The Red Sox Still Love Them Some Drew Brothers

So far in 2014, the defending World Series champs have been on the fast track to nowhere. A big reason that the Red Sox have been so mediocre is that three of their young players expected to have big roles-Xander Bogaerts (.269 batting average, 2 homers, 7 RBIs), Jackie Bradley Jr. (.205 batting average, .303 OBP, 13 RBIs) and Will Middlebrooks (.197 batting average, 2 homers, 9 RBIs)-aren't playing up to their projected capabilities. Today, Boston began to rectify that by signing shortstop Stephen Drew to a one-year deal worth $10 million (the prorated portion of $14.1 million that he turned down in the offseason). Yes the same guy that was a puddle at the plate last October but at least played outstanding and reliable defense.

I would love to ask "has it really come to that?" but the sad answer is that yes it has. With Middlebrooks on the DL (broken finger) as usual and Bogaerts playing subpar defensively at shortstop, this move at least makes sense at this moment. Drew will join the team tomorrow vs. Toronto at Fenway and probably slide into the everyday shortstop spot for the time being while Bogaerts shifts to third base. Where this leaves Middlebrooks when he returns is anyone's guess (trade bait?).

The main worry for the Red Sox is that this shakes Bogaerts' (4 errors, .974 fielding percentage) confidence since you know, he is still only 21 years old despite being their top prospect and one of the best young players in MLB with a veteran's mindset. He at least has started to come around more at the plate so the last thing they need is for him to go in the tank with Drew back on the team playing what he probably perceives as his natural position.

Bigger picture, this is the first sign that the Red Sox (20-23 overall, 3 games back of 1st place New York) publicly acknowledge that they are flawed. Fans have been saying as much basically since the first week of the season but at least now we understand that the front office is on the same page. It looks like the AL East is very down so even if the Red Sox aren't a 95 or 100-win team this season, 90 wins or something around that would take it.

The obvious roster move is that Brock Holt could be sent back to Pawtucket but Mike Carp and Grady Sizemore shouldn't feel too comfortable either since they could be designated for assignment. It should be an interesting few days for the Red Sox with all these uncertain roster moves on the horizon.

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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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Edward Mujica Picked the Right Day to Shit The Bed

If ever there was a day for the Red Sox to fall apart in the ninth inning with very few repercussions, this was it. You see today was the final celebration of the 2013 World Champions as Boston faced Milwaukee in its 2014 home opener at Fenway Park. It was a perfect celebration with the ring ceremony while Boston Marathon victims and the Boston firefighters that were killed last week were all honored as well.

A 2-2 game heading into the ninth turned into a 6-2 win for the Brewers (2-2) after they hung four runs on Edward Mujica in the ninth. In truth, the Red Sox (2-2) had no business winning this game anyway as they only managed five hits as a team. They continued to struggle with runners on base, going 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position and leaving five on base.

Jake Peavy still looked very hittable but he went six innings and only allowed two earned runs on six hits with four strikeouts and two walks. Something called Marco Estrada basically matched him (5.2 innings, 2 runs, 4 hits, 6 strikeouts, 3 walks). Milwaukee's underrated catcher Jonathan Lucroy (double, 2 walks) hit a solo homer in the second inning and Carlos Gomez (4 singles) added an RBI single for a 2-0 Brewers lead.

Boston tied it on an RBI single by Ted Williams I mean Grady Sizemore in the second followed by a solo homer for Will Middlebrooks in the third. His first homer of the season went over the Monster, no doubt somewhere Jenny "Boom Boom" Dell smiled while shooting a show on NESN that'll never air. Former Brewers reliever Burke Badenhop (fantastic name) pitched two scoreless innings in his Red Sox debut. Mujica had pitched a scoreless frame at Baltimore on Wednesday but today he simply didn't have it as Milwaukee knocked him around to the tune of four earned runs on four hits.

Bet you didn't know that Lyle Overbay (who was cut in spring training last year with the Red Sox) was still in MLB. He had the go-ahead two-run double in the ninth for the Brewers while Gomez and Aramis Ramirez-who I think has played for every NL Central team-kept the line moving with RBI singles.

Francisco Rodriguez is Milwaukee's closer and even though it wasn't a save situation, he was summoned for the ninth. He got a 1-2-3 inning including one strikeout in 13 pitches.

Boston's enigmatic fifth starter (really) Clay Buchholz makes his first start of 2014 tomorrow night (7:10, NESN) vs. Wily Peralta. As always with Buchholz, he could pitch a no-hitter or also be out for the rest of the season with a sore throat or broken nail. I guess we'll have to wait and see, the good news for the Red Sox is that they don't have any more openers (0-2) this season as far as I know.

UPDATE 4/6: Will Middlebrooks went on the 15-Day DL with a Grade 1 calf strain (whatever that means). Brock Holt was called up from Pawtucket to take his place.

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Red Sox Take Opening Series With Orioles

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Red Sox Spoil Todd Helton's Final Game at Coors Field

It seems apropos that Todd Helton's final game at Coors Field would more closely resemble a softball game, oh and also that his team lost since they were known to do that for many of his days (17 years) in Colorado. Tonight, the Red Sox (96-63 overall, 43-35 away) outslugged the Rockies (72-87 overall, 45-36 home) 15-5 in the series finale. The victory was extra sweet for Boston because this afternoon, the Angels beat the A's 3-1 putting the Red Sox two games up (with three to go) for the best record in the AL.

Helton did his part with a line straight out of a movie: solo homer, RBI double and sac fly. Unfortunately, the rest of his team weren't really on the same page. The Red Sox got most of their runs from extra-base hits: Will Middlebrooks had a grand slam and three-run homer; Shane Victorino hit a three-run homer and Jarrod Saltalamacchia was 4 for 5 with a double, three RBIs and two runs.

