Waking Up Without A Red Sox Icon

A Red Sox icon is gone today-- as Tim Wakefield announced his retirement from baseball. At 45 years old, Wakefield has spent 19 seasons in the major leagues (17 with the Red Sox) and was one of the twenty five in 2004. He leads the Red Sox all-time in starts and innings pitched and is 3rd in wins with the Red Sox, ranking behind only Roger Clemens and Cy Young. He got his 200th and final win this past year and will retire as one of the most beloved members of the Red Sox ever. He faded a bit near the end of his career, with rough seasons in 2010 and 2011. He was only 7-8/5.12/93 in 2011. However, he was always a great teammate and was one of the classiest guys in baseball. He's also had one of the more versatile roles in history, succeeding as a starter, reliever, closer, and back to starter-- each with reasonable success. He may not make it into the Hall of Fame with his 4.41 ERA, but I think his number should be retired by the Red Sox.

Red Sox Falling Even Farther Into September Hole (88-70)

The Red Sox lost again today, falling for their 4th straight time and making this September even worse. A badly timed wild pitch and passed ball in the 1st inning made the score 2-0 Yankees early. After a walk to Alex Rodriguez in the 3rd inning, Jorge Posada crushed a lined drive, second deck home run into right field to make it 4-0. However, Jacoby Ellsbury put us on the board by leading off the 4th inning with a homer to right to make it 4-1. After a leadoff double in the 5th by Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez drove him in with a ground ball into right field. In the 6th, Jacoby Ellsbury lifted the team again with his 2nd homer of the day to make it 5-2. The Yankees extended their lead in the 6th on a double by Derek Jeter to make it 6-2.
      Tim Wakefield was pretty bad, allowing 5 runs on 5 hits and 5 walks in 4 innings. Matt Albers allowed a run in 1 2/3 scoreless innings of relief. He was relieved by Scott Atchison and Andrew Miller who shut out the Yankees with 1 1/3 and 1 inning, respectively. Jacoby Ellsbury had a great game, going 3-4 with 2 home runs, but he was the only one, as he is now .322/30/11, a great year any way you slice it. In the nightcap of the double-header, John Lackey (12-12/6.49/104) will continue his Cy Young season against Ivan Nova (16-4/3.64/95) and the Yankees.

Bright Spots:
Scott Atchison- 1 1/3 scoreless innings
Andrew Miller- a scoreless inning
Jacoby Ellsbury- 3-4 with 2 solo home runs

Dull Spots:
Everybody else

Tim Wakefield- A Red Sox Icon Through Thick And Thin

It seems to me like Tim Wakefield has always been there, and always will be. He sat in the dugout and watched a 5-4 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on the day I was born. A few nights ago, Tim Wakefield had a tremendous experience in winning his 200th ballgame in a 18-6 win over the Toronto Blue Jays. I've seen tons of games he's pitched in, and he's spent the longest time on the Red Sox of anybody on their active roster. The only other player to even come close is Jason Varitek. However, out of all those games, the one I remember best happened on April 15, 2009. A select few of you may have been reading this blog then and read my post on it- http://conor-soxrox.blogspot.com/2009/04/tough-series.html. That was my 10th post ever on Sox.Rox. I had gone to Australia earlier that year and had missed the first week of the season. After that, they went onto a West Coast trip, and I missed the late games. This game was a day game, and I don't remember but it may have been the first game I had watched that year. I watched, from beginning to end, as Timmy tore up the A's, allowing 2 runs and 4 hits in a complete game victory in an 8-2 win. He had a down year last year, and has not been his old self this year at 7-6/5.13/84. However, if you look at his career statistics of 200-178/4.41/2147, you can see how valuable he has been to the Red Sox. I'd just like to congratulate this man on a great career, and keep up the good work.

Red Sox End Losing Streak In A Big Way! (86-61)

