G2: Athletics 5, Red Sox 1

Red Sox   - 000 001 000 - 1  5  0
Athletics - 013 000 01x - 5  9  1

Harden (6-3-1-3-9, 95) was tough to hit and Lester (4-5-4-3-4, 83) was tough to watch. Emil Brown atoned for his base-running blunder yesterday by smacking a three-run dong to left in the third. Manny hit a solo shot with two outs in the sixth. Other hits: two singles from Lowell, a single from Lugo and a double from Crisp. David Aardsma pitched 1.2 innings (1 H, 3 K) and looked very good.

156 hours and change until the next regular season pitch.

***

Jon Lester (2007 ERA+ 104) / Rich Harden (2007 ERA+ 171 (25.2 IP))

Red Sox                  Athletics
Dustin Pedroia, 2B       Travis Buck, RF 
Kevin Youkilis, 1B       Mark Ellis, 2B
David Ortiz, DH          Daric Barton, 1B 
Manny Ramirez, LF        Mike Sweeney, DH
Mike Lowell, 3B          Emil Brown, LF
Brandon Moss, RF         Bobby Crosby, SS
Jason Varitek, C         Jack Hannahan, 3B
Coco Crisp, CF           Kurt Suzuki, C
Julio Lugo, SS           Chris Denorfia, CF

Francona said Lyndon's back is okay, Coco was going to play today regardless. Drew's back is no worse, but the team is playing it safe, since they have a 10-hour flight to California coming up.

Also, SoSH TaLK on Yook's cut-off in the 10th inning of Game 1.