Red Sox Pick Up Andrew Bailey, Ryan Sweeney In Trade With A's

Today, Ben Cherington has won my favor with a magnificent trade with the Oakland A's. The Red Sox will acquire Andrew Bailey and Ryan Sweeney for Josh Reddick (.280/7/28 in MLB), Miles Head (.254/7/29 in A+), and Raul Alcantara (0-3/6.23/14 in A-). Bailey had his worst year in the majors last year, going a pretty good 0-4/3.24/41 and saving 24/26 chances. This gets the Red Sox a proven closer in Bailey who won the AL Rookie of the Year Award in 2009. He also has three more seasons under team control and is eligible for arbitration for the first time-- giving the Sox three more affordable years with a proven closer. Bailey was troubled by a forearm injury in 2011 but still managed 41 games. Sweeney played 108 games for the A's last year, going .265/1/25 and plays all three outfield positions. Sweeney injured his hand in September of last year but didn't miss a whole lot of time. Well, the bullpen is now set and the Red Sox can fully focus on starting pitching; great move by Cherington!!!

Lackey Lacking As The Rays Wade Closer (85-59)

Last night was a depressing game, not only did it extend our losing streak to 3 games, but also it just... wasn't good. The Rays took an early lead in the 2nd inning, when Ben Zobrist and Casey Kotchman were on 1st and 2nd with 2 outs. John Jaso took a low pitch and drove over the wall in right-center to make it 3-0. After Lackey got the first hitters out on 4 pitches, the 3rd inning got kind of out of hand as Evan Longoria singled and Ben Zobrist walked. After that, Johnny Damon legged out a ground ball where Adrian Gonzalez made a fantastic diving play at first base, but John Lackey's fat ass couldn't get to first in time, and it was an RBI single. After that, Matt Joyce singled to center to score another run and make it 5-0. In the 6th, the Red Sox had a "rally" where they put runners at 1st and 2nd with no outs. Jacoby Ellsbury bounced a ball to 2nd base and was able to leg out the infield hit for an RBI. The next batter, Marco Scutaro crushed a ball high to left field, in Fenway it'd be off the monster, but here it was a sacrifice fly to make it 5-2. In the 6th, the Rays scored on back-to-back doubles to lead off the inning by John Jaso and Reid Brignac. Brignac would score on an Evan Longoria double later in the inning to make it 7-2.
       John Lackey was bad, very bad, allowing 5 runs in 3 innings, and putting his season stats up here makes me sick so I won't. But I will tell you this, he's 12-12. Tim Lincecum is 12-12, Tim Freaking Lincecum. In relief, Scott Atchison wasn't much better, but he did eat some innings, allowing 2 runs in 2 2/3 innings. Felix Doubront (1 1/3 scoreless) and Franklin Morales ( 1 scoreless) were both pretty good though. Jacoby Ellsbury went 1-4 with an RBI. Josh Reddick had the only decent night out of a Sox player, going 2-3 and scoring a run. Jarrod Saltalamacchia was also ok, going 1-3 with a run and that hit was a double. Tonight, the Sox will look to even the series with Kyle Weiland (0-1/6.75/4) up against Jeremy Hellickson (12-10/2.90/107).

Bright Spots:
Felix Doubront- 1 1/3 scoreless innings of relief
Franklin Morales- a scoreless inning of relief
Jacoby Ellsbury- 1-4 with an RBI
Josh Reddick- 2-3 with a run scored
Jarrod Saltalamachia- 1-3 with a run scored and a double

Dull Spots:
John Lackey- 5 runs in 3 innings, exceedingly bad
Scott Atchison- 2 runs in 2 2/3 innings
Adrian Gonzalez- 0-4 with a strikeout
David Ortiz- 0-4 with 2 strikeouts
Jed Lowrie- 0-3 with 2 strikeouts

This wasn't a fun one to watch, it just was not fun.

Uncle Salty Told Me That We Could Beat The Rangers (84-54)

Today, the Red Sox played quite a game, beating the Rangers 12-7 in a great offensive outburst. Adrian Beltre walked to lead off the 2nd and after a groundout put him at 2nd base, David Murphy drove him in with a grounder up the middle. In the 3rd, the Rangers led off the inning with two walks, and after a strikeout, Michael Young singled to left and Adrian Beltre grounded out to make it 3-0 early. With runners at 1st and 2nd and 2 outs in the 3rd inning, the Sox got on the board with a single up the middle. In the 4th, Josh Reddick singled to lead off the inning, and Jarrod Saltalamacchia promptly tied the game with a homer to right to make it 3-3. In the same inning, with 2 outs, the Sox would load the bases with Mike Aviles coming up. Aviles chipped a single off the end of the bat to right which would score a run and leave the bases loaded for Carl Crawford. Crawford took an outside pitch high to left field that would land in the seats for a grand slam to make it 8-3. After that, three straight singles by Josh Reddick, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, and Jacoby Ellsbury would extend the lead to 9-3. In the 6th, the Red Sox loaded the bases with 2 outs again, and Dustin Pedroia hit a high fly ball to center which would deflect high off the wall for a 3-run double that would make it 12-3. In the 8th, the Rangers started the inning with 4 straight hits including an RBI single by Josh Hamilton and an RBI single by Adrian Beltre. A Mike Napoli sacrifice fly would score another and make it 12-6. In the 9th, Esteban German crushed a homer to left-center field that would make it 12-7, the final score.
      Erik Bedard was ok, allowing 3 runs on 5 hits and 4 walks in 6 innings, earning the win, as he is now 5-9/3.50/119. In relief, Dan Wheeler wasn't too good, allowing 3 runs in 1 2/3 innings and Franklin Morales allowed 1 run in 1 1/3 innings. Dustin Pedroia had a good game, going 2-5 with a run and 3 RBIs on the double. Mike Aviles was very good, going 2-3 with a run and an RBI in relief of Jed Lowrie, who went 1-2 with an RBI. Carl Crawford (left) had an awesome game, going 2-5 with 2 runs scored and a grand slam, as he is now .252/11/52 this season. Josh Reddick had one of the best games of his young career, going 4-4 with 3 runs scored, raising his batting average to .289 this season. Jarrod Saltalamacchia went 2-5 with a game-tying 2-run homer, as he is now .251/14/48 this season. Tomorrow, the Sox will look for a series win and will send John Lackey (12-10/5.94/94) against Matt Harrison (10-9/3.54/103).

