off Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon.

White Sox closer Sergio Santos got a 1-2-3 ninth with a strikeout for his ninth save of the season.

Matt Albers (1-3) was charged with the loss after giving up three hits (including Konerko's double). He has come back to Earth after a great start in his Red Sox career.

Some scary stuff too as Rich Hill threw a pitch and then came out with an elbow injury. Dice-K is going to be out for the entire season with Tommy John surgery but nobody cares about that. Hill was a local guy that had found himself this season with Boston. Hope he's OK. Plus, he was the Red Sox' only lefty in the bullpen. Hideki Okajima is in Pawtucket but he has nothing left at this point. Theo Epstein is going to have to get some more reliable bullpen options.

The Red Sox are grateful to have a day off today after going for almost three straight weeks without one (and no, the last three days don't count). The Oakland A's come to town this weekend for a three-game set.