Cleveland Clobbers Boston

CLEVELAND: 0 0 1 0 3 0 3 0 2 - 9 13 0

BOSTON: 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 2 8 0

No sweep of the Fenway Park homestand this time. The Boston Red Sox scored early but not often in this first game of the two-game series against the Cleveland Indians. The Red Sox lineup surely missed the power of Jacoby Ellsbury and Kevin Youkilis today. Weather permitting, Boston will be looking for a split of the series tomorrow. Let's hope Ellsbury and/or Youkilis will be back to lend a hand - with a bat.

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CLEVELAND: Starting Pitcher: Carl Pavano, Winning Pitcher: Carl Pavano

BOSTON: Starting Pitcher: Justin Masterson, Losing Pitcher: Justin Masterson (2)

CLEVELAND: Save: Aaron Laffey

CLEVELAND: Homeruns: Mark DeRosa, Victor Martinez

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RED SOX: Wins: 17, Losses: 11, AL East Standings: Toronto, Boston, New York, Tampa Bay, Baltimore

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Next game: Thursday 7 May 2009, 4:10 p.m. PT, Cleveland Indians, Fenway Park, Tim Wakefield

Red Sox Recap, 27 April to 5 May

Between Monday 27 April 2009 and Tuesday 5 May 2009, the Boston Red Sox played nine games on the road - three games against the Cleveland Indians, four against the Tampa Bay Rays, and two against the New York Yankees. Here are the breakdowns over this time period.

Totals Each Series

Red Sox: 17 runs, 32 hits, 4 errors

Indians: 15 runs, 25 hits, 2 errors

Two wins, one loss (won the first and third games)

Analysis: Red Sox had 53% of the total runs, 56% of the total hits, 66% of the total errors

Red Sox: 15 runs, 31 hits, 2 errors

Rays: 30 runs, 46 hits, 2 errors

One win, three losses (won the third game)

Analysis: Red Sox had 33% of the total runs, 40% of the total hits, 50% of the total errors

Red Sox: 13 runs, 19 hits, 1 error

Yankees: 7 runs, 19 hits, 3 errors

Two wins, zero losses (sweep)

Analysis: Red Sox had 65% of the total runs, 50% of the total hits, 25% of the total errors

Combined Series Totals

Red Sox: 45 runs, 82 hits, 7 errors

Opponents: 52 runs, 90 hits, 7 errors

Five wins, four losses

Analysis: Red Sox had 46% of the total runs, 48% of the total hits, 50% of the total errors

Season-To-5 May 2009

Red Sox: 154 runs, 256 hits, 18 errors

Opponents: 131 runs, 247 hits, 23 errors

Seventeen wins, ten losses

Analysis: Red Sox had 54% of the total runs, 51% of the total hits, 44% of the total errors

AL East Standings (at the start of Wednesday 6 May 2009)

Toronto 19 10 .655

Boston 17 10 .630

New York 13 13 .500

Tampa Bay 12 16 .429

Baltimore 10 17 .370

Red Sox Yoke Yankees, 7 to 3

BOSTON: 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 - 7 8 1

NY YANKEES: 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 3 10 1

The Boston Red Sox were extremely efficient tonight by scoring all the runs they would need to win in the first inning. The runs in the last two innings were the ice cream on top of a humble pie served to the New York Yankees. Both starting pitchers had hiccups but each settled down nicely after them. Ultimately, the relief pitching for Boston (gave up zero runs) proved to be more effective than the New York (gave up three runs) bullpen. The Red Sox leave Yankee Stadium with a five-game winning streak over the Yankees. Boston heads home after having five wins and four losses on this road trip; which is a vast improvement over their last trip (two wins and four losses). Their five-game homestand begins tomorrow against the Cleveland Indians and will end on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Rays.

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BOSTON: Starting Pitcher: Josh Beckett, Winning Pitcher: Josh Beckett (3)

NY YANKEES: Starting Pitcher: Joba Chamberlain, Losing Pitcher: Joba Chamberlain

BOSTON: Homerun: Jason Bay (7)

NY YANKEES: Homerun: Johnny Damon

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RED SOX: Wins: 17, Losses: 10, AL East Standings: Toronto, Boston, New York, Tampa Bay, Baltimore

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Next game: Wednesday 6 May 2009, 4:10 p.m. PT, Cleveland Indians, Fenway Park, Justin Masterson

Red Sox Run-Over Yankees, 6 to 4

BOSTON: 1 1 1 1 0 0 2 0 0 - 6 11 0

NY YANKEES: 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 1 0 - 4 9 2

Rain delay? What rain delay? The rain may have been pouring during the two hour plus delay, but the runs came slowly and steadily for the Boston Red Sox in the game. Result - Boston's first win in their first visit to the new Yankee Stadium. They did leave the bases-loaded in the ninth without scoring a run - always a frustrating and annoying event. It was another Red Sox / Yankees endurance test and happily the Boston Red Sox 2009 winning streak against the New York Yankees continues. Lester had a striking outing and David Ortiz had a couple of doubles. Is Ortiz truly about to break out of his struggles?

