O's in Giving Mood, Sox Take It

It's nice to get a few breaks sometimes. The Orioles played defense like they had nine Julio Lugo's in the field in the 13th inning and gifted the Sox a win Friday night that they'll gladly take.

Baltimore made four errors in the game, including three in the 13th allowing the Sox to get three unearned runs and steal Game 1 of the 4-game series.

Mike Lowell had a good night going 3 for 5 and driving in the game-winning run with a double that scored Manny. Ellsbury was all over the bases with three hits and three steals, giving him 23 on the season - one behind the MLB leaders.

BOX SCORE: Red Sox 5, Orioles 2 (13 innings)

Josh Beckett looked good for most of the night, giving up 2 runs on 4 hits and striking out 10 in 6 innings. He had to throw 118 pitches though to get through the 6 innings and walked the bases loaded before escaping the jam to end the 6th. He's still throwing a lot of pitches and giving up too many home runs which is a concern.

J.D. Drew missed another game. It is being reported that he has vertigo. The team doesn't seem to be concerned, but I'm wondering why. Vertigo is what ended Nick Esasky's career and has turned David Duval from one of the best golfers in the world to a guy who struggle to stay on the PGA Tour. Hopefully it's nothing serious.

The bullpen pitched pretty well with the exception of Timlin who actually got the win despite giving up a hit and 2 walks in his 1 inning of work. Okajima and Hansen looked good as did Papelbon who was overpowering in the 13th to close it out.

Dinner With Dice-K

Non-profit organization Good Sports is auctioning off dinner with Daisuke Matsuzaka and his wife at renowned Japanese restaurant, HARU, in Boston.

The offer is for you and three friends to join the Matsuzakas for "inventive Japanese cuisine." A translator will be provided so you can ask Dice-K about his bum shoulder and why the Sox can't win on the road.

The eBay auction started at $1,000, but the bidding has been hot and heavy as the price has risen to $10,100 as of Thursday morning. Curiously, the listing says the reserve still has not been met. How much are they looking for? -- $20,000? $50,000?

There's still time for you high-rollers out there if you want to meet the Japanese star. The bidding is set to close on June 7 at 2:49:59 ET.

Stymied in Seattle

I think we all saw this one coming. With the Sox struggling on the road and facing a tough lefty in Erik Bedard, not a lot was expected.

But two hits and another shutout - the fourth this season and second in five days - is pathetic. The Sox are now 1-5 on this trip and 1-9 in their last 10 road games.

The anemic offense overshadowed an outstanding start by Mr. Inconsistent Tim Wakefield. He was in command all night, going the distance and making just one mistake. Unfortunately, that mistake was hit out of the park by the Mariners' No. 9 hitter Yuniesky Betancourt for the only run of the game.

BOX SCORE: Mariners 1, Red Sox 0

The Sox had a few chances, as they worked 6 walks, but they never came close to scoring. Coco Crisp grounded out to second for the final out of the game with runners on first and second.

For some reason, Francona pinch hit J.D. Drew for Kevin Cash to lead off the 8th and then had to insert Varitek to catch, leaving neither Tek nor Drew available to pinch hit for Coco in the 9th.

The Red Sox now find themselves 1 1/2 games behind the Rays who keep winning. They'll get a much needed day off Thursday before ending the trip with four games in Baltimore. I know there's no such thing as a must-win game in baseball in May, but with Beckett pitching Friday night they could really use a win.

Manny's Heroics Not Enough; Dice-K Injured

Despite a game-tying 3-run homer and some excellent plays in the field from Manny Ramirez, the Sox bullpen blew another game and a chance to move back into first place Tuesday night.

To make matters worse, Dice-K left the game after throwing two warmup pitches in the 5th with what looked to be a back injury, but is now being reported as "shoulder fatigue." What the hell does that mean? Whatever it is, it doesn't sound good.

BOX SCORE: Mariners 4, Red Sox 3

I guess this is why they say you can never have enough pitching. Early reports say Dice-K may miss his next start in Baltimore. With the Sox having a day off on Thursday, they should be able to get through this week with four starters. After that, if he's out for an extended period of time, Buchholz should be ready to re-join the rotation with Colon keeping his spot.

Dice-K had struggled most of the night giving up two runs in the 1st and another in the 3rd.

Now is the time for Beckett to step up his game and pitch like the Ace he is.

