It’s a Wednesday afternoon, and the Red Sox with a win and a Yankee loss could have a Magic Number of 1 by the end of the day. We can only hope. Jon Lester pitches with a possible playoff roster spot on the line.
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Manny batting second again, Coco on the pine with back pain.
Are we sure it’s back pain, SF? Extra Bases alluded to a possible inner ear infection.
Globe says “illness”.
In other news, the Angels are losing to the Rangers 6-2 in the sixth, and Gary Matthews Jr. left the game with a knee injury.
Also, the ump in the Milton Bradley incident has been suspended for the rest of the season.
Holy crap, the Milton Bradley incident. Boy was that bizarre. An important one to read between the lines, because it would be easy to look at it as “just” another instance of Milton Bradley being crazier than Julian Tavarez.
1-out double, but Lester gets through it scoreless.
Wow, what’s that about Lester not throwing strikes?
11 actual strikes, 1 ball and 1 hit. Lester strikes out the side in the first.
Sounds like Lester’s pitching a gem so far.
5 K’s after 2 for Lester and a CS
Wow! Five straight outs on strikes and the caught stealing to end the inning! Lester’s got it today!
Drew picked the right time of the year to stop sucking.
Lester looks great, made it home in time to see him pitch the top of the second, looks like somebody found some command, not to jinx him after only two, but I like it.
Wow. The bottom third really brought the suck that inning. First two men get on base and go nowhere.
Gah, what a friggin’ waste. Ellsbury hit it hard, but I especially blame Tek for that inning. Move the runner and Ellsbury’s out is a sac fly…
Wow, we just got robbed.
Yep, they gave the A’s a baserunner…now it’s 1 out, bags full for A’s.
Jesus, this is just what we need. A meltdown because of a blown call.
A’s get one on a sac fly to center.
So freakin’ typical. Sox can’t get runs with runners on, and Lester, pitching a great name, lets in runs on his own error. That fly ball should have been the last out of the inning.
Ah, was the runner out at first?
The, uh, force “attempt” was good.
at 2nd, that is. To his credit, Lester, even after he walked the guy following, didn’t buckle (the 3-2 count was scary, though).
I’m calling Manny’s shot here.
Singles is good, too. Wanna score this time, Sox?
Loaded on Papi walk, none out.
Mikey! 2-1 Sox on the single.
Hooray for Lowell! Red Sox offensive MVP! 2-1, runners at corners, none out.
Whoa – Lowell with more RBI than any Sox 3B ever, passing Butch Hobson. I had no idea he was even that close!
JD with the sac fly! 3-1 Sox.
3-1 on sac fly. Super.
Glad to get the run, the lead and the breathing room for Lester, who’s having a great game.
Home in time for some happiness to start the night
It’s like God was smiling on us in the Beckett trade.
This start (from what I’ve seen) has been uncharacteristic for Lester (in a good way). Coming quickly back from 2-0 counts by getting them to foul off pitches, really working the strike zone well. Very nice so far, but for the one inning where the ump screwed the Sox.
I wonder if Lester was sat down and told to start attacking the strike zone. He seems to be pounding it today.
As I say that he walks Suzuki.
Homer…Oakland up 4-3. Yeesh.
Jeez…Lester having a rough inning.
three run jack
Son of a bitch.
Who is the 4th pitcher in the playoff rotation, eh?
Strike one to Stewart was the first good pitch he threw since the Mark Ellis K.
Snyder warming…
Stewart singles. Looks like he may have lost his control again, or they have beamed in on his pitches. Either way this is not a good inning for him.
4th starter = Julian Tavarez? Or maybe I’m kidding.
Even given this truly strange inning from Lester, I’ve still got more faith in him lately than Wake.
DP with a 2B?
Ramirez ties it up with an RBi single.
Tie game. Manny 3-3!
Game tied on Pedroia double, Manny single. Right.
WEEI (WRKO?) guys say Manny is “motoring pretty well”.
I think maybe Manny just takes time off toward the end of each season so we all realize how very, very much we miss him when he’s out of the lineup.
Manny takes 3rd on Papi’s single…hope that oblique is good and healed.
Wow, the game started at 5? I just got home from work and saw that. Wow.
Good news though–I turn the game on and Manny immediate ties the game. 3-3 already? Nice.
Oh crap.
Lowell singles Manny in, but according to Gameday there’s an injury report. PLEASE tell me it’s not Manny.
