G148: Blue Jays 5, Red Sox 4

Blue Jays - 200 000 030 - 5  8  3
Red Sox   - 021 001 000 - 4  6  3

Daniel Bard imploded yet again, as the Blue Jays rallied in the eighth inning. Bard walked the first two batters (on only nine pitches), then committed a throwing error on a bunt to load the bases with no outs. From there, it was fairly easy for the Jays to score, with pitcher-turned-outfielder Adam Loewen's two-run single being the big blow.

Bard - considered the "closer-in-waiting" with Jonathan Papelbon headed into free agency this winter - blew his fifth save of the year, and was charged with his eighth loss. In his last three appearances - 2.1 innings (17 batters!) - he has allowed four hits, five walks, and nine runs. Over his career, Bard has 5 saves and 15 blown saves.

Boston did not have any baserunners in the last three innings.

Lackey (5.1-7-2-1-4, 115) stumbled early, but held on, stranding runners on base in every inning, as the Sox came back. Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis singled to start the second. Ryan Lavarnway reached on the first of two errors by third baseman Brett Lawrie, scoring FY. After a strikeout and a wild pitch, Jason Varitek's ground out brought in the second run. In the third, Jacoby Ellsbury tripled and scored on Marco Scutaro's sac fly. Adrian Gonzalez hit a solo dong (#26) in the sixth.

The Mariners beat the Yankees 2-1 in 12 innings and the Orioles beat the Rays 6-2.

Rickey Romero / John Lackey

Afternoon baseball!

Ellsbury, CF
Scutaro, SS
Gonzalez, 1B
Pedroia, 2B
Youkilis, 3B
Lavarnway, DH
Crawford, LF
Varitek, C
McDonald, RF

Also: Josh Beckett has been named as Friday's starter.

Game thread. ... Rays/Orioles at 7 PM and Yankees/Mariners at 10 PM.