The Longest Losing Streak In 20 Years For the Red Sox Deserves a Mention

Believe me, there have been so many times in the last few weeks that I have wanted to write a Red Sox post but by the time their game ends (in a depressing loss), I am so disgusted that I don't bother. Well after losing 8-5 to the Rays this afternoon at Tropicana Field, I feel like I need to acknowledge Boston's (20-29 overall, 10-12 away) worst losing streak (10 games) in 20 years.

Tampa Bay (23-28 overall, 12-14 home) started the weekend series in last place in the pathetic AL East but after sweeping the Red Sox, they are now two games ahead of them. If that wasn't all bad enough, Boston became a disgrace (and I don't throw that word around lightly) in today's series finale by taking exception to stupid Yunel Escobar and starting one of those lame "baseball brawls."

Jonny Gomes was the main culprit for Boston as he came over and tried to get at Escobar who had been yelling and pointing in Boston's dugout after stealing third up 8-3 in the seventh (who cares?). Gomes could be suspended which wouldn't help the Red Sox who also put Mike Napoli on the DL earlier in the day with his finger injury (which surprise surprise hasn't magically worked itself out). There are many things in life I have no use for and baseball's unwritten rules along with fake tough guys (Gomes, Escobar, A.J. Pierzynski) are enough to make me cringe.

During the losing streak, Boston has been swept by Detroit, Toronto and Tampa Bay. This series was particularly painful since as I mentioned, the Rays are equally terrible plus Boston lost on a walk-off hit on Friday (1-0), on an error in the 15th inning on Saturday then capped off by this monstrosity. It's reached the point, much like 2012, where I tune in solely to see what new way they'll find to lose a game.

Brandon Workman made his first start of the season, taking Felix Doubront's place. He went five innings and allowed three earned runs on five hits with three strikeouts and three walks. The issue, as it's been for much of this slide, has been Boston's awful offense. The immortal Jake Odorizzi went six innings and held them to one earned run on four hits with five strikeouts and one walk.

Brock Holt gave Boston a short-lived 1-0 lead in the third with a sacrifice fly. Tampa Bay scored twice in the fourth on Evan Longoria's (3 for 5, 2 runs) solo homer and an RBI single by Logan Forsythe. Two runs came across in the fifth for the Rays on ground outs.

Before he had to be a hero, Gomes actually did something useful on the field with a two-run homer in the seventh (his 5th of the season) that tied it at three. The wheels came off for the Red Sox in the seventh as light-hitting Sean Rodriguez crushed a three-run homer and Escobar added a two-run double. Xander Bogaerts (2 for 4, double) had a two-run single in the ninth but that meant absolutely nothing.

All we keep hearing is that it's still early and the Red Sox are better than this. Fair enough but no team has lost 10 games in a row then won the World Series that same season. I don't know what it would be specifically but if things don't improve drastically, like in the next few days, it's up to GM Ben Cherington to make a big trade to shake things up. Otherwise, this team is going nowhere and it promises to be a miserable summer.

It is a funky schedule this week as they play two in Atlanta (28-21 overall, 1st in NL East) starting tomorrow afternoon (1:10, NESN) then host the Braves for two games at Fenway Park followed by three games next weekend at home vs. Tampa Bay. Another win before May ends would be nice. Clay Buchholz (2-4) faces Ervin Santana (4-2) tomorrow at Turner Field followed by Jon Lester (4-6) vs. Aaron Harang (4-4) on Tuesday (7:10, NESN).

UPDATE 5/26: The Red Sox sent Alex Wilson back to Pawtucket and called up catcher/1st baseman Ryan Lavarnway (with Napoli out).

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Goodnight Rays, Red Sox Advance to their 1st ALCS since 2008

It was not easy but the Red Sox survived Game 4 at Tropicana Field, defeating the Rays 3-1 to win the ALDS 3-1 and advance to their first ALCS since 2008 (10th in franchise history) with their 100th win of the season. Boston now awaits the winner of Game 5 between Oakland and Detroit, which takes place Thursday (8:07, TBS) in Oakland. Those teams are both excellent so I don't really have a preference about who I want Boston to face. Selfishly, I think it'd be more fun to see the A's since they have so many ex-Red Sox in unlikely starring roles.