Bright Spots:
Dustin Pedroia- 2-5 with a run scored and a 3-run double
Jed Lowrie/Mike Aviles- 3-5 with a run and 2 RBIs
Carl Crawford- 2-5 with 2 runs scored and a grand slam
Josh Reddick- 4-4 with 3 runs scored
Jarrod Saltalamacchia- 2-5 with a 2-run homer

Dull Spots:
Dan Wheeler- 3 runs in 1 2/3 innings
Kevin Youkilis- 0-5 with a strikeout and 5 runners left on base

This was a good game for the Sox, and we need another win tomorrow.

Red Sox Blast Three Homers To Overrun Mariners (73-44)

Last night the Sox played a good game, as they came back from deficits of 2-0 and 4-2. The Mariners were in business in the 1st inning, as they loaded the bases to start the game. Mike Carp then singled up the middle, scoring two and giving the M's a 2-0 lead. However, the Sox quickly got those runs back in the top of the 2nd as David Ortiz led off the inning with a home run over the center field wall. Later in the inning, the Sox put runners at 1st and 3rd with 1 out, and Mike Aviles knocked a fly ball to score Carl Crawford and tie the game. However, in the 2nd, Lackey loaded the bases again and this time a Dustin Ackley single brought home one to make it 3-2. In the 4th, Franklin Gutierrez was doubled home by Mike Carp to make it 4-2. However, in the 5th, the Sox cut the lead again, as Jed Lowrie led off the inning with a crushed homer to right. In the 6th, after Jarrod Saltalamacchia led off the inning with a single, he was quickly brought home on a long home run by Josh Reddick to give the Sox a 5-4 lead. In the 7th, the Sox padded their lead on an RBI single by David Ortiz to make it 6-4.

John Lackey was decent, as he settled down for just a run in 4 innings after the first 2. He did earn the win, and is now 11-8/6.13/79 this season. Franklin Morales pitched a scoreless 2/3 of an inning. Daniel Bard pitched a scoreless 1 1/3 and Jonathan Papelbon earned the save with a scoreless inning. Jed Lowrie only went 1-5, but that hit was an important home run as he is now .264/4/26. Adrian Gonzalez went 2-4 with a run scored. Dustin Pedroia just went 2-4. David Ortiz (left) had a great game, going 2-5 with a solo homer and another RBI, as he is now a very good .299/24/79. Jarrod Saltalamacchia went 2-4 and scored a run in a good day. Josh Reddick went 1-3 with a 2-run homer as he is now .322/6/25. Mike Aviles also had a good day, going 1-3 with an RBI, as he is now .333/0/1 since joining Boston. Tonight will be a great pitching matchup as Josh Beckett (9-4/2.17/127) and Felix Hernandez (10-10/3.31/174) will go head-to-head.

Bright Spots:

Daniel Bard- 1 1/3 scoreless innings

Jonathan Papelbon- a scoreless inning

Jed Lowrie- 1-5 with a solo home run

Adrian Gonzalez- 2-4 with a run

Dustin Pedroia- 2-4

David Ortiz- 2-5 with a solo homer and 2 RBIs

Jarrod Saltalamacchia- 2-4 with a run

Josh Reddick- 1-3 with an important 2-run blast

Mike Aviles- 1-3 with a sac fly

Dull Spots:

Nobody!

This was a great game, and on a rare occasion, no dull spots!

2004 Relived, Red Sox Get To Rivera, Win In Extras (70-43)

Last night, the Red Sox and Yankees played a heck of a game, as the Sox won 3-2 in the 10th inning to take 1st place. In the 2nd inning, the Red Sox loaded the bases on a walk and two hits with nobody out. However, the next two batters, Jason Varitek and Josh Reddick each got out before a Marco Scutaro line drive into right field made it 1-0. In the 5th, Eduardo Nunez crushed a home run to left field over the monster to tie it up at 1-1. In the 7th, another Yankees homer, this one by Brett Gardner made it 2-1. In the 9th, Marco Scutaro doubled to lead off the inning, and a Jacoby Ellsbury bunt put him at 3rd base with just one out. Dustin Pedroia obliged and hit a fly ball deep, and Scutaro was able to tag up and tie the game at 2-2. In the 10th, David Ortiz doubled with one out, and after Phil Hughes intentionally walked Carl Crawford, Josh Reddick came through with a drive to left with Gardner was unable to reach, and the Sox won!

