Right Guy, Wrong Result

Regardless of the 9-8 final score, Red Sox fans couldn't ask for much more than the scenario that unfolded in the matchup's final moments.


Down one run, runner on second base. Manny Ramirez at the dish, sitting on 297 home runs. Against a power pitcher with a curve. If ManRam finds a fastball, Jonathan Papelbon is rushing up in the bullpen, getting ready to toss the bottom of the ninth.

Instead, a hamstrung Manny grounded out meekly to end the game. That's the way it works sometimes, and this was one of those times. Still, it hardly diminished a fabulously offensive game from two teams who are rapidly starting to look like legitimate AL title contenders.

Things just didn't go according to plan from pitch one. Tim Wakefield struggled in a slide back performance just nights after his best outing in years. Amazingly, he lasted less than three innings and required Terry Francona to throw water on one of his worst performances as a pitcher who has often served as a Sox fireman himself. Funny how seven hits and seven runs over just 2.2 innings can do that to you.

Tonight, he was bettered by a local Twins rookie who was on his game, even though Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire very nearly gave him enough rope to hang himself. In the end, Nick Blackburn lasted six innings, allowing nine hits and four runs, eventually good enough for the win as Boston constantly rallied yet never quite caught up.

Still, there WERE a handful of positives for Boston to reflect upon in the aftermath of a second loss in the three-game set, marking just the third series this year the Sox have dropped. Coco Crisp knocked out a homer for the second night in a row, Alex Cora looked completely healthy in knocking around Minnesota pitching and flashing serious leather. And, perhaps most important of all, ManRam didn't argue against pinch hitting when Terry Francona called his name, despite the fact that he'd specifically asked for the night off .

Do those developments make up for the loss? Hardly. But they do bring a certain optimism amidst a fantastic game to watch, as long as you weren't the one on the pitching rubber.

STARTNING PITCHING: -
No other way to judge Wake on this night, which is striking in how diametrically opposed it was to last Tuesday. If ever WMYM needed reminding, tonight just goes to prove that the only safe bet on a night Wake starts is to not bet at all.

MIDDLE RELIEF: -
Julian Tavarez? Not a good night for the Big Lebowski. David Aardsma and Javier Lopez had their brief moments in the sun, a walk and hit from Aardsma not withstanding, but those were overshadowed by Mike Timlin's outing, which eventually was accountable for the losing run. Not what he had in mind, for sure.

SET-UP RELIEF: N/A
The Sox never had a lead, let alone one early enough to protect it.

CLOSER: N/A
We're not typing that sentence above again. You know that's what we'd do here, anyway.

LINEUP: √+
So Manny couldn't come through with a miraculous hit. So what. The Sox, who often struggle against starters the first time they see them, got great nights from Dustin Pedroia, Coco Crisp, Alex Cora et al. in making up for ManRam's absence and a horrendous outing from Mike Lowell. It wasn't enough for a win, but it was enough to keep offensive momentum going heading to Baltimore late Sunday night for a Monday PM first pitch. Here's hoping Clay Buchholz is already hanging in the Charm City.

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