Jake Peavy (5.2 IP, 5 hits, 1 run, 3 strikeouts, 0 walks) was very good, Craig Breslow (1.2 IP, 1 hit, 4 strikeouts) was incredible and Koji Uehara (4 outs, 2 strikeouts) bounced back from Game 3 to earn his second save of the series. Poor Jeremy Helickson lasted three batters into the second inning before crazy Joe Maddon pulled him out for a conga line (8!) of Rays relievers. Jake McGee (2 runs) and Fernando Rodney (1 run) were the only Tampa Bay pitchers to allow runs.

Boston was 2 for 8 with runners in scoring position and left 10 guys on base. For a while, this felt like another gut-wrenching loss in the making since the Rays went up 1-0 in the sixth when David Dejesus singled in Yunel Escobar (3 hits, double). Never fear though, the Red Sox went ahead with two runs in the seventh: Jacoby Ellsbury (single, walk) stole second while Xander Bogaerts scampered home on a wild pitch. Shane Victorino's infield single scored Ellsbury who has been money all series (9 for 18, 7runs, 2 doubles, 2 RBIs, walk and 4 stolen bases).

The Red Sox added a key insurance run in the ninth as Dustin Pedroia knocked in Bogaerts with a sacrifice fly. Tampa Bay's lack of offense came back to bite them as it always does (6 hits). After he came on with two outs in the eighth-striking out Dejesus-Uehara had a 1-2-3 ninth that ended with a strikeout of Evan Longoria.

Over-the-top clubhouse celebration aside (everyone in MLB does it), this is a remarkable turnaround for Boston who became only the third team in MLB history to finish last one season then win their division series the next. The best part is that this was not a fluke by any means and they're not just happy to be here. They are the team to beat in the American League and MLB as a whole.

Not going back to Boston for a Game 5 vs. Tampa Bay is huge for many reasons: they get extra rest over Detroit and Oakland plus they can use Jon Lester on Saturday in Game 1 of the ALCS at Fenway Park. After back-to-back long nights of baseball and marathon games four out of the last five days, take a break the next few days and enjoy Cardinals-Pirates Game 5 tomorrow night (8:07, TBS) then A's-Tigers Game 5 on Thursday. The Red Sox are four wins away from the 2013 World Series and eight wins away from their third World Series title in 10 years.

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No Reason To Panic, Yet. Red Sox Suffer Crushing 5-4 Walk-off Loss to Rays in Game 3

I think all rational Red Sox fans (an oxymoron if there ever was one) understood that they were playing with house money up 2-0 on the lifeless Rays. At least that's what I tell myself to help dull the pain of tonight's 5-4 win by Tampa Bay in Game 3 of the ALDS at Tropicana Field. Game 4 is back at that dump tomorrow night (8:37, TBS) as Jake Peavy faces Jeremy Hellickson.

If you picked the most unlikely scenario for the Rays to live to see another day, it couldn't top what actually happened: backup catcher Jose Lobaton hit a walk-off homer against Koji Uehara. Wait, what? There were plenty of twists and turns, what you'd expect from a nine-inning game that lasted 4:19 (!), but the bottom line is that this was a win that Boston let slip away.

They were up 3-0 in the fifth with unofficial ace Clay Buchholz (6 innings, 3 earned runs, 7 hits, 5 strikeouts, 3 walks) on the mound. That should be more than enough against the offensively-challenged Rays. Especially when they continue to give runs away like candy on Halloween (sort of topical!). Jacoby Ellsbury (3 hits, 2 runs, double, stolen base) scored in the first on Ben Zobrist's error and he made it 2-0 in the fifth on Alex Cobb's (5 innings, 3 runs, 2 earned, 5 hits, 5 strikeouts, 2 walks) wild pitch.

I'm not going to pretend I thought it was over when David Ortiz laced an opposite field RBI single later in the fifth for a 3-0 lead but I felt confident. There are always a boatload of decisions to second-guess when it comes to losses in the MLB playoffs and this was no different for Boston. No. 1 on the list was the choice to pitch to Evan Longoria-Tampa Bay's only dangerous hitter-with runners on second and third with two outs in the fifth. What do you know, he went deep to tie it at three.