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BOSTON: Starting Pitcher: Jon Lester, Winning Pitcher: Jon Lester (2)

NY YANKEES: Starting Pitcher: Phil Hughes, Losing Pitcher: Phil Hughes

BOSTON: Save: Jonathan Papelbon (7)

BOSTON: Homeruns: Mike Lowell (6), Jason Bay (6)

NY YANKEES: Homeruns: Johnny Damon, Mark Teixeira (two in the game)

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RED SOX: Wins: 16, Losses: 10, AL East Standings: Toronto, Boston, New York, Tampa Bay, Baltimore

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Next game: Tuesday 5 May 2009, 4:05 p.m. PT, New York Yankees, Yankee Stadium, Josh Beckett

Tampa Bay Takes Boston

BOSTON: 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 - 3 8 1

TAMPA BAY: 1 0 0 2 0 0 1 1 x - 5 10 0

Watched the road series loss for the Boston Red Sox at my favorite New England sports living bar in Southern California. The bar was already open when I arrived and before the game talked to Andrew about Italy, basketball, and movies. I was the only patron at the start of the game, but soon familiar (Rich) and new faces arrived. From this game with the Tampa Bay Rays, the Red Sox will now have to learn how to prevent stolen bases, as the Ray's Carl Crawford tied the Major League record for steals in one game - six. There is so much that Boston needs to execute well when playing Tampa Bay and they often come up short. The Red Sox will soon have another chance to see if they can win against the Rays later this week in Fenway Park. Boston won't have to play in Tropicana Field again until August.

Personal Note: I found out early this morning that a woman, who had also patronized this New England bar and with whom I had watched a number of Red Sox games over the past five years, had unexpectedly died on Wednesday. The sorrow of this tragic end to Nora's life is felt by all who knew her in this place. May Nora's soul find rest and peace.

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BOSTON: Starting Pitcher: Brad Penny, Losing Pitcher: Brad Penny (1)

TAMPA BAY: Starting Pitcher: James Shields, Winning Pitcher: James Shields

TAMPA BAY: Save: Troy Percival

BOSTON: Homerun: Kevin Youkilis (6)

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RED SOX: Wins: 15, Losses: 10, AL East Standings: Toronto, Boston, New York, Tampa Bay, Baltimore

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Next game: Monday 4 May 2009, 4:05 p.m. PT, New York Yankees, Yankee Stadium, Jon Lester

Boston Blasts Tampa Bay, 10 to 6

BOSTON: 2 3 1 0 0 2 2 0 0 - 10 13 1

TAMPA BAY: 1 0 0 1 3 0 0 0 1 - 6 11 2

The Boston Red Sox demonstrated their run producing ability tonight, which had been exceedingly suppressed in the past two games against the Tampa Bay Rays. I was apprehensive when Wakefield was taken out in the sixth (thought he should have stayed to at least the seventh), but the bullpen came through and did a great job in not allowing the Rays any additional runs until the ninth. Now if the Red Sox can win the fourth game tomorrow in Tropicana Field, that would give them a split of the series and positive momentum heading into the games with the Yankees. And just maybe they would have learned how to win against Tampa Bay.

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BOSTON: Starting Pitcher: Tim Wakefield, Winning Pitcher: Tim Wakefield (3)

TAMPA BAY: Starting Pitcher: Jeff Niemann, Losing Pitcher: Jeff Niemann

BOSTON: Homerun: Mike Lowell (5)

TAMPA BAY: Homerun: Carlos Pena

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RED SOX: Wins: 15, Losses: 9, AL East Standings: Toronto, Boston, New York, Tampa Bay, Baltimore

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Next game: Sunday 3 May 2009, 10:38 a.m. PT, Tampa Bay Rays, Tropicana Field, Brad Penny

Tampa Bay Tanks Boston

BOSTON: 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 - 2 9 0

TAMPA BAY: 0 0 0 0 6 0 0 0 x - 6 7 0

Not sure why the Boston Red Sox have such a hard time with the Tampa Bay Rays, but they need to find a way to win against them. Yesterday's shutout was the first one against the Red Sox since 22 April 1993 by Chris Bosio of the Seattle Mariners in Seattle. At least in this loss the Rays scored half as many runs as in yesterday's game and the Red Sox did put two runs on the board today. The trend is a positive one. Now if Boston can salvage the next two games and come away from Tropicana Field with a split of the four-game series, I would consider it an unequivocal victory.

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BOSTON: Starting Pitcher: Justin Masterson, Losing Pitcher: Justin Masterson (1)

TAMPA BAY: Starting Pitcher: Andy Sonnanstine, Winning Pitcher: Andy Sonnanstine

TAMPA BAY: Homeruns: Evan Longoria (grand slam), Carlos Pena

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RED SOX: Wins: 14, Losses: 9, AL East Standings: Toronto, Boston, New York, Tampa Bay, Baltimore

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Next game: Saturday 2 May 2009, 4:08 p.m. PT, Tampa Bay Rays, Tropicana Field, Tim Wakefield