Running, Hitting, Pitching--Everything You'd Want From a Team--Peter

Well, we got another sparkling effort from the entire team at large! Name the particular phase of the game and someone on the Sox provided it today. You want hitting, and who doesn't (other than a pitcher)--you got it from a melange of guys. With eleven hits, seven for extra bases, we had contributions from Youk (a pair of doubles and a round tripper); a double each from Tek, Lugo and Manny, and two hits each from Coco and Tek. Manny's two bagger was high off the wall and drove in a run, while Crisp got two hits and appears to be producing at something close to what the Hose had expected a couple of years ago when they got him.

Running your thing? Then you'd love some of the Sox action on the paths today. Aside from the five swipes, two by Jacoby, they added some really fine base running into the mix to garb extra bases and runs while the issue could still have been in doubt. Great example was Coco in the fourth. He basically manufactured a run the old fashioned way--he earned it--with his feet and his head. Starting off with a single, he then made off with second as if he were a cat burglar taking possession of the Crown Jewels, advanced to third on an error and added a run to the Sox' total on Pedroia's ground out.

You like to talk about pitching? Jon Lester's apparently been tinkering a bit and the results were readily apparent, aside from Haverhill's pride, Pena taking Lester deep. Over six, he surrendered only that single run, scattering four hits and three free passes while whiffing five. He was followed by the 'Other Manny'--Delcarmen, who , although getting a Hold, gave up a pair in the seventh in just a third of an inning when he allowed a single, followed by Iwamura's triple, later to be charged for that run when Iwamura plated on a single from the first hitter to face Okajima. What is it with Iwamura, anyway? He can't hit to save his life against the rest of the league and suddenly, he's the greatest thing alive with a bat in his hands when he's facing a hurler wearing Red Sox colors.

But I digress. Aside from Delcarmen's problems, the Sox bullpen did what it was supposed to. After the 'welcome to the game' hit against Oki, he shut down the Rays batters for an inning and a third, followed by--who else--The Saver--Papelbon.

While he K'ed no-one at all, he was just as deadly with his 15 pitches over the final four outs as he ever was. Thirteen of those pitches were for strikes and when the sizzle ceased and the contest was done, he left with a perfect stint--and the save.

Other comments: Papi missed today as his knee was a bit tight. I'm hoping now that he seems to be out of his slump that this doesn't become a season-long thing with the knee. Lowell still seems to be struggling a bit, but we'll see over the next few weeks, I'm sure, as he gets more playing time now that he's back from the DL.

The Sox now have a 3 game streak, and 5 of 6, and have increased their lead in the AL East by another game as Baltimore also lost. 'Stripes won, so that margin remains the same.

Oh, yes--CELTS WON--Absolutely dismantled--that's the only way to describe it--the Hawks to finish off what they should have done three games ago. Batter up--Cleveland.