Josh Beckett was very good, allowing 1 earned run in 6 innings, as he is now 9-4/2.17/127. He was relieved with Matt Albers for 2/3 of an inning (gave up 1 run), Franklin Morales for 1/3, then Dan Wheeler, Jonathan Papelbon, and Daniel Bard (got the win) for 1 inning. Dustin Pedroia had a good game, going 1-3 with an RBI. David Ortiz went 2-4. Carl Crawford went 3-4 and raised his average to .260, as he's been really hot lately. Josh Reddick had a god-awful day, going 1-5 and stranding 6 runners, but I suppose since he got the walk-off hit he's a bright spot as well. Marco Scutaro had a great day as well, going 4-4 with a run and an RBI, as he is now .272/5/24. Tomorrow, the Sox will head to Minneapolis and will send Tim Wakefield (6-4/4.99/58) to get his 200th win against Scott Baker (8-6/3.01/115).

Bright Spots:

Josh Beckett- pitched very well allowing just 1 run over 6 innings

Dan Wheeler, Jonathan Papelbon, and Daniel Bard- 3 combined scoreless innings

Dustin Pedroia- 1-3 with an RBI

David Ortiz- 2-4

Carl Crawford- 3-4

Josh Reddick- 1-5 with the walk-off hit, despite stranding 6 runners

Marco Scutaro- 4-4 with a run and an RBI

Dull Spots:

Jacoby Ellsbury- 0-4 with 8 LOB

Adrian Gonzalez- 0-5

Kevin Youkilis- 0-4 with a strikeout

Jason Varitek- 0-3 with 6 LOB

This was an exciting game, and we're back in 1st place!

Lester In Too Long, Red Sox Fall (68-43)

Last night was a really bad game for the Red Sox, as they were leading up until the Yankees had one good inning, and lost because of it. After Josh Reddick singled in the 3rd, Jacoby Ellsbury whacked a double off the center field part of the green monster to make it 1-0. In the 4th, the Sox extended their lead to 2-0 when David Ortiz belted a home run way into the bleachers. However, in the 6th, the Yankees put runners at 1st and 2nd to start the inning. Curtis Granderson promptly blooped a single to left field to put the Yankees on the board at 2-1. Soon after, Robinson Cano grounded into a double play, but the run still scored and made it 2-2. Nick Swisher then hit a ground-rule double to left field where Granderson scored and made it 3-2 Yankees.

Jon Lester was very good through the first 5 innings, but he broke down in the 6th, and overall allowed 3 runs in 6 innings. He is now 11-5/3.23/131, as he is having a good season. Matt Albers pitched very well in relief, throwing 2 scoreless innings. Randy Williams then threw 2/3 of a scoreless inning and Alfredo Aceves threw the other 1/3. Jacoby Ellsbury went 1-3 with an RBI double in a pretty good day. David Ortiz only went 1-4, but he had that big home run and is now .289/21/71, as he has been really good this year. Carl Crawford also had a rare good day, going 2-4 with a double. Josh Reddick also went 2-4, but both hits were singles, as he has been phenomenal. Tonight, the Red Sox and John Lackey (9-8/6.23/71) will try to reclaim first place against C.C. Sabathia (16-5/255/162).

Bright Spots:

Jon Lester- 3 runs in 6 innings, but he pitched much better than that

Matt Albers- 2 shutout innings of relief

Jacoby Ellsbury- 1-3 with an RBI double

David Ortiz- 1-4 with a solo home run

Carl Crawford- 2-4 with a double

Josh Reddick- 2-4

Dull Spots:

Adrian Gonzalez- ended his 13-game hitting streak with an 0-4, 3 LOB night

Jarrod Saltalamacchia- 0-4 with a strikeout and 2 LOB

Marco Scutaro- 0-3 with 2 LOB

This was a really tough game for the Sox, and they really need to win tonight.

Bedard Not Bad, But Sox Split Series (68-42)

Last night was a tough loss, as Erik Bedard was not bad in his Sox debut, but we still lost 7-3 due to some shaky bullpen work. After Jacoby Ellsbury reached second with one out in the 1st inning, Adrian Gonzalez hit a long fly ball off the center field portion of the green monster to score him and make it 1-0. David Ortiz promptly singled him home to make it 2-0 in the 1st. However, the Indians retaliated in the 2nd, putting runners on 1st and 3rd to start the inning, an infield single by Matt LaPorta and an RBI groundout by Austin Kearns made it 2-2. The Indians put runners at 1st and 3rd again in the 3rd, and Carlos Santana blooped a single to right field, scoring a run to make it 3-2. In the 4th, Josh Reddick tied it with a solo home run into the bullpen, making it 3-3. However, when Erik Bedard left, in the 6th, all hell broke loss as Travis Hafner doubled to deep center to lead off the inning and Carlos Santana homered to center to make it 5-3. With Asdrubal Cabrera on 1st, Travis Hafner again hit a double, this time bringing him in in the 7th, to make it 6-3. In the 9th, Asdrubal Cabrera again scored on a double, this time by Kosuke Fukudome.

Erik Bedard was not bad, as despite allowed 3 runs and 7 hits, he also struck out 5 in 5 innings, and he threw three 1-2-3 innings, he is now 4-7/3.55/92. In relief, Franklin Morales allowed 2 runs in 1/3 of an inning, and Alfredo Aceves threw a scoreless 2/3. Andrew Miller then allowed 2 runs in 2 2/3 innings, and Dan Wheeler threw a scoreless 1/3. Jacoby Ellsbury went 2-3 with a run, but he couldn't manage to be the hero again. Adrian Gonzalez went 1-4 with an RBI double and a run scored. Josh Reddick (left) went 1-4 with a solo home run, as he is now .338/5/22. Tonight, the Yankees will come to town for a crucial series for 1st place and the Sox will send Jon Lester (11-4/3.17/124) against Bartolo Colon (8-6/3.30/98).

