Sox Rally - BEAT Orioles 5-4

September 3. BOSTON. Dustin Pedroia went 3-for-4 with a homer and a double to lead the Red Sox to a 5-4 come-from-behind victory over the Orioles on Wednesday.The Red Sox were down 4-0 before Pedroia's 17th homer put them on the board in the seventh. He then collected a double as part of a two-run eighth that tied the game. The Red Sox won it in the ninth after Alex Cora's single and two bunts. Coco Crisp's first sac attempt seemed sure to go foul, but it took a weird hop and stayed in play, allowing him to reach first base. Jacoby Ellsbury then put down a lousy bunt back to the pitcher. However, Jim Miller threw the ball into left field while trying to cut down the lead runner, ending the game. Pedroia improved to 12-for-18 with two homers and four doubles in four games as a cleanup hitter. He's overtaken Kevin Youkilis to become Boston's MVP candidate.

Rooting for Yankees

September 3. I never thought that I would see the day when I'd be pulling for the Yankees. I used to always say that you 'never ever ever root for the Yankees...they are the enemy.' But the way the division race is shaping up, we really need them to beat the Rays. Only three games back right now and that is manageable. The Sox are rolling and clicking on all cylinders (sort of).

We need to get the division so we don't have to play the Angels in the first round. Much easier to play the Twins or Chisox and let the Wild Card (Tampa Bay) get chewed up by the Angels. Who knows what can happen?

Pedroia is hot. Seldom have we ever seen anybody tearing up the place like this. Reminds me of Yaz coming down the stretch in '67. MVP? 'Heck ya... especially if we take the division. Gosh...look at all these injuries we have and we keep on winning. Big games coming up against the Rays and Yankees. Hopefully, Papi will start launching some. Doing pretty good right now, but we need the long taters from him.

It'd be nice for the DBacks to take their division and leave Manny sitting home, wherever that may be. Perhaps he'll go out and get himself another $5,000 grill and enjoy watching the Playoffs.

Welcome to the Pedey and Papi show

September 2. BOSTON -- The public address announcer had already gone through the lineups and the first strains of the national anthem were about to follow when Boston's scheduled No. 4 hitter, first baseman Kevin Youkilis, was scratched with back spasms.
There was only one place for manager Terry Francona to turn: Dustin Pedroia

The diminutive second baseman filled in at cleanup for the third time in four games and delivered a career high-tying five RBIs on Tuesday night to lead Boston to a 14-2 victory over the struggling Baltimore Orioles. "It was a quick move tonight," Francona said. "We put Petey in the four-hole and he just continues to get hits." Pedroia had a double, a homer and a single, and is batting .600 (18-for-30) over the last seven games to raise his AL-leading average to .330. A year after hitting eight homers and winning the AL rookie of the year award, Pedroia has 16 homers for the season.

The numbers are typical of a cleanup hitter, but not the kind that were expected from a feisty, 5-foot-9 second baseman. But with Youkilis ailing, Pedroia has gone 7-for-12 while providing protection for slugger David Ortiz. "It's funny to see him come up after Ortiz, a big burly guy," teammate Mark Kotsay said. Ortiz and Coco Crisp also had three hits on Tuesday, and Ortiz added four RBIs as the Red Sox won for the 10th time in 14 games. Boston cut its deficit in the AL East to four games behind Tampa Bay, which lost 7-2 to the New York Yankees; the Red Sox lead the wild-card by four games.

Jon Lester (13-5) allowed one run and six hits, striking ouPedroia hit .374 in August, scoring 33 runs in the month and convincing Red Sox fans that he should be the AL MVP. Pedroia is doing his best to tune out the "MVP!" chants when he is in the batter's box.t five and walking four in five innings while the Sox bashed 20 hits in the 14-2 victory.

The "MVP! MVP!" chants continue from adoring fans who are continually amazed that such a small player can generate so much power. Yet again last night, Dustin Pedroia, hitting cleanup after Kevin Youkilis was a late scratch with back spasms, thumped the baseball in a manner that would make Albert Pujols jealous.

Joba Chamberlain slated to return today?

September 2. According to manager Joe Girardi, Joba Chamberlain (shoulder) is expected to come off the disabled list Tuesday. Out since August 6, he'll work out of the bullpen with an eye toward potentially making a few starts later this month. "Whatever they need me to do, I'm up for it," Chamberlain said. "I feel good and ready to help in any way possible."

