Athletics 4, Red Sox 2

The Sox went 0 for 13 with runners in scoring position. They lost a series in Fenway to the A's for the first time since 2006.

Will Middlebrooks made his MLB debut and did well. He was 2 for 3 with a walk, a double, and stole a base.

The Sox got their share of baserunners. Brandon McCarthy has given up a lot of hits in each of his starts. But the Sox never got timely hits with runners in scoring position.

It's an inconsistent lineup. The Sox scored 16 runs in this series. That's 5.3 per game. Not bad. But 11 of those runs came in one game. The Sox only managed 5 total runs in the other two. This series has been a trend for the Sox all season long. It's either feast or famine. It's either 3 runs or less, or 9+ runs.

To be fair, Ellsbury and Youkilis are out. That hurts the lineup. Ross, Saltalamacchia, Sweeney, and Aviles have all contributed to the offense, but they shouldn't be relied on to regularly produce. These guys went 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position last night.

Guys like Adrian Gonzalez, though, should be counted on to produce.

The Sox welcome the 2nd place Orioles to Fenway Friday night. Jon Lester faces 2-0 Wei-Yin Chen.

-The Captain

A's @ Red Sox Preview

Red Sox bats showed up a little too late last night, and there could be similar troubles tonight with Brandon McCarthy going against Daniel Bard. McCarthy is only 1-3, but you can't really hold that against him. He has only had one game where he let up more than 2 runs and has pitched more than 6 innings in 4 of his 6 starts (3.23 ERA).

Daniel Bard is 2-2 with a 3.72 and is looking for his 3rd straight win (one of them as an RP). Last time out Bard went 7 strong innings against the White Sox allowing only 2 runs and striking out 6. The key in that game was his control (walked 1), if he can find his control he is a very good pitcher. This is an A's lineup that he should dominate.

The Red Sox are at the bottom of the AL East this late in a season for the first time in 16 years, but it could be a lot worse. They have been playing better, and battling through injuries. If Bard can come out tonight and give a similar performance as he did against the White Sox I think the Red Sox win easily. McCarthy is tough, but he has had a hard time against the Red Sox in his career (0-3 with an 8.83 ERA in six games).

Red Sox win 6-3
Player of the Game: Bard
Game starts 7:10pm

Red Sox Lineup:

Aviles, SS
Sweeney, RF
Pedroia, 2B
Gonzalez, 1B
Ortiz, DH
Ross, LF
Saltalamacchia, C
Middlebrooks, 3B
Byrd, CF

5 Oakland As, 3 Red Sox

Tonight the Red Sox continue their roller coaster season and tonight the Sox were pretty bad.

Jarrod Parker of the A's shut down the Red Sox for 6.2 innings and only allowed 4 hits. The Sox just couldn't hit the guy. However, in Red Sox form the bats awoken late. The Oakland bullpen wavered but didn't collapse completely as Mike Aviles drove in two runs in the 9th, but the Sox came up short of a comeback.

Cody Ross had the only extra-base hits, while David Ortiz drove in the other Sox run on a groundout. King Felix Doubront got roughed up a bit, he had 8 ks, which is good, but gave up 5 runs on 2 walks and 6 hits. Nothing special here. I have a feeling that the Sox secretly want Doubront to struggle so they can replace him instead of Bard.

Also, Salty let up 4 SBs

A's @ Red Sox Preview

Tonight if a very interesting game for the Red Sox. They are going against Jarrod Parker, who is supposed to be the A's next great pitcher, and he will be going against Felix Doubront who seems to be a man that can't get any respect with the Red Sox. He keeps pitching the way he is and the Red Sox might have to change their thinking eventually.

Doubront is 1-0 with a 4.09 ERA, while those numbers don't blow you away he does have as many K's (22) as he does innings. He also has already shut down a great Yankees lineup for 6 innings allowing only 1 run, and followed that with another quality start again the White Sox. He is yet to give up more than 4 runs in any start, which really goes against the up and down way of the rest of the Red Sox rotation.

Parker will be making just his 2nd start for the A's. In his first start he went 6 1/3 innings allowing 1 run 7 hits with 5 Ks. This kid is the real deal, and although I am sure he will has his ups and downs this year, there is no denying his talent.

One guy Parker is going to have a tough time with tonight is Big Papi. Ortiz hit .405 with six homers and 20 RBIs in April for the highest average by a member of the Red Sox in the opening month since Manny Ramirez hit .408 in 2001. It really has been amazing, and is a big reason why the Red Sox ended a terrible month .500.

I say the Red Sox win tonight, because the A's lineup is just awful.

Red Sox win 7-4
Player of the Game: Ortiz
Game starts at 7:10pm

Red Sox 11, Athletics 6

It's been feast or famine for Red Sox hitters this season, and last night David Ortiz and the lineup ate well.

Ortiz hit a pair of solo homeruns, raising his RBI total to 20. Aviles was 2 for 5 with a homerun and 4 RBI. Darnell McDonald was a triple shy of the cycle. Marlon Byrd was 2 for 4 with a double, and is now hitting .333 since being acquired from the Cubs.

Buchholz was fine until the 7th inning. He allowed a run in the 2nd, but it wasn't an ugly inning. He was crisp in the 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th. Then he just fell apart in the 7th. His pitch count was low to start the inning (72). He simply stopped throwing strikes. And his strikes weren't fooling anyone. He only threw 36 balls in the entire game, 11 were in the 7th.

Buchholz showed the promise of potential. We know what he's capable of. Then he collapsed. I think he should get 2 more starts to work out whatever it is he needs to work out. If he can't, then he needs to figure things out in Pawtucket.

Oddly, he's 3-1. Which demonstrates the meaninglessness of the W-L stat.

Felix Doubront is scheduled to face Jarrod Parker tonight. Parker has made 2 career starts in the Majors. The weather might not cooperate, though.

-The Captain

A's @ Red Sox Preview

The Red Sox went 6-1 on their road trip, adn now they head home where they actually have a losing record. They will face an A's team that they should beat every game, but I have to admit I am worried about this game.

Buchholz has been terrible this year (2-1 8.87 ERA), and his numbers against he A's in his career aren't any better (1-2 with a 7.84 ERA in five starts). On top of that, the Red Sox have to face Tommy Milone who has been very good (3-1 2.00 ERA).

The Red Sox SHOULD win this game. They have a better lineup, and even though Buchholz has been terrible this is a lineup that is currently hitting .205. So even though I am worried about tonight, I just can't pick against the Sox when they are facing what is basically a AAA team.

Red Sox win 4-3
Player of the Game: Pedroia
Game starts at 7:10pm