White Sox Reduce Red Sox

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

CHI. WHITE SOX: 0 2 5 5 0 0 0 0 x - 12 20 1

No pitching, no hitting, no winning. The Boston Red Sox had a terrible start to their four-game series against the Chicago White Sox today. Boston's first two pitchers, over the first four innings, gave up all the runs Chicago would score. The last two Boston pitchers kept the White Sox scoreless for the remainder of the game. As far as Red Sox hitting is concerned, no double digit number of hits today and only one sixth of the runs scored by the White Sox. It was ugly in U. S. Cellular Field for Boston. And because the Rangers won, the lead in the AL Wild Card is now only two games. Here's to a better day tomorrow.

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BOSTON: Starting Pitcher: Paul Byrd, Losing Pitcher: Paul Byrd (1)

CHI. WHITE SOX: Starting Pitcher: Freddy Garcia, Winning Pitcher: Freddy Garcia

CHI. WHITE SOX: Homerun: Mark Kotsay

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RED SOX: Wins: 78, Losses: 56, AL East Standings: New York, Boston, Tampa Bay, Toronto, Baltimore

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Next game: Saturday 5 September 2009, 1:05 p.m. PT, Chicago White Sox, U. S. Cellular Field, Tim Wakefield

Red Sox Raise Rays, 6 to 3

BOSTON: 2 1 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 - 6 12 0

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

The Boston Red Sox won two out of the three games in this series against the Tampa Bay Rays. In winning this final game and the series, the Red Sox were twice as good as the Rays today - double the number of hits and runs. And it has been two seasons since Boston won a series in Tropicana Field. A good way to end their last visit to the Rays this season and to began their four-game series against the Chicago White Sox. Hope Boston has twice as many wins against Chicago as they did against Tampa Bay. That would be sweep!

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BOSTON: Starting Pitcher: Clay Buchholz, Winning Pitcher: Clay Buchholz (4)

TAMPA BAY: Starting Pitcher: David Price, Losing Pitcher: David Price

BOSTON: Save: Jonathan Papelbon (34)

BOSTON: Homerun: Rocco Baldelli (7)

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RED SOX: Wins: 78, Losses: 55, AL East Standings: New York, Boston, Tampa Bay, Toronto, Baltimore

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Next game: Friday 4 September 2009, 5:11 p.m. PT, Chicago White Sox, U. S. Cellular Field, Paul Byrd

Tampa Bay Takes Boston

BOSTON: 0 1 0 2 0 0 1 1 0 - 5 6 1

TAMPA BAY: 1 3 1 0 0 0 0 3 x - 8 12 0

First Inning: Red Sox: Jacoby Ellsbury (CF) strikes out looking, Dustin Pedroia (2B) grounds out to second, Victor Martinez (1B) grounds out to second

Rays: Jason Bartlett (SS) strikes out swinging, Carl Crawford (LF) homers to left, Ben Zobrist (RF) strikes out swinging, Carlos Pena (1B) strikes out looking

End of first inning score: Red Sox 0, Rays 1

Second Inning: Red Sox: Kevin Youkilis (3B) doubles to center, David Ortiz (DH) pops out to left, Jason Bay (LF) triples to center, Youkilis scores, J. D. Drew (RF) pops out to third, Jason Varitek (C) strikes out swinging

Rays: Pat Burrell (DH) homers to left, Evan Longoria (3B) singles to shortstop, Gregg Zaun (C) singles to right, Longoria moves to third, Akinori Iwamura (2B) singles to left, Longoria scores, Zaun moves to third, B. J. Upton (CF) singles to right, Zaun scores, Iwamura moves to second, Bartlett pops out to right, Crawford grounds out to third, Iwamura moves to third, Upton moves to second, Zobrist flies out to left

End of second inning score: Red Sox 1, Rays 4

Third Inning: Red Sox: Alex Gonzalez (SS) fouls out to catcher, Ellsbury fouls out to third, Pedroia flies out to left

Rays: Pena strikes out swinging, Burrell strikes out looking, Longoria safe at first on error by third baseman, Zaun doubles to right, Longoria scores, Iwamura strikes out swinging

End of third inning score: Red Sox 1, Rays 5

Fourth Inning: Red Sox: Martinez walks, Youkilis doubles, Martinez moves to third, Ortiz grounds out to first, Martinez scores, Youkilis moves to third, Bay fouls out to catcher, Drew singles to left, Youkilis scores, Varitek walks, Drew moves to second, Gonzalez lines out to left

Rays: Upton fouls out to right, Bartlett singles to shortstop, Crawford flies out to right, Zobrist grounds out to first

