Red Sox Edge Royals Behind Ciriaco, Ross (61-67)

Doubront had a bad inning

This was a great game in so far as the Red Sox won, it was some good baseball, and there were a few strong individual performances-- all great in the position the Red Sox are in right now. The Red Sox took off to a 1-0 lead in the first, scoring when Cody Ross drove in Pedro Ciriaco with a single. They scored again in the second inning when Mike Aviles hit a high fly ball off the monster, scoring Mauro Gomez all the way from first to give the Red Sox a 2-0 lead. Felix Doubront held the Royals in check for the next few innings, but they finally got to him in a big fourth inning. With two outs and two strikes, the Royals put together a sustained rally--starting with singles by Eric Hosmer and Johnny Giavotella. They scored one run when Tony Abreu hit a soft liner to left for an RBI single and they scored three more when Lorenzo Cain drilled one into the monster seats in left to make it 4-2.

Loney made his Red Sox debut

However, the Red Sox came back in the fifth-- starting with a one out solo home run for Pedro Ciriaco. After that, the Red Sox managed to put runners at the corners for James Loney. In his second at bat with the Red Sox, Loney took a first pitch fastball up the middle for an RBI single to make it 4-4. After putting runners at first and second with no outs, the Red Sox finally scored on a two out RBI single by Jacoby Ellsbury. They did some more damage in the seventh as they loaded the bases with two outs. Scott Podsednik hit a seemingly inning ending ground ball but in a Buckner-esque play, the ball rolled right through Alcides Escobar's legs for a run. They scored another on an infield single by Pedro Ciriaco. The Royals scrambled for two runs in the eighth on a sacrifice fly and an RBI single (Tony Abreu again!). However, the Red Sox got one back on a homer for Dustin Pedroia to make it 8-6 and won.

Bright Spots:
Craig Breslow- 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 K
Mark Melancon- 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 K, SV (1)
Pedro Ciriaco- 3-5, 2 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI
Jacoby Ellsbury- 2-5, 1 R, 1 RBI
Dustin Pedroia- 2-5, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI
Cody Ross- 2-4, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 RBI
James Loney- 1-5, 1 RBI
Mike Aviles- 2-4, 1 2B, 1 RBI

Dull Spots:
Nobody!

Player of the Game:
Pedro Ciriaco- Ciriaco did a fantastic job leading off, going 3-5 while scoring two runs, driving in two more, and knocking a home run-- he is now .360/2/16.

Beckett Unravels As Orioles Take Opener (57-60)

Beckett allowed 6 runs in 5.1 innings

If the Red Sox have any plans of even coming close to contending this year, this was a series that they probably had to sweep. Well, that plan's over as the Red Sox fell in a blowout in Baltimore tonight. After a couple of scoreless innings to start the game, the Orioles finally got on the board in the bottom of the third. On the first pitch of the inning, light-hitting Omar Quintanilla jacked one onto Eutaw Street in right field to make it 1-0. The Red Sox would answer in the top of the fourth, though, starting on a leadoff double by Cody Ross. Two batters later, Ross would score on a single up the middle by Carl Crawford. It stayed tied for a bit, but the Orioles took another lead in the fifth inning when Mark Reynolds went the other way to right field for a solo home run to give the Orioles a 2-1 lead. However, things got very ugly in the sixth inning.

Pedroia went 2-4 with a triple

A single and a walk would put runners at first and second with one out in the inning. That was when things imploded for the Red Sox as Matt Wieters hit a high bouncer over the pitcher's mound for an infield single to score a runner and make it 3-1. Chris Davis followed him up with a hard single up the middle to make it 4-1 and keep runners at first and second, still with one out, for Mark Reynolds. At this point, Josh Beckett was taken out of the game with a line that still resembled respectability. However, a couple of batters later and his final line on the night looked like 5.1 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 2 BB, 2 K. Those additional two runs added onto Beckett's total came when Mark Reynolds hit his second homer of the game-- a shot to deep left to make it 7-1. The Red Sox were never able to approach a comeback and lost by that score.

Bright Spots:
Mark Melancon- 2.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 3 K
Jacoby Ellsbury- 2-5
Dustin Pedroia- 2-4, 1 BB, 1 2B, 1 3B
Cody Ross- 2-4, 1 R, 1 2B
Carl Crawford- 2-4, 1 RBI

Dull Spots:
Josh Beckett- 5.1 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 2 BB, 2 K, L (5-10)
Mike Aviles- 0-4, 3 K, 4 LOB

Player of the Game:
Dustin Pedroia- On a different night, Pedroia could've been a major catalyst as he reached base three times, including a double and triple-- he is now .280/9/43.