Manny crushed career home run No. 499 after a two-week drought since hitting No. 498. He also made a nice sliding catch in the 2nd and threw out Adrian Beltre trying to go from first to third on a single in the 6th.

The comeback was wasted though as Timlin gave up the game-winning hit with two outs in the 9th.

Lugo and Francona got thrown out of the game by umpire Angel Hernandez in the 5th for arguing a check swing call. Hernandez looked like he had a short temper and even baited Francona into the ejection.

It seems like more and more umpires are being combative with players and managers. Considering all the botched home runs calls and other missed plays, I think the umps should be held accountable for inciting ejections. Baseball is getting to be as bad as the NBA, where the refs are pathetic.

Big Bart to the Rescue

Bartolo Colon gave the Red Sox exactly what they were hoping for in Seattle Monday night as the Sox finally got a victory on the road.

Colon was outstanding needing just 84 pitches while allowing one run in seven innings. If he continues to pitch like this, Buchholz might have to stay in Pawtucket for a while.

BOX SCORE: Red Sox 5, Mariners 3

The big man has won his first two starts in a Red Sox uniform and is throwing in the high 90s with a lot of confidence. He especially looked good on his four strikeouts Monday, quickly turning his back on the hitter after setting them down as if he's saying, "I just struck you out and I have a giant ass."

He may not be at the El Guapo level yet, but I'm sure a few meals with Manny and Papi will take care of that.

The offense woke up last night as well and got to Felix Hernandez for four runs in the eighth which was a great sign since Hernandez usually gives the Sox trouble. Dustin had the huge hit again. His ground rule double scored Lugo from second to give the Sox the lead for good.

Ortiz hit his 12th homer of the season, Manny had a clutch RBI single, Drew had two hits and Tek continued to hit the ball hard, although he went hitless thanks to an incredible catch by Ichiro.

The Sox have a favorable matchup Tuesday night as Dice-K tries to remain unbeaten against Miguel Batista who is a pig with a 6.47 ERA and 1.97 WHIP.

Wasted Weekend in Oakland

All of a sudden the Sox are the Celtics. After cruising through an undefeated 7-game homestand, the boys go on the road and get swept in a 3-game series in Oakland.

The Red Sox always struggle in Oakland, but getting outscored 17-6 and not even being competitive in the three games is reason for concern. Now the Sox find themselves once again in second place behind the pesky rays, who look like they're in the race for the long haul.

On Saturday, Boston managed just one hit - a seventh-inning single from David Ortiz - off former Red Sox farmhand Justin Duchscherer. The Sox didn't even come close to getting another hit. Manny got a much-needed night off, which was probably good as he likely would have just extended his slump.

BOX SCORE: A's 3, Red Sox 0
BOX SCORE: A's 6, Red Sox 3

Things looked much better on Sunday as the Sox jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first on a solo shot from Big Papi, but Lester gave it right back allowing the A's to tie in the bottom of the order - so much for the back-to-back no hitters.

Lester came back to Earth giving up 4 runs in 5 innings, but the Sox battled back to make it 4-3 on a 2-run single by Manny in the fifth. Manny went 3-for-4 as it looked like the day off paid dividends.

The bullpen imploded again, however, as Hansen and Lopez were both ineffective. their struggles combined with Delcarmen's pathetic performance of late has to have the Sox brass deeply concerned and looking for some relief help.

Good teams take care of business at home, which the Sox have done with a MLB-best 21-5 record at Fenway, but they also are competitive on the road and usually at or above .500. After 7 straight losses away from The Fens, the Sox are now 10-17 on the road and it doesn't get any easier with three in Seattle and four in Baltimore before heading home for a crucial series with Tampa Bay - that's something I never thought I'd say.

Boston now turns to the Round Mound of Rosin - Bart Colon - to get things straightened out, but the offense will have a tough matchup against Felix Hernandez.

Ortiz In Yankees' Heads

Major League Baseball is adding a twist to this year's Home Run Derby at the All-Star Game with a promotion called Call Your Shot. It is an online contest that has a fan choosing a spot where they think David Ortiz will hit a home run in the event in July at Yankee Stadium, and the Yankees are not too happy about it.

Since Big Papi is one of the top sluggers in the game and a perennial participant in the Derby, MLB naturally made the choice to choose him for this promotion.