The Rays actually pushed ahead 4-3 with a ground out by Delmon Young in the eighth but the Red Sox showed their toughness by tying it in the ninth with a ground out by Dustin Pedroia against shaky closer Fernando Rodney.

Tampa Bay had four more hits (11-7) than Boston led by James Loney (3 for 3, double, walk), David Dejesus (2 hits, double, run) and Yunel Escobar (2 hits, run). No team in MLB successfully gets more out of scrubs than the Rays, it's remarkable year after year.

Naturally we'll spend Tuesday completely miserable and wallowing in all the mistakes by the Red Sox, conveniently forgetting that they are still in control up 2-1 with home-field advantage (hopefully they don't need it). It would have been much easier to get rid of the Rays this evening but they're not the Braves; they have pride and heart so it'll take a big effort to knock them out.

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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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Red Sox Can't Beat David Price or Jerry Meals

In any sport, I hate to blame the refs/umpires/officials since I think it's a juvenile thing to do that's both lazy and petty. However, once in a while you have to acknowledge particularly awful calls. Tonight in a makeup game from last Thursday's rain out, Tampa Bay (63-43 overall, 29-24 away) beat Boston (63-44 overall, 34-20 home) 2-1 at Fenway Park. This put the Rays back on top in the AL East by a half game over the Red Sox.

David Price (6-5) was excellent for the second time in a week against the Red Sox: 7.1 innings, 1 earned run on 2 hits with 8 strikeouts. Felix Doubront's (7-5) old and bad habit of racking up pitches early crept back into his game as he only last five innings because he threw 104 pitches.

The Rays took a 1-0 lead in the fourth on Sean Rodriguez's RBI double that scored Yunel Escobar (2 for 3). Wil Myers' (single, walk, stolen base) fielder's choice made it 2-0 in the following frame. Evan Longoria was 2 for 5 with a double and run.

Getting a rare start, Brandon Snyder cut it to 2-1 in the sixth inning with a sliced shot off Pesky's Pole in right. The controversial play happened in the eighth as Daniel Nava was called out on what would have been a sacrifice fly by Snyder. It was a bang bang play at the plate but replays showed that Nava's foot touched the plate before he was tagged. John Farrell was thrown out for arguing the bogus call which home plate umpire Jerry Meals later admitted was a mistake on his part. Nava also deserves some blame from the previous play when he should have scored a run on Stephen Drew's double to right.

Boston threatened in the ninth as Jacoby Ellsbury led off with a single, stole second base and eventually ended up at third base with Jose Iglesias (who pinch ran for David Ortiz) on second. Fernando Rodney struck out Mike Napoli to end it for his 26th save of the season.

Even though they lost on what should have been an off day, the Red Sox catch a break with six more games at Fenway during this homestand against teams from outside the AL East that they need to beat: 3 vs. Seattle (50-55, 3rd in AL West) and 3 vs. Arizona. Tomorrow night (7:10, NESN) Brandon Workman (0-1) faces Joe Saunders (9-9). On Wednesday (7:10, NESN) hours after the non-waiver trade deadline passes, John Lackey (7-8) takes on Hisashi Iwakuma (10-4). Finally, Thursday (7:10, NESN) Ryan Dempster (6-8) battles Felix Hernandez (11-4).


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Feast Your Eyes On The Worst Team In The AL East

Believe me, for my own sanity I have stopped paying attention to the Red Sox for the rest of the season. Still, when stuff happens like tonight, I can't help but note its absurdity.

After two rain delays and chants of "Fire Bobby!" in the ninth inning, Toronto (63-75, 29-41 away) beat Boston (63-77, 32-40 home) 9-2 this evening at Fenway Park. Its significance lies in the fact that the Red Sox are now in the basement of the AL East and with 22 games left in 2012, I don't think they will come out of it.

The only thing that slightly warms my heart is that the Yankees are crumbling fast, going 6-12 in their last 18 games. They are now tied with Baltimore for first-place in the division.

Boston has lost three straight, 10 of 11 and 15 of 19. They have been outscored by 51 runs in their last 11 games. So yeah, once again we're subjected to a team that has lay down in September. At least this time, we're in on the joke unlike last year.