The Red Sox struck first in the bottom of the 1st. They had loaded the bases one two walks and a single with two outs and Josh Reddick came up. Reddick bounced a ball to the first baseman who fielded it cleanly and made a throw to first which deflected off the pitcher's glove. It would bounce foul and allow two runs to score. However, one play in the 2nd gave the Blue Jays a quick lead as with two men on, J.P. Arencibia lined a homer to left to score all three and make it 3-2. With Marco Scutaro at 2nd base in the 2nd inning, Jacoby Ellsbury hit a long double off the Green monster to tie the game and make it 3-3. After a balk, Jacoby Ellsbury himself would score on a line drive to left that was caught for a sacrifice fly by Dustin Pedroia. However, in the 3rd, the Jays would reclaim the lead as Jose Bautista crushed a ball to dead left as it actually clanged off the foul pole for a 2-run homer which would make it 5-4. However, back-to-back homers by Jacoby Ellsbury and Dustin Pedroia in the 4th would give the Sox another lead at 6-5. With 1 out and Carl Crawford at 3rd in the 6th inning, Jarrod Saltalamacchia poked one in between third and short for an RBI single to make it 7-5. Later in the inning, Dustin Pedroia crushed a 3-run homer to left to make it 10-5. In the 7th, Carl Crawford reached 1st with 1 out and Marco Scutaro drove him in with a high double to left to make it 11-5. A walk by Jacoby Ellsbury and a double by Dustin Pedroia opened the 8th inning. A single would score one and a sacrifice fly by the next batter, Conor Jackson would bring in another run and make it 13-5. A single and a walk then loaded the bases, and a walk to Marco Scutaro would bring in a run. Jarrod Saltalamacchia then double to center field, scoring all three runners on base and made it a rout at 17-5. An RBI single by Jacoby Ellsbury would extend the lead further to 18-5. David Cooper hit an RBI double in the 9th, and it was tremendously important... but it wasn't, cause we won 18-6.
      Well, it finally happened, Tim Wakefield got win #200. He didn't pitch too well, but he got the job done, allowing 5 runs in 6 innings, as he is now 7-6/5.13/84. He was relieved with Alfredo Aceves' 2 scoreless innings, and a run in an inning by Junichi Tazawa in his first appearance since Tommy John surgery. Jacoby Ellsbury had a great game, going 4-5 with 4 runs and 3 RBIs, including a solo home run, as he is now .321/27/94. Dustin Pedroia (left), somehow, had an even better game, going 4-5 with 4 runs and 5 RBIs, including 2 home runs, as he is having a great season at .300/20/82, as he has finally achieved his goal of 20 home runs in a season. Adrian Gonzalez had a good game, going 2-4 with a run and an RBI. Carl Crawford had a good game, going 2-4 with 3 runs scored, raising his average up to .253, as he's been fantastic all year... no, no he has not. Marco Scutaro had a good day as well, going 2-3 with a run and 2 RBIs. Jarrod Saltalamacchia was another 4-RBI man, going 2-5 with 4 RBIs, as he is now .249/16/55. Today, at 1:35, we will face a bit of a lopsided matchup as John Lackey (12-12/6.30/97) will face Blue Jays ace Ricky Romero (14-10/3.01/164).

Bright Spots:
Alfredo Aceves- 2 scoreless innings of relief
Jacoby Ellsbury- 4-5 with 4 runs and 3 RBIs, including a home run
Dustin Pedroia- 4-5 with 4 runs and 5 RBIs, including 2 home runs
Adrian Gonzalez- 2-4 with a run and an RBI
Carl Crawford- 2-4 with 3 runs scored
Marco Scutaro- 2-3 with a run and 2 RBIs
Jarrod Saltalamacchia- 2-5 with 2 runs and 4 RBIs

Dull Spots:
Jed Lowrie- 0-4 with 2 strikeouts and 3 LOB
Kevin Youkilis- 0-3 with a strikeout

This was a good game, and a post about Tim Wakefield is coming later.

Not A Good Thing To Wake Up To (85-57)

Well, this was a pretty heartbreaking loss, as Tim Wakefield was looking to get his 200th win, but a bullpen meltdown kept him at 199. A single by Jacoby Ellsbury, a single for Dustin Pedroia, and a hit by pitch for Adrian Gonzalez started the 1st inning. Kevin Youkilis was promptly hit by a pitch to push a run across and make it 1-0. Later in the inning, Marco Scutaro hit a soft single up the middle that would push the score to a 3-0 Red Sox lead. In the bottom of the 1st, Eric Thames scored on a fly ball to right by Edwin Encarnacion to make it 3-1. After a single by Brett Lawrie to start the 2nd, J.P. Arencibia tied the game by hitting a high fly ball to left-center to make it 3-3. In the 3rd, Eric Thames scored on a ground-rule double to left field by Jose Bautista to give the Jays a 4-3 lead. Later in the inning, Bautista himself would score as he took home with a runner going to second, plus a bad throw by Marco Scutaro, and once the dust settled it was 5-3. With runners at 1st and 2nd in the 4th, Josh Reddick singled to bring in a run and make it 5-4. Then came Jacoby Ellsbury, who completely changed the course of the game by hitting a line drive homer to left field that would make it 7-5. In the 5th, the Sox padded their newfound lead with a solo home run by David Ortiz to make it 8-5. In the 7th, the Blue Jays cut the lead a bit as Edwin Encarnacion drove in Yunel Escobar. However, in the 8th, the Blue Jays loaded the bases on a hit by pitch, a single, and a walk. Eric Thames then walked to push in a run and make it 8-7. Then Jose Bautista walked to push in another run and tie the game at 8-8. Then came Edwin Encarnacion with the big blow, a 3-run double off his bat basically killed the game for us, making the score 11-8. However, the Sox didn't give up as Adrian Gonzalez knocked a solo homer to lead off the 9th. Later in the inning, Marco Scutaro singled in David Ortiz to make it 11-10, but they couldn't further come back and that was the final.
      Given, Tim Wakefield didn't pitch too well anyways, allowing 5 runs, 4 earned in 5 innings and walked 3, as he is now 6-6/5.03/78. Then came a bullpen barrage with Franklin Morales for 1/3 of a scoreless inning and Dan Wheeler for 1 1/3 innings with 1 run. Then came Daniel Bard, in possibly his worst outing of the season, he allowing 5 runs in one inning and killed the game. Matt Albers came in for 1/3 of a scoreless inning next. Jacoby Ellsbury (left) had a great game, going 4-5 with 2 runs and a 3-run homer, as he is now .316/25/88. Adrian Gonzalez went 2-4 with 2 runs and a solo home run, as he is now .343/24/106. David Ortiz did pretty much the same thing, he was also 2-4 with 2 runs and a solo home run as he is now .319/29/92. Marco Scutaro went 2-4 with 3 RBIs and a run in another good day, as he's been great lately. Tonight, Andrew Miller (6-2/5.27/40) will go up against Ricky Romero (13-10/2.93/157) as the Sox will look to split this series.