The Yankees claim they weren't aware that Ortiz would be the hitter in the event when they agreed to the event. They are officially paranoid of the Red Sox and Ortiz.

Ever since construction worker Gino Castignoli - the newset Red Sox Nation hero - revealed he buried the Ortiz jersey under the new Yankee Stadium, and the Yankees subsequently dug it up, it's been obvious that New York is afraid of Boston.

The balance of power began to shift when Dave Roberts stole the base to ignite the epic 2004 comeback and is now in full force as the Sox are the dominant team in the league.

But why would the Yankees care if Ortiz hits a home run in their stadium in an exhibition?

Are they going to root against him and the other Red Sox in the All-Star game, even though a win by the American League could potentially help the Yankees if they make the World Series? Maybe they already know they have no chance of making the World Series so their season has been relegated to trying to keep their fans from switching allegiances - you know how those fair-weather New York fans are.

It really makes no sense and I doubt Red Sox management would object if it were A-Rod in Fenway - although he would be booed mercilessly. Just more proof that the Yankees suck!

Wakefield Whipped, Win Streak Ends at Seven

Tim Wakefield didn't have it again and the Oakland A's took advantage hanging an 8-spot on him and ending the Sox' 7-game winning streak.

It's getting very difficult to watch Wake pitch these days. He does eat up a lot of innings, but at some point if he continues to be ineffective a tough decision may have to be made. Francona always seems to leave him in a little too long also. I guess he thinks Wake can work his way out of jams, but he rarely turns it around once he starts off bad.

The Sox never were really in this one as the A's jumped out to the 3-run lead in the first and then added four more in the third.

BOX SCORE: A's 8, Red Sox 3

Mark Ellis hit a 3-run shot off Wake in the third that Manny almost made a spectacular catch on. He climbed the wall like that guy in Japan did a few years ago and just missed robbing the homer.

Manny has been lobbying for a Gold Glove this year. While he may not be at that level, he's definitely playing much better in the field.

Dustin and Ellsbury were the only bright spots as Pedroia hit a solo shot in the fourth and Ellsbury had 2 hits and 2 RBIs. He was caught stealing for the second time in his career, but he had the bag stolen only to overslide the bag and get tagged out.

Slamfest!

Now that's the way to end a homestand. It's always a good day when the Sox smash two grand slams in one game.

Every starter in the lineup had at least one hit and of course Drew and Lowell hit grannys. Lowell continued his hot streak banging out 3 hits to raise his average to .283, and the Sox raised their MLB-leading team average to .295.

BOX SCORE: Red Sox 11, Royals 8

I don't know why the KC manager would walk Manny to load the bases and let the lefty face Lowell. I guess that's why they're the Royals.

Dice-K was wild again, but he keeps on winning. He's going to drive us crazy all year with the walks, but as long as he keeps getting out of the jams and getting the run support we can handle it.

The bullpen tried to make it interesting as Hansen and Aardsma both got pumped and forced Papelbon to come in and get the save in the ninth. Paps actually gave up a couple of hits and seems a little out of rhythm right now.

Let's hope the momentum carries over to the road trip.

Colon Comes Through

Another night, another pitcher helping out. Bartolo Colon looked good in his Red Sox debut and could be a huge a factor if he can even come close to regaining his Cy Young form.

Colon did exactly what the team needed, allowing 2 runs in 5 innings. He only threw 74 pitches, which is perfect for his first start, and looked in control the whole game.

BOX SCORE: Red Sox 6, Royals 3

He could be the perfect addition to the team not only for his pitching but he's also very close with Manny and friends with Ortiz. He will be a great replacement for Tavarez as Manny's buddy. Maybe Manny will rub Bart's belly in the dugout instead of petting his head.

The bullpen was solid too. It's a great sign that Hansen and Delcarmen had perfect innings.

Ellsbury and Dustin had the big games on offense, but Lugo actually got a big hit driving home the 2nd run in the 4-run 5th giving the Sox a 3-2 lead. Manny was 0 for 3 and is now 0 for 10 with 5 strikeouts in the series and 2 for 18 with no runs or RBIs in the 5 games he's played on the homestand.

I never worry about Manny though. He usually starts slow, and this year he didn't, so maybe this is just making up for that a little bit. I doubt his slump will last as long as Ortiz's.