A nice footnote for Boston: David Ortiz's two-run double gave him an even 100 RBIs on the season. That's the seventh time he's done it in a Red Sox uniform, trailing only Ted Williams (9) and Jim Rice (8). The big news in this game for the Red Sox is that Jacoby Ellsbury returned after missing 16 games. He batted leadoff and was 1 for 2 with two runs scored before getting replaced in the fourth inning.

Jake Peavy (12-5) struggled mightily but still made it through six innings. This was the final interleague game of the season for Boston, the only other way they'll see an NL team in 2013 is if they reach the World Series. The Red Sox finished with the second best record (14-6) in Interleague play this season so they have no reason to fear anyone from the weaker league.

The Red Sox are coming back this way (relatively speaking) with an off-day tomorrow followed by a three-game series in Baltimore. The Orioles have been eliminated from playoff contention and perhaps after Friday, Boston will have wrapped up the top seed in the American League playoffs. You can't overstate the importance of that well-earned honor. The regular season concludes on Sunday.

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Red Sox Can't Clinch A Playoff Spot (again) but Indians lose, making Boston's Magic Number one

For the second night in a row, the Red Sox had a chance to clinch a playoff spot (somewhere they haven't been in the last four years) but they couldn't do it as the resilient Orioles (81-70 overall, 39-37 away) outscored Boston (92-61 overall, 50-27 home) 5-3 in 12 innings. Baltimore has won six of their last seven series at Fenway and they are 9-6 against the Red Sox this season, the only MLB team with a winning record against MLB's top squad. Boston lost consecutive games for the first time in over a month (August 15 & 16).

The Royals held up their end of the bargain as they beat the Indians 7-2. That leaves Cleveland half a game outside of the Wild Card race and Baltimore is only one game behind Texas (2nd Wild Card). Boston didn't deserve to win as they grounded into four double plays and left nine runners on base. Enough with this charade, I can't imagine how much champagne is sitting on ice in Boston's locker room.

The Red Sox handed Jake Peavy (7 IP, 3 ER, 6 hits, 8 Ks) a 2-0 lead in the first on David Ortiz's two-run homer, his 28th of the season, but he couldn't hold it. Matt Wieters (run, 2 doubles) and Brian Roberts (2 hits, walk run) each had RBI doubles in the fifth as the O's tied it at two. Wieters added a sacrifice fly in the sixth to give Baltimore a 3-2 lead. That turned out to be short-lived as Mr. September Mike Napoli crushed a solo homer to center, his 23rd of the season to knot it at three.

Baltimore used six pitchers because they need to win every game they can for the remainder of this season. Rookie Kevin Gausman (2 IP, 5 Ks) looks destined to be a star for the O's. Things got wacky (as they usually do) in extra innings: Boston put the lead runner on in the 10th and 11th but they couldn't score. Chris Davis came through with the game's biggest hit, a two-run single that squeaked through the middle of the infield in the twelfth.

Jim Johnson pitched for the second night in a row but that didn't seem to faze him as he had a scoreless 12th inning for his 47th save of the season. Will Middlebrooks was 3-for-6 with a walk, Shane Victorino was 3-for-5 with a run and Dustin Pedroia went 2 for 6 with a double.

The Orioles go for the sweep tomorrow night (7:10, NESN) with their ace Chris Tillman (16-6) opposing John Lackey (9-12).

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Mike Napoli and Will Middlebrooks Named American League Co-Players of The Week

All of the intrigue about the Red Sox making the playoffs this season has been taken away, not that I'm complaining, as they have put some serious distance between themselves and the rest of the American League: 7.5 games on Tampa Bay entering tonight with both idle, four more wins than Oakland and five more wins than Detroit for the best record. Boston only has 17 games left in the regular season, meaning the AL East crown and home-field advantage is a formality at this point.

Two of the main catalysts of their recent surge have been third baseman Will Middlebrooks and first baseman Mike Napoli. This afternoon, both were named AL co-Players of the Week. Over those seven games, the Red Sox went 5-2 and scored 56 runs. Both guys put up video game numbers: Napoli hit .467 with .577 OBP and 1.143 SLG. Not to be outdone, Middlebrooks hit .464 with .500 OBP and eight runs scored. Each player slugged four home runs (including a grand slam) and nine RBIs.

The last time two Red Sox shared this honor was in April: Napoli and reliever Andrew Bailey, remember him? If they want to go anywhere in the playoffs, Middlebrooks and Napoli will be a key part of their gameplan. We know that Dustin Pedroia, David Ortiz and to a lesser extent Shane Victorino will get on base. Jacoby Ellsbury is sidelined indefinitely with a broken bone in his foot so who knows when he'll return. On paper, Boston doesn't have the most imposing lineup until you see them in action. They wear pitchers down and run up high pitch counts to get them out early and face the weak middle relievers.

What makes this so impressive is that Mike and Will went through serious slumps at various times this season, so bad that they made you wonder if they'd ever bounce back to be productive in 2013. Middlebrooks was sent down to Pawtucket (Triple-A) for a month and a half but since he returned to the Red Sox on August 10, he's hit .368 with 1.055 OBP, six homers and 16 RBIs. He'll never be Paul Molitor in terms of bat control and being impossible to strike out but he definitely addressed his biggest flaw: chasing bad pitches out of the strike zone plus swinging and missing way too often.

From July 31-August 26, Napoli looked lost: he hit .188 with 38 strikeouts. He's already struck out 172 times this season, meaning he's going to set a new Red Sox single season record so it's pointless to get him to change his softball swing. That's who he is, all or nothing basically every time he steps to the plate. You just have to hope that he continues his hot streak since the Red Sox certainly enjoy his power. The good news is that throughout his career he's been a solid performer in October: in 32 games, he's hit .272, .373 OBP and .457 SLG with five homers and 19 RBIs.