Bright Spots:
Jacoby Ellsbury- 4-5 with 2 runs scored and a 3-run homer
Adrian Gonzalez- 2-4 with 2 runs and a solo home run
David Ortiz- 2-4 with 2 runs and a solo home run
Marco Scutaro- 2-4 with 3 RBIs

Dull Spots:
Tim Wakefield- 5 runs in 5 innings
Dan Wheeler- 1 run in 1 1/3 innings
Daniel Bard- 5 runs in 1 inning
Jarrod Saltalamacchia- 0-4 with a strikeout and 2 LOB

This was a bad game, a very , very bad game

This Game, Well... Kinda Sucked (83-54)

This was a bad game, I actually don't really want to blog it, but I feel it is my duty. Andrew Miller allowed two straight walks to open up the ballgame, and after Josh Hamilton struck out, Michael Young hit an RBI single to make it 1-0. Then Adrian Beltre hit a sacrifice fly to center which allowed another run to score. After singles by Yorvit Torrealba and David Murphy, and a bunt by Craig Gentry; Ian Kinsler knocked a 3-run homer to left to make it 5-0. Later in the inning, two walks and a single loaded the bases for the Rangers, and when Mike Napoli walked it became 6-0. Elvis Andrus singled to lead off the 4th, he stole second and later in the inning came in on a single by Adrian Beltre. In the 5th, David Murphy hit a solo home run to make it 8-0 and then later in the inning, a 2-run homer by Elvis Andrus would, mercifully, end the scoring and make it 10-0.
     Andrew Miller was awful, just awful, allowing 6 runs and walking 4 in just 1 1/3 innings. Michael Bowden was good, allowing just 1 run in 2 2/3 innings, and Matt Albers was terrible, allowing 3 runs in an inning. Tim Wakefield was very good in relief, though, tossing 4 shutout innings and allowing just 3 hits. Adrian Gonzalez went 1-2, the other hit in the ballgame was Jacoby Ellsbury, who went 1-4. This was a terrible game. Today, Erik Bedard (4-9/3.45/113) will pitch against Colby Lewis (11-9/4.19/140).

Bright Spots:
Michael Bowden- 1 run in 2 2/3 innings
Tim Wakefield- 4 shutout innings, wow!
Adrian Gonzalez- 1-2

Dull Spots:
Everybody else

This was probably the worst game we've played all year.

Red Sox Get Blown Out By A's (80-51)

This was a pretty awful game for the Sox, as they lost 15-5, and even gave Darnell McDonald (right) a chance to pitch. Jacoby Ellsbury doubled and stole 3rd in the 1st, and Adrian Gonzalez drove him in with a single up the middle. However, Brandon Allen doubled to start off the 2nd for the A's, and a single by David DeJesus drove him in. A few batters later, Cliff Pennington drove him in to make it 2-1. In the 4th, Kurt Suzuki walked, and a batter later, Scott Sizemore homered over the Green Monster. A 2-run double by Hideki Matsui and a 2-run homer by Josh Willingham would make the score 8-1. However, in the bottom of the 4th, back-to-back home runs by Dustin Pedroia and David Ortiz made it 8-3. Jacoby Ellsbury tripled to lead off the 5th, and Marco Scutaro drove him in with a groundout. In the 7th, Kurt Suzuki scored on a double by Cliff Pennington to make it 9-4. The A's put runners at 1st and 3rd with 2 outs in the 8th, and a double by Jemile Weeks made it 10-4. Then a 2-run double by David DeJesus and an RBI double by Brandon Allen made it 13-4. In the 9th, a 2-run double by Josh Willingham made it 15-4. An RBI double by Josh Reddick in the 9th made it 15-5.
      Tim Wakefield had a horrible start, allowing 8 runs, 4 earned in 4 innings, he is now 6-6/5.10/72. Scott Atchison proceeded to pitch very well out of the bullpen, allowing just a run in 3 innings. Matt Albers then allowed 4 runs in an inning, and Darnell McDonald allowed 2 in one inning. I just can't believe that Darnell McDonald gave up 2 runs, he's been one of our more consistent relievers, right? Right? Jacoby Ellsbury went 2-5 with a double, a triple, and 2 runs scored. Dustin Pedroia went 2-3 with a solo home run, as he is now .306/17/70. David Ortiz (left) went 3-4 with a solo home run, as he is now .305/26/82. Today, the Sox will play a double-header to avoid Hurricane Irene on Sunday, but I will also be evacuating, so I may not be able to make the post for Game 1. I might though, and just in case, pitching will be Jon Lester (13-6/3.16/146) and Guillermo Moscoso (6-7/3.28/52).