What a difference a week makes as the Sox go for the clean sweep of the 7-game homestand with Dice-K on the mound Thursday after losing 4 in a row on the road. The Sox are dominating at Fenway. They have the best home record in the majors leagues, 20-5, and passed the Diamondbacks for the best overall record in the majors leagues.

It worked out perfectly that Thursday is a day game so there's no conflict with Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals. The double home victory will have the town buzzing.

Master of His Domain

The farmhands keep contributing as Justin Masterson got the call Tuesday night and came through with an impressive performance for his first Major League victory.

Masterson gave up just 1 run on 3 hits, striking out 5 and walking 3 in 6 1/3. The bullpen did a nice job and Papelbon came in to bail out Okajima from a bases-loaded jam in the 8th and then shut the door in the 9th.

It was Masterson's second emergency start of the season. He was very good against the Angels in April when he also only allowed 1 run in 6 innings, but he got a no-decision that night.

BOX SCORE: Red Sox 2, Royals 1

The continued development of the farm system and success of the young players has the Sox in a great position. It seems like every guy the Sox call up contributes, and the core of young players is now as important as the veterans.

Not much to talk about on offense Tuesday night, but the boys scratched out a couple of runs in the 2nd and that was god enough. Ortiz had two more hits as his average continues to climb.

Wednesday's game will be big - in more ways than one - as Batolo Colon tries to impress management and earn a spot on the squad.

Lester Tosses No-Hitter

Holy Crap! Lester throws a no-hitter a little more than eight months after Buchholz threw his. How good does Theo look now after keeping all the young guys instead of trading for Johan Santana?

This one was even more surprising than Buchholz's. A month ago, it looked like Lester might not even stick with the big club after a rough start, but he has turned it around nicely since then capped off by his brilliant performance Monday night.

BOX SCORE: Red Sox 7, Royals 0

The biggest thing for Lester was the use and command of his fastball. He's never thrown it as consistently and effectively than he did against the Royals. Hopefully Buchholz will take note, because he needs to trust his fastball like Lester did.

Ellsbury's catch in the fourth was almost as good as Dustin's play that saved Buchholz's no-hitter. It's fitting that the two young stud position players preserved the no-hitters for the young pitchers. The resurgence of the farm system is very exciting and is comparable to the early '70s when the team was able to develop stars like Fisk, Burleson, Dewey, Rice and Lynn.

So now the Sox have two 24-year-old studs who have both thrown a no-hitter in the Majors to go with Beckett, Dice-K, Wakefield and maybe Colon and Schilling eventually, and with Okajima and Papelbon at the end of the bullpen the staff is looking like a strength once again.

Lost in the shuffle a bit on Monday was the fact that Tek set the MLB record for most no-hitters caught with his fourth. Especially with the young guys, you have to believe he had a lot of influence over the games. For good measure, he also hit a two-run bomb in the 6th to close out the scoring.

We're a little more than 1/4 of the way into the season. The big question in the AL East in March was which young pitchers would be the most effective - Lester and Buchholz or Kennedy and Hughes. It's been no contest to this point and the standings reflect it as the Sox have opened up a 6 1/2-game lead over the last-place Yankees. It's looking more and more like the Rays and not the Yankees are the team to watch now.

Bats Bail Out Beckett

It's a good thing the Brewers were throwing some meatballs at the Sox Sunday. Ortiz, Dustin and Youk came up big to give the Sox the three-game sweep.

Big Papi is on fire. Three more hits, including two shots to right, raised his average to .250 and gives him 10 homers on the season. Youk is trying to keep pace as he smashed his ninth. He's got to be an all-star this year.

BOX SCORE: Red Sox 11, Brewers 7

Ellsbury got caught stealing for the first time in his major league career. It took a pitchout and a perfect throw to get him and he still made it close. He will lead the league in steals at some point in his career if not this year.

Beckett is getting bombed at a pace similar to 2006 when he gave up 36 homers in 204 innings. He served up four more gopher balls Sunday making it 9 in 54 innings.

He was able to go 7 innings and looked pretty good when they weren't hitting bombs off him so maybe we chalk this one up to a couple of bad pitches and some good hitters on Milwaukee.

Braun is a stud. They have a good lineup, but their pitching sucks. I guess any team that gets Gagne to be their closer must have a bad staff.