Morales, Gonzalez Power Sox To Avoid Sweep (54-55)

Morales got his third win

If the Red Sox had been swept by the Twins today, it would be about time to punt this season and sell on the waiver wire. However, with Franklin Morales going for them, they managed to pull off a solid win in Boston. It took them a few innings, but they finally got an early rally going in the third inning. A single and a double put runners at second and third with no outs. They would score one in the inning when Carl Crawford grounded out to shortstop and another when Adrian Gonzalez drove Jacoby Ellsbury in with a bloop single to center. The Twins finally cracked the scoreboard after a leadoff walk and stolen base for Alexi Casilla. He would eventually score on a deep sacrifice fly by Ben Revere. However, the Red Sox would more than make up for that run as Adrian Gonzalez powered a two-run homer over the monster in the bottom of the fifth to make it 4-1.

Gonzalez drove in three runs

That fifth inning blemish was the only bad mark on a very strong start for Franklin Morales, seeing him go 6 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 4 K. The Red Sox continued to add onto their lead, starting in the seventh inning. That was when they put runners at first and second with one out for Cody Ross. Ross delivered by driving a ground ball back up the middle to score a run and make it 5-1. A one out double by Ryan Kalish in the eighth set the Red Sox up to score some more. Kalish stole third and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by Jacoby Ellsbury. Vicente Padilla came into the game in the ninth, with a five run lead. However, he did his best to cut that lead-- allowing a leadoff home run to Josh Willingham and later, a two-run homer to Ryan Doumit. Luckily, Alfredo Aceves did what he couldn't do last night-- shut the door with a 1-2-3 inning to put the Red Sox at just a game under .500.

Bright Spots:
Franklin Morales- 6 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 4 K, W (3-2)
Mark Melancon- 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 K
Alfredo Aceves- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 K, SV (23)
Jacoby Ellsbury- 1-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI
Carl Crawford- 3-5, 2 R, 1 SB, 1 RBI
Adrian Gonzalez- 2-3, 1 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI
Cody Ross- 2-4, 1 RBI
Will Middlebrooks- 2-4, 1 SB
Ryan Kalish- 1-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 SB
Mike Aviles- 2-3, 1 R, 1 BB

Dull Spots:
Vicente Padilla- 0 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 1 BB
Jarrod Saltalamacchia- 0-4, 1 K, 4 LOB

Player of the Game:
Adrian Gonzalez- Gonzalez's bat powered the Red Sox in this game as he went 2-3 with a two-run homer and an RBI single and is now .304/11/66 this season.

Red Sox Finish Strong To Win Series Over Rays (45-44)

Beckett settled down after the
first inning

The Red Sox continued their run of staying around .500 but yet in the thick of things as they moved within a game of the Rays today. They scored first in the first inning after a pair of one out walks. Adrian Gonzalez would deliver with a line drive into left for an RBI single to make it 1-0. However, the Rays answered in a big way in the bottom of the first-- putting runners at the corners with no outs. Ben Zobrist hit a hard liner off of Josh Beckett's glove and hustled out an infield hit to tie it at one. The Rays weren't done scoring though, as a few batters later a soft single to center by Desmond Jennings would give the Rays a 3-1 lead and it wasn't looking like Josh Beckett's best day. Luckily, Beckett didn't even have to work with a deficit for all that long as the Red Sox got right back to business in the second. After a one out single by Will Middlebrooks, Mike Aviles had the big blow with a two-run homer to center to make it 3-3.

Nava had the go-ahead home run

Both Josh Beckett and James Shields settled down from that point on, but neither was really good. That finally caught up to Shields in the fifth as Daniel Nava got ahold of an outside pitch, pulling it to right for a go ahead home run to make it 4-3. The Red Sox kept rolling right along in the fifth and proceeded to load the bases on two hits and a walk, with just one out. This time it was Will Middlebrooks with the big hit, as he singled hard up the middle to bring in two runs and give the Red Sox a comfortable 6-3 lead. After loading the bases with one out in the sixth, the Red Sox got some more insurance on a sacrifice fly by Cody Ross to make it 7-3. Beckett left after the sixth with a decent 6 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 7 K. The bullpen would hold the Rays and give the Red Sox a comfortable 7-3 win and a series win.