Bright Spots:
Jacoby Ellsbury- 2-5 with 2 runs scored
Dustin Pedroia- 2-3 with a solo home run
David Ortiz- 3-4 with a solo home run

Dull Spots:
Nobody! This was a perfect game... Just kidding, just kidding; all the pitchers
Jed Lowrie- 0-5 with 4 strikeouts and 6 runners left on base
Jarrod Saltalamacchia- 0-3 with 2 runners left on base
Mike Aviles- 0-4 with a strikeout and 4 runners left on base

Well, this was an awful game. But at least the Yankees got beat down too!

Red Sox Lose On Royals' 8-run 6th (76-49)

Well, Tim Wakefield was denied 200 wins again in a really tough 9-4 loss to the Royals. The Red Sox led off the 3rd inning with runners on 1st and 3rd and no outs. Marco Scutaro promptly grounded into a double play, however, that scored one for the Sox. In the bottom of the 3rd, Alcides Escobar singled to lead off the inning and 3 batters later, Billy Butler doubled him in to tie it at 1-1. In the top of the 4th, there were runners at 1st and 2nd with 1 out when Carl Crawford singled in Dustin Pedroia. Later in the inning, a sacrifice fly by Darnell McDonald made it 3-1. After Jarrod Saltalamacchia doubled to lead off the 6th, Ryan Lavarnway knocked him in for his first MLB RBI. However, in the bottom of the 6th, all hell broke loose after Eric Hosmer singled with one out. Consecutive doubles by Jeff Francoeur and Mike Moustakas made it 4-3. After a walk to Salvador Perez, a single by Chris Getz would tie it up at 4-4. A 2-run double by Alex Gordon and an RBI single by Melky Cabrera would extend the lead further to 7-4. Then, after a walk to Billy Butler, Eric Hosmer cleared the bases with a 2-run triple to make it 9-4.

Tim Wakefield was pretty good until the 6th, but he ended up allowing 4 runs in 5 1/3 innings and is now 6-5/4.97/69. Matt Albers was awful in relief, allowing 5 runs in 1/3 of an inning and earning the loss. Franklin Morales went 1 1/3 scoreless innings and Dan Wheeler threw 1 scoreless inning. Dustin Pedroia had a good game, going 2-4 and scoring a run. Carl Crawford went 2-4 with an RBI in a good day for him. Ryan Lavarnway had his first good day in the major leagues, going 2-3 with an RBI. Darnell McDonald (left) went 1-3 with an RBI. Today, we will have a good chance of winning the series as Jon Lester (12-6/3.22/143) will take the hill against Danny Duffy (3-7/5.66/69).

Bright Spots:

Franklin Morales- 1 1/3 scoreless innings

Dan Wheeler- 1 scoreless inning

Dustin Pedroia- 2-4 with a run

Carl Crawford- 2-4 with an RBI

Ryan Lavarnway- 2-3 with an RBI

Darnell McDonald- 1-3 with an RBI

Dull Spots:

Matt Albers- 5 runs in 1/3 of an inning, as this was one of his best outings in a Red Sox uniform by far

Adrian Gonzalez- 0-5 with a strikeout and 2 LOB

This was a tough game, as we would have won if not for one bad inning.

Furbush Stymies Red Sox In Series Finale (73-46)

Today, the Sox had another depressing loss to the Mariners, this one was 5-3 in a very tough game. After Wakefield shut down the M's for the first 2 innings, they got to him in the third after a leadoff single for Casper Wells. He then stole 2nd and advanced to 3rd on an error before a Jack Wilson infield single brought him home for a 1-0 lead. Later in the inning, Franklin Gutierrez smacked a ball to left field which would land in the glove of Carl Crawford for a sac fly. Later in that same inning, Mike Carp smacked a ball to right for a base hit to extend the lead to 3-0. In the 4th, Adrian Gonzalez rushed home on a sacrifice fly by Jed Lowrie to make it 3-1. However in the 5th, an RBI single for Dustin Ackley made it 4-1. Then in the 6th, Casper Wells led off the inning with a homer to left to make it 5-1. In the 8th, Kevin Youkilis hit a home run to left to make it 5-3 but it wasn't enough.