MY TAKE ON THIS: As I stated previously, the Yankees are going nowhere, shut him down. We shall see what transpires in the coming weeks.

Lee Becomes first 20-game winner, shutting out CHISOX 5-0

Cliff Lee became baseball's first 20-game winner by shutting out the White Sox on Monday night in a 5-0 Indians victory. Lee's exquisite season continues. Over nine brilliant innings, he allowed five singles and zero walks while striking out four and using only 109 pitches. It was his fourth complete game of the season and his second shutout. On the shoulders of Lee's gem, the Indians move back into the win column after being swept by the Mariners, and the White Sox drop into a first-place tie with the Twins atop the AL Central.

Hot Hitting Pedroia leads Sox over O's - 7-4

Monday, Sep 1. BOSTON. Pedroia's two-run single capped a four-run sixth inning, Paul Byrd pitched seven efficient innings and the Boston Red Sox beat the struggling Baltimore Orioles 7-4 on Monday night. Byrd, Pedroia's teammate for a little less than three weeks, was gushing with praise for the scrappy second baseman. This coming after White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen continually lauded his play over the weekend.

"I can't say enough about my second baseman," Byrd said. "This guy, in my opinion, is the MVP of the league. He's unbelievable. I didn't know he was that good when I came over here."
Pedroia, who hit .374 in August and closed the month going 9-for-12, scored 33 runs last month, the most for the Red Sox since Dom DiMaggio and Billy Goodwin had 35 in 1950, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

The Red Sox, who had the AL's second-best record at 18-9 in August but failed to gain ground on AL East-leading Tampa Bay, which went 21-7, pulled to five games behind the idle Rays. Boston increased its lead to three games in the wild card race. Baltimore, swept in a three-game series at Tampa Bay over the weekend when its pitchers allowed 34 runs, lost for the ninth time in 10 games.

Jason Varitek and Jeff Bailey hit consecutive homers for the Red Sox. Varitek's tied Hall of Famer Carlton Fisk for a club record with his 157th as a catcher.

Bowden sent back to PawSox

Sep 1. BOSTON — One day after he earned a win in his major-league debut, Michael Bowden was optioned to Pawtucket yesterday morning. Taking his place on the roster was outfielder Jonathan Van Every, who was promoted from Pawtucket.

The move with Bowden was not unexpected, especially with the Red Sox short on healthy position players. The plan is for Bowden, a starting pitcher by trade, to work out of the bullpen for a few innings for the PawSox on Friday night in their playoff game against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. That will help the organization manage his innings while keeping their options open for the rest of Boston’s season. Bowden, who turns 22 in a few weeks, could be called up either to work out of the bullpen or to make another start or two down the stretch, though the Red Sox view him as a starter down the road.

Bowden, though, takes with him a game ball, courtesy of his five-inning debut in Boston’s 8-2 victory over the White Sox on Friday night at Fenway Park. Bowden allowed two runs on seven hits. Bowden, who now has pitched for Double A Portland, Triple A Pawtucket and Boston this season, expected the move and said he wasn’t concerned about making a transition to the bullpen.

Sabathia 9-0 in NL

August 31. CC Sabathia allowed just an infield single and struck out 11 in a complete-game shutout of the Pirates on Sunday. The hit was an infield roller from Andy LaRoche that Sabathia bobbled. LaRoche likely would have beaten it out anyway, but the Brewers are appealing the ruling and asking for the call to be changed to an error. In the very unlikely event that it's overturned, Sabathia would have his first career no-hitter. The big left-hander threw 117 more pitches today. Fortunately, he was able to turn in a quick ninth after entering the inning at 109, preventing him from going over 120 pitches for what would have been the fifth time since the beginning of July. He's 9-0 in 11 starts for the Brewers. Aug. 31 - 5:06 pm et

Sox win behind Pedey and Bay 11-3

Aug 27. New York. Jason Bay drove in four runs, Dustin Pedroia hit a grand slam and Boston routed the listless Yankees 11-3 on Wednesday night, putting an emphatic dent in New York's dwindling playoff chances.

"I never write the Yankees off until the season's over and the standings are set," Pedroia said. "They've been around too long and been in the playoffs for such a long time that we're definitely not counting them out." Paul Byrd beat the Yankees in a crucial game for the second consecutive year, and David Ortiz reached base four times for the second straight night. In their final regular-season trip to Yankee Stadium, the Red Sox have outscored their longtime rivals 18-6 in the first two games of this three-game series.