Let's play the National League all the time. The Sox are 31-8 in Interleague play since 2006 and 18-3 at Fenway. The rest of the Interleague schedule might be pretty tough though with series against the Reds, Phillies, and Astros on the road and the Cardinals and Diamondbacks at home.

The Sox are calling up Justin Masterson and Bart Colon to pitch Tuesday and Wednesday. If Colon does well he could be a huge addition to the staff. He knows how to win and he could have the biggest ass on the team since El Guapo.

Double the Pleasure

It turns out the rainout was just what the doctor ordered as the Sox sweep the doubleheader with the Brewers.

A doubleheader sweep is always tough to pull off, but this one was especially nice since it ended the 4-game losing streak and got the Sox back into 1st place.

BOX SCORE: Red Sox 5, Brewers 3
BOX SCORE: Red Sox 7, Brewers 6

Dice-K looks like the Ace we thought he was going to be. He's 7-0 with a 2.15 ERA now, but the only thing I ever look at with him is walks. He doesn't give up many hits so as long as he limits the walks he'll be tough to beat. We'll take two walks and 6 Ks every time.

What's up with all the errors? Youk made his first error of the season, but he was playing third so he still has the consecutive streak going at first base.

At least the Brewers were even worse. They basically handed the Sox the second game with the two errors in the seventh after they erased the 5-0 deficit. That's a tough loss. Bill Hall can hit, but he's brutal in the field - he's almost as bad as Lugo.

Papi's heating up - it was just a matter of time. Delcarmen finally had a decent outing. It would be huge for the bullpen if he could regain his form.

Sox Finish Tough Trip on Sour Note

How many 3-0 leads can one team blow in a season? Maybe the Sox need to try a new formula. For the third straight game, Boston jumped out to a 3-0 lead and couldn't hold it.

This time they held the lead heading into the bottom of the 6th, but the bullpen eventually imploded sending the Sox to their fourth straight loss and sixth in the last seven games. They ended what started out to be a promising road trip as 4-6 and in second place, 1/2 game behind Tampa.

BOX SCORE: Orioles 6, Red Sox 3

There was one highlight moment, however, and it was provided by Manny Ramirez. It wasn't a towering home run or anything on offense as you might expect. This one was a great catch followed by a classic "Manny Being Manny" moment.

After making a running, over-the-shoulder grab of a Kevin Millar drive in the gap with runners on first and second and one out in the fourth to preserve a 1-0 lead, Manny kept running and did a Bo Jackson run up the wall, took time to high-five a Sox fan in the first row of the outfield, then hurled the ball back to the infield to Pedroia who fired a strike to Youk to complete the double play.

The best moment though was in the dugout when a bunch of players gathered around the camera to watch Manny's act and started busting up when they confirmed what they thought they saw. Manny then acted out the scene for Big Papi in case anyone missed it.

It's nice to know the team is still loose despite the recent losing streak.

The Sox get a much-needed day off Thursday before opening a brief 7-game homestand with the Brewers and Royals. With Buchholz going on the DL with a broken nail (no one ever said pitcher's were tough), the day off couldn't have come at a better time.

Beckett Can't Hold 3-0 Lead

For the second straight night, the Sox jumped out the 3-0 first-inning lead. This time, they had Josh Beckett on the mound meaning an easy win right? Wrong?

Beckett promptly proceeded to give up the lead by the end of the third and once again a Sox rally fell short and the boys dropped their third straight, fourth in the last five nights and fell 1/2 game behind the Rays for first place.

To make matters worse, J.D. Drew left the game in the third with a sprained wrist - he had been driving the ball well lately so hopefully this isn't something that will linger.

Then in the 6th, Coco Crisp left the game with an upset stomach - that better have been a bad case of diarrhea or something for him to leave a game after we had already lost an outfielder - forcing Youk to play right field for the first time in his career.

Finally, Big Papi gets ejected in the 9th for arguing a horrible strike three call by Laz Diaz on a check swing. Hopefully there won't be a suspension later on.

BOX SCORE: Orioles 5, Red Sox 4

The most troubling sign of the night though was Beckett not being able to hold the lead. Like all Sox fans I was feeling pretty good about our chances after grabbing the early lead and having the Ace on the mound, but it was not to be. Boston's No. 1 starter is now 3-3 with a 4.21 ERA after allowing 5 runs on 11 hits in 5 2/3 innings. It's time to stem the tide.