Bright Spots:

Erik Bedard- despite 2 bad innings, he was very sharp in the other 3

Jacoby Ellsbury- 2-3 with a run scored

Adrian Gonzalez- 1-4 with a run and an RBI on a double

David Ortiz- 1-3 with an RBI

Josh Reddick- 1-4 with a solo home run

Dull Spots:

Franklin Morales- the loss with 2 runs in 1/3 of an inning

Andrew Miller- 2 runs in 2 2/3 innings

Dustin Pedroia- 0-4 with a strikeout and 3 runners left on base

Kevin Youkilis- 0-4 with a strikeout

Carl Crawford- 0-4 with 2 runners left on base

Jason Varitek- 0-4 with 3 runners left on base and 3 strikeouts, ouch!

Marco Scutaro- 0-4 with a strikeout

Red Sox Take Out the Brooms To Beat Mariners (62-37)

Well, I decided that I have nothing better to do than make a blog post, so you'll be getting today's report of the Red Sox' 12-8 win. The Mariners took a 2-0 lead in the 1st on a Miguel Olivo 2-run homer over the monster. However, in the bottom of the 1st, an Adrian Gonzalez single made it 2-1 before a 2-run homer by Kevin Youkilis made it 3-2 Red Sox. Later in the inning, a 2-run homer by Jarrod Saltalamacchia made it 5-2. In the 5th, an RBI double by Brendan Ryan made it 5-3. However, in the bottom half, 6 straight batters for the Red Sox reached base (Gonzalez, Youkilis, Ortiz, Crawford, Reddick, and Saltalamacchia) and once the dust settled the Red Sox were ahead 10-3. In the 6th, an RBI single by Adrian Gonzalez made it 11-3. However, in the 7th, the Mariners got right back into the game on a grand slam by Brendan Ryan to make it 11-7. In the bottom of the 7th, Josh Reddick scoredon a bloop single by Jacoby Ellsbury to make it 12-7. In the 9th, an RBI double by Dustin Ackley made it 12-8.

Tim Wakefield was actually pretty good for most of the game, but after the grand slam he would up with 7 earned runs in 6 1/3 innings, and is now 6-3/5.15/47. Alfredo Aceves allowed 1 run in 2 2/3 innings of relief, as he has been so valuable out of the bullpen. Jacoby Ellsbury went 2-5 with a run and an RBI in a good day. Dustin Pedroia pushed his hit streak to 20 games in a 1-5 day where h

e scored a run. Adrian Gonzalez had a great day, going 3-5 with 2 runs and 2 RBIs, as he is now .346/17/82. Kevin Youkilis went 1-3 with 2 runs and a 2-run homer in a good day, as he is now .282/14/72. David Ortiz went 2-5 with 2 runs. Carl Crawford also played a good game, going 3-4 with 2 runs and 2 RBIs, as he is now .254/6/33. Josh Reddick continued to impress by going 2-5 with 2 runs and 1 RBI, as he is now .358/4/19. Jarrod Saltalamacchia (left) had a great game, going 3-4 with 4 RBIs, as he is now .259/8/31. Tomorrow night, Jon Lester (10-4/3.31/110) will return from the DL against Kyle Davies (1-9/7.32/44) and the Royals.

Bright Spots:

Alfredo Aceves- 1 run in 2 2/3 innings of relief

Jacoby Ellsbury- 2-5 with a run and an RBI

Adrian Gonzalez- 3-5 with 2 runs and 2 RBIs

Kevin Youkilis- 1-3 with 2 runs scored and a 2-run homer

David Ortiz- 2-5 with 2 runs

Carl Crawford- 3-4 with 2 runs and 2 RBIs

Josh Reddick- 2-5 with 2 runs and 1 RBI

Jarrod Saltalamacchia- 3-4 with 4 RBIs

Dull Spots:

Marco Scutaro- 0-4

This was a fun one to watch, the Red Sox are just playing so well right now, 16-3 in July!

Red Sox Blank Orioles In Series Finale (59-37)

Yesterday, the Red Sox concluded a series win against the Orioles by beating them 4-0. The Red Sox got their first run in the top of the 3rd on a solo home run by Jacoby Ellsbury. In the 4th, Josh Reddick came in to score on a groundout by Jason Varitek to make it 2-0. In the 7th, another homer by Jacoby Ellsbury made it 3-0. In the 8th, the bases were loaded, setting up for a walk by Carl Crawford to make it 4-0, the final score, as the O's couldn't do anything, managing just 2 hits.

Andrew Miller was very good, allowing no runs through 5 2/3 innings, however, he had some control issues, walking 6. After that start, he is n

ow 4-1/4.65/16, as he's been very good except for one start. Matt Albers, Daniel Bard, and Jonathan Papelbon didn't even allow a hit i

n 1 1/3, 1, and 1 innings, respectively. Jacoby Ellsbury had a great game, going 2-4 with 2 solo homers, as he is now a fantastic .316/15/54. Who would have guessed that, at this point in the season, Jacoby Ellsbury who have 2 fewer home runs than Adrian Gonzalez, and Dustin Pedroia would have 8 more steals than Carl Crawford. Adrian Gonzalez also had a great game, going 4-5 with a run scored and raising the average to .343. Josh Reddick went 2-3 with a run scored in a good game, and Carl Crawford went 2-3 with an RBI. Tomorrow, the Red Sox will head back to Fenway to face the Mariners, and will send John Lackey (7-8/6.70/59) against Felix Hernandez (8-8/3.26/146).