Isn’t it 4-4?
Well, 5-4 now with Lowell’s newest RBI.
I’m hearing that he ‘hit the bag awkwardly’ (please no please no please no) but I guess it can’t be that bad as he’s staying in the game.
Atheose: Looks like Lowell may have tweaked his ankle.
I am really starting to like this lineup of Manny/Papi/Lowell. Seems to be productive.
And Drew “doing the Drew”. GIDP to 2B.
nd Drew grounds into the Dp. The guy just can’t buy any luck.
Anyone? Who was injured?
Drew GIDP, but he’s been hitting extremely well lately (.328 in September) so I don’t feel as angry at him as I usually do.
Dang, Drew. Mind you, I’m grateful for the recent spate of productivity, but the way this game is going, we’re gonna need 9. C’mon, scoreless inning for A’s, please please please.
9 Ks for Lester. Snyder still up in the pen. First baserunner and/or first in scoring position, I’m guessing he’ll be in.
Piazza launch. Re-tied. ‘kay, I’d take Snyder as soon as keep watching Lester pitch just this sec.
What the hell is Lester doing? Throwing BP out there?
He’s alternated between throwing BP and the 9 Ks, most of which the A’s hitters had no chance on.
Is Lester being bribed by Oakland? He puts them ahead in the 3rd, then we come back and take a 3-1 lead, then he coughs up the lead again, then we come back and take a 5-4 lead in the 4th, and then he gives up a solo shot here in the 5th. What gives?
Now 3 straight balls to Jack Cust. Grrrrr.
Walked him…pull him now.
Lester out. Snyder in. Yikes Lester. Had to tease us with that first half+ of your start.
Holy shit, I didn’t even notice he had 9 K’s. Wow.
His walks always end up biting him in the ass.
Is Lester going to be on the playoff roster?
4.1 IP
7 Hits
9 K’s
Definately a feast or famine thing going on.
Lester had been great in September before this outing.
Ellis singles on a 1-2 count. Nothing pisses me off more than a batter getting on base after falling behind 0-2.
Snyder stops the bleeding. Whew.
As frustrating as this game is, i still remain oddly confident.
Andrew – Your mom’s going to be on the playoff roster.
But yeah, we should probably go based on this one game sample rather than the rest of his starts in September. Good point man.
After a game like today, you can totally see why the Sox are hanging on to Lester — and you can totally see why he’s not going to be pitching much in October.
11 hits should = more than 5 runs. Let’s plate at least one here, Lugo.
That was brutal from Lugo there.
Bitterly, bitterly disappointing. And pretty typical of Lugo with RISP this year (as far as my crap memory goes).
Between Lugo and Drew I am not sure who I would egg first. Both of them just can’t help themselves to not to hit into a DP.
This game is not a recipe for a postseason appearance. Those walks are just too much of a liability.
Well, okay, he had a lot of RBIs early, but situational hitting doesn’t seem to have been very good from Lugo this year.
Drew has a hit and a ribbie, Lugo is 0-3, a GIDP, and four runners stranded. He’s also hitting .238 with a horrid OBP. I know where my eggs are going.
Can ya give us two more innings, Snyder? Come to think of it…how about one more?
How about an out, to start, Devine?
Seven men left on with two double plays through five innings. That’s baaad.
Snyder, you suck. Leadoff walk.
Starting with a walk, always nice when you want to not let them score. Man, I’m not very happy just now. At least we’re in this game.
That’s better, as Stewart Ks. Tito coming out to get Snyder. Lopez coming in.
Quo, what’s with the hostility? Lester hasn’t had a ‘great’ September, he’s had an inconsistent one. Yeah, he shut down the Orioles (twice), but these were the same Orioles that got no-hit by a guy in his second career major league start the game before. They’re horrendous.
Oakland isn’t much better, and they still knocked him out before he could finish the fifth. You would really want him pitching in the playoffs?
Lopez in for Barton, the lefty, and promptly goes 2-0. Didn’t Carlos Pena, a lefty, take him deep recently?
Now it’s 3-0.
I am with you, Andrew. Lester looks like he’s getting a little better, but his control is so spotty that I can’t see him being trusted in a pinch.
As for Lopez, brought in to face a lefty, he immediately walks the guy. Horrible. Two walks this inning already in a tie game. Color me unimpressed.
Barton walks on 5 pitches. Great job.
What the hell was that? God…f*cking…damn it.