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Down 8-3, Red Sox Rally For 12-8 Victory Over Yankees; Boston Now Has Most Wins in MLB

Don't look now but the Red Sox are suddenly the team to beat this October in the American League. It's hard to recall a team that has rallied so many times and pulled out one improbable win after another in a single regular season. Tonight, Boston (86-57 overall, 39-32 away) trailed New York (75-66 overall, 43-30 home) 8-3 after five innings but they managed to score five runs in the seventh and four in the eighth for a soul-crushing 12-8 triumph.

This was Boston's fourth win in a row and 11th in their last 13. Last night and this evening show what makes the Red Sox so tough to beat: they can win any style of game. Their offense usually carries them (see: tonight) but they get enough pitching and help from the bullpen to be in almost every contest. It also helps when they compete in a glorified Little League park like Yankee Stadium (foreshadowing!).

Dustin Pedroia (3 hits, double, walk, run) started the rally in the seventh with an infield single that scored David Ross (2 hits, RBI). Mike Napoli (3 hits, 3 runs, double, 2 walks) flied out to right, I mean got extremely lucky to hit a grand slam (sixth of his career; third this season) just over the reach of a leaping Ichiro to tie it at eight. It was his 19th homer of the season.

New York's clownshow bullpen lived up to that moniker (which I just created): Shane Victorino (2 hits, 2 runs)-playing center field and batting leadoff with Jacoby Ellsbury resting-hit a two-run homer (his 14th of the season), Daniel Nava aka Mr. OBP (.392) walked with the bases loaded and Stephen Drew (2 RBIs) made it 12-8 with an opposite field single.

Brandon Workman (5-2) got the win after playing the role of Junichi Tazawa and recording four outs (2 strikeouts). I'm not a fan of using Koji Uehara's precious right arm in non-save situations but he didn't seem to mind, retiring the Yankees 1-2-3 in ninth on 12 pitches/11 strikes (2 strikeouts). What do I know?

Earlier highlights were Alfonso Soriano's two-run homer in the first, his whopping 13th since he was traded to New York. Will Middlebrooks (2 hits, 2 runs) continued to rake out of the nine-hole with a solo shot in the fifth (his 14th of the season).

In a shocking development, both games this weekend are 1:05 p.m. starts. It's almost as if these teams are telling you to enjoy college football on Saturday and the glorious NFL on Sunday. Tomorrow afternoon (NESN), John Lackey (8-12) faces converted reliever David Huff (2-0).

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Red Sox Hang 20 Runs (!) On The Tigers Including A Franchise Record 8 Home Runs

How would the Red Sox respond a night after their best win of the season (2-1 over the Tigers)? How about by setting numerous club records in an absurd 20-4 beatdown at Fenway Park? Boston (84-57 overall, 47-25 home) took two of three from Detroit (81-59 overall, 37-32 away) and in the process won their MLB-best 29th series of the season. It gets better: they also went up 2.5 games on the Tigers for the best record in the American League.

Seven different guys hit homers for the Red Sox, including two by David Ortiz who was the man of the hour after notching his 2000th career hit. There were many crazy aspects to this historical victory (their largest margin of defeat in 10 years) but my favorite is that Boston ended the game by scoring the final 17 runs. That's right, they actually trailed 4-3 in the fourth before Ortiz tied it with a solo homer (his first roundtripper of the game) then the Red Sox never looked back.

It's hard to overshadow a grand slam but that's exactly what happened to Will Middlebrooks' four-run missle. Jacoby Ellsbury and Mike Napoli had solo shots while Stephen Drew, Daniel Nava and Ryan Lavarnway cranked two-run bombs as Boston had eight homers (tying a team record from 1977). In six innings, Ryan Dempster (8-9) allowed four earned runs with seven strikeouts but that was long forgotten by the time he earned the win.

It got so bad that you almost bad for all the poor Tigers relievers forced to come in and getting absolutely destroyed. Haha just kidding, I loved every second and never wanted it to end. The Rays won last night and this evening to remain 5.5 games in back of the Red Sox.

I don't know how they've hung around but the Yankees (75-64 overall, 3rd in AL East) are one of the hottest teams in MLB. Boston gets a chance to really damage their playoff hopes with four games in the Bronx starting tomorrow night (7:10, NESN) with Jake Peavy (11-5) vs. Ivan Nova (8-4). Felix Doubront (10-6) takes on 95-year-old Andy Pettitte (10-9) on Friday (7:10, NESN). Both weekend games are 1:05 starts as John Lackey (8-12) faces David Huff (2-0) on Saturday and Jon Lester (13-8) meets Hiroki Kuroda (11-10) on Sunday.

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It's Beginning To Feel A Lot Like October At Fenway Park

In hindsight, it's easy to admit that for a brief period in the last decade we started to take playoff baseball for granted. The Red Sox were in the mix every season so actually getting there wasn't all that exciting (same deal with the Patriots, still). Well it's been four years since Boston has competed in the postseason and five years since they actually won a game. This is a long way of saying that tonight's instant classic 2-1 win by the Red Sox (83-57 overall, 46-25 home) over the Tigers (81-58 overall, 37-31 away) at Fenway Park felt like it took place in October rather than early September.

No doubt plenty will happen between now and then but it's not hard to imagine a repeat of this matchup in next month's ALCS. These look like the two best teams in the AL (and maybe MLB) so what a treat that would be for baseball fans. Jon Lester (13-8) pitched his best game of the season (7 innings, 1 earned run, 8 hits, 9 strikeouts, 0 walks) as he was able to outduel Max Scherzer (19-2; 7+ innings, 2 earned runs, 5 hits, 8 strikeouts, 3 walks) and also deny him his 20th win.