Daisuke Matsuzaka (1-5) was his usual lights out self, allowing five earned runs on five hits in 1.1 innings. The Blue Jays scored five runs in the second: Yunel Escobar solo homer (9th of the season), RBI double by Adeiny Hechavarria, two-run single by Anthony Gose and a sacrifice fly by Rajai Davis.

Scott Podsednik and Pedro Ciriaco both had RBI singles in the firth inning for Boston's only runs. Adam Lind had an RBI single in the eighth and Gose cranked his first MLB homer, a three-run shot, in the ninth.

Brad Lincoln (1-0) was the first Toronto reliever following the initial rain delay and he earned the win with 2.1 scoreless innings including three strikeouts.

The Blue Jays go for the three-game sweep tomorrow afternoon (1:35 p.m.) as Carlos Villanueva (7-5) faces Clay Buchholz (11-5) in a game that cannot possibly be a sellout considering its the first Sunday of the 2012 NFL season. Undoubtedly, the clueless Red Sox will deem it a sellout since that is the only thing they care about anymore. Once they admit that's over, what do they have left?

UPDATE 9/9: Outfielder Daniel Nava was activated off the DL today and is on the bench.

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Clay Does Canada: Buchholz Wins Sixth Straight At Rogers Centre

Who knows if it is because of the better health care system, the cleaner air or the ubiquity of hockey but Clay Buchholz loves to pitch in Toronto (yes I know it's indoors).

Buchholz (5-2) won his sixth straight start at the Rogers Centre tonight as the Red Sox (27-25, 14-11 away) pulled even with the Blue Jays (27-25, 15-11 home) thanks to a 7-2 victory in the series opener.

It's a small and crappy sample size but this was definitely his best outing of the season. Not only did he last eight innings (2 runs, 6 hits, 2 walks) but he struck out a season-high seven batters. All Toronto could manage against him were a pair of harmless solo home runs.

Boston's offense pounded Blue Jays starter Henderson Alvarez (3-5) along with two no-name scrub relievers, to the tune of 15 hits. Alvarez lasted 6.1 innings, allowing four earned runs on eight hits with two strikeouts and a walk.

Daniel Nava went 4 for 5 with three doubles, three runs and an RBI while Adrian Gonzalez was 3 for 5 with a double, two RBIs and a run. David Ortiz (2 RBIs, run, walk) and Ryan Sweeney (run) also had multiple hits in the win.

Ortiz got the party started with a solo homer (his 13th of the season) to left center in the second inning. Gonzalez had an RBI single in the third but Yunel Escobar got the Blue Jays on the board that frame with a solo homer (his 3rd of the season).

Boston scored a run on Jarrod Saltalamacchia's fielder's choice in the third and the Red Sox tacked on four additional runs in the seventh to clinch it. Scott Podsednik had an infield single that scored a run, Nava crushed an RBI double, Gonzalez added another RBI single and Ortiz did the same.

David Cooper (double) gave the Blue Jays fans something to cheer about as he hit his first homer of the season, a solo shot in the seventh.

Still, Buchholz threw 108 pitches and perhaps most importantly, he saved Boston's bullpen. Only Scott Atchison was summoned, to handle the ninth.

Felix Doubront (5-2) faces Kyle Drabek (4-5) tomorrow afternoon (1:07 p.m., NESN) with a chance to help the Red Sox leapfrog the Blue Jays in the AL East standings (and get out of the basement in the process).

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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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Tim Wakefield As Your Number 2 Starter in 2011? So Far, So Good

With a season-ending injury to Daisuke Matsuzaka and trips to the disabled list for Clay Buchholz and Jon Lester, Boston Red Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield (the oldest man in MLB) has gone from forgotten spare part to a key component of the starting rotation.

That's not an ideal situation but the Red Sox are riding this string of bad luck with injuries into the All-Star break so that they can regroup and hopefully get more healthy.

Last night, Wakefield (5-3) struck out a season-high seven as Boston (51-35) took two out of three from Toronto (42-46) with a 6-4 win at Fenway Park.

Wakefield lasted seven innings, allowing three earned runs on nine hits with a walk.