Ode To The Pig

On Tuesday, the Sox said goodbye to one of our favorites - Julian Tavarez, the "Original Pig."

After a particularly brutal outing from Tavarez one day in 2006, we were discussing how bad he was and the term "The Pig" was born. He pitched like a pig and we had to call it that way. Ever since, he has affectionately been known as "The Pig" or just piggy.

We know Julian had to go - it was very difficult watching him pitch these days - but we will miss Julian and his antics. From his pointing around the infield (like the guys don't know which base to throw to), to bowling the ball to first to get an out, to the classic shot in the dugout of Manny petting his head while Don and Jerry crack up in the booth (that one still brings me to tears every time I see it), "The Pig" will be missed.

His performance on the field, however, won't be. In a little more than 2 seasons with the Sox, Tavarez ended up going 12-16 with 1 save and a 4.94 ERA, including 1 loss and a 6.40 ERA in 12 2/3 innings this season.

The Sox now turn to Craig Hansen again and hope he can fill the potential we've been hearing about for years. It's definitely the right move, but from a pure comedy standpoint, "The Pig" will be missed.

Buchholz Bombed

Good riddance Minnesota. After losing three of four to the Twins, the Sox get out of town barely clinging to a 1/2-game lead over the upstart Rays. Do we even have to worry about the Yankees anymore?

The latest clunker from the starting rotation came from Clay Buchholz. He has become extremely inconsistent. The next big thing has been a lot like our basketball team - dominating at home, 2-0 with a 1.04 ERA, and getting pounded on the road, 0-3 with an 8.64 ERA.

Francona probably left him in one batter too long - something that's becoming a disturbing trend - but it probably wouldn't have mattered on this night since the offense disappeared after putting up a 3-spot in the 1st.

BOX SCORE: Twins 7, Red Sox 3

It looked good after Manny went deep to make it 3-0, but no one could get that big hit the rest of the game. Drew hit the ball hard all night and Cora had 2 more hits. Let's see if the 3 days off will clear Lugo's head.

Now it's up to Beckett to be the stopper that he needs to be. Hopefully Manny can hit one out in in Camden Yards and then smash No. 500 when the Sox return to Fenway.

Wakefield Rocked, Rally Comes Up Short

The enigma that is Tim Wakefield strikes again.

Five days after throwing one of his best games in a Red Sox uniform, the 41-year-old knuckleballer got lit up for 7 runs -- 6 earned -- in 2 2/3 innings as the Sox dropped their second game in three nights at the Metrodome. Clay Buchholz will try to give Boston a series split Monday night.

The Sox, who trailed 7-1 after three innings, kept chipping away all night, but ultimately fell one run short when pinch-hitter Manny Ramirez grounded out to short with the tying run at second base. Manny asked for the night off after feeling tightness in his hammy when he awoke Sunday morning. Presumably he hurt the hamstring trying to beat out a double-play ball in the 9th inning the night before.

BOX SCORE: Twins 9, Red Sox 8

Jacoby Ellsbury started in left and went 0-for-4 for the second straight game lowering his average to .268. But filling in for Manny was the new Sox power hitter Coco Crisp.

Coco went deep for the second straight night. He added a triple and was robbed of a hit when he hit a line shot off the pitcher in the 9th which scored a run, but led to the second out of the inning when J.D. Drew was caught in no man's land between second and third. Coco did reach base and was able to steal second setting up the dramatic at-bat for Manny, but was stranded.

Whether Coco is in it for the long haul or is auditioning for other teams, it is a great sign that he is starting to hit for power and contributing on offense.

Alex Cora went 3-for-4 in his first game back from the DL and is now 6-for-7 on the season. If he can hit for any kind of an average I think Francona may have to at least platoon him and Lugo given Lugo's pathetic performance in the field thus far.

Ortiz, Youk, Drew and Kevin Cash all had 2 hits apiece as the lineup continues to produce no matter who is in.

Wakefield was drilled for 5 runs in the 2nd and it looked like Francona was going to take him out in the third after a couple of batters got on. But he was able to get 2 guys out and Tito stuck with him one batter too long as new Sox killer Mike Lamb singled in 2 more runs to knock Wake out of the game.

It probably wouldn't have mattered as Tavarez looked pretty bad and probably would have given up the hit too. I hope the trade rumors with Colorado are true. I never feel good when Julian comes into the game.