In such a long campaign, it's extremely rare that all the stars align and we get to witness an excellent regular season contest like this one turned out to be. Former Red Sox Jose Iglesias staked Detroit to a 1-0 lead with an RBI double in the second but the Tigers third base coach made the stupid decision to send their fat catcher Brayan Pena who was thrown out at home by a mile to end the inning.

Will Middlebrooks provided all the offense that Boston would need with a two-run single up the middle in the fifth that scored Jonny Gomes (2 hits) and Stephen Drew. Austin Jackson was 2 for 4 with a double and Omar Infante went 2 for 4 with a run. After missing the last three games with an abdominal issue, Miguel Cabrera returned to the lineup but went 0 for 4. No at bat was bigger for Lester than in the fifth when Cabrera came up with the bases loaded and two outs. Lester fell behind 2-and-0 to the best hitter on the planet but ended up getting him to ground out to shortstop.

Red Sox manager John Farrell broke this down like a playoff game, having Brandon Workman, Craig Breslow and Junichi Tazawa all get one out apiece in the eighth. That paved the way for who has quickly become one of the most effective closers in MLB: Koji Uehara. He nailed down his 17th save on nine pitches and remarkably he still struck out two batters including Iglesias to end it (delicious irony!).

You wish that this series could go on forever (relatively speaking) but sadly it at least temporarily has to end tomorrow night (7:10, NESN) with the D-squad showdown of Ryan Dempster (7-9) vs. Rick Porcello (11-7); get your bullpens ready because it should be a long evening.

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Red Sox Return Home Just In Time To Throw Orioles A Beating Like You Read About

Shane Victorino's career-high seven RBIs (2 HRs-his 10th and 11th of the season, 2B, 4 runs, BB) pushed Boston (78-55 overall, 41-23 home) to an easy 13-2 blowout win tonight at Fenway Park over Baltimore (70-60 overall, 32-31 away) in the series opener and start of a critical nine-game homestand. The good vibes continued after the game as the Rays choked away a 5-1 lead to the Angels, losing 6-5. That gave the Red Sox a 2.5 game lead in the AL East (their highest in two weeks).

They had a day off in between but Boston picked up right where they left off on Sunday night-the 8-1 stomping of the Dodgers. Victorino wasn't the only Red Sox to go nuts at the plate as Jacoby Ellsbury was 3 for 5 with three runs and a double while Dustin Pedroia went 3 for 5 with two doubles, two RBIs and a run.

Porn stars take note: the Mike Napoli of this past April has returned, he smacked his 17th homer of the season. Pedroia and Jonny Gomes had two-run doubles and Will Middlebrooks was 2 for 4 with two runs. It's easy to overlook because of the lopsided final score but Felix Doubront (10-6) had his second quality start in a row: 6.2 innings, 2 earned runs, 4 hits, 7 strikeouts and 1 walk.

David Ortiz's sacrifice fly in the first inning gave Boston a 1-0 lead but Baltimore actually scored twice in the third (on a bases loaded walk and sacrifice fly) to take a 2-1 lead. However, the Red Sox exploded for 10 runs over the next three innings to put this way out of reach. The Orioles only managed four hits on the night.

The second and final night of the Jimmy Fund telethon (donate!) wraps up tomorrow night (7:10, NESN) with John Lackey (8-11) taking on Bud Norris (9-10).

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At This Point, Barry Zito Is Straight Up Stealing Money From the Giants

The Giants have already mailed it in for 2013 and the Red Sox were able to take advantage of that clear fact this afternoon with a 12-1 pounding at AT&T Park in their interleague series finale. Boston (75-54 overall, 35-31 away) had the pleasure of teeing off on piñata Barry Zito (4-9): 3.2 innings, 6 earned runs, 7 hits. San Francisco (56-70 overall, 32-33 home) lost two of three in the series and they remain in last place in the weak NL West.

The Red Sox also received some help (finally) from the Orioles as they beat the Rays 4-2, giving Boston a one-game lead in the AL East over Tampa Bay. By pounding out 12 hits (6 for extra bases), they were able to go into tomorrow's off day with some smiles. Felix Doubront (9-6) was excellent, he went eight innings and allowed one run on five hits with three strikeouts and one walk.

Three players on Boston had multiple hits led by Jacoby Ellsbury (3 for 4 with 2 runs, double and MLB-leading 46th steal), Shane Victorino (3 for 5 with run, double and RBI) and Dustin Pedroia (2 doubles, 2 runs and RBI). As they have usually done this season after a humbling loss, the Red Sox bounced back immediately with an important victory.

Will Middlebrooks (2 runs, walk) started the barrage with a two-run homer in the second, his 11th of the season. Light-hitting Joaquin Arias (2 hits) provided the Giants' only run with a solo shot in the second. Pedroia had an RBI double in the third and Jonny Gomes notched a two-run single.

San Francisco had totally checked out by the time they let Victorino's harmless fly ball drop in for an RBI double in the fourth. The only bad news of the day for Boston is that David Ortiz left in the fifth inning with lower back tightness. Yikes, hopefully he'll be alright for this weekend in Los Angeles. The Red Sox poured it on in the seventh with five runs on a two-run single by Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Stephen Drew's three-run blast (his 10th of the season). The Giants gave Boston one more parting gift-an error in the eighth that plated their final run.

This weekend's series against the Dodgers (74-52, 1st in NL West) will be really hyped and for once, I'll say that it totally should be. Since their poor start, the Dodgers have been on fire and they feature rookie Cuban outfielder Yasiel Puig-possibly the most exciting player in MLB this season. Oh and who could forget former Red Sox greats Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford and Nick Punto (RIP Josh Beckett) who were traded to LA basically at this time last year.