"We just dug ourselves a bigger hole," New York's Johnny Damon said. "This is definitely a tough time for us." Pedroia's first career slam capped a seven-run eighth inning and sent hordes of booing Yankees fans shuffling toward the exits. With co-chairman Hank Steinbrenner in attendance, New York dropped seven games behind Boston, which leads the AL wild-card race by 2½ games over Minnesota.

Still using his old-fashioned windup, Byrd allowed two runs and five hits in six innings. He struck out five and improved to 2-1 in three starts since Boston acquired him from the Indians this month. Also a Red Sox newcomer, Bay hit a two-run double in the first and an RBI triple in the eighth when Boston battered relievers Jose Veras and David Robertson. Bay has six RBIs in his first two games against the Yankees.




The Yankees haven't missed a postseason since 1993.

Yaz out of hospital

Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski, who had triple bypass surgery Aug. 19, was discharged from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston on Tuesday. Yastrzemski, who turned 69 on Friday, was admitted to the hospital after experiencing chest pains early last week. A statement from the family said the surgery was "a complete success."

After trade from Red Sox, Hansen moves again, this time to Indy

PITTSBURGH -- Right-hander Craig Hansen, struggling with his control since being traded to Pittsburgh last month, was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis on Wednesday.
The Pirates picked up the contract of right-hander Jesse Chavez from their top farm club.
Hansen, obtained from the Boston Red Sox in the three-team trade that sent outfielder Jason Bay to the Red Sox on July 31, was 0-2 with a 8.10 ERA in nine games with Pittsburgh.
On Tuesday night, he walked in the tying and go-ahead runs during the Cubs' seven-run, eighth-inning rally. Chicago won 14-9.

The 25-year-old Chavez was 2-6 with 14 saves and a 3.80 ERA in 51 relief appearances at Indianapolis. The Pirates acquired him in the 2006 trade that sent right-handed starter Kip Wells to Texas. To make room for Chavez on their 40-man roster, the Pirates transferred left-hander Phil Dumatrait (left shoulder surgery) from the 15-day to the 60-day disabled list.

Sox beat Yankees 7-3; ARod being ARod

August 26. NEW YORK - When Alex Rodriguez strode to the plate in the seventh inning, the bases full and a rookie on the mound, the four-run Yankee deficit must have been echoing in his ears. With one good stroke, Rodriguez could lift his team, lift its playoff hopes, lift the 55,058 (always) ready to boo their third baseman.

Tim Wakefield won in his return from the disabled list and the Boston Red Sox moved a step closer to squashing New York's playoff hopes, beating Andy Pettitte and the Yankees 7-3 Tuesday night. Rodriguez flopped in crucial spots all night. He grounded into two double plays -- one with the bases loaded -- and whiffed for the final out

Playing his first game in the rivalry, Bay had an RBI single in the third and a sacrifice fly in the sixth.
Even without Manny Ramirez batting behind him, Ortiz tormented the Yankees as usual with two doubles and two walks. "I like playing here," he said. "I was taking my walks and doing my thing." Coco Crisp got three hits and dashed home from second on Jeff Bailey's two-out infield single off the third-base bag in the fifth. First baseman Jason Giambi held onto Rodriguez's throw as Crisp scored. Bailey was credited with two RBIs, chasing Pettitte and capping a three-run rally -- all with two outs.

Two sinkers from Justin Masterson, and Rodriguez had grounded to Alex Cora for the double play that ended the inning. A-Rod had it in his grasp, had the chance, and couldn't do it. All chances of a sweep over the Red Sox vanished in one ground ball, and the Yankees fell, 7-3, last night in the Bronx. "It was obviously maybe the biggest pitch in the game," manager Terry Francona said. "We got ourselves in a position where one pitch can turn the game around, and Masterson comes in and makes one pitch and gets out of the inning. That was huge."
Coming in after Manny Delcarmen loaded the bases, Masterson knew his best pitch would be needed to get Rodriguez out. So there it was - sinker, sinker, ground out. That is, after all, exactly what that pitch is designed to do. "That's what the game's about," Masterson said. "In my respects, he's a good righthanded hitter, and when I'm called upon, I'm supposed to get the job done. I won that time.