A Brawl & Some Great Pitching = 2 More Hose Wins

Well, twice more the Hose beat the O's, once by total annihilation, 10-3, and once four zip. Both had similarities and both were unique unto themselves. In the former, the Sox started with 8 runs in the first 2/3 of an inning, leading to a 10-3 win in support of five strong innings by JB. He left after a slight (that's what the Hose are calling it and we hope it's nothing more) hyperextension of his knee. JB says he'll be ready by the All-Star game. As that game wore on, and O's frustrations grew, Papi ended up duking it out in the 7th with the O's hurler, Gregg. The latter sounds like an idiot with his comments trying to justify his reaction to Papi's after nearly hitting him thrice in an at bat. While this writer thinks it's a pitcher's right to move someone back (remember LA's Drysdale or Brooklyn's Sal, the Barber?), he also feels that making dumb comments or motions toward the batter because you don't like his reaction to your "message" pitch, is ridiculous! Anyway, I'm sure Commissioner Bud's office will have some ridiculous suspensions and/or fines to impose shortly, which will have absolutely no effect on the way the game is played at all.
On to tonight's game. With the win, a few things happened. Lackey was as good tionight as he'd been terrible in his last outing. He threw six and 2/3 shutout innings, scattering just three singles and K'ing 7 O's, on the way to reducing his impossibly high ERA by almost 2/3 of a run! That's pitching! A hearty clapping of the hands for Mr. Lackey, who certainly wasn't lacking anything tonight in the Fens at all! The quality pitching continued into the pen as well. Bard took over from Lackey and went an inning and a third scoreless, extending his scoreless inning streak to 18 1/3 innings, followed by The Laser, who threw a perfect inning, including a K, to slam the door.
Although the score wasn't anything close to a repeat of the past two nights, Sox bats were still producing. Out of a total of ten hits, six were for extra bases. The only thing missing was a home run. For the most part, the offense was produced by 'the usual suspects'. Jake went 3-4, including his 26th two bagger and a triple, while Yooouuukkk also was 3-4, with a pair of doubles and his 60th and 61st ribbies.Add in a 2-4 evening by Reddick, getting him back within a hit or two of .400, and the order was looking pretty good.The win was the fifth consecutive and ninth of ten, putting the Hose back over .600 for the season, and maintaining their one game lead over Mr. Hankie's Yankees.
Tomorrow, the Sox are starting a fresh face. They've called up Kyle Weiland from the Pawsox to make his first ever major league start. He's looked good with the Pawsox; should be interesting to see him at the Fens.