Bright Spots:

Andrew Miller- 2 hits in 5 2/3 shutout innings

Matt Albers- 1 1/3 shutout innings

Daniel Bard- 1 scoreless inning

Jonathan Papelbon- 1 scoreless inning

Jacoby Ellsbury- 2-4 with 2 solo home runs

Adrian Gonzalez- 4-5 with a run scored

Josh Reddick- 2-3 with a run scored

Carl Crawford- 2-3 with an RBI

Dull Spots:

Marco Scutaro- 0-4 with 2 strikeouts

Jason Varitek- 0-4 with an RBI, but a strikeout and 5 runners left on base

Yamaico Navarro- 0-4 with a strikeout and 4 runners left on base

This was a very good game for the Sox, as they just dominated the Orioles.

Weiland is Decent But Red Sox Fall to O's (58-37)

Last night, the Red Sox fell 6-2 to the Orioles in a tough game where they just never could muster up any offense. In the 2nd inning, the Orioles put runners at 1st and 3rd with 1 out, which set up for an RBI double by Mark Reynolds and an RBI groundout by Nolan Reimold to make it 2-0. In the 3rd, Nick Markakis came to score on a single by Matt Wieters. In the 5th, the Red Sox scored their only runs of the game on a home run by Jarrod Saltalamacchia to make it 3-2. With a runner on first in the 8th inning for the Orioles, back-to-back homers by Derrek Lee and Mark Reynolds made it 6-2.

Kyle Weiland was not bad in his 2nd major league start, he allowed 3 runs in 6 innings, however, he also earned his first loss. He is now 0-1/8.10/4 in 2 starts. Alfredo Aceves allowed 3 runs in 2 innings in relief. Josh Reddick played a great game, going 3-4 and scoring a run to make his batting average a remarkable .367. Jarrod Saltalamacchia went 1-3 with a 2-run homer, he is now .249/8/27. Today at 12:35, Andrew Miller (3-1/5.68/13) and Jake Arrieta (9-6/5.10/81) will square off in the rubber match.

Bright Spots:

Josh Reddick- 3-4 with a run scored

Jarrod Saltalamacchia- 1-3 with a 2-run homer

Dull Spots:

Alfredo Aceves- 3 runs in 2 innings of relief

Adrian Gonzalez- 0-4 with 2 strikeouts

Kevin Youkilis- 0-4

Carl Crawford- 0-4 with 3 runners left on base

This was a tough game, and I hope they win the series today.

Pedroia Is The Hero Again As Red Sox Smash Orioles (58-36)

Last night, I was live at the game as the Red Sox beat the Orioles 15-10 in a definite pitching game (sarcasm). The Orioles got an early lead in the 1st as with runners on 1st and 2nd, Derrek Lee crushed a 2-run double off the center field wall. In the 3rd, a leadoff homer by Jarrod Saltalamacchia put the Sox back in the game. Then later in the inning, with runners at 1st and 2nd, singles by Dustin Pedroia and Adrian Gonzalez gave the Sox a 3-2 lead. With runners on 1st and 2nd in the 4th, an error by Derrek Lee and a sacrifice fly by Jacoby Ellsbury made it 5-2. In the 5th, Josh Reddick smacked a home run to give the Sox a 6-2 advantage. In the bottom of the 5th, however, all hell broke loose as a 2-run homer by J.J. Hardy narrowed the lead to 6-4. Then an Adam Jones home run cut it even further to 6-5. With the bases loaded, later in the inning, Nolan Reimold hit a perfectly placed double down the left field line, scoring 2 and making it 7-6 Orioles. With runners on 1st and 2nd in the 7th, Kevin Youkilis singled one home to make it 7-7. In the 8th, the Red Sox loaded the bases with 1 out, setting up for a big inning. Dustin Pedroia broke the tie with a rocket double out to right field to make it 9-7. Then Kevin Youkilis smacked a 2-run single to make it 11-7. An RBI single by Carl Crawford (first day back from the DL) made it 12-7. Finally, a Darnell McDonald double really put the book on this game, as he cleared the bases and made it 15-7. However, the Orioles were not done either, in the bottom half, an RBI single by J.D. Hardy and a 2-run single by Nick Markakis made it 15-10.

Tim Wakefield was pretty bad, allowing 7 runs, 3 earned, in 4 2/3 innings. Dan Wheeler took over and tossed 2 1/3 innings of shutout baseball, earning the win, as he did a great job of not letting things get out of hand. Randy Williams allowed 3 runs in an inning

and Franklin Morales tossed a scoreless inning. Jacoby Ellsbury had a great game, going 3-4 with 3 runs and an RBI. Dustin Pedroia also did well, going 2-5 with a run and 3 RBIs. Kevin Youkilis had a great game, going 2-6 with 1 run and 3 RBIs. Josh Reddick went 1-4 with 2 runs and a solo home run, he is now .347/4/18. Carl Crawford did well in his first day back, going 2-5 with 2 runs and an RBI. Jarrod Saltalamacchia (left) went 2-5 with 2 runs and a solo home run, as he is now .247/7/25. Darnell McDonald came off the bench, and knocked a 3-run double, wow. Marco Scutaro also did well, going 2-5 with 2 runs scored. Tonight, Kyle Weiland (0-0/13.50/2) and Jeremy Guthrie (3-13/4.45/80) will start.