Tim Wakefield was decent, with a complete game effort despite allowing 5 runs in 8 innings. He again fell short of 200 wins and is now 6-5/4.90/66. Adrian Gonzalez had a pretty good game for the Sox, going 2-4 and scoring a run. Kevin Youkilis (left) also improved his numbers by going 1-3 with a 2-run homer, as he is now .267/17/78. Jed Lowrie was decent, going 1-3 with an RBI on a sac fly. In the first game of Tuesday, the Sox will send Jon Lester (11-6/3.32/135) up against James Shields (11-9/2.80/167) and the Rays.

Bright Spots:

Adrian Gonzalez- 2-4 with a run scored

Kevin Youkilis- 1-3 with a 2-run homer

Jed Lowrie- 1-3 with an RBI

Dull Spots:

Jacoby Ellsbury- 0-3 with a strikeout

Carl Crawford- 0-3 with 2 strikeouts and 3 LOB

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

Darnell McDonald- 0-4 with a strikeout and 2 LOB

This was not a fun game for the Sox.

Ortiz Lifts Sox In Comeback Win Over Twins (71-43)

Last night the Red Sox played a great game against the Twins, they came back from a 5-1 deficit to win 8-6. In the 2nd inning, the Sox took an early lead when Marco Scutaro drove in David Ortiz on an RBI single. However, in the bottom of the 2nd, the Twins led off the inning with a double by Michael Cuddyer (of whom I have an autographed ball). A Jason Kubel single was next, driving him in and making it 1-1. Kubel quickly scored as Jim Thome was behind him with a double. Later in the inning, Thome scored on a passed ball to make it 3-1. In the 4th, Kubel hit a high fly ball to right field which found the seats to make it 4-1. Then, in the bottom of the 5th, Trevor Plouffe scored on a double by Joe Mauer. However, in the 5th, the Sox got off to an awesome start on a triple by Carl Crawford. An Adrian Gonzalez fly ball came next, scoring Crawford and making it 5-2. After a Dustin Pedroia single, David Ortiz crushed a homer to right field to make it 5-4. Then, in the very next at-bat, Jarrod Saltalamacchia crushed a homer to right to tie it up at 5-5. In the 8th, with Ortiz on 3rd, Mike Aviles grounded a ball to the shortstop, who threw it home, but it bounced off Joe Mauer's glove and Papi scored to make it 6-5. However, Jason Kubel had another RBI single in the 8th, which robbed to Sox of a lead. In the 9th, with runners at 1st and 2nd with 2 outs, David Ortiz lined a ball to center and pinch-runner Darnell McDonald came around to make it 7-6. The next batter, Jarrod Saltalamacchia doubled in Dustin Pedroia to make it 8-6.

Tim Wakefield started out not well, but he settled down, allowing 5 runs, 3 earned in 7 innings, as he is now 6-4/4.92/62. He was relieved with Alfredo Aceves, who allowed 1 run in an inning, and Jonathan Papelbon, who got the save with a scoreless inning. Jacoby Ellsbury had a good game, going 2-5. Adrian Gonzalez also had a good game, going 2-3 with an RBI. Dustin Pedroia went 2-5 with 2 runs scored out of the cleanup role. David Ortiz had a great game though, going 4-5 with 3 runs scored and 3 RBIs, including a 2-run homer, as he is now .295/22/74. Jarrod Saltalamacchia (left) also had a good game, going 2-5 with a homer and 2 RBIs, as he is now .257/11/38. Marco Scutaro had another good day, going 3-4 with an RBI. Tonight, Erik Bedard (4-7/3.55/92) and Francisco Liriano (7-9/5.03/93) pitch.

Bright Spots:

Tim Wakefield- although his stats don't reflect it, he was pretty good for most of the game

Jonathan Papelbon- lights out, with 2 strikeouts in an inning

Jacoby Ellsbury- 2-5

Adrian Gonzalez- 2-3 with an RBI

Dustin Pedroia- 2-5 with 2 runs scored

David Ortiz- 4-5 with 3 runs and 3 RBIs, including a 2-run homer

Jarrod Saltalamacchia- 2-5 with a homer and 2 RBIs

Marco Scutaro- 3-4 with an RBI

Dull Spots:

Alfredo Aceves- cost Wakefield his 200th win by allowing the tying run

Josh Reddick- 0-3 with a strikeout

The Sox played really well last night, and I'm glad they could come back!