Bright Spots:
Josh Beckett- 6 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 7 K, W (5-7)
Mark Melancon- 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 K
Jacoby Ellsbury- 3-5, 1 R, 1 2B
Daniel Nava- 1-3, 2 R, 1 BB, 1 HR, 1 RBI
David Ortiz- 2-4, 1 BB
Adrian Gonzalez- 2-4, 1 R, 1 RBI
Cody Ross- 1-4, 1 R, 1 RBI
Will Middlebrooks- 3-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 2 RBI
Mike Aviles- 2-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI

Dull Spots:
Pedro Ciriaco- 0-4, 2 K, 4 LOB

Player of the Game:
Will Middlebrooks- Middlebrooks made more case for the Youkilis trade as he went 3-4 with a double, a run, and two RBIs-- he improved to .301/11/41 on the season.

Red Sox Battle Back In Tie To Yanks (9-7)

Cook allowed 2 runs in 4 innings

I went to bed unhappy last night-- after watching the game through the top of the eighth I was tired of watching the Red Sox bats flail (even in a spring training game)-- however, they battled back and I wish I'd seen it. After a scoreless game for the first three innings, the Yankees finally got to starter Aaron Cook for two runs in the fourth inning on an RBI triple by Curtis Granderson and an RBI single for Andruw Jones. Cook was taken out after that inning, and he wound up with 4 innings, 2 runs, 4 hits, 2 strikeouts in a decent outing. On a two-run single by Doug Bernier in the fifth, the Yankees took two more runs and a 4-0 lead. However, Ross Ohlendorf settled down and only allowed those two runs in his three innings. Mark Melancon pitched a perfect eighth inning-- leading to the Red Sox' half of the inning. After a popup by Mike Aviles to lead off the inning, Jason Repko doubled with one out. Pedro Ciriaco proceeded to knock him in with a double to make it a 4-1 game. Nate Spears singled to right to make it 4-2, knocking in Ciriaco. Lars Anderson then flashed some power with a double to center to make it 4-3 and really cut the lead down-- however, Anderson would be stranded. Scott Atchison allowed a hit and struck out a batter in a scoreless ninth to lead into the Red Sox' half of the inning with a 4-3 deficit. Ryan Sweeney singled to lead off the inning, and after a popup for Ryan Lavarnway, Mike Aviles doubled to put two in scoring position with one out. Bobby Valentine then put on one of the most exciting plays in baseball-- the suicide squeeze. With Jason Repko at the plate, he decided not to risk the out so he put on the squeeze and it worked-- Sweeney scored and Aviles advanced to tie it at 4-4. However, with the winning run at third and a tie game, Pedro Ciriaco struck out swinging to end the game.

Bright Spots:
Mark Melancon- 1 inning, no runs, no hits
Scott Atchison- 1 inning, no runs, 1 hit, 1 strikeout
Jason Repko- 1-1, 1 run, 1 double, 1 RBI, the suicide squeeze
Nate Spears- 1-2, 1 run, 1 RBI
Pedro Ciriaco 1-2, 1 run, 1 RBI, 1 walk
Lars Anderson- 1-1, 1 double, 1 RBI
Ryan Sweeney- 2-4, 1 run

Dull Spots:
Jacoby Ellsbury- 0-3
Dustin Pedroia- 0-2, 1 strikeout, hurt his left forearm
Kevin Youkilis- 0-2
Cody Ross- 0-3, 2 strikeouts, 1 left on base
Ryan Lavanrway- 0-2, 1 strikeout, 1 left on base

Red Sox Make Some Timely Plays In Walk-Off Win (6-2)

Beckett threw 4 strong innings

Yesterday's game was an exciting one for the Sox as I luckily got a chance to record and watch the game, which is why it's coming out this morning rather than last night. The 1st inning was a bit rough for the Sox, a one-out double for Emilio Bonifacio. Beckett proceeded to hit two of the next three batters to load the bases with two outs. He then broke the cardinal rule of pitching to not walk in a run by walking Chris Coghlan. However, he settled down after that, and the Marlins were still only up by one when the Sox came to bat in the third. After two quick outs, Mike Aviles lined a ball over Bonifacio's head in the center field and trucked around the bases for a triple. I personally thought that the chance was squandered as Nick Punto came up to bat, but Punto lined a double into left to tie up the game at 1-1. The Sox came back strong in the fourth, after a David Ortiz walk to lead off the inning, Jarrod Saltalamacchia singled to right with one out. With runners at the corners, Cody Ross blooped a single into right to score one. Kelly Shoppach then flew to center to score another and give the Sox a 3-1 lead. All the while, Josh Beckett had certainly settled down-- throwing three shutout innings after the rough first and looking like this on the day: 4 innings, 1 hit, 1 run, 2 walks, 3 strikeouts. After Beckett was done, the two biggest offseason acquisitions came in to pitch: Mark Melancon struck out one in a perfect inning and Andrew Bailey allowed a run on three hits in his inning to put the Sox up 3-2 after six. Ross Ohlendorf came in to throw his first innings with the Red Sox, and was pretty good-- 2 innings, 1 hit, no runs, 1 walk. However, Scott Atchison was a bit rough. With a man on first, Clint Sammons doubled to left-center, but a wonderful, gorgeous, beautiful, fantastic relay got the runner out at home. However, a run would still score on another play at the plate to tie up the game off Atchison, who allowed a run and three hits in his inning. The Sox went down scoreless and the game went to extra innings, where Jesse Carlson threw for 1 inning, 1 hit, no runs or walks, 1 strikeout. However, in the 10th, after a one-out single by Nate Spears, Pedro Ciriaco launched a 2-run homer to win the game for the Red Sox.