Boston is lucky to miss both Clayton Kershaw (who pitches tomorrow vs. Miami) and Zach Greinke (who pitched today). Instead, it'll be John Lackey (8-10) vs. Ricky Nolasco (9-9) on Friday (10:10, NESN), followed by Jon Lester (11-7) vs. Hyun Jin Ryu (12-4) on Saturday afternoon (4:05, FOX) and culminating with Jake Peavy (9-5) against Springfield Mass native Chris Capuano (4-6) on Sunday night (8:05, ESPN).

Boston should have swept San Francisco but I'd take two out of three at Dodger Stadium in a heartbeat. This truly could represent a World Series preview for this fall and promises to be one of the best series of the regular season.

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All Good Things Must Come To An End: Red Sox & Jon Lester Edition

The Red Sox came into Chicago tonight having won an MLB-best five games in a row. They had Jon Lester on the mound against something called Dylan Axelrod. Of course the reverse lock was in effect as Boston (27-18 overall, 14-8 away) fell 6-4 to the White Sox (20-23 overall, 9-9 home) at US Cellular Field.

It was never really close or particularly interesting since Chicago jumped all over Lester (6-1) from the start. Adam Dunn hit a three-run bomb to right in the first inning, Alejandro De Aza had an RBI double and Alexei Ramirez added another RBI double (3 in a row for Chicago) for a 5-0 lead in the second.

Boston got on the board in the third via Jarrod Saltalamacchia's (2 hits) two-run homer (his fifth of the season) to left center but Dayan Viciedo tacked on an insurance run with an RBI single in the fifth. Middlebrooks atoned for his earlier error in a sense, although by then it was too late, with a two-run double in the seventh.

Lester's final line was ugly: six innings, six runs (five earned) on seven hits with two strikeouts and three walks. I guess that he was due for a loss. Axelrod (2-3) threw junk but it worked tonight: six innings, two earned runs on four hits with two strikeouts and a walk. White Sox manager Robin Ventura for some reason decided to take him out after only 83 pitches and he immediately paid for that curious decision since Matt Thornton served up Salty's homer.

The back end of Chicago's bullpen was solid though as Jesse Crain pitched a scoreless eighth for his 13th hold of the season and closer Addison Reed had a scoreless ninth with a strikeout to earn his 15th save of the season.

In the nightly injury to Shane Victorino segment, our favorite crippled Hawaiian left in the sixth inning with hamstring tightness. Listen, we all love the hard-nosed style he plays but it's clear that his body is completely breaking down on him. Oh well, at least the Red Sox signed him to a three-year deal. Ugh!

I'm not ready to fully devote my attention to baseball so I'm thrilled that the Bruins are still alive and playing well. Tomorrow night's Bruins-Rangers Game 3 will certainly distract me from the big Felix Doubront (3-1) vs. Jose Quintana (2-1) matchup (8:10 p.m., NESN) on the Southside of Chicago.

UPDATE 5/21: I forgot to mention yesterday that closer Andrew Bailey was activated and reliever Jose De La Torre was sent down to Pawtucket.

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Lester's Gem Breaks Red Sox Out of Their Slump

In their first prolonged bad stretch of the 2013 season, the Red Sox needed somebody to step up and turn things around after losing three straight games to the lowly Twins and six of their last seven overall. Enter Jon Lester who threw a one-hitter tonight as Boston beat Toronto 5-0 at Fenway Park.

Not only did Lester (5-0) save the Red Sox' (22-14 overall, 13-8 home) exhausted bullpen but he turned in one of the best outings of his stellar career. Don't forget he had a no-hitter against the Royals in 2008 at Fenway and had the clinching win in Game 4 against Colorado in the 2007 World Series. After taking no decisions in his last two starts, he had great control as he struck out five and didn't walk anybody.

The Blue Jays (13-24 overall, 6-12 away) are one of the worst teams in MLB, that's the only thing that tempers this gem a bit. They could make many pitchers look like Cy Young in his prime at the moment. Their starting pitcher Ramon Ortiz (0-1) only allowed one earned run in five innings but he was still charged with the loss. It's a tough life buddy. Reliever Brett Cecil was the real culprit since he allowed three earned runs, in that case he should have taken the loss in my opinion.

The Red Sox had 10 hits and Shane Victorino was 2 for 3 with two walks and a run. Boston scored a run in the second on a ground out by Will Middlebrooks (2 doubles) then they put it away with four runs in the seventh. Dustin Pedroia (2 for 3, run, walk) had an RBI single, Daniel Nava (2 runs, walk) added a two-run double and Jarrod Saltalamacchia (2 hits) closed it out with an RBI double.

It could be another long day for the Blue Jays tomorrow afternoon (1:35 p.m.) as Clay Buchholz (6-0) faces Mark Buehrle (1-2), another pitching matchup which totally favors the home team.

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Red Sox Use The Long Ball (Grand Slam, 3-Run HR) To Beat A's 9-6

The Red Sox probably won't be one of the American League leaders in home runs this season but tonight, they couldn't have asked for much more timely power. Mike Napoli hit a grand slam and Will Middlebrooks added a three-run shot as Boston beat Oakland 9-6 in the series opener at chilly Fenway Park.

Boston (13-6 overall, 9-4 home) had lost both games in a day-night doubleheader on Sunday to Kansas City so this was a nice way to bounce back against a quality opponent. The A's were swept in Tampa Bay last weekend so they have now lost four games in a row.

Felix Doubront (2-0) threw a career-high 113 pitches in 6.2 IP. He allowed three earned runs on three hits with eight strikeouts and five walks. Oakland (12-8 overall, 6-4 road) scored a pair of runs in the second inning on a wild pitch and former Red Sox great Josh Reddick's RBI single.