Ellsbury the Hero Again; This Time, Touches 'em All (68-41)

Last night was another walk-off win, and another by Ellsbury as the Sox beat the Indians 4-3 to hold on to the AL East lead. After two quick outs in the 1st inning, a single by Adrian Gonzalez and a double by Kevin Youkilis put runners at 2nd and 3rd with 2 outs. David Ortiz delivered with a line drive through to left field that scored both runners with an wrror for Austin Kearns (only 1 RBI for Papi) to make it 2-0. In the 4th inning, a leadoff homer by Jason Kipnis cut it to 2-1. Then an Asdrubal Cabrera single and a double down the right field line by Travis Hafner made it 2-2. However, the Red Sox juiced the bases in the bottom of the 4th, and a Marco Scutaro groundout netted them another lead at 3-2. It stayed 3-2 until the 7th, when after a leadoff double by Lonnie Chisenhall, Ezequiel Carrera knocked a ground-rule double into right field to tie it up at 3-3. In the 9th, Darnell McDonald and Marco Scutaro were out to lead off the inning and it left Jacoby Ellsbury up against righty Joe Smith. Smith threw a fastball outside and low and Ellsbury's wonderful uppercut swing crushed it into the center field bleachers.

Tim Wakefield was so close, he almost got win #200, and he pitched really well, allowing 3 runs in 6 2/3 innings, but it wasn't enough as he is now 6-4/4.99/58. Randy Williams with 1 1/3 scoreless innings and Jonathan Papelbon with a scoreless inning, were each very good and Papelbon got the win in his 2nd straight night. Jacoby Ellsbury went 1-5 again, but again he gets mentioned for that walk-off homer, he is now .317/18/65. Dustin Pedroia went 2-4 and Adrian Gonzalez went 2-4 with a run scored. David Ortiz went 1-3 with a run and an RBI in a good game for him. Josh Reddick went 2-2 with a walk before being pinch-hit for with Darnell McDonald (for some reason). Tonight, Erik Bedard (4-7/3.45/87 with the Mariners) will make his Red Sox debut against former Red Sox Justin Masterson (8-7/2.56/112).

Bright Spots:

Tim Wakefield- despite falling short of win #200 he pitched very well

Randy Williams- 1 1/3 scoreless innings

Jonathan Papelbon- a scoreless inning

Jacoby Ellsbury- despite only going 1-5 he hit a walk-off homer

Dustin Pedroia- 2-4

Adrian Gonzalez- 2-4 with a run scored

David Ortiz- 1-3 with a run and an RBI

Josh Reddick- 2-2 with a walk

Dull Spots:

Jarrod Saltalamacchia- 0-4 with 3 strikeouts and 3 runners left on base

Marco Scutaro- 0-4 with 4 runners left on base and an RBI

This was another great game, and the Sox are walking off on a daily basis now!

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!

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 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 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.

NIne Game Streak Ends In Shutout (39-27)

Last night, the Red Sox' 9-game win streak ended at 9 games in a 4-0 loss to the Rays, aided by a complete game shutout by James Shields. It started out as a pitcher's duel, but the Rays finally broke through in the 5th inning when Justin Ruggiano crushed a home run down the left field line to make it 1-0. They got another in the 6th when, with runners at the corners, Salty let one slip by him, and a run scored to make it 2-0. In the 8th inning, RBI singles by Casey Kotchman (former Red Sock) and John Jaso made it 4-0.

Tim Wakefield was very sharp for much of the game, allowing 4 hits on 2 runs in 7 strong innings. He earned the loss, unfortunately, and is now 3-2/4.39/25. Tommy Hottovy was very bad, as he allowed 2 runs, both earned, without even recording an out. Alfredo Aceves, meanwhile, was good, throwing a scoreless inning and allowing a hit. The Red Sox only managed 5 hits in the game, 3 of which belonged to Adrian Gonzalez, who had a great day, going 3-4 and raising his average to .347 this year. The other hits belonged to Jacoby Ellsbury (1-3) and J.D. Drew (1-3). Tonight, Josh Beckett (5-2/2.06/73) and Jeremy Hellickson (7-4/3.03/52) will square off in Tampa.

Bright Spots:

Tim Wakefield- despite earning the loss, he was very good, allowing 2 runs in 7 innings

Alfredo Aceves- a scoreless inning of relief

Jacoby Ellsbury- 1-3 with a walk

Adrian Gonzalez- 3-4

J.D. Drew- 1-3

Dull Spots:

Tommy Hottovy- 2 runs without recording an out

Dustin Pedroia- 0-4 with a strikeout

Kevin Youkilis- 0-4 with a strikeout and 5 runners left on base

Carl Crawford- 0-3 with a strikeout

Jarrod Saltalamacchia- 0-3 with 2 strikeouts, chasing a lot of bad pitches

This was a good game, but a bit sad from a Red Sox fan's impression.