End of fourth inning score: Red Sox 3, Rays 5

Fifth Inning: Red Sox: Ellsbury hit by a pitch, Pedroia flies out to center, Ellsbury steals second (number 56 - leads the majors), Martinez pops up to center, Youkilis walks, Ortiz pops out to left

Rays: Pena strikes out looking, Burrell strikes out looking, Longoria flies out to right

End of fifth inning score: Red Sox 3, Rays 5

Sixth Inning: Red Sox: Bay strikes out looking, Drew flies out to left, Varitek flies out to center

Rays: Zaun strikes out swinging, Iwamura flies out to center, Upton lines out to center

End of sixth inning score: Red Sox 3, Rays 5

Seventh Inning: Red Sox: Gonzalez doubles to center, Ellsbury lines out to right, Pedroia flies out to right, Gonzalez moves to third, Martinez singles to right, Gonzalez scores, (Tampa Bay pitcher Chad Bradford relieves Tampa Bay starting pitcher Matt Garza), Youkilis flies out to right

Rays: (Boston pitcher Ramon Ramirez relieves Boston starting pitcher Josh Beckett), Bartlett fouls out to first, Crawford strikes out swinging, Zobrist fouls out to third

End of seventh inning score: Red Sox 4, Rays 5

Eighth Inning: Red Sox: (Tampa Bay pitcher Randy Choate relieves Tampa Bay pitcher Chad Bradford), Ortiz walks, Joey Gathright pinch runs for Ortiz, (Tampa Bay pitcher Russ Springer relieves Tampa Bay pitcher Randy Choate), Bay strikes out, Gathright steals second, (Tampa Bay pitcher Grant Balfour relieves Tampa Bay pitcher Russ Springer), Drew walks, Casey Kotchman (pinch hits for Varitek) walks, Gathright moves to third, Drew moves to second (bases-loaded), (Tampa Bay pitcher J. P. Howell relieves Tampa Bay pitcher Grant Balfour), Nick Green (pinch runs for Kotchman), Gathright scores on wild pitch, Drew moves to third, Green moves to second, Gonzalez strikes out swinging, Ellsbury strikes out swinging

Rays: Pena doubles, Burrell singles to center, Pena scores, Fernando Perez pinch runs for Burrell, (Boston pitcher Manny Delcarmen relieves Boston pitcher Ramon Ramirez), Longoria homers to left, Perez scores, Zaun doubles, Iwamura strikes out swinging, (Boston pitcher Takashi Saito releives Boston pitcher Manny Delcarmen), Upton doubles, Zaun out at home, Upton out attempting to steal third

End of eighth inning score: Red Sox 5, Rays 8

Ninth Inning: Red Sox: Pedroia flies out to right, Martinez walks, (Tampa Bay pitcher Dan Wheeler relieves Tampa Bay pitcher J. P. Howell), Youkilis grounds out to pitcher, Martinez moves to second, Mike Lowell (pinch hits for Gathright) flies out to left

Rays: Game over

End of game score: Red Sox 5, Rays 8

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BOSTON: Starting Pitcher: Josh Beckett, Losing Pitcher: Ramon Ramirez (4)

TAMPA BAY: Starting Pitcher: Matt Garza, Winning Pitcher: J. P. Howell

TAMPA BAY: Save: Dan Wheeler

TAMPA Bay: Homeruns: Carl Crawford, Pat Burrell, Evan Longoria

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RED SOX: Wins: 77, Losses: 55, AL East Standings: New York, Boston, Tampa Bay, Toronto, Baltimore

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Next game: Thursday 3 August 2009, 4:08 p.m. PT, Tampa Bay Rays, Tropicana Field, Clay Buchholz

Red Sox Rock Rays, 8 to 4

BOSTON: 0 1 0 3 1 1 0 1 1 - 8 12 1

TAMPA BAY: 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 - 4 11 3

A little more than a month left in the regular season and the Boston Red Sox start off September with a win over the Tampa Bay Rays - a team they have had "some' recent problems beating. But the Red Sox had their fourth straight game of double digit hitting and combined with Lester's good pitching, resulted in a victory in the first game of this three-game series. And Papelbon had his first six out save in the regular season. With this outcome in Tropicana Field, Boston has a six game lead over Tampa Bay in the AL Wild Card. Tomorrow the Red Sox will go for their fifth win in a row and the series win.

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BOSTON: Starting Pitcher: Jon Lester, Winning Pitcher: Jon Lester (11)

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

BOSTON: Save: Jonathan Papelbon (33)

BOSTON: Homerun: J. D. Drew (19), Jason Bay (30), Kevin Youkilis (23)

TAMPA BAy: Homerun: Carlos Pena

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RED SOX: Wins: 77, Losses: 54, AL East Standings: New York, Boston, Tampa Bay, Toronto, Baltimore

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Next game: Wednesday 2 September 2009, 4:08 p.m. PT, Tampa Bay Rays, Tropicana Field, Josh Beckett

Happy 28th Birthday Ramon Santo Ramirez!!!