Napoli (who leads the AL with 25 RBIs, seriously) got the Red Sox on the board with an RBI double in the second then Middlebrooks crushed his homer (5th of the season) over the Monster in the fourth off A.J. Griffin (2-1). After Chris Young's sacrifice fly in the fifth, Napoli responded with his grand slam (fourth homer of the season) in the home half to end Griffin's night and Jarrod Saltalamacchia added an RBI double for the 9-3 lead.

Boston appeared to be on their way to an easy win but Clayton Mortensen allowed a two-run double to Josh Donaldson in the eighth and Reddick chased him with an RBI double of his own. This meant that Junichi Tazawa had to come in and get the last two outs of the eighth (no problem) for his fifth hold of the season. Working his third day in a row (meaning that he won't possibly be available tomorrow), closer Andrew Bailey pitched a scoreless ninth with two strikeouts for his fourth save of the season.

If the rain holds off enough to play a baseball game, Alfredo Aceves (1-0) is scheduled to face Bartolo Colon (2-0) tomorrow night (6:35 p.m., NESN). The game-time temperature was 45 tonight and it's expected to be even colder tomorrow with rain all day.

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Hey R.A. Dickey, Welcome To The American League East

It was only the first week of the season but if you're a Red Sox fan, you have to be happy with how they have looked in this tiny dose of 2013. They won two of three in New York against the Yankees and they followed that up by taking two of three North of the border in Toronto. This afternoon, they bludgeoned the Blue Jays (2-4 overall, 2-4 home) 13-0 at Rogers Centre.

Boston (4-2 overall, 4-2 away) got six homers as a team, led by Will Middlebrooks (career-high 3) while Daniel Nava, Jacoby Ellsbury and Mike Napoli all had roundtrippers. Jon Lester (2-0) pitched like an ace, going seven shutout innings as he allowed five hits with six strikeouts and no walks.

Poor R.A. Dickey (0-2)-last year's NL Cy Young winner with the Mets-was introduced to the AL East and the results were not pretty. In 4.2 innings, he allowed eight runs (seven earned) on 10 hits with five strikeouts and two walks. Dickey served up the first two homers to Middlebrooks before Dave Bush was rocked for five runs (four homers) in relief.

The Red Sox built a 5-0 lead in the first inning so this one was never really in doubt. Dustin Pedroia (2 for 4, 2 runs, walk) began the barrage with an RBI single, Napoli added a two-run double then Middlebrooks hit an opposite field home run (his second of the season) to drive in Napoli.

Nava had a sacrifice fly in the third inning then Ellsbury knocked in Jose Iglesias (2 hits, double, run) with an RBI single in the fourth inning. Boston's final six runs all came via homers, they were 5 for 7 in this game with runners in scoring position. Two things that very well might not happen again this season.

Middlebrooks had solo shots in the fifth and seventh (first time a Red Sox has hit 3 HRs in a game since Pedroia in June 2010 vs. Colorado), Nava )first of the season) went deep in the seventh, Ellsbury had a solo homer (first of the season) in the eighth and Napoli wrapped it up with a two-run bomb (second of the season) in the eighth.

Boston comes home for its Fenway opener tomorrow afternoon (2:05 p.m., NESN) vs. Baltimore (3-3, 2nd in AL East) as Clay Buchholz (1-0) opposes Wei-Yin Chen on fittingly what is supposed to be a beautiful day. The teams are off on Tuesday then Ryan Dempster (0-1) takes on Miguel Gonzalez (1-0) Wednesday night (7:10 p.m., NESN) and Felix Doubront (0-0) vs. Jake Arrieta (0-0) is the series finale on Thursday night (7:10 p.m., NESN).

I have no issues with the idea of Opening Day at Fenway but what makes me sick is all the useless pregame crap that the shameless Red Sox owners put on every season. It's all a sell job with them trying to get you to buy something or other. That's why I skip all that bullshit, there's a time and place for it (after a championship) but not now following the last two miserable seasons.

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John Farrell Must Be Psyched To Be Out Of That Dump Aka Toronto

It is adorable how Toronto is pretending to care about the Blue Jays for a few days while their old manager-John Farrell-is in town with his new team. FYI the Blue Jays haven't made the playoffs in 20 years, since they won the World Series in 1993. Tonight in the series opener at a nearly sold out (which never happens) Rogers Centre, Boston (3-1 overall, 3-1 away) beat Toronto (1-3 overall, 1-3 home) 6-4.

The Red Sox jumped out to a 4-1 lead by the fifth inning but the Blue Jays tied it in the seventh before Boston scored single runs in the eighth and ninth.

Neither Felix Doubront (5 IP, 3 runs, 9 hits, 6 strikeouts, 0 walks) nor Josh Johnson (6 IP, 4 runs, 3 earned runs, 9 hits, 6 strikeouts, 2 walks) were on top of their games but who could blame them since Boston pounded out 12 hits (including 5 extra base hits) and worked six walks while Toronto had 12 hits (8 for extra bases).

The story for the Red Sox was their first two homers of the season along with some more stellar relief. Jacoby Ellsbury plated the first run of the game, in the second inning, with an RBI single. Mark DeRosa tied it with a sacrifice fly in the home half of the inning but Pedro Ciriaco (2 hits, stolen base) had an RBI single in the fourth after Jose Iglesias left the game (he was hit by a pitch on the elbow).

In the fifth inning, Mike Napoli's first homer (a two-run bomb) for Boston was a memorable one for a couple reasons: 1) it went to the opposite field and 2) it was the first Red Sox home run of 2013. Those runs proved to be vital since DeRosa cut it to 4-2 with a solo shot in the bottom of the fifth and Jose Reyes (4 for 5, 2 doubles, 2 runs) made it 4-3 with an RBI double. Reyes tied it with a solo homer in the seventh off Junichi Tazawa (1-0), who still ended up with the win.