Bright Spots:
Josh Beckett- 4 innings, 1 hit, 1 run, 2 walks, 3 strikeouts
Mark Melancon- 1 inning, no runs or hits, 1 strikeout
Ross Ohlendorf- 2 innings, 1 hit, no runs, 1 walk, 1 strikeout
Jesse Carlson- 1 inning, 1 hit, no runs, 1 strikeout
Nick Punto- 1-3, 1 RBI, 1 double
Pedro Ciriaco- 1-2, 1 home run, 2 RBIs
David Ortiz- 1-2, 1 run, 1 walk
Cody Ross- 1-3, 1 RBI
Mike Aviles- 2-3, 1 run, 1 triple

Dull Spots:
Andrew Bailey- 1 inning, 3 hits, 1 run
Scott Atchison- 1 inning, 2 hits, 1 run
Kevin Youkilis- 0-3, 2 strikeouts, 2 left on base
Juan Carlos Linares- 0-2, 1 strikeout

Red Sox End Streak In An Unlikely Way (3-0)

Justin Germano was impressive

Today was an interesting day for the Red Sox, in a game that was broadcasted by neither television or radio. Justin Germano (right) pitched well through the first two innings for Boston-- he allowed one hit and no runs with no strikeouts or walks either. In the 3rd inning, Oscar Tejeda and Juan Carlos Linares each singled to put runners at the corners with no outs. After a Mike Aviles popup, Ryan Sweeney drove Tejeda in with a sacrifice fly. Cody Ross then singled to keep the Sox in business, but they couldn't keep up the rally. However, in the bottom of the 3rd-- Justin Thomas was a bit rocky. In his lone inning, he allowed 3 runs (2 earned) on two hits and a walk to give the Jays a 3-1 lead entering the 4th. A pair of one-out singles by Lars Anderson and Kelly Shoppach gave the Sox two baserunners, but Oscar Tejeda struck out to give the Sox two outs. Francisco Cordero of the Blue Jays tossed a wild pitch to move the runners up and then a rare throwing error by defensive wizard Omar Vizquel tied up the game at 3-3. That would be all either team would get as the game would stay tied.

Bright Spots:
Justin Germano- 2 innings, no runs, 1 hit, no walks or strikeouts
Tony Pena Jr.- 1 inning, 1 hit, no runs, walks, or strikeouts
Mark Melancon- 1 inning, no runs or hits, 1 walk, 1 strikeout
Junichi Tazawa- 1 inning, no runs, 1 hit
Chorye Spoone- 1 inning, 1 hit, no runs, 1 walk, 2 strikeouts
Doug Mathis- 2 innings, 1 hit, no runs
Lars Anderson- 1-2, 1 run
Kelly Shoppach- 1-2, 1 run
Oscar Tejeda- 1-2, 1 run

Dull Spots:
Justin Thomas- 1 inning, 3 runs, 2 hits, 1 walk
Zach Gentile- 0-2, 1 strikeout
Jorge Padron- 0-2

Red Sox Acquire Melancon From Astros For Lowrie, Weiland

Today, the Red Sox made a move to significantly bolster their bullpen-- acquiring Mark Melancon from the Astros. In doing so, they had to give up Jed Lowrie and Kyle Weiland. Melancon has proven himself very effective the past couple of years, going 8-4/2.78/66 in 71 games and 74 1/3 innings. Melancon was traded from the Yankees to Houston in the Berkman deal at Trading Deadline 2010. He'll get his chance to annoy the Yankees, as they gave up on him pretty quickly. I'm kind of surprised the Red Sox traded both Lowrie and Weiland for Melancon. Lowrie was expected to be traded this offseason, but I would've thought they could get a starter for him. Weiland was expected to serve a role in the bullpen this upcoming year, but Melancon will be taking that role from him so he may as well go. I'm excited that Cherington finally made his first real move, but I'm surprised they gave up so much for him.