Now Swisher, who hits lefties much better than righties, is up. Very iffy move from Tito here.
Hopefully this season will mark the end of the LOOGY era for these teams.
Yeah, but J-Lo is better against RHHs than LHHs. It’s like a nonsense extravaganza.
Thanks, Ellsbury. That’s at least a run saved…here comes Timlin.
Ellsbury with a nice running grab on a rope by Swisher.
That’s not good managing by Tito, despite the out. Remy just said that Swisher hits righties better, but he is wrong, according to BR. My guess is Remy assumed that Tito played the matchup correctly, and didn’t even look at his stat sheet.
Now Tito is out to get Lopez and bring in Timlin.
BIG batter here for Timlin. Come on, Mike.
I don’t remember saying that rest of his starts were ‘great’ Andrew. I’m saying ruling him out just based on today (and based on when you popped in with your comment, I’m guessing that’s the impetus) is kind of unfair.
Hell, if we’re going to keep guys off the roster because they haven’t been good recently, then I think some thought needs to be given soon as to how Daisuke is going to spend his vacation.
I’m feelin’ it. Let’s go, Timlin. Who in the world is going to pitch the rest of these innings? At least Papelbon only through a pitch yesterday…hope we are justified in using him later.
That was positively yesterday-Papelbon-esque. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Timlin.
Anon, with less vitrol this time, was me.
THREW a pitch.
Well done, Timlin.
I am not sure I loved the Lopez move, but I do like Tito’s activism a TON. Seems like he’s managing as if these were playoff games. Very good to see.
Agreed, SF. Yesterday and today are making me feel good about Tito’s willingness to move quickly.
OK, Pedro. Let’s get it started here.
DUSTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DING DONG!!!!!!!!!!!!
He’s the MAN! Rookie of the Year!!!
What a fat pitch, a belt high fastball to a fastball hitter. Poor pitching.
Manny making a run at .300, 3-3 so far. Can he make it 4-4?
Thank you Pedroia.
TB up 1-0 on the Yanks
Good offspeed pitch at 2-1 to Manny, who swings through it. The 2-2 pitch is low and inside, so now the count is full.
Here it comes…ball four! Manny on four times tonight, and Brandon Moss comes out to run for Manny.
Now it’s Papi’s turn. Let’s go TIZZLE!
Moss in to PR. Maybe they’ll let him get a PA tonight?
Moss in for Manny. Is it time yet to make him play a full game? I know we want to make sure he doesn’t get hurt, but it is a close game and we can still use that bat.
3-3 with a walk. Way to go, Manny. I’m good with taking him out here, that’s another note of recent-Francona approval.
Double!
All right…let’s score those damn runs.
Mikey! Two run single. 8-5.
Blevins should be renamed Blechins.
I LOVE YOU, Mike Lowell!
Mea Culpa: my pessimism about Lowell in the second half was way off.
Was thwt an error or an actual hit for JD?
Drew with a mammoth shot to the triangle that Swisher botches in the wind. Should be an error.
Wow…thank you, Swisher.
Still good to see Drew bash the ball, even if it is scored an E.
wow, the a’s are the best prom date ever. that swisher ain’t sweet.
Youk walks. Plugged with no outs. Cash in, guys.
Time for dinner. Back in a while.
Bleck, Tek. K’s.
Dinner not quite ready: bad job, Tek. Whiff, third worst result, after a triple play and a double play with an out at home.
Ells drives one in on a high chopper. 9-5.
An RBI chopper. Okay. Hey Lugo…care to join the hit parade?
I love this Lugo v Lugo stuff. Very Civil war…
Go our Lugo!!!!
strange night from lester… he looked so good
He hit it good…Swisher manages this time. Good job, boys. Timlin back out?
Lugo is starting to make my stomach turn.
Coco Crisp just told me about “MLB.com, where baseball is always on” between highlight-reel catches.
Timlin of 2004?
I know…Timlin (or Delcarmen) really seems like a no-brainer for the 8th at this point.
And I wanted Timlin dead earlier in the year, so for me to admit that is pretty big.
Weird AB for Timlin there…no control at all on that last pitch.
Timlin, in my mind, is a candidate for comeback player of the year, I was furious when the Sox brought him in this year, but he’s proven me wrong. Couldn’t happen to a better guy.
I’m listening to the A’s announcers since I’m local and they are in hysterics over the rabidity of the Sox fans.
