Friday, February 10, 2012
Chicago White Sox lefty John Danks (12-9, 3.65) has had his rough moments lately (8 runs vs. the Yankees in his last start). But he is still a good pitcher, and the Red Sox lineup can vanish quickly.
Danks goes against Boston and Clay Buchholz (15-5, 2.21 ERA) tonight (hurricane pending) ... Besides the obvious importance for the Red Sox to win every game they can, Buchholz has a shot at the Cy Young. He has six starts left. Winning five gives him 20 wins, which would look nice alongside his league-low ERA.
The Rays begins a 9-game road trip - to Baltimore, Boston, then Toronto. Tampa Bay has Matt Garza (13-7, 3.53) against the Orioles' Kevin Millwood (3-14, 5.34). Millwood won for the first time since June in his last start.
AL East: Yankees 84-50; Rays 82-51 (1.5 back); Red Sox 76-58 (8 back).
Manny Delcarmen made his Rockies debut Thursday. Jason Werth homered, then a flyout, then three singles. Delcarmen left. All the baserunners scored. That's 1/3 of an inning, 4 runs.
In Pawtucket, Josh Reddick (.267) hit his 17th home run as he prepares for his call-up to Boston ... Kris Johnson (6-13, 4.88) pitched five scoreless innings (5 H, 1 BB, 1 K) ... Robert Coello faced 8 batters: single, walk, six strikeouts.
The three Cubans on the Sea Dogs - Jose Iglesias, Jorge Padron and Juan Carlos Linares - all had two hits. Linares hit his first pro home run.
Kevin covers baseball for the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram. He first reported on spring training games for the St. Petersburg Times in 1978. He wisely moved to Maine in 1994 and now writes about the Portland Sea Dogs and Boston Red Sox — when he's not coaching Little League baseball. He is married to Nancy, and the couple has completed their lineup card with the birth of their ninth child, who is now 4 1/2 years old.