Aardsma pitched well again and could easily take over Tavarez' role. Timlin gave up a solo home run in the 7th which didn't help either. It turned out to be the game winner.

Bombs Away in Minnesota

Usually if the Sox hit four homers in a game you've got to figure that Manny and Ortiz would have had a hand in it. Not this time.

The two big boppers combined to go 0-for-9, but the rest of the guys picked them up.

BOX SCORE: Red Sox 5, Twins 2

Youk started the long ball barrage with a solo shot in the 2nd - his 8th on the season and 6th in the last 7 games. Then with the Sox trailing 2-1 in the 7th, two of the most unlikely power sources on the team struck.

First Coco yanked one into the seats in left for his first home run of the season. The next batter, Jed Lowrie, then went down and golfed one out for his first career home run. It turned out to be the game-winner as the familiar formula of Dice-K, Okajima and Papelbon limited the Twins to 2 runs on 7 hits.

Lowrie had a huge night going 3-for-4 with the homer and 2 runs scored. He also was flawless in the field, which after the last few debacles at shortstop by Lugo, was a welcome sight.

Mike Lowell chipped in with another solo blast in the 8th to make it 4-2.

On the mound, Dice-K got off to a shaky start walking three in the first two innings, including one with the bases loaded, but he settled down to only walk one more batter over the next 5 innings to go with seven strikeouts and improved to 6-0.

Okajima pitched a perfect 8th to lower his ERA to a miniscule 0.50 and Papelbon got back on track striking out two in the 9th for the save.

Sox Lose Another Heartbreaker

Didn't we just see this script two nights ago? The Sox fall behind, make a great comeback and then inexplicably blow it in the 9th inning with Papelbon on the mound.

The only difference between this loss to the Twins Friday night and Wednesday's in Detroit was that the costly error from Lugo came in the 2nd inning instead of the 9th.

This time, it was a routine ground ball that "the pig" couldn't handle which directly led to 2 unearned runs for the Twins and a 4-2 deficit for the Sox. That makes a major league-leading 11 errors for the Boston shortstop in 35 games this season. Projected over the full season, Lugo will commit a staggering 50 errors.

BOX SCORE: Twins 7, Red Sox 6

It's not just that he's making errors either. He's hit into 6 double plays already and he's a terrible base runner despite his great speed. Are the Sox going to have to eat another huge contract for a shortstop who was a bust? Is anyone else wishing we still had Renteria?

It's very surprising that Papelbon has blow two straight saves. I wouldn't be concerned just yet, but this time it was all Pap's fault. He was one strike away from closing the game twice, but for some reason he threw splitters to Gomez and Lamb instead of trying to blow it by them with the heat. Especially surprising since they are both weak hitters.

On a positive note, Lowell has possibly surpassed Youk as the hottest hitter on the club. Two more hits including the huge two-run double in the 5th has raised his average to .269. All the starters had at least one hit, Aardsma looked good and Okajima got 6 outs on 15 pitches and looked dominant.

Beckett, Youkilis Shine in Win Over Tigers

The Sox picked up a big win Thursday night behind solid pitching from the Ace, and another bomb from the hottest player in the league.

Beckett went 7 strong innings allowing just 1 run on 6 hits, while striking out 8 -- including his 1,000th in the Majors -- and walking none.

Youk continued his home run barrage with a 2-run shot in the 5th to put the game out of reach.

BOX SCORE: Red Sox 5, Tigers 1

It's always important to come back strong from a loss, especially one as tough as Wednesday night's.

The Sox are now 9-9 on the road this season and have a nice start to this 10-game trip.

Everyone in the lineup had at least 1 hit except for Lugo. Craig Hansen pitched a scoreless 8th and looked good, and Manny Delcarmen actually pitched a scoreless 9th allowing 1 hit and getting a strikeout.

The good news didn't stop there either. Sean Casey and Alex Cora each had productive nights on their rehab stints in Pawtucket and should be called up this weekend. That should allow Francona to give Lugo and Youk some much needed rest and substitute for Lugo on defense late in games.

One last note -- how surprising was it that J.D. Drew didn't leave the game after getting hit by the throw from left field when he scored on the hit by Tek in the 2nd inning? I'll set the over/under at 3 games on how many Mr. Fragile will miss when he wakes up in the morning and his arm is sore.

