G72: Red Sox 5, Rays 1

Rays    - 010 000 000 - 1  6  1
Red Sox - 102 011 00x - 5  8  0

David Ortiz (2-for-3) knocked in three runs. ... Jacoby Ellsbury had three hits and scored three runs. Shane Victorino had two hits and scored two runs. He and Ellsbury hit back-to-back triples in the sixth inning. ... Alfredo Aceves (5-3-1-3-2, 75) was solid but had his day cut short by a three-hour rain delay in the bottom of the fifth.

Chris Archer / Alfredo Aceves

Ellsbury, CF
Victorino, RF
Pedroia, 2B
Ortiz, DH
Napoli, 1B
Nava, LF
Saltalamacchia, C
Middlebrooks, 3B
Drew, SS

First game of a day/night doubleheader. This game is a make-up of the April 12 postponement.

Mike Napoli and Mike Carp may be available. ... The Rays have called up top prospect Wil Myers and he will make his major league debut in the afternoon game.

The Red Sox (42-29) lead the AL East, with the Orioles (2 GB), Yankees (3 GB) and Rays (5 GB), and Blue Jays (8 GB) following. Baltimore is in Detroit and New York hosts the Dodgers.

2004 ALCS 5: Red Sox 5, Yankees 4 (14)

If you have a spare five hours today, you might enjoy watching this:



(This is the international feed, a broadcast you likely have not seen. Instead of Buck/McCarver, you get Dave O'Brien and Rick Sutcliffe.)

Added Bonus:
2004 World Series 4
2007 World Series 4
1999 ALDS 5

G71: Orioles 6, Red Sox 3

Red Sox - 000 000 300 - 3  6  1
Orioles - 003 020 10x - 6 14  1

Lester (5-9-5-0-8, 106) struggled yet again. In his last six starts, dating back to May 20, Lester has allowed 47 hits and 18 walks in 35 innings, and has a 7.20 ERA.

Will Middlebrooks hit a three-run homer. . . . Jose Igesias extended his hitting streak to 17 games. ... Mike Carp came out of the game with right hamstring tightness.

Roster Move Du Jour: Pedro Beato was added to the 40-man roster and called up from Pawtucket. Rubby De La Rosa was sent down. Beato pitched the sixth inning today, retiring the side on nine pitches.

Jon Lester / Miguel Gonzalez

G70: Red Sox 5, Orioles 4

Red Sox - 000 311 000 - 5  9  1
Orioles - 200 000 002 - 4 10  0

John Lackey / Freddy Garcia

Ellsbury, CF
Victorino, RF
Pedroia, 2B
Ortiz, DH
Carp, 1B
Gomes, LF
Saltalamacchia, C
Drew, SS
Iglesias, 3B

Gordon Edes, ESPNBoston:

Since scoring 10 runs in a 14-inning win in the first game of this trip [on Monday night], the Sox have scored a total of nine runs in their last 40 innings, resulting in three losses in their last four games. ...

The Orioles have won four of five from the Sox this season, went 13-5 against the Sox last season and have won five straight series and eight of their last nine. The Orioles have not lost consecutive games against the Sox in their last 32 meetings.

G69: Orioles 2, Red Sox 0

Red Sox - 000 000 000 - 0  3  0
Orioles - 011 000 00x - 2  5  0

Ryan Dempster / Chris Tillman

Ellsbury, CF
Victorino, RF
Pedroia, 2B
Ortiz, DH
Carp, 1B
Nava, LF
Iglesias, SS
Middlebrooks, 3B
Ross, C

Roster: Rubby De La Rosa was called up, with Alex Wilson going back to Pawtucket. ... Pedro Ciriaco was traded to the Padres for a player to be named later.

G68: Orioles 5, Red Sox 4 (13)

Red Sox - 000 200 200 000 0 - 4  9  2
Orioles - 003 010 000 000 1 - 5 12  1

In 13 innings, the Red Sox had 45 at-bats and zero walks. According to Gordon Edes, it is only the fifth Red Sox game since 1916 in which the team has had at least 45 AB without drawing a single walk. Here is a list of the four previous games (1927, 1970, 1992, 1998).

Felix Doubront / Kevin Gausman

Ellsbury, CF
Victorino, RF
Pedroia, 2B
Ortiz, DH
Napoli, 1B
Nava, LF
Saltalamacchia, C
Middlebrooks, 3B
Drew, SS

Jacoby Ellsbury has an 11-game hitting streak (22-for-50; .440/.509/.640). In his last five games, he has stolen eight bases. ... Dustin Pedroia has reached base safely in 62 of the 67 games this season, including the last 21 games.

Gausman has made four starts this year. Over 19.1 innings, he has a 8.84 ERA.

Alfredo Aceves was optioned to Pawtucket and Alex Wilson was called up.

Xander Bogaerts was promoted to Pawtucket.

Ellsbury Ties Red Sox Record For Stolen Bases in Consecutive Games (Update: No, He Didn't)

Update: Ellsbury stole second base in the 10th inning - his 30th of the year - to set a new Red Sox record! Tris Speaker stole a base in eight straight games in 1913 - which I believe is the Red Sox team record - so Ellsbury has a few games to go.

Most Consecutive Games With At Least One Stolen Base By Red Sox Player (1916-2013)

Harry Hooper     5 games   May 30-June 4, 1918    5 SB   x CS
Nemo Leibold     5 games   August 4-9, 1921       5 SB   0 CS
Ben Chapman      5 games   June 17-20, 1937       5 SB   1 CS
Tommy Harper     5 games   June 1-8, 1974         5 SB   0 CS
Jacoby Ellsbury  5 games   June 13-18, 2009       6 SB   0 CS
Jacoby Ellsbury  5 games   June 8-12, 2013        8 SB   0 CS

Ellsbury will have a chance to set a new franchise record tonight in Baltimore.