Bright Spots:

Dan Wheeler- 2 1/3 shutout innings of relief and the win

Franklin Morales- a scoreless inning of relief

Jacoby Ellsbury- 3-4 with 3 runs and an RBI

Dustin Pedroia- 2-5 with a run and 3 RBIs

Kevin Youkilis- 2-6 with a run and 3 RBIs

Josh Reddick- 1-4 with 2 runs and a home run

Carl Crawford- 2-5 with 2 runs and an RBI

Jarrod Saltalamacchia- 2-5 with 2 runs and a solo home run

Darnell McDonald- 1-1 with a 3-run double off the bench

Marco Scutaro- 2-5 with 2 runs scored

Dull Spots:

Tim Wakefield- 7 runs, 3 earned, in 4 2/3 innings

Randy Williams- 3 runs in an inning

J.D. Drew- 0-3 with a strikeout

This was a really fun game to be at and I'm glad I had that opportunity.

Red Sox Walk All Over Shields, Rays (56-36)

Yes, I'm back! And I was welcomed home with a win, as the Red Sox beat the Rays 9-5 in a good win for the Sox. The Rays took an early lead in the 1st as they scored three times on RBI singles by Casey Kotchman, Matt Joyce, and B.J. Upton. However, the Sox got right back in it in the 2nd inning on a 2-run homer by Josh Reddick to make it 3-2 Rays. In the 3rd, the Red Sox took a 5-3 lead on a 2-run double by David Ortiz and an RBI double by J.D. Drew. In the 4th, the lead was extended on a solo home run by Jacoby Ellsbury to make it 6-3 early in the game. In the 5th, the Rays scored on a solo home run by Matt Joyce to cut the lead to 6-4. However, the Sox got the run back in the 7th on a solo home run by Dustin Pedroia. The Sox then loaded the bases in the 9th inning, and a Kevin Youkilis walk and a David Ortiz groundout made it 9-4. The Rays cut it on an RBI single by Evan Longoria to make it 9-5, but it wasn't nearly enough.

John Lackey was alright at best, allowing 4 runs, 3 earned in 5 2/3 innings. He earned the win and is now 7-8/6.70/52. Randy Williams tossed a scoreless inning, Daniel Bard threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings and Jonathan Papelbon allowed a run in a scoreless inning. Jacoby Ellsbury had a good game, going 2-4 with a home run and 2 runs scored, he is now .317/13/51. Dustin Pedroia went 2-5 with a solo home run, as he is now .291/13/46. Kevin Youkilis went 1-3 with a run and an RBI in a good day. David Ortiz only went 1-5 but he had 3 RBIs, his 56th, 57th, and 58th of the year. Josh Reddick went 1-4 with a 2-run homer as he is now .379/3/17. Tomorrow night, Josh Beckett (8-3/2.27/94) and Jeff Niemann (4-4/4.53/33) will square off in the series finale.

Bright Spots:

Randy Williams- a scoreless inning

Daniel Bard- 1 1/3 scoreless innings

Jacoby Ellsbury- 2-4 with 2 runs and a solo shot

Dustin Pedroia- 2-5 with a solo home run

Kevin Youkilis- 1-3 with a run and an RBI

David Ortiz- 1-5 with 3 RBIs

Josh Reddick- 1-4 with a 2-run homer

Dull Spots:

Adrian Gonzalez- 0-4 with a run scored

Jarrod Saltalamacchia- 0-3 with a run scored

Overall, this was a good game, and I'm glad to be back.

Red Sox Burst Late in 6 Run 7th Inning (47-34)

This was a great game, it looked like a certain loss up until the 7th inning, when the Sox scored 6 runs to get back in it. Marco Scutaro (right) led off the game in a big way, crushing a home run over the left field wall on the 5th pitch of the game. However, the Astros tied it back up in the bottom of the 1st on a sacrifice fly by Hunter Pence. In the bottom of the 2nd, the Astros came through again on an RBI single for Angel Sanchez (former Red Sox) and a double by Hunter Pence to make it 3-1. In the bottom of the 5th, an RBI double by Carlos Lee made it 4-1. In the 6th, the Astros pitcher Bud Norris singled on a line to left, scoring a run and making it 5-1 Astros. In the top of the 7th, it all changed as the Sox put runners at first and second to start the inning. Josh Reddick doubled on a ball down the right field line to make it 5-2. Then, Drew Sutton hit a hard groundball at the shortstop Clint Barmes, who missed it, scoring a run and making it 5-3. The Red Sox then loaded the bases, preparing for Dustin Pedroia's big hit, a 2-run single down the right field line to make it 5-5. In the nextat-bat, Adrian Gonzalez crushed a ball of the left-center wall, in Fenway it would've been gone, in any other ballpark, it would've been gone, but in Minute Maid Park, it was a 2-run double to make it 7-5.

Tim Wakefield was not good, allowing 5 runs and 11 hits in 5 1/3 innings. He got a no-decision and is now 4-3/4.82/33, as the knuckler wasn't working. The bullpen was perfect, as Dan Wheeler (2/3 of an inning, plus the win), Matt Albers (2/3), Franklin Morales (1/3), Daniel Bard (1), and Jonathan Papelbon (1 plus the save) all pitched last night. Marco Scutaro had that big leadoff home run, despite only going 1-5, as he is now .275/3/14. Dustin Pedroia (left)

went 1-3 with 2 RBIs and a run scored, all of them very important runs. Adrian Gonzalez only went 1-5, but his hit was huge, a big 2-run double, his 72nd and 73rd RBIs of the year. Josh Reddick had another great day at 2-4 with a run and RBI, as he is on a tear, now batting .450, this kid's for real. Drew Sutton went 1-2 with a run and an RBI, despite playing sub-par left field (he's an infielder). Tonight, at 6:05, Andrew Miller (1-0/3.09/10) and J.A. Happ (3-9/5.54/77) will battle.

