Red Sox Over Orioles, 7 to 5

BALTIMORE: 0 1 0 0 1 2 0 0 1 - 5 12 1

BOSTON: 2 0 0 1 0 1 3 0 x - 7 15 1

And it is a sweep for the Boston Red Sox! Although it was more of a game today against the Baltimore Orioles than yesterday, the Red Sox managed to come out ahead in the end to record another victory. Boston had more hits than yesterday, but amazingly not a single homerun today. And unfortunately, the bullpen was not able to protect Boston's lead and give Byrd his deserved win. The Red Sox will not be back in Fenway Park until Friday when the Rays come in for a three-game series. Boston still leads the AL Wild Card. =============================================

BALTIMORE: Starting Pitcher: Jason Berken, Losing Pitcher: Matt Albers

BOSTON: Starting Pitcher: Paul Byrd, Winning Pitcher: Billy Wagner (1)

BOSTON: Save: Jonthan Papelbon (35)

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RED SOX: Wins: 81, Losses: 58, AL East Standings: New York, Boston, Tampa Bay, Toronto, Baltimore

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Next game: Friday 11 September 2009, 4:10 p.m. PT, Tampa Bay Rays, Fenway Park, Jon Lester

Happy 23rd Birthday Michael Matthew Bowden!

Michael Bowden is a right-handed batting and throwing pitcher. He is a relief pitcher for the Boston Red Sox. Michael made his Major league debut with the Boston Red Sox on Saturday 30 August 2008 when he was twenty-one years, eleven months, and twenty-one days old. The Red Sox played the Chicago White Sox that day in Fenway Park and Michael pitched five innings and gave up two runs in the eight to two victory. Michael wears number sixty-four.

Boston Bombs Baltimore,10 to 0

BALTIMORE: 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 0 5 0

BOSTON: 3 1 4 0 0 1 1 0 x - 10 11 0

Homers! (first multi-homer game for Pedroia). Homers! (first time in Red Sox history five homers in three innings). Homers! (Ortiz ties DH homerun lead with his two hundred sixty-ninth). The Boston Red Sox are back in Fenway Park and the long balls are flying! For the Baltimore Orioles, this first game of a two-game series, was over in the first inning. The Red Sox had great hitting (double digit) and pitching (no runs) today. Over half the innings that Buchholz pitched were 1-2-3 innings - marvelous! Being home is what Boston needed, as well as having a series against the already eliminated Orioles. Welcome home Boston - sweep the birds tomorrow!

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BALTIMORE: Starting Pitcher: David Hernandez, Losing Pitcher: David Hernandez

BOSTON: Starting Pitcher: Clay Buchholz, Winning Pitcher: Clay Buchholz (5)

BOSTON: Homeruns: Dustin Pedroia (11, 12), Kevin Youkilis (24), Alex Gonzalez (7), J. D. Drew (20), David Ortiz (23)

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RED SOX: Wins: 80, Losses: 58, AL East Standings: New York, Boston, Tampa Bay, Toronto, Baltimore

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Next game: Wednesday 9 September 2009, 4:10 p.m. PT, Baltimore Orioles, Fenway Park, Paul Byrd

Red Sox Recap, 1 to 7 September

Between Tuesday 1 September and Monday 7 September 2009, the Boston Red Sox played seven games on the road – three against the Tampa Bay Rays and four against the Chicago White Sox. Here are the breakdowns over the time period.

Total Each Series

Red Sox: 19 runs, 30 hits, 2 errors
Rays: 15 runs, 29 hits, 3 errors
Two wins, one loss (won the first and third games)
Analysis: Red Sox had 56% of the total runs, 51% of the total hits, 40% of the total errors

Red Sox: 10 runs, 30 hits, 1 error
White Sox: 23 runs, 42 hits, 1 error
One win, three losses (won the third game)
Analysis: Red Sox had 30% of the total runs, 43% of the total hits, 50% of the total errors

Combined Series Totals

Red Sox: 29 runs, 60 hits, 3 errors
Opponents: 38 runs, 71 hits, 4 errors
Three wins, four losses
Analysis: Red Sox had 43% of the total runs, 46% of the total hits, 43% of the total errors

Season-To-7 September 2009

Red Sox: 720 runs, 1248 hits, 77 errors
Opponents: 623 runs, 1258 hits, 95 errors
Seventy-nine wins, fifty-eight losses
Analysis: Red Sox had 54% of the total runs, 50% of the total hits, 45% of the total errors

AL East Standings (at the start of Tuesday 8 September 2009)