Koji Uehara had a 1-2-3 sixth with two strikeouts for the Red Sox, Andrew Bailey had a scoreless eighth and Joel Hanrahan submitted a scoreless ninth for his second save of the season. Boston scored its last two runs with a ground out by Napoli in the eighth and a solo homer by Will Middlebrooks (double) in the ninth.

Dustin Pedroia was 2 for 3 with a double, run and walk while Shane Victorino was 2 for 5 with two runs. Rajai Davis was the only other Blue Jay with multiple hits, he was 2 for 4 with a double and run. The two teams combined to go 2 for 29 (seriously) with runners in scoring position but at least Boston made a few count (2 for 19) whereas Toronto was 0 for 10. Ouch.

Much like I boycotted Josh Beckett's starts last season, I plan to take the same action beginning tomorrow afternoon (1:07, NESN) as John Lackey makes his 2013 debut against J.A. Happ.

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The Only Guys On The Red Sox That Should Show Their Faces In Boston Before April

So after last season's meltdown, I felt the need to review every player that was on the Red Sox' roster when it all ended. After this season's long and slow death, I don't have the patience or desire to recreate that tedious exercise. Instead, I want to identify the small group of players that deserve positive recognition for various reasons. Above all, they mostly overachieved based on whatever small expectations we had for them.

Scott Podsednik-19 runs, 60 hits, 7 doubles, 12 RBIs, 8 stolen bases, .302 batting average, .322 OBP and .352 SLG in 63 games.
When they signed Podsednik off the scrap heap, naturally I laughed thinking that he had nothing left in his washed up body. He proved me wrong and at 36, he can still play in MLB.

Pedro Ciriaco-33 runs, 76 hits, 15 doubles, 19 RBIs, 16 stolen bases, 293 batting average, .315 OBP and .390 SLG, in 76 games.
He was the buzz in Spring Training and amazingly enough, a guy that was released by the Pirates turned out to be a diamond in the rough. It seemed like he always made something happen when he was in the lineup and he'll be a great utility guy off the bench.

Dustin Pedroia-81 runs, 163 runs, 39 doubles, 15 homers, 65 RBIs, 20 stolen bases, .290 batting average, .347 OBP and .449 SLG in 141 games.
Numbers wise, it was about an average season for Pedroia but I mention him since he played the last two games with a broken finger. If there was any doubt, he's still the heart and soul of this team and somebody we can all root for/be proud of.

Will Middlebrooks-34 runs, 77 hits, 14 doubles, 15 homers, 54 RBIs, .288 batting average, .325 OBP and .509 SLG in 75 games.
After tearing it up in Pawtucket, Middlebrooks was called up to Boston in May and promptly took Kevin Youkilis' job. One of the worst moments of this season was when he broke his wrist in Cleveland after getting hit by a pitch. His future seems limitless.

Cody Ross-70 runs, 127 hits, 34 doubles, 22 homers, 81 RBIs, .267 batting average, .326 OBP and .481 SLG in 130 games.
A blueprint of a player that can handle things in Boston. He had a great first season individually with the Red Sox. The rare baseball player that seems to be a good guy while also consistently productive. Any day now, he should get an extension.

Junichi Tazawa-37 appearances, 1 win, 1 loss, 1 save, 5 holds in 44 IP; 0.95 WHIP and 1.43 ERA.
It is hilarious that the player that was a complete afterthought has turned into a better pitcher than the supremely hyped Daisuke Matsuzaka, at this point in their respective careers. He should be a big part of the bullpen moving forward.

Scott Atchison-42 appearances, 2 wins, 1 loss, 5 holds in 51.1 IP; 0.99 WHIP and 1.58 ERA.
Who knows how much longer old man Atchison's bionic arm will stay attached to his body? He was great before his forearm injury but he shocked everyone by returning late in the season. Ride the wave.

Clayton Mortensen-26 appearances, 1 win, 1 loss, 1 hold in 42 IP; 1.21 WHIP and 3.21 ERA.
A mystery man, he was what the Red Sox received from the Rockies for Marco Scutaro. He was the mop-up guy but he proved that he is deserving of a better role than that.

Andrew Miller-53 appearances, 3 wins, 2 losses, 13 holds in 40.1 IP; 1.19 WHIP and 3.35 ERA.
We've all accepted long ago that Miller will never live up to his crazy potential. Still, this season was a step forward for him. He proved to be a capable lefty set-up guy.

Craig Breslow was good after coming over from the Diamondbacks but he only made 23 appearances and Jarrod Saltalamacchia hit 25 homers but he batted .222 with a .288 OBP plus 139 strikeouts in 121 games (yikes!).

Hopefully all these guys find themselves back with the Red Sox next spring, they all earned another chance and proved they were winners amid all the drama and losing.

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Too Bad The Red Sox Only Have 1 Clay Buchholz, They Could Use A Few More

Clay Buchholz is pitching like a man on a mission, too bad the same cannot be said for the rest of the Red Sox rotation this season.

Buchholz (10-3) pitched his second complete game of the season and fifth of his career as Boston (56-58, 27-24 away) beat Cleveland (52-61, 29-28 home) 3-2 tonight at Progressive Field in the second game of the four-game set.

Buchholz only allowed two runs (one earned) on two hits with six strikeouts and no walks. Asdrubal Cabrera had a solo homer (13th of the season) in the first for the Indians and Ezequiel Carrera's sacrifice fly in the sixth provided the other run.

Dustin Pedroia (2 hits, walk, run, stolen base) had an RBI single in the fourth as he continues to heat up while Cody Ross had the big blow with a two-run blast (18th of the season) in the sixth.

Young journeyman (I realize that's an oxymoron) Chris Seddon (0-1) pitched well enough to win on most nights for Cleveland. In six innings, he allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits with three strikeouts and two walks.

