The Red Sox concluded their longest homestand of the season in good order, defeating the Chicago White Sox three straight, after dropping the opener. Overall, the Sox managed a wining stretch, going 6-5 in the 11 games at Fenway Park.

They are in first place, leading the American League in wins, but somehow this record does not reflect a lot of killer instinct. After all, they have lost nine games this year by a single run. Why haven’t they pounded out a bigger lead?

The simple answer is that while they have had some of the best pitching we’ve seen here in recent years, their offense has not run on all cylinders yet. Watch out, because when it does this team will be unstoppable.

So far, we have production from the guys you were not expecting it from, like Kevin Youkilis and Dustin Pedroia. Mike Lowell is proving all the naysayers wrong, again. Manny Ramirez has started to swing the bat for power, with Julio Lugo and Coco Crisp coming on strong. The only other key player yet to hit his stride is David Ortiz.

Big Papi’s numbers this year are higher in average, but he is not providing the big clutch hits he’s famous for. Chalk this up more to opposing pitchers adapting to him, than to any physical problems Papi is having. He’s a big, tough, professional slugger. He’s played with pain before and he knows how to hit. When he figures out how to adapt to what’s being offered to him at the dish, the clutch hits will start coming again. The few days off for the shoulder injury serves a two-fold purpose. It gives David some time to heal up and rest and allows Manny a little spotlight and rest as the DH.

Some critics will claim that Terry Francona, or “Francoma” in their words, is sleepwalking through a lucky season. All managers claim to take one game at a time, but all managers have their eyes on getting to the post season. Resting players and not putting people in position to be seriously injured is how you finish a 162-game regular season. The trick seems to be getting a team to peak at just the right time. For the Sox, it will also be how to keep the Yankees from climbing back in the race.

This week, the Sox take on a red-hot Cleveland team that is 17 games over .500, first in the wild card standings and second to Detroit in the Central by only a game as of Monday. It would be a good time for these Red Sox nine to step up.

.