Sox Win, but what up with BJ's and O's?

The Sox jumped all over Fausto Carmona for 4 runs in the 1st inning tonight. Carmona was so awful that he didn’t even get sent out for the 2nd inning after having thrown 51 pitches in that one inning. 51 pitches in one inning! I remember Wake throwing less pitches in 5 (five) innings! He’s no Beckett or Lester, but the well-seasoned Byrd can give you 6 innings and keep you in the game without his cage getting rattled. It was looking like the Sox were going to fly away with this one after the 1st inning, but the Tribe chipped away at the 4 run cushion the Sox gave him, tying it 4-4 in the 5th inning. No longer in line for the win, Byrd had his feathers plucked, and Timlin came in the 6th inning. Timlin?! Yikes! Hoping for an ‘on-again’ performance (Y’know how he’s been on-again, off-again? Please don't be a turkey today!), we watched him go 1.1 innings, 1 hit, 1 K, 1 BB. Aardsma, similar numbers. Bottom of the 8th, Bailey triples, Kotsay doubles, 5-4 Sox up. Manny pitches in the 9th and garners his save #2 of the season with 1 BB and 2 K’s.

Meanwhile in Toronto and Baltimore….

Yankees and Blue Jay’s were tied at 2-2 going into the 10th when the yanks erupted for 4 runs. Sheesh Toronto! Give the Sox headaches and then go belly up on the yanks! WTFiuwTHAT?!
In Baltimore, the O’s went up 5-0 over the Ray’s by the 2nd inning. It is now 7-6 Ray’s in the 8th.

Sox win, 5-4 BOX SCORE

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Dice-K Goes 18-2 as Sox Shutout Toronto, 3-0

After tossing 45 pitches in the first 2 innings, Dice-K then went 5 more scoreless innings, throwing only 64 more pitches and issuing only 2 free passes along the way. The win makes Dice-K the first Sox pitcher to win 18 of his first 20 decisions, while going 9-0 on the road.

Ellsbury ripped a leadoff triple in the 1st and scored on Pedroia's sac fly. Ellsbury had a 3 for 4 day, including 2 doubles. Papi followed one of those doubles with a home run to give the Sox a 3 run lead. Pedroia also hit a league leading 52nd double and stole 3rd base, taboot. Oki pitched a 1-2-3 8th inning, and Pap got his 40th save.

The Sox did their job today, a Yankee loss tonight in their last game in the House That was Built for Ruth will put the Sox in the postseason, and send the pinstripers to dusting off their golf clubs.

TBS also noted at the end of the game that the Yankee-Sox finale at Fenway next Sunday is one of four games that could be broadcast that day.

Minnesota beat Tampa Bay 4-1 today, leaving only the Sox only 1.5 games out of 1st.

Sox win 3-0 BOX SCORE

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Another Recently Added National TV Sox Game

TBS will be broadcasting the Sox v. Jay's @ TOR game this coming Sunday, September 21st at 9:30 AM, (PDT)

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Red Sox Can Bury the Jays

Toronto is the hottest team in baseball and they have moved to within 6.5 games of Boston. They do not have a great chance of catching the Red Sox but it is in the realm of possibilities. If the Sox win the upcoming four game series with Toronto they can make fans north of the border start to think about hockey season. Bartolo Colon is scheduled to make his first start since his injury during interleague play on Sunday.

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Poor Yankees Update

The Yankees lost to the Twins today. (Aawwwww.) They are 3-7 in their last 10 games, and currently 8.5 games behind the Rays and 5 behind the Sox.

Hot on their heels are Toronto (2 games behind the Yanks in the loss column, 6-4 in their last 10), and Baltimore (5 games beind the yanks in the loss column.)

UPDATE: Toronto & Baltimore both win tonight.
Ray's and A's still in progress: 2-2, bottom of the 5th at Oakland.

AL EAST Current Standings
Team....W...L....GB
TBY......71...47.....-
BOS......70...51...2.5
NYY.....64...57...8.5
TOR.....62...59..11.0
BAL......57...62..14.5

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Sox End Losing Streak With A Great Win

Jon Lester pitched 8 scoreless innings only giving up 1 hit before Papelbon relieved him in the 9th. With 2 outs he gave up a double giving the Jays their first runner in scoring position all night. The next batter hit one up the middle but Pedroia made an outstanding diving stop and threw on to first for the final out. In the bottom of the 9th Halladay made quick work of Crisp and Pedroia bringing Papi up with 2 outs. After hitting a foul ball out of the stadium Big Papi walked, Ramirez followed with a single off the fists. Youk came through with a walk off single allowing Ortiz to score from second.

Halladay seemed to be matching Lester pitch for pitch and only gave up 3 hits before the 9th. Tito looked like the better manager by going to the closer with a tie game before his starter faded. This is a win the Sox needed; if they did not come through it would have been especially hard considering the recent loses. David Ortiz did seem to be limping after he scored the winning run. I'll check for updates and post any injury news if it becomes available.

Sox win 1-0 BOX SCORE

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Lineup for 4/6 at Toronto

Lugo's time in the lead-off spot did not last long. Tito continues to swap Coco and Ellsbury in center. Today's game will be broadcast nationally on TBS and on NESN and WRKO in New England. Start Time 1:07 pm Eastern.

Pedroia-2B
Youkilis-3B
Ortiz-DH
Ramirez-LF
Lowell-3B
Drew-RF
Varitek-C
Ellsbury-CF
Lugo-SS
Beckett-SP

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