Why is Remy musing about walking on the moon????
Is it just me or did it seem like Timlin didn’t give a d*** where ball 4 went? I came back for ball 3 which looked close, how did the others look?
good hysterics (laughing) or angry hysterics? Go Timlin!!!!!!!
Timlin seemed not to want any part of that batter… but he got out without injury
Ahhhh…sweet, sweet relief.
Mariner Moose on the tricycle. That was pretty entertaining.
And the A’s specific commercial seems to include Milton Bradley throwing whatever at Eric Chavez.
Quo…Timlin came fairly close to a strike on pitches 1 and 3 of that AB, I think…could be wrong, though.
I’m sorry, but how funny is it when John Sterling says “Bobby Abreu… Sweet as candy.”
That’s what I figured. I think he decided to not throw a meatball just to get a strike on Ellis.
Just when I thought Pedroia was cooling off…what a night offensively (and great play to end last night’s game, too).
Pedroia, 3 XBHs on the night!
Ed – Good hysterics. They think the debates for president of RSN are highly entertaining and wonder what it would take to get A’s fans to sit in as uncomfortable seats as they have in Fenway. Actually, I really like the A’s announcers. They are fans of pretty much all aspects of baseball – whether the player is from Oakland or not.
The A’s guys aren’t bad. Some random others who don’t suck (i.e. not obnoxiously partial to the home team): KC, BAL.
This is starting to get fun…
Royce Clayton out to play his best position: PR for Ortiz.
Yeah, I agree with that, Quo. Aggravating: CWS, TB, NYY (Kay, mostly).
IBB to Drew.
And I can’t remember their names, the Detroit PBP guy is okay but their CC guy is awful.
Hinske in for Youk. Bases loaded again.
Though I will say Kay at least calls opposing team home runs with some enthusiasm, unlike Hawk “Effing” Harrelson.
Need two more runs before this game is officially “fun” in my mind.
Hinske whiffs, but gets to first on the wild pitch. Run scores. 11-5.
Strike out, runner makes it on. Ha ha *Nelson Muntz* (sp?)
And with Hawk, it’s immediately about how the CWS pitcher threw a bad pitch rather than any good effort from the opposing hitter.
Harrelson is the absolute worst. Hands down. He makes Kay and Sterling look like total pros.
Wait, the runner stayed at 1st? Out on occupied base? Gameday isn’t helping…
All right, I gotta go. If they blow this, we don’t deserve to be in the playoffs. Too bad we’re already there. Later!
A new call for Orsillo?: “You’ve been HinsK’d!”
Tek with another SEVEN men LOB. Hard to complain about a game that we’re up 11-5, but Tek, the big dinger last weekend notwithstanding, has had a rough month.
11 runs, but TWENTY THREE baserunners though seven. Those eleven, crazily, look better than they are.
Liner to Moss in left for the first out. Gagne pitching, BTW.
Can Gagne blow a 6 run lead?
Single for Stewart. One on, one out.
Q- the guy from detroit that’s unlistenable is rod allen. odd that you’re ok with baltimores team of buck martinez and gary thorne. those two are insufferable (as well as liars).
And another hit.
Gagne quickly ahead of Swisher 0-2.
Excellent curve gets Swisher. Nice pitch.
Gagne quickly ahead of Piazza 0-2.
And the K! Fine pitching by Gagne surrounding the two singles. Good stuff.
Lugo has a .309 OBP and a .647 OPS. Brutal.
Lugo whiffs. 0-5 tonight, what a terrible game.
To the ninth we go, six run lead. No implosions, please…
Batshit in for the ninth.
Throw strikes, Batshit.
4-3, one down.
Two straight hits, 1/3 one down. Nice work, Julian!
Cleveland bombing Seattle. If the Sox hold on, they’ll still be a game back of the Tribe.
Seattle rolling over like a beat dog.
Fly out to left scores a run. 11-6. Two down.
Sox win, magic number for the division now two, so a split with Minny will do it.
Nice win!
Crazy Train gets the final out to end the game.
Magic Number 2
congrats to mike lowell on setting a new RBI by a red sox 3rd baseman record, as well as taking over the team lead in that catagory.
sf rod – I guess I was kind of shooting off about the O’s, though doesn’t Jim Palmer do some of the games? I remember him being decent, though I could’ve made that up too.
And the Royals guys are fair but boring. Terribly, terribly boring. If/when they become a contender, they need to get some new people in there.