Ramon Ramirez is a right-handed batting and throwing pitcher. He is a relief pitcher for the Boston Red Sox. Ramon made his Major League debut with the Colorado Rockies on Friday 14 April 2006 when he was twenty-four years, seven months, and fourteen days old. The Rockies played the Philadelphia Phillies that day and Ramon pitched two scoreless innings and had two strikeouts. Ramon was traded to the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday 26 March 2008 when he was twenty-six years, six months, and twenty-six days old. On Wednesday 19 November 2008, Ramon was traded to the Boston Red Sox when was twenty-seven years, two months, and nineteen days old. Ramon wears number fifty-six.

Red Sox Recap, 21 to 30 August

Between Friday 21 August and Sunday 30 August 2009, the Boston Red Sox played ten games at home – three against the New York Yankees, four against the Chicago White Sox, and three against the Toronto Blue Jays. Here are the breakdowns over the time period.

Total Each Series

Red Sox: 29 runs, 35 hits, 1 error
Yankees: 29 runs, 45 hits, 3 errors
One win, two losses (won the second game)
Analysis: Red Sox had 50% of the total runs, 44% of the total hits, 25% of the total errors

Red Sox: 26 runs, 40 hits, 4 errors
White Sox: 22 runs, 37 hits, 3 errors
Three wins, one loss (won the first, second, and third games)
Analysis: Red Sox had 54% of the total runs, 52% of the total hits, 57% of the total errors

Red Sox: 16 runs, 30 hits, 0 errors
Blue Jays: 7 runs, 20 hits, 2 errors
Three wins, no losses (sweep)
Analysis: Red Sox had 70% of the total runs, 60% of the total hits, 0% of the total errors

Combined Series Totals

Red Sox: 71 runs, 105 hits, 5 errors
Opponents: 58 runs, 102 hits, 8 errors
Seven wins, 3 losses
Analysis: Red Sox had 55% of the total runs, 51% of the total hits, 39% of the total errors

Season-To-30 August 2009

Red Sox: 691 runs, 1188 hits, 74 errors
Opponents: 585 runs, 1187 hits, 91 errors
Seventy-six wins, fifty-four 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 Monday 31 August 2009)

New York 82 48 .631
Boston 76 54 .585
Tampa Bay 70 59 .543
Toronto 58 70 .453
Baltimore 54 77 .412

Boston Brushes Toronto, 7 to 0

TORONTO: 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 0 5 1

BOSTON: 1 1 1 1 0 0 3 0 x - 7 10 0

It is a day of hellos and good-byes as I watched the Boston Red Sox in my favorite New England sports living bar. An unexpected hello to Mike when I arrived (he's subbing for Andrew who had a surfing mishap yesterday and needed to have stitches in his foot). Good to see Mike and get healed soon Andrew! Before the start of the game against the Toronto Blue Jays, the usual hello to fellow Sunday morning regular Rich. He mentioned that he saw "Still, We Believe" on HBO the other night. And this morning Rich checked the film's poster, which hangs in the bar, to see if Jim (owner of the bar and participant in the film) was pictured on the poster - he's not. A long-distance and overdue hello to Jerry Remy, who is back on NESN covering Red Sox games, although just from Fenway Park for the time being. Wonderful to see you and hear your voice again - you were missed!

Red Sox Nation said an official hello to pitchers Paul Byrd and Billy Wagner, both of whom made their season debut with the team today as starter and reliever, respectively. Based on the quality of his start, Paul was able to give Byrd bye-byes to the Blue Jays. And the bullpen wonderfully kept up the bye-bying. Yes, a happy good-bye to Toronto, see you next month!

Finally, a sad good-bye. Yesterday, longtime Red Sox supporter and Massachusetts Senior Senator, Edward Moore Kennedy, was laid to rest in Arlington Cemetery near his brothers Jack and Bobby. It is miraculous that Teddy was able to have a substantial life and to leave behind many accomplishments. Thank you for your care of and care for the Commonwealth. Farewell Teddy, farewell. You are missed.

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TORONTO: Starting Pitcher: Roy Halladay, Losing Pitcher: Roy Halladay

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

BOSTON: Homerun: Rocco Baldelli (6)

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RED SOX: Wins: 76, Losses: 54, AL East Standings: New York, Boston, Tampa Bay, Toronto, Baltimore

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Next game: Tuesday 1 September 2009, 4:08 p.m. PT, Tampa Bay Rays, Tropicana Field, Jon Lester