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Red Sox Report 9/21 (2nd time's the charm as Red Sox clinch playoff berth) posted on 09/22/2008

The Red Sox entered Saturday needing only a win or a Yankees loss to clinch their 2nd straight playoff berth. However, they got more than they bargained for when they send Jon Lester to the mound to face Toronto Blue Jay ace Roy Halladay. The Jays got to Jon Lester, who has been the Red Sox most consistent starter in his first full season, for 5 in the first two innings, including a 4 run 2nd.

The Red Sox didn't back down though, despite being down 5-0 early. They cut it to 5-1 with a David Ortiz RBI single, and then 5-3 with a Jason Bay 2 run 2 out homerun. Jon Lester, luckily would settle down. He didn't allow a run over the next 5 innings, finishing with a decent line, 7 innings 5 earned, but he was on the hook for the loss as his offense couldn't get him anymore than those 3 runs.

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Red Sox Report 9/19 posted on 09/20/2008

The Red Sox entered Friday trailing Major League Baseball's feel good story of the year, the Tampa Bay Rays, by only 1.5 games in the AL East. However, with the Rays winning 11-1 against the Twins, and inching closer to their first postseason berth in franchise history, the Red Sox had the pressure on them to win and keep pace. The pitcher the Red Sox put their hope it to do that for them was Paul Byrd, a midseason acquisition from Cleveland, who has provided the stability in the rotation that they haven't really had since Curt Schilling went down. Byrd faced AJ Burnett of the Blue Jays.

The Jays got to Byrd first, with 2 in the 2nd, but some clutch hitting in the 5th gave the Red Sox the lead. However, because the Jays would also score in the 5th, the game was tied heading into the 8th. However, the Red Sox would score Jason Bay from 3rd on an RBI fielders choice by The Captain Jason Varitek, giving the Sox the 4-3.

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Red Sox Report 9/18 posted on 09/18/2008

The Red Sox were off tonight, but last night they were far from it. They had their last remaining regular season game with the division leading Rays. If the Sox were to win, they would come out of the series with a road series win and a virtual tie. If they were to lose, it would be the 3rd straight series lost to the Rays and the Sox would be 3 back in the loss column.

Tim Wakefield got the start which was not a good move. Wakefield struggles in domes because there is no wind. Wakefield is a knuckleballer and without some wind, that knuckleball is just going to be a flat mess, the equivilant of a batting practice fastball. Wakefield's ERA is 1.70 higher this season in domes as opposed to open stadiums. Nonetheless, he got an early 2-0 lead to work with thanks to a top of the 1st 2 run homerun by Big Papi.

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Red Sox Report 9/16 posted on 09/16/2008

The Red Sox entered today in a virtual tie for first place, looking to move into first place for the first time in 2 months. Josh Beckett started today looking to get his 13th win of the season, a season which has been a down one by his standards as he won 20 games last season. He would face Andy Sonnanstine in what would be one of the most important games for the Red Sox and Rays this season.

The game was a pitchers dual until the 6th, when the Red Sox struck first on an RBI sac fly by Kevin Youkilis, scoring Jacoby Ellsbury. Beckett would go until the 7th without surrendering a run, which he did on a solo shot by Carlos Pena. Beckett had another fine night, 8 innings, 3 hits, 1 earned, but because he left with the game tied, he would not factor into the decision and this was still anyone's game.

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Red Sox Report 9/15 posted on 09/15/2008

The Red Sox played the Rays today in what was the first game of the last series of the season between these two. Daisuke Matsuzaka started today against Scott Kazmir in Tampa, where the Red Sox are yet to win this season. If the Red Sox were to win tonight they would move into a virtual tie with the Rays, who they have trailed since late July.

Because of the fact that they have yet to win in Tampa and because they lost a series to the Rays just last week in Boston, the odds were against the Red Sox. However, they came out firing tonight. They had four runs in the first, off of homeruns from David Ortiz and Mike Lowell. After getting seven more in the fourth, including homeruns from Jason Bay, Kevin Youkilis, and Jason Varitek, they had a commanding 11-1 lead that they would not give back.

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