Lugo's Error Turns Comeback Win Into Blown Save

(AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

He finally cost the Sox a win. Error No. 10 for the early leader for "Pig of the Year," Julio Lugo, opened the door for the Tigers to get the last laugh in a crazy game and cost Pap his first blown save of the season.

Two home runs by Youk, a tying three-run homer by Lowell, and a go-ahead pinch single in the eighth by Dustin were all rendered meaningless thanks to the $10-million-man who can't field a grounder.

BOX SCORE: Tigers 10, Red Sox 9

What should have been an epic comeback from two 4-run deficits became a gut-wrenching loss that sent Papelbon into a fit of rage that he took out on a couple of water coolers in the dugout.

Francona needs to seriously think about using a defensive replacement for Lugo late in close games. He has become that much of a liability. Cora can't get back soon enough.

Wake Spins a Gem; Sox Win 5th Straight

The old man can still do it. You never know what you're going to get when Wakefield takes the mound, but Tuesday night the knuckler was almost unhittable.

Starting pitching is a key for any team, and if the past couple weeks are any indication, the Sox may end up running away with this thing. In their last 10 games, which represents two turns through the rotation, Sox starters have allowed just 19 earned runs in 88 innings, an earned run average of 1.94.

There were so many good signs Tuesday, how can anyone argue with Tigers Manager Jim Leyland when he said the Sox are the best team in the league.

Big Papi and Manny hit back-to-back homers for the first time since 2006, Youk went 2-for-3 to raise his average to .314, Kevin Cash had another good game going 3-for-4 with an RBI -- does anyone even remember Mirabelli? -- and even Timlin chipped in with a scoreless inning.

BOX SCORE

Ortiz has officially shaken his slump going 11-for-26 with 3 home runs and 7 RBIs in his last six games.

Oh yeah, and to top off the night, the Yankees got beat by the Indians when Joba Chamberlain served up a 3-run homer in the 8th to blow it. As good as he is, I'm not sure he's got the right mentality to be a pitcher. He was devastated after losing the game. As a reliever -- or a starter -- you have to be able to shake off a bad pitch or outing and come back strong. It will be interesting to see if this one stays with him.

Power and Pitching - A Recipe for Success

So Dice-K walked 8 guys Monday night. But he still only gave up 2 hits and 1 run, got his 5th win without a loss and lowered his ERA to 2.43.

Don't get me wrong, the lack of control is very troubling, but Dice just seems to find a way to get in and out of trouble. The difference between this year and last year seems the be that when he does get into trouble, he's not getting rattled like he did last season. He trusts his stuff and Varitek's calls and makes the key pitch at the key time.

A couple of great signs on offense with Lowell getting finally getting into the power categories, Big Papi coming through with a big RBI single and the insurance home run and Youk hitting a bomb.

BOX SCORE

It's amazing that the Sox had gone 20-13 in the first 33 games of the season with Lowell have no home runs or RBIs! Let's see what happens when he starts hitting like last season. I think this 3 1/2 game lead is about to grow.

The Difference Between Red Sox and Yankees Fans

Some pyscho Yankees fan ran over and killed a Red Sox fan outside a bar in Nashua, N.H., after an argument in the bar. What is wrong with these people?

Reports say Ivonne Hernandez never hit her brakes as she accelerated toward the small group Matthew Beaudoin was in.

Authorities won't describe the argument beforehand in Slade's Food & Spirits, but witnesses said it heated up when Hernandez identified herself as a New York Yankees fan.

Bartender Tanya Moran said the argument spilled outside, and at least one person in a group that included Beaudoin began chanting "Yankees suck!" when they saw a Yankees sticker on Hernandez's car.

Hernandez, 43, allegedly gunned her car and struck Beaudoin and his friend Maria Hughes, 21. Beaudoin's sister Faith Beaudoin said Hughes had only minor injuries, because her brother shielded her.

Beaudoin was 29.

I hate the Yankees and their fans as much as the next guy, but I could never imagine anything any Yankees fan could do or say to make me want to kill them.

Are Yankees fans that bitter because they haven't won a World Series in eight years and now they're chasing the Red Sox? They better get used to it because with their pitching a mess, their young guys not coming through and Stank Steinbrenner ready to explode, it's only going to get worse.