Bright Spots:

The Red Sox Bullpen- 3 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing just 2 hits

Dustin Pedroia- 1-3 with a run and 2 RBIs, a very big hit

Adrian Gonzalez- despite going 1-5, his one hit was huge

Josh Reddick- 2-4 with a run and an RBI

Dull Spots:

Tim Wakefield- the Sox won the game, no thanks to him, as he allowed 5 runs in 5 1/3 innings

Kevin Youkilis- 0-4 with 3 strikeouts

This was a fantastic game, it seemed bleak for much of the game, but the Sox turned it around. Also, that was Game #81, the halfway point in the season, they are 47-34, on pace for a 94-68 season, however, they had some tough times in the first half, 0-6, 2-10; so, I hope my prediction of 98-64 is more realistic.

Red Sox Salvage Series, Avoid Sweep (46-34)

Today the Red Sox avoided a sweep at the hands of the Phillies in a 5-2 win. The Red Sox took their first lead of the day in the 5th inning on RBI singles by Drew Sutton and Jacoby Ellsbury to make it 2-0. In the 6th, Jason Varitek knocked a solo home run to give the Sox a 3-0 lead. In the top of the 8th the Red Sox took a 5-0 lead on back-to-back home runs by Dustin Pedroia and Jason Varitek, Varitek's second home run of the day. In the 9th, the Phillies scored their only runs of the day on a 2-run homer by Ryan Howard to make it 5-2, but that was it.

Jon Lester (top right) pitched very well, allowing just 2 hits in 7 shutout innings. He rightly earned the win and is now 10-4/3.43/105 as he is having a great year. Daniel Bard pitched a scoreless inning before Bobby Jenks allowed Howard's homer, recording 1 out. Jonathan Papelbon earned his 15th save of the year afterwards. Jacoby Ellsbury had a great game, going 3-5 with an RBI, as he is now .300/9/40. Dustin Pedroia only went 1-5, but his one hit was a big one as it was his 7th home run of the season. Jason Varitek (left) had a very good game, going 2-4 with 2 solo home runs, as he is now .248/5/17. Josh Reddick went 2-4 and scored a run, as he is on a tear, batting .444. Drew Sutton went 2-4 with a run and an RBI as he is .310/0/6 as he's been good when called upon. Marco Scutaro went 2-4. Tomorrow, the Sox head to Houston and will send Tim Wakefield (4-3/4.54/33) against Bud Norris (4-6/3.36/100) and the Astros.

Bright Spots:

Jon Lester- 7 shutout innings and the win

Daniel Bard- a scoreless inning

Jonathan Papelbon- his 15th save

Jacoby Ellsbury- 3-5 with an RBI

Jason Varitek- 2-4 with 2 solo home runs

Josh Reddick- 2-4 with a run

Drew Sutton- 2-4 with a run and an RBI

Marco Scutaro- 2-4

Dull Spots:

Bobby Jenks- 2 runs in 1/3 of an inning

Darnell McDonald- 0-3 with 3 runners left on base

Adrian Gonzalez- 0-4 with 2 strikeouts

This was a good game for the Sox and they played really well.

Once Again, Red Sox Cannot Hit, Fall To Phillies (45-34)

First off, I'm sorry I couldn't post yesterday, I had no connection, but the night before last the Sox lost 5-0. Last night was a tough loss for the Sox as well as they fell 2-1 to the Phillies. In the 2nd inning, the Phillies got a lead on an RBI single by Raul Ibanez, scoring Shane Victorino. However, in the 5th, the Sox tied it up with a long RBI double by none other than John Lackey. In the 7th, however, the Phillies broke the tie with a home run by Raul Ibanez to make it 2-1.

John Lackey pitched very well, going 7 2/3 innings, allowing only 2 runs. He earned the loss because of a lack of run support and is now 5-7/6.81/43 this year. Franklin Morales relieved him with a scoreless third of an inning. Josh Reddick (my man) had a good game, going 2-3 and scoring a run as he has been streaking lately. John Lackey, however, was better than anyone with the bat, hitting an RBI double to the warning track, going 1-3. Tonight will be a great matchup as Jon Lester (9-4/3.66/100) and Cole Hamels (9-4/2.49/108) will square off in the City of Brotherly Love.

Bright Spots:

John Lackey- 2 runs in 7 2/3 innings along with going 1-3 with an RBI double

Josh Reddick- 2-3 with a run scored

Dull Spots:

Jacoby Ellsbury- 0-4 with 2 runners left on base

Kevin Youkilis- 0-3

David Ortiz- 0-4 with a strikeout and 2 runners left on base

Jarrod Saltalamacchia- 0-3 with 2 strikeouts

Marco Scutaro- 0-3 with 3 runners left on base

This was a good game, but it did not go our way at all.

Why Josh Reddick Should Be Starting

The Red Sox basically have two weaknesses. One of them is catcher, which is actually improving as Jarrod Saltalamacchia heats up at the plate. The other is right field, which has been a fairly unstable position ever since Trot Nixon left in 2006. J.D. Drew has been fairly consistent over the years, but this year he has just been bad, going .232/4/18 in 62 games this year. He is still a good fielder in the tough right field of Fenway Park but defense is not enough. Unfortunately his immediate replacements have not been much better, with Darnell McDonald getting outmatched at the plate by his cousin James (pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates) and Mike Cameron not doing much better at .154/3/9 in 32 games and 91 at bats. In my opinion, the answer is from the farm system, Josh Reddick. Reddick has been up and down from Boston and Pawtucket since 2009, and has never really found his niche. However, this year, some improved features have him batting at a remarkable .414/1/9 in 12 games. Please vote on my poll on the right sidebar and tell me if you agree with me.

