28 Runs in Total, 18 were Red Sox runs

The game lasted 3 hours and 50 minutes.
Together, the Orioles and the Red Sox scored 28 runs.
Red Sox scored 18.
Orioles scored 10.
WE WON! And we also won the series against the Orioles.
I think us Sox fans feel a lot better about the play-offs, especially because we're half a game behind the Yankees. ( who we're playing Friday!)

Who, individually scored the most runs? Let's see:
Jacoby Ellsbury- 4 runs
Dustin Pedroia- 4 runs
Adam Jones (BAL)- 3 runs
Kevin Youkilis- 2 runs
Rocco Baldelli- 2 runs
Josh Reddick- 2 runs
Felix Pie (BAL)- 2 runs
Victor Martinez- 1 run
J.D. Drew-1 run
Mike Lowell- 1 run
Jed Lowrie- 1 run
Brian Roberts (BAL)- 1 run
Aubrey Huff (BAL)-1 run
Ty Wigginton (BAL)- 1 run
Luke Scott (BAL)- 1 run
Robert Andino(BAL)-1 run

The only Red Sox not to score a run was David Ortiz.

Happy Birthday, Tim Wakefield!

Happy Birthday to pitcher Tim Wakefield!

Career Highlights for the Birthday Boy:

• One of the top Red Sox pitchers, in 3rd place for all time wins in a Red Sox uniform, with 175 wins.
• Has played with the Boston Red Sox since 1995, making him the player being a member the longest with the club.
• Has been nominated 7 times for the Roberto Clemente Award.
• In 17 years, he's won 189, loss 160

Interesting Facts about the Birthday Boy:

• Was originally a first baseman for his Florida Tech Panthers.
• His number 3, was retired by the college.
• He was the home run leader with 22 home runs and 40 career home runs.
  
• When he was told by a scout that he wouldn't make it as an infielder, he started pitching, with his famous knuckleball.

Happy 43rd Birthday, Tim!
photo courtesy of: marriedtotheoil.blogspot

BecKKKKKet

There's five K's in Beckett's name for his five strikeouts, but the best part about his pitching tonight was he gave up no runs. I'm happy that Okajima and Bard didn't either.

With great pitching, came along great offense. Not the Sox's best, but we did pretty good.
Here's how the lineup did:
Youkilis took the top spot with 4 hits. (went 4-4)
Ellsbury and newbie Reddick got 2 hits.
Pedroia, Martinez, Ortiz, Bay, and Baldelli got a hit.

Excellent work boys. The Red Sox won it 4-0.

Close on, Smoltz. But we won, thanks to Ellsbury.

I wasn't particularly excited that Smoltz was on the mound tonight, but hey, what can we do?
He did alright, we got the win (barely, in my opinion), but it was the Sox offense that was on fire.

Jacoby Ellsbury went 3-5, with his 6th home run. He also stole a base.

Kevin Youkilis went 3-4, with his 18th home run.

David Ortiz went 2-4, with his 15th home run.

Bay, Lowell, and Pedoria all got hits.

Jacoby made a dynamite catch in the bottom of the sixth inning robbing Luke Scott of a home run.

"I told him it's the best catch I've seen in a very, very long time," Smoltz said. "Obviously we can look back and say that was the game-winner." (redsox.com)

What did Jacoby say about his amazing catch?

"The ball started tailing back toward center. I had a good bead on it, thought I was going to catch it in front of me, but it ended up tailing back and being more difficult. It's a good feeling to take that one away." (redsox.com)

http://video.aol.ca/video-detail/ellsburys-amazing-catch/3300959420

The Trades

In my opinion, the trades were okay.

We got Catcher, First Baseman Victor Martinez for pitchers Justin Masterson, Nick Hagadone and Bryan Price.

We got first baseman Casey Kotchman for our new first baseman, Adam LaRoche.

I see why we got rid of Adam LaRoche, we had no room for him after we got Victor Martinez, who is both a first baseman and a catcher.

But JUSTIN MASTERSON? A homegrown Red Sox? Why not Ramon Ramirez or Saito?
Not Justin! I believe he was going to be the next upcoming Red Sox starter.I'm going to miss him a lot. I'm already looking forward to the Cleveland vs. Sox series the first week of October so I can see Justin again. Hopefully we can get him back soon.

Victor Martinez was a good get, we needed a strong catcher, as Varitek is slowly losing his juice. (Don't get me wrong, I still think Varitek is doing good)

Bye Justin and Adam. Welcome, Casey and Victor.

Justin Masterson
photo courtesy of bostonglobe.com

Lester, Declarmen, and a win

When Lester's first pitch wasn't sent out of the park by Adam Kennedy, it was a sigh of relief. When the first half of the first inning was over, another sigh of relief.

And then Boston got a run in the 2nd inning, and our wounds had healed. We can do this!
Lester didn't give up a run 'till the 6th inning, where he gave up 4 runs. But then Declarmen, Bard and Papelbon took over and only gave up one run between them.

And before you know it, it was 8-5, Sox, top of the ninth and Papelbon struck out the last batter and the Red Sox won!

A big thanks to the win is to Big ol' Papi, who gave us three runs by his three-run home run, and doubles from Youkilis, Varitek, Drew, Lowell and Ortiz.
photo courtesy of profantasybaseball.com.

Papi and Performance Enhancing Drugs?

A New York Times online publication just stated that David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez were on a 2003 list of 104 MLB players that tested positive for performance enhancing drugs.

Did Papi deny it? No, he had no comment.

But I think we can look at his stats, and it wouldn't appear that he used them:

In 2003 how many home runs did he have? 31
Was that his all time high for home runs? No
What year did he have his all time high for home runs? 2007, 52 HR

A fine was established in 2004, stating that all MLB players would be punished for using performance enhancing drugs. The 2003 list that is being talked about, was suppose to be a private, confidential report that was not supposed to be shared to the public.
Ortiz cannot be punished if this report is true.

Later in the day, Papi came out and made this statement:

"One, I have already contacted the Players Association to confirm if this report is true. I have just been told that the report is true. Based on the way I have lived my life, I am surprised to learn I tested positive. Two, I will find out what I tested positive for. And, three, based on whatever I learn, I will share this information with my club and the public. You know me -- I will not hide and I will not make excuses." (redsox.com)

What did Martinez have to say?

"If you guys want to talk about the game and what happens now, I can sit and talk for two hours. But something happened six years ago, I don't want to talk about that. If you want more information, you have the number for the union. Call them." (redsox.com)

What do you think? Did our beloved Big Papi use drugs?
No matter what, I'm gonna love him, and I'm sure all my fellow Red Sox fans will too.