Daniel Bard got two outs in the eighth before there was a 28-minute rain delay. Dan Wheeler got the final out of the frame after the tarp was pulled off the field. For the second night in a row, Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon had a shaky outing (giving up a run) but he still managed to strike out the side for his 19th save of the season.

Blue Jays starter Ricky Romero (7-8) continued to mystify as he's a quality MLB pitcher against virtually every other team except the Red Sox. He went 4.1 innings, allowing six earned runs on nine hits with three walks and two strikeouts.

Jacoby Ellsbury (3 RBIs, run, stolen base) and Kevin Youkilis (run, RBI) both smacked three hits for Boston's offense.

Yunel Escobar went 4-for-5 for Toronto while Jose Bautista (2 RBIs) and Travis Snider added two hits apiece for the Blue Jays.

Bautista gave Toronto a 1-0 lead in the first as his single drove in Escobar.

Ellsbury quickly tied it up with a leadoff homer, his 10th bomb (a career-high) of the season.

Youkilis followed with his 12th homer of the season in the second inning for a 2-1 Boston lead.

The Blue Jays took one more lead in the third as Bautista drove in Rajai Davis with a sacrifice fly and Adam Lind plated Escobar with an RBI single, 3-2 Toronto.

The Red Sox put up a crooked number in the fourth with four runs. Darnell McDonald tied it with an RBI single, Yamaico Navarro had an RBI double and Ellsbury (who's had a great season thus far) knocked in two with a double of his own.

Escobar got the last Toronto run in the ninth as he hit an RBI single off Papelbon.

The Baltimore Orioles come to Fenway for the last series of the unofficial first half of the 2011 season. The four-game set starts tonight with Andrew Miller taking on O's youngster Jake Arrieta.

Baltimore is still one of the worst teams in the American League and baseball so three out of four isn't too much to ask despite John Lackey and Alfredo Aceves (not to mention Miller) all slated to start in this series.

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Dice-K on Marathon Monday, the reverse lock of all-time comes through

When we last saw Daisuke Matsuzaka, he was reduced to a lonely puddle on the mound at Fenway Park after get shellacked by the Tampa Bay Rays.

So of course, when his start was pushed back and he closed out Boston's long homestand with a Marathon Monday outing against the Toronto Blue Jays, he was outstanding.

Dice-K (1-1) allowed one hit in seven innings, walked one and struck out three in one of his most dominating and mystifying starts of his Jekyll and Hyde MLB career.

As I said last season, I'm done expecting anything of Dice-K or trying to predict what he'll do since he's the ultimate trick or treat pitcher.

Yesterday's 9-1 Red Sox (5-10) win on Patriot's Day, allowed them to win three of four from the Blue Jays (7-9), and hit the road (9-game, 10 day trip) on a good note.

For whatever reason, Blue Jays starter Ricky Romero (1-2) is a very good pitcher against everyone but Boston. Like always, the young lefty struggled. He gave up eight hits, five earned runs, five walks and four strikeouts in 4.1 innings of work.

The Red Sox pounded out a season-high 13 hits led by Jed Lowrie (4 hits, 4 RBIs, 2 runs), Kevin Youkilis (2 hits, 2 runs, 2 RBIs) and Jacoby Ellsbury, who all hit home runs.

The red hot Lowrie continued to crush the ball, get started early with a two-run single in the first that scored J.D. Drew and Dustin Pedroia for a 2-0 lead.

David Ortiz's RBI single in the third made it 3-0 and scored Youk.

Lowrie hit a two-run homer in the fifth (scoring Ortiz) over the Monster.

Earlier Youk had a double off the top of the bullpen wall in right so it was only fair that he hit a two-run homer in the sixth (that scored Adrian Gonzalez). Carl Crawford broke his horrendous slump with an RBI double that scored Lowrie and made it 8-0 later in the sixth.

Ellsbury's solo shot in the seventh opened it up to 9-0.

Yunel Escobar broke the shutout with a garbage time solo home run off Tim Wakefield in the ninth.

Boston has two games in Oakland, four in Anaheim and then three in Baltimore. It's a long trip but against three teams that they should beat.

John Lackey gets the ball tonight against A's young stud Brett Anderson. Lackey last pitched on Opening Day at Fenway so hopefully seeing an old AL West foe will allow him to be half decent. It's asking a lot, I know.