Close But No Cigar!

Well, the Sox were going for their first season start sweep against the Stripes since 1912, when the Evil Empire had yet to even contend for a championship, was called the Highlanders and played in a place called the Hilltop Stadium. Anyway, the Sox nemesis of all Stripes starters, Pettite, was on the mound, and even though he is 40, he showed he still has it. He barely cleared 90 pitches for 8 innings, leaving with a 4-1 lead. Big Mo relieved him, and although he did get his 609th save, gave up a hit, a freebie and a run to make it close at the end. Sox out hit the Stripes by one hit, getting a pair of two-baggers in the process. However, the Yanks matched those and added a pair of solo shots, which, in the end, were the difference.
Dempster made his first start for the Bosox, getting 8 K's. However, he also gave up five hits, one of them a HR, and four walks in 5 innings. The Sox relievers looked very good (Tazawa) to just OK (Mortenson: 2 hits in 2 innings, one of those the other HR by the Stripes). Offensively, Bradley got another hit, a double, and another RBI. Middlebrooks and Iglesias each had 2 hits and Gomes picked up a double while DH'ing tonight. A win would have been better, but, given the Hose' overall performance this week, we're at least better off than last year, and things look good from here.