Game 139 • Orioles at Red Sox • 7 PM

Baseball-Reference Preview

BAL: Jason Berken 6.07 ERA, 77 ERA+
BOS: Paul Byrd 7.56 ERA, 63 ERA+

I'd love to see the Red Sox do a little jerken-the-Berken tonight. Hit a few dongs their way. Make Massachusetts the Show-Me-Your-Dong state...

V-Mart gets the night off.

1. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B
3. J.D. Drew, RF
4. Kevin Youkilis, 1B
5. David Ortiz, DH
6. Jason Bay, LF
7. Mike Lowell, 3B
8. Jason Varitek, C
9. Alex Gonzalez, SS

***

Ranger 10, Indians 0.
7 PM • Rays at Yankees • Niemann v. Chamberlain

Currently Texas is 1.5 GB.

Game 138 • Orioles at Red Sox • 7:10 PM

Baseball Reference Game Preview

David Hernanadez (4.54 ERA, 102 ERA+)
Clay Buchholz (4.40 ERA, 108 ERA+)


The Sox should have a clear path to the Wild Card spot -- all others have fallen out of competition, and our schedule appears so much easier than Texas' (Cafardo pg 2), who starts their double header today 2 1/2 games out.

But doubts about the rotation after Lester and Beckett remain. Who's our #3?

There's hope that everyone from Daisuke Matsuzaka to Michael Bowden will be able to help. But more than one commenter on Sons of Sam Horn has pointed to Clay Buchholz as the key to the rest of our season, and perhaps the postseason as well.

He was amazing last time out. Let's see how his maturation as an MLB pitcher is coming along tonight.

Red Sox
1. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B
3. Victor Martinez, C
4. Kevin Youkilis, 3B
5. David Ortiz, DH
6. Jason Bay, LF
7. J.D. Drew, RF
8. Casey Kotchman, 1B
9. Alex Gonzalez, SS
SP -- Clay Buchholz, RHP

Orioles
1. Brian Roberts, 2B
2. Felix Pie, CF
3. Nolan Reimold, LF
4. Nick Markakis, RF
5. Melvin Mora, 3B
6. Matt Wieters, C
7. Luke Scott, DH
8. Ty Wigginton, 1B
9. Cesar Izturis, SS
SP -- David Hernandez, RHP

Game 137 • Red Sox at White Sox • 2 PM

Baseball Reference Preview

BOS: Josh Beckett 3.87 ERA, 122 ERA+
CHW: Mark Buehrle 3.86 ERA, 121 ERA+

This looks like it could be quite the pitcher's duel. I hope it lives up to it.

1. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B
3. Victor Martinez, 1B
4. Kevin Youkilis, 3B
5. Jason Bay, LF
6. Mike Lowell, DH
7. Rocco Baldelli, RF
8. Jason Varitek, C
9. Alex Gonzalez, SS

***

The Yankees and Rangers both lost yesterday. That puts Boston 7.5 GB the Yankees for the East and puts Texas 3 GB of us for the wildcard.

New York plays a doubleheader today against Tampa Bay in the Bronx.

1:00 • Rays at Yankees • Garza v. Sabathia
6:00 • Rangers at Indians • Hunter v. Carrasco
7:00 • Rays at Yankees • Sonnanstine v. Burnett

Game 136 • Red Sox at White Sox • 2 PM

Baseball Reference Preview

BOS: Jon Lester 3.58 ERA, 132 ERA+
CHW: John Danks 3.82 ERA, 123 ERA+

1. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B
3. Victor Martinez, C
4. Kevin Youkilis, 1B
5. Jason Bay, LF
6. David Ortiz, DH
7. Mike Lowell, 3B
8. J.D. Drew, RF
9. Alex Gonzalez, SS

***

AL East
New York 87-49, --
Boston 78-57, 8.5 GB

Wildcard
Boston 78-57, --
Texas 76-59, 2 GB
Tampa Bay 72-63, 6 GB

***

1:00 • Yankees at Blue Jays • Mitre v. Tallet
1:30 • Rangers at Orioles • Holland v. Guthrie

Game 135 • Red Sox at White Sox • 4 PM (FOX)

Baseball Reference Preview

BOS: Tim Wakefield 4.12 ERA, 115 ERA+
CHW: Gavin Floyd 3.97 ERA, 118 ERA+

Michael Bowden has been called up to the Big Club and will be the long reliever if needed. The Red Sox's roster now stands at 32 players out of a possible 40.

Game 134 • Red Sox at White Sox • 8 PM

Baseball Reference Preview

BOS: Paul Byrd
CHW: Freddy Garcia

1. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B
3. Victor Martinez, 1B
4. Kevin Youkilis, 3B
5. David Ortiz, DH
6. Jason Bay, LF
7. J.D. Drew, RF
8. Jason Varitek, C
9. Alex Gonzalez, SS

Tim Wakefield has been cleared to pitch Saturday afternoon.

Game 133 • Red Sox at Rays • 7 PM

BLAHHHHHHHH I was trapped out of the house all day and just got in! Unexpected.

Well, no matter. It's HH and Price. Thread's open!