G45: Blue Jays 6, Red Sox 1

The last 11 games:

L W L L W L W L W L L

Hmm, those last nine make a particularly shitty palindrome.

Last night, the Red Sox made Ted Lilly (8.82 ERA and .340 OBA) look like Lefty Grove. Lilly allowed only one hit in the first 6.1 innings (a hard line drive to center by Renteria), then gave up three consecutive singles that led to Boston's only run. Too many at-bats looked like the team was anxious to get out of town. Varitek's ugly hack at a pitch up and away to strike out in the 4th is replaying in my head, and Vinnie Chulk, in relief of Lilly, retired four batters on only six pitches. However, it was not getaway day; they finish up the series tonight.

Coming back from his suspension, Bronson Arroyo wasn't sharp. He didn't walk anybody (and had only one three-ball count in six innings), but left too many breaking balls up in the zone. He allowed six hits, three singles and three doubles. ... A HBP, a Millar error, a passed ball and a routine single gave Toronto two runs in the first and back-to-back doubles to start the second made the score 3-0. Once again, the opposition's #9 hitter acted like a cleanup man -- Russ Adams doubled and tripled and scored two runs.

Memo to Tito: Kevin Youkilis should replace Kevin Millar at first base more often. A lot more often. Why? (A) His batting average and on-base percentage are both about 130 points higher than Cabin's and (B) He's able to bend over to catch balls in the dirt. ...

And now Boston, Toronto and New York all have the same number of victories.

Orioles    29  16  -- 
Red Sox    25  20  4.0 
Blue Jays  25  21  4.5 
Yankees    25  21  4.5 
Devil Rays 17  30 13.0

We're flying to Toronto this afternoon to check out what may be our next home, so I hope to hear some of the game on the radio driving back to the airport in Buffalo. ... Miller / Chacin at 7:00.