Red Sox Unable To Come Back From Pirates' Rallies (44-32)

Well, I wanted to make the title of this post "Timmy Ballgame," I really did. Unfortuantely he was not sharp and last night was a tough game for the Sox, as we lost 6-4 to the Pirates. The Red Sox took another early lead in the 1st inning, as with Dustin Pedroia on third base, Adrian Gonzalez grounded out. Gonzalez struck again in the 3rd, with an opposite field home run to make it 2-0. In the 4th, the Pirates made a splash as Lyle Overbay crushed a 3-run homer to right field, making it 3-2 Pirates. Later in the inning, pitcher Jeff Karstens singled back up the middle to make it 4-2. In the 5th, the Pirates got some insurance as a ball rolled through teh legs of Dustin Pedroia, scoring a run and making it 5-2. In the top of the 7th, home runs by Josh Reddick and Jacoby Ellsbury put the Sox back in the game at 5-4. Unfortunately, the Pirates got right back in the bottom half with a long home run by Garrett Jones to make it 6-4.

Wakefield was not good, allowing 5 runs on 7 hits in 6 innings. He earned the loss, and is now 4-3/4.54/33. Matt Albers allowed a run in 2/3 of an inning in relief and Daniel Bard threw a perfect 1 1/3 innings. Jacoby Ellsbury only went 1-5, but he had a very clutch home run, and is now .304/9/39. Dustin Pedroia went 2-4 with a double and a run scored. Adrian Gonzalez only went 1-5 as well, but he had a home run and an RBI groundout, and is now .358/16/71. Jarrod Saltalamacchia had a pretty good game, going 2-4 with a double that was almost a home run. Josh Reddick went 2-3 with a home run, he is now .462/1/8. Today at 1:35, Andrew Miller (0-0/4.76/6) and James McDonald (5-4/4.86/62) will go in the series finale.

Bright Spots:

Daniel Bard- 1 1/3 scoreless innings when we needed it

Jacoby Ellsbury- despite batting 1-5, he had a clutch home run

Dustin Pedroia- 2-4 with a double and a run scored

Adrian Gonzalez- 1-5 with a homer and an RBI groundout

Jarrod Saltalamacchia- 2-4 with a double

Josh Reddick- 2-3 with a solo home run

Dull Spots:

Tim Wakefield- despite starting out well, he collapsed late

Matt Albers- allowed a solo home run in 2/3 of an inning

Kevin Youkilis- 0-3

Marco Scutaro- 0-4 with 5 runners left on base

I am sad that the Sox gave up their early rally, and it is now a 4-game skid.

Wow, This is Like Little League, With a Good PItcher! (28-22)

Wow, the Red Sox have scored 14 runs, twice in a row, off two different teams, as they beat the Tigers 14-1 today. The Red Sox got on top early in the 2nd inning on an RBI double by Drew Sutton. It got to be 2-0 on an RBI single by Josh Reddick, as the rookies were contributing. Later in the inning, Jacoby Ellsbury capped the rally with a 3-run homer deep to right field to make it 5-0. With 2 runners on in the 3rd inning, Carl Crawford knocked a 2-run triple off the wall in right center to make it 7-0. In the 4th, an RBI single by AlexAvila was the Tigers' only run of the game, making it 7-1. However, an error by Scott Sizemore on a hit by Adrian Gonzalez, and scoring Josh Reddick made it 8-1. Another RBI triple by Carl Crawford was hit in the 7th inning, and made it 9-1. However, in the 8th, an RBI double by Dustin Pedroia and an RBI single by Adrian Gonzalez pushed it to 11-1. Then another RBI double by Drew Sutton and a 2-run single by Josh Reddick made it 14-1, before the game was called due to rain.

Alfredo Aceves (top right) definitely pitched well today, allowing just a run on 5 hits in 6 innings, earning the win and making him 2-0/2.22/17, as he's been very good. Matt Albers followed him with a scoreless inning, and that was it for pitchers due to rain. Jacoby Ellsbury had a great day, going 1-3 with 2runs and that 3-run homer, as he is now .296/5/26. Dustin Pedroia went 1-5 with an RBI double and a run, and Adrian Gonzalez did the same, with an RBI single. David Ortiz went 2-3 and scored 3 runs, pushing the average to a great .309 mark. Carl Crawford went 4-5 with 2 runs and 3 RBIs, along with 2 triples, as he is now .244/3/19. Drew Sutton had a great game, going 2-5 with 2 runs and 2 RBIs, and Josh Reddick went 3-5 with 2 runs and 3 RBIs, as the rookies really did contribute. Tomorrow, the Sox will send Tim Wakefield (1-1/4.50/14) against Rick Porcello (4-2/3.08/30).

Bright Spots:

Alfredo Aceves- 1 run in 6 innings, in a very good start

Matt Albers- a scoreless inning of relief

Jacoby Ellsbury- 1-3 with 2 runs and a 3-run homer

David Ortiz- 2-3 with 3 runs scored

Carl Crawford- 4-5 with 2 runs and 3 RBIs, along with 2 triples

Drew Sutton- 2-5 with 2 runs and 2 RBIs

Josh Reddick- 3-5 with 2 runs and 3 RBIs

Dull Spots:

Nobody!

This was a great game for the Red Sox, every player in the lineup had at least one hit, wow!