New York 89 50 .640
Boston 79 58 .577
Tampa Bay 72 66 .522
Toronto 61 76 .445
Baltimore 56 81 .409

AL Wild Card Standings (at the start of Tuesday 8 September 2009)

Boston 79 58 .577
Texas 76 60 .559
Seattle 72 66 .522
Tampa Bay 72 66 .522
Minnesota 69 68 .504

White Sox Wipe Red Sox

BOSTON: 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 1 8 0

CHI. WHITE SOX: 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 2 x - 5 8 0

Although Beckett has another loss, he did pitch better than he has in recent starts and he did not give up a homerun. A positive outing that could become a trend. Unfortunately, the Boston Red Sox did not split the four-game series against the Chicago White Sox, but they did leave U. S. Cellular Field without being swept. And Ellsbury stole his sixtieth base of the season. Boston returns home to Fenway and will attempt to have a better homestand than this road trip.

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BOSTON: Starting Pitcher: Josh Beckett, Losing Pitcher: Josh Beckett (6)

CHI. WHITE SOX: Starting Pitcher: Mark Buehrle, Winning Pitcther: Mark Beuehrle

CHI. WHITE SOX: Homerun: Carlos Quentin

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RED SOX: Wins: 79, Losses: 58, AL East Standings: New York, Boston, Tampa Bay, Toronto, Baltimore

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Next game: Tuesday 8 September 2009, 4:10 p.m. PT, Baltimore Orioles, Fenway Park, Clay Buchholz

Red Sox Rout White Sox, 6 to 1

BOSTON: 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 3 - 6 10 0

CHI. WHITE SOX: 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 - 1 6 0

A joust today between Red Sox Jon and White Sox John, starting pitchers both. In the end, Jon outpitched (outjousted?) John and the Boston Red Sox were victorious in this third game of the series. The Chicago White Sox will not sweep Boston. There were few of us in the New England sports living bar to witness this most welcomed result. It is a holiday (Labor Day) weekend and many have left to enjoy other locales. Mike was here (Andrew is still out because of his injured foot) and for most of the game he only had three people in the bar - yours truly, the other regular Rich, and a guy whose name I think is Chris. No matter how few of us there were, the win (though a missed shutout) in U. S. Cellular Field could not have been better received. The Red Sox had a day of double digits hits and double homeruns. Hope Boston will favor us with another win tomorrow and finish with a series split. Because of Boston's win and their losses, the Red Sox were able to gain ground on the Yankees and to increase the distance from the Rangers and the Rays. Here's to victory!

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BOSTON: Starting Pitcher: Jon Lester, Winning Pitcher: Jon Lester (12)

CHI. WHITE SOX: Starting Pitcher: John Danks, Losing Pitcher: John Danks

BOSTON: Homeruns: Mike Lowell (17), Victor Martinez (21)

CHI. WHITE SOX: Homerun: Ramon Castro

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RED SOX: Wins: 79, Losses: 57, AL East Standings: New York, Boston, Tampa Bay, Toronto, Baltimore

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Next game: Monday 7 September 2009, 11:05 a.m. PT, Chicago White Sox, U. S. Cellular Field, Josh Beckett

White Sox Wound Red Sox

BOSTON: 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 - 1 3 0

CHI. WHITE SOX: 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 x - 5 8 0

Perfection is not easily obtained and although pitcher Gavin Floyd of the Chicago White Sox was perfect for five and two-thirds innings, he would have to settle just for the victory against the Boston Red Sox. Game perfection will have to wait another day for Floyd. Red Sox hitting was kept to half of the runs and a third of the hits that they produced yesterday. Even though the game in U. S. Cellular Field was over for the Red Sox at the end of the first inning, Tim Wakefield did manage to have a decent return with a couple of 1-2-3 innings. Boston needs to salvage this series with a win tomorrow and maintain the lead in the AL Wild Card.

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BOSTON: Starting Pitcher: Tim Wakefield, Losing Pitcher: Tim Wakefield (4)

CHI. WHITE SOX: Starting Pitcher: Gavin Floyd, Winning Pitcher: Gavin Floyd

BOSTON: Homerun: Jason Bay (31)

CHI. WHITE SOX: Homeruns: Mark Kotsay, Paul Konerko

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RED SOX: Wins: 78, Losses: 57, AL East Standings: New York, Boston, Tampa Bay, Toronto, Baltimore

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Next game: Sunday 6 September 2009, 11:05 a.m. PT, Chicago White Sox, U. S. Cellular Field, Jon Lester