G67: Red Sox 2, Rays 1

Red Sox - 002 000 000 - 2  5  0
Rays    - 000 001 000 - 1  6  1

Alfredo Aceves (6-4-1-4-3, 84) pitched six strong innings and Daniel Nava capped a 10-pitch at-bat in the third inning by jacking a two-run dong, his ninth home run of the season.

Aceves's one bad inning was the second, in which he walked the bases loaded, but escaped unscathed. He allowed a walk and single to start the third, but struck out Kelly Johnson and got Evan Longoria to ground into a double play. Longoria tagged him in his next at-bat, however, driving a pitch over the wall in center, giving him a home run in each game of the three-game series.

With two outs in the top of the third, Jacoby Ellsbury singled to left. Rays starter Chris Archer (4-4-2-4-7, 103) fell behind Nava 3-0 - and Ellsbury stole second base on ball 3. Archer battled back to a full count and Nava then fouled off five pitches before tattooing a two-run bomb to right. Dustin Pedroia followed with a single and David Ortiz walked, but Mike Napoli struck out to end the inning.

Tampa Bay made some threatening noises in the final two innings. After Johnson doubled off Craig Breslow with two down in the eighth, Koji Uehara came in and fanned Longoria on three splitters (looking, looking, and swinging).

Andrew Bailey surrendered a line drive single off the right field wall to James Loney to begin the bottom of the ninth; Sam Fuld pinch-ran. Bailey threw four balls to Desmond Jennings, but the fourth one was called a strike, a gift that allowed Bailey to retire Jennings on a fly to center on the next pitch. (I still want robots, but thank you, Ron Kulpa.) Bailey then struck out Luke Scott and, after Fuld stole second, Jose Lobaton to end the game.

Mike Carp went 2-for-4. Ellsbury singled, walked twice, and stole two bases.

Alfredo Aceves / Chris Archer

Ellsbury, CF
Nava, RF
Pedroia, 2B
Ortiz, DH
Napoli, 1B
Carp, LF
Saltalamacchia, C
Middlebrooks, 3B
Drew, SS

As expected, Alfredo "Eyes of Satan" Aceves has been recalled from Pawtucket to start tonight. Jose De La Torre, who pitched 3.1 innings in relief of Jon Lester last night, was optioned back to AAA.

Aceves last pitched for the Red Sox on May 27, when he allowed one run in six innings in a spot start against the Phillies. ... He has made five starts this season for the PawSox and as a 3.52 ERA.

G66: Rays 8, Red Sox 3

Red Sox - 102 000 000 - 3  8  1
Rays    - 112 130 00x - 8 10  1

On a night when the Red Sox needed their starting pitcher to go deep into the game, Lester (4.2-8-7-7-3, 98) failed utterly. He needed 70 pitches to get through three innings, and his seven walks tied a career high. All seven runs he allowed scored with two outs.

In his last five starts (30 innings), Lester has allowed 38 hits and 18 walks (6.90 ERA).

Jose De La Torre, called up from Pawtucket as a fresh arm in a tattered bullpen, took the ball the rest of the way, throwing 3.1 innings.

Boston actually held the lead twice, at 1-0 and 3-2, but Lester's inability to maintain control of the strike zone gave Tampa Bay ample opportunities to come back. Lester and De La Torre walked a total of 10 opposing batters, a season-high (and/or -worst) for the Red Sox staff.

Jacoby Ellsbury singled and stole second (#27) without a throw to start the game. He went to third on Shane Victorino's single and scored on Dustin Pedroia's foul fly to right field. In the third, Jose Iglesias and Ellsbury scored on Mike Napoli's bloop single to center.

Lester's night began horribly and never improved. He walked four batters in the first inning, the last free pass bringing in a run. Desmond Jennings homered in the second. In the third, Ryan Roberts and Jose Molina had run-scoring singles. Lester's night finally came to an end when he surrendered a long, two-run home run to Matt Joyce.

De La Torre came in and gave up another bomb to Jennings, but kept Tampa off the scoreboard for the next three innings.

Tampa Bay hit four home runs last night and hit four more taters tonight. It's the first time in franchise history they have hit at least four home runs in consecutive games.

Hernandez (7-7-3-2-7, 122) drilled Pedroia in the left arm to start the eighth inning, a move that was likely retaliation for John Lackey hitting Joyce last night. I question whether Rays manager Joe Maddon will fulminate as vociferously over Hernandez's "mistake" as he did over Lackey's.

Jon Lester / Roberto Hernandez

Ellsbury, CF
Victorino, RF
Pedroia, 2B
Ortiz, DH
Napoli, 1B
Nava, LF
Drew, SS
Ross, C
Iglesias, 3B

Having used seven relievers, including Wednesday's scheduled starter, Franklin Morales, in last night's 14-inning victory, the Red Sox will likely make some roster moves today. Peter Abraham goes over a few possibilities, noting that right-hander Jose De La Torre will likely be in the bullpen tonight. Alfredo Aceves could be recalled to start tomorrow night.

G65: Red Sox 10, Rays 8 (14)

Red Sox - 600 000 000 200 02 - 10 15  0
Rays    - 201 100 110 200 00 -  8 17  1

Game stories: ESPNBoston, WEEI, MLB.com, Globe, Herald, ProJo, AP.

Joe Maddon is convinced John Lackey drilled Matt Joyce in the sixth inning on purpose.

John Lackey / Alex Cobb

Will Middlebrooks has been recalled from Pawtucket and activated from the disabled list. He will start at third base tonight. Pedro Ciriaco was designated for assignment.

Ellsbury, CF
Victorino, RF