Red Sox Wake Up, Take First Place From Yankees (35-26)

Last night, the Red Sox put themselves in sole possession of first place with an 11-6 win over the Yankees. With Jacoby Ellsbury on third with 1 out in the 1st inning, Adrian Gonzalez groundout put the Sox up 1-0. However, it dramatically changed once again on a stroke by David Ortiz as his 15th homer was good enough to put the Sox up 3-0. In the 2nd inning, Marco Scutaro came around to score on a sacrifice fly by J.D. Drew. With the bases loaded in the 4th, Jason Varitek grounded out to second, but he just escaped the double play to make it 5-0. Jacoby Ellsbury promptly delivered with a double to make it 6-0 before a Dustin Pedroia single made it 7-0. In the bottom of the 4th, the Yankees got on the board with a solo home run by Alex Rodriguez. In the 5th, a Francisco Cervelli single to score Eduardo Nunez made it 7-2 Red Sox. Then a long double to center field by Derek Jeter made it 7-3. Later in the inning, Jeter came in on a sacrifice fly by Mark Teixeira to cut the score to 7-4 in the 5th. With the bases loaded in the 6th, Adrian Gonzalez walked, and a run came in to make it 8-4. In the bottom of the 6th, Francisco Cervelli singled through the left side, scoring Robinson Cano and making it 8-5. In the 9th, a solo home run by Carl Crawford and a 2-run shot from J.D. Drew made it 11-5 late. The Yankees cut it a little when Mark Teixeira singled in Francisco Cervelli to make it 11-6 but that was it.

Tim Wakefield (top right) was not too sharp, allowing 5 runs in 5 1/3 innings. However, he earned the win, and is now 3-1/4.84/23 this year. Alfredo Aceves earned a save with 3 2/3 innings of relief, allowing just 1 run, as he has been a great acquisition this year. Jacoby Ellsbury had a good game, going 3-5, scoring a run and having an RBI. Dustin Pedroia went 1-3 with an RBI and 2 walks. David Ortiz (left) went 1-4 with 2 runs scored and that 2-run homer, as he is now .323/15/34. Carl Crawford went 2-5 with 2 runs scored and that solo home run, as he is now .247/6/30. Marco Scutaro had a very good game, going 2-5 with 2 runs scored. J.D. Drew went 1-3 with 3 RBIs and that 2-run homer, he is now .229/4/15 this year. The series finale tonight will be good, as Josh Beckett (4-2/2.01/67) and C.C. Sabathia (7-3/2.80/70) will go head to head.

Bright Spots:

Alfredo Aceves- the save with 3 2/3 innings of one-run relief

Jacoby Ellsbury- 3-5 with a run and an RBI

Dustin Pedroia- 1-3 with an RBI

David Ortiz- 1-4 with 2 runs scored and a 2-run homer

Carl Crawford- 2-5 with 2 runs and a solo shot

Marco Scutaro- 2-5 with 2 runs scored

J.D. Drew- 1-3 with a run and 3 RBIs on the 2-run homer

Dull Spots:

Tim Wakefield- he earned the win despite 5 runs in 5 1/3 innings

Well, we are in first place now, finally, living up to expectations.

Red Sox Can't Hold On, Swept By White Sox (30-26)

Today, the Red Sox completed a tough series in a sweep, losing 7-4 to complete the sweep. They took an early lead in the 2nd inning, as with runners on first and second, Jed Lowrie smacked a ball that bounced over the wall for a ground-rule double. In the same inning, both Lowrie and Carl Crawford came home on a single by Jarrod Saltalamacchia, making it 3-0 Red Sox early. It stayed like that until the 4th, when Alexei Ramirez scored on a double by Brent Lillibridge. In the 5th, Ramon Castro came in from 3rd to score on a groundout by Alexei Ramirez to cut it to 3-2. Later in the same inning, Juan Pierre raced home on a double by Carlos Quentin to tie the game at 3-3. In the 6th, the White Sox took a lead as Brent Lillibridge homered over the monster to make it 4-3 White Sox. However, the Red Sox got it right back as David Ortiz continued his hot streak with another homer to make it 4-4. The White Sox took another lead in the 7th, as Alexei Ramirez came in on a single by Paul Konerko to make it 5-4. In the 9th, it was Paul Konerko knocking in Ramirez again, as Konerko delivered a massive home run over the green monster to make it 7-4.

Tim Wakefield (top right) was OK, allowing 4 runs in 6 innings, as he is now 2-1/4.40/20. Matt Albers allowed

a run in a third of an inning, and Rich Hill could not record an out before leaving the game with an elbow injury. Daniel Bard, with 1 2/3 innings, and Jonathan Papelbon, two runs in 1 inning, closed it off. Dustin Pedroia went 2-4, raising his average up to .245, as he has been on an off year so far. David Ortiz had a very nice game, going 2-4 with 2 runs and a solo home run, as he is now a very good .313/13/28. Jarrod Saltalamacchia (left) only went 1-4, but he did have that very clutch 2-run single, his 16th and 17th runs batted in of the season. After an off day tomorrow, the A's will come to town on Friday and Clay Buchholz (4-3/3.41/44) and Josh Outman (1-0/2.08/4) will battle.

Bright Spots:

Daniel Bard- 1 2/3 scoreless innings of relief

Dustin Pedroia- 2-4

David Ortiz- 2-4 with 2 runs and an RBI on the solo home run

Jed Lowrie- 1-4 with an RBI and a run scored

Jarrod Saltalamacchia- 1-4 with a 2-run single

Dull Spots:

Jonathan Papelbon- 2 runs in an inning of relief

Kevin Youkilis- 0-4 with 3 runners left on base

Josh Reddick- 0-4 with a strikeout and 2 runners left on base

This was a depressing series, need I say anything else?