Red Sox rookie third baseman Will Middlebrooks reportedly broke his wrist after getting hit by a pitch in the ninth inning. With only seven weeks left in the regular season, who knows when he would be able to return? I feel bad for him since he's having a very solid year and for fans, he is one of the only reasons to watch this team day in and day out. Boston will have to call up Danny Valencia from Pawtucket to take his place.

Franklin Morales (3-2) faces Zach McAllister (4-4) tomorrow night (6:05 p.m., NESN). Other than Buchholz, Morales has been the most trustworthy Red Sox starter in 2012 so I think he'll give them another good outing.

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Thank God The Patriots Preseason Games Start Tomorrow Night

Don't you wish the Red Sox could just end their 2012 season tomorrow? What good can come out of the next 50 games? Oh well, while they are playing out the string on a truly miserable season, we can at least take solace that the Patriots' first preseason game is tomorrow night (7:30 p.m. vs. New Orleans). There is nothing better than the NFL and we all need it more than ever right now.

Josh Beckett (5 innings, 8 earned runs, 8 hits, 3 home runs) provided another Fenway Turd this afternoon as Texas (65-45, 31-24 away) took the series with a 10-9 win against Boston (55-57, 29-34 home).

The sad part is that the Red Sox kept rallying, tying it at 3-3 in the third and 9-9 in the seventh but it didn't matter since Beckett could care less about competing as a professional athlete. You should never lose a game when you score nine runs.

The Texas toughguy and Jon Lester have combined for one win at Fenway Park since June 27. Since June 1, the Red Sox are 2-12 at home when Beckett or Lester start. Look on the bright side, Boston is only six games back in loss column for the second American League Wild Card going into tonight's action, oh wait.

Beckett was in a giving mood as he coughed up three runs in the first inning, three runs in the fifth and two in the sixth before Bobby Valentine finally took him out. Even the non-sellout (by my calculations) pink hat crowd booed Beckett, I guess the Red Sox front office are the only people in the world left that can't identify what a waste of a roster spot he has become. They had their chance to move him at the Trade Deadline and they didn't so here we are, watching a baseball team rot away from the inside out. What's the worst that could happen by either dumping him on waivers, releasing him or putting him on the 60-day DL for the rest of the season with a fake injury (after all, he loves those)?

Josh Hamilton was 3-for-4 with a triple, homer, 4 RBIs and two runs while Elvis Andrus was 3-for-4 with three runs and a walk in the win. Adrian Gonalez had three RBI doubles and scored three runs, Cody Ross was 3-for-4 with a homer, double, two runs, two RBIs and a walk while Dustin Pedroia had two singles and scored two runs in the loss.

The happiest guy to see Beckett do his thing was Matt Harrison (4.2 innings, 5 runs, 8 hits, 3 strikeouts, 3 walks, 1 home run) since on most days, his outing would be considered a disaster. Compared to Beckett, he looked poise to make a run at the AL Cy Young award.

Hamilton had a two-run triple in the first against what had to be a hungover and bloated Toughguy. Former Red Sox Adrian Beltre added a sacrifice fly before Beckett stumbled out of trouble. Boston answered with two runs on Gonzalez's first RBI double and an RBI single by Ross. Cody tied it in the third with a solo shot-his 17th homer of the season.

Beckett must have been drinking Lonestar in the dugout between innings, it caught up to him in the fifth as he grooved meatballs to Mitch Moreland (solo homer; 12th of the season) and Hamilton (two-run blast; 30th of the season). Gonzalez's second RBI double cut it to 6-4 in the home half of the frame then he scored on Geovany Soto's passed ball.

No worries for the Rangers as Soto blasted a two-run shot off Beckett in the sixth, his first for Texas since being traded by the Cubs. Clayton Mortensen (1-1) ran into trouble in the seventh as Nelson Cruz (18th of the season) hit the final homer of the game for the Rangers.

Roy Oswalt allowed four runs in 1.1 innings as Gonzalez's third RBI double set the stage for a three-run blast by Will Middlebrooks (15th of the season) which knotted things at nine. However, Alexi Ogando (2-0) settled things down to pitch a clean seventh and eighth inning with two strikeouts.

Alfredo Aceves is not a natural closer so he struggles with inherited runners but don't tell that to Bobby V who put him in with runners on first and third with no outs in the ninth. Oh and he let him face Hamilton rather than let Andrew Miller (a lefty) give it a shot. Beltre's second sacrifice fly turned out to be the game-winning play.

Ross hit a one-out double in the ninth but Joe Nathan struck out two for his 23rd save of the season.

Boston went 4-6 on its longest homestand of the season, now the Dead Man Walking squad hits the road for 10 games (4 in Cleveland, 3 in Baltimore, 3 in New York) in 11 days. Since there are two off-days between now and their next game at home, the Red Sox won't play at Fenway again until August 21. I shudder to think how many more games under .500 they will be by then. However, I will probably be paying much less attention to baseball with football even closer at that point. I'll be pouring over depth charts for Fantasy Football and reading Sports Illustrated's College Football preview issue.

The Indians (51-60, 3rd AL Central) snapped an 11-game losing streak today with a 6-2 win vs. Minnesota, but that doesn't mean anything when the Red Sox are coming to play you. I'm sure Boston will make them look like the powerhouse Cleveland teams of the late 90s. Felix Doubront (10-5) faces Ubaldo Jimenez (8-11) tomorrow night (7:05 p.m., NESN), Clay Buchholz (9-3) gets Chris Seddon (0-0) on Friday night (7:05 p.m., NESN), Franklin Morales (3-2) opposes Zach McAllister (4-4) on Saturday night (6:05 p.m., NESN) and Jon Lester (5-10) takes the ball against rookie Corey Kluber (0-0) on Sunday afternoon (1:05 p.m., NESN).

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