Thursday, May 23, 2013
Took in Tuesday's game at Fenway Park as a civilian, sitting in the left field grandstand with my 10-year-old son Aidan.
Aidan is a baseball purist. He doesn't mind a well-pitched, well-defensed 1-0 game. Then again, he seemed to enjoy the 18 runs the Red Sox put up (and, yes, the historic Tim Wakefield 200th win).
And Aidan knows his former Sea Dogs. He got to see a slew of them. Starting the game were Gonzalez, Pedroia, Youkilis, Ellsbury and Reddick. Entering later were Lavarnway, Anderson, Iglesias and Tazawa.
Speaking of Ryan Lavarnway, does he get the call as DH today, with David Ortiz bothered with back spasms and lefty Ricky Romero on the mound?
Romero (14-10, 3.01 ERA) is 7-1 (2.71) in his last 10 starts, including a win over Boston.
The Red Sox go with John Lackey (12-12, 6.30). He is 0-2 (12.38) in his last two starts. Today's game is at 1:30 p.m.
I called Tampa Bay lefty David Price "money" going into Tuesday's game against Baltimore. Price gave up only 2 runs (1 earned) over 6 2/3 innings. J.P. Howell gave up a two-run Matt Wieters home run in the 8th.
Texas beat Cleveland 10-4 with two of the nicest ex-Sea Dogs going against each other. David Murphy won this battle, homering twice off Justin Masterson.
After wins by everybody but the Rays on Tuesday, here are the numbers:
AL East
New York 90-57
Boston 86-61 (4 back)
Tampa Bay 82-65 (8)
Wild Card
Boston 86-61
Tampa Bay 82-65 (4 back)
LA Angels 81-67 (5.5)
New York's magic number to clinch the division: 12.
Boston's magic number to clinch the wild card: 12.
Remaining Games:
NEW YORK (15): At Seattle (1), at Toronto (3), Minnesota (1), Tampa Bay (4), Boston (3), at Tampa Bay (3).
BOSTON (15): Toronto (1), Tampa Bay (4), Baltimore (4), at New York (3), at Baltimore (3).
TAMPA BAY (15): At Baltimore (1), at Boston (4), at New York (4), Toronto (3), New York (3).
The playoff seeds at the moment:
1. New York 90-57
2. Detroit 86-62
3. Texas 84-64
4. Boston (wild card)
Kevin Thomas covers baseball and basketball for the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram. He wisely moved to Maine in 1994 after working for the St. Petersburg Times. He is married to Nancy and they have nine children.
Follow his thoughts on the Boston Red Sox and Portland Sea Dogs on Clearing the Bases
Follow his thoughts on the Boston Celtics and Maine Red Claws on Holding Court
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