Big 3rd Inning Helps Sox Continue Streak (29-22)

Last night, the Red Sox extended their winning streak to four, and put themselves into first place in a 6-3 win over the Tigers. With Jacoby Ellsbury on third base and two outs in the 1st inning, Jacoby Ellsbury came in to score on a wild pitch by Rick Porcello. However, with Austin Jackson on second base and two outs, the Tigers got the run back on a single by Miguel Cabrera. In the bottom of the 2nd, Jhonny Peralta crushed a 430 foot home run to left field to give the Tigers a 2-1 lead. However, the Red Sox got that back as Jacoby Ellsbury wrapped a solo home run around the right field pole to tie the game at 2-2. Then, with Sox on first and second base, Kevin Youkilis whacked a double deep into the right center gap to make it 4-2 Red Sox. Soon after, Carl Crawford knocked a home run into the seats to make it 6-2 Red Sox. The Tigers got one back with an RBI double by Jhonny Peralta to make it 6-3.

Tim Wakefield was very good after a rough first two innings, as he really settled into his groove, going 7 innings and allowing 2 runs on 5 hits. He earned the win, and is now 2-1/4.14/16. Daniel Bard relieved him with a scoreless inning, before Jonathan Papelbon allowed a run in an inning. Jacoby Ellsbury had a good game, going 2-5, scoring 2 runs and with a solo homer as he is now .299/6/27. Adrian Gonzalez went 2-5 with a run scored, as he has been on a tear. Kevin Youkilis only went 1-4 but he had a huge hit with that 2-run double. Carl Crawford went 1-3, but he had that big 2-run homer, as he is now .245/4/21. Tonight, Clay Buchholz (4-3/3.30/41) will be the opponent of Andrew Oliver in the first start of his season.

Bright Spots:

Tim Wakefield- 2 runs on 5 hits in 7 innings, earning the win

Daniel Bard- a scoreless inning of relief

Jacoby Ellsbury- 2-5 with 2 runs and a home run

Adrian Gonzalez- 2-5 with a runs scored

Kevin Youkilis- 1-4 with a big 2-run double

Carl Crawford- 1-3 with a 2-run home run

Dull Spots:

David Ortiz- 0-4 with 2 strikeouts

Jarrod Saltalamacchia- 0-4 with 2 strikeouts

Wow, after such a bad start, the Red Sox are in first place, I'm so happy!

The Knuckleball Dances As The Cubs Dance Back Home (25-21)

Last night, the Red Sox beat the Cubs 5-1 in a game where the Red Sox just held control the entire ballgame. In the 4th inning, after loading the bases with no outs, sacrifice flies by Jed Lowrie and Mike Cameron made it 2-0 Red Sox. In the bottom of the 5th, a Jarrod Saltalamacchia home run way over the monster made it 3-0 Red Sox. in the top of the 7th, Starlin Castro came home from third on a two-out double by Jeff Baker. However, with runners on first and second with 2 outs, Kevin Youkilis came through in the clutch with a triple to the triangle in deep center field to make it 5-1 Red Sox.

Tim Wakefield (right) pitched fantastic, allowing 4 hits and just one earned run in 6 2/3 innings. He earned his first win of the year, and is now 1-1/4.50/14, only 6 wins from 200. Daniel Bard pitched a scoreless 1 1/3 inning and Jonathan Papelbon pitched a scoreless inning behind him. Dustin Pedroia had a pretty good day, going 2-4 and scoring a run. However, Adrian Gonzalez had a monster day, going 4-4 with 2 runs scored, as he is now batting .342 this year. Kevin Youkilis went 1-3, scoring a run, and hitting that big 2-run triple, as he is now .281/8/32. David Ortiz went 2-4 and Jed Lowrie went 1-2 with an RBI. Jarrod Saltalamacchia (left) went 1-4 with that solo home run, he is now .237/3/12. Tonight, the Sox will head down to Cleveland and send Clay Buchholz (4-3/3.42/37) to the hill against Justin Masterson (5-2/2.52/48).

Bright Spots:

Tim Wakefield- 1 run and 4 hits in 6 2/3 innings

Daniel Bard- 1 1/3 scoreless innings of relief

Jonathan Papelbon- a scoreless inning of relief

Dustin Pedroia- 2-4 with a run scored

Adrian Gonzalez- 4-4 with 2 runs scored

Kevin Youkilis -1-3 with 2 RBIs and a run

Jed Lowrie- 1-2 with an RBI sac fly

Jarrod Saltalamacchia- 1-4 with a huge home run

Dull Spots:

Carl Crawford- 0-3 with a strikeout

Well, after last night's win, here we stand, just .5 games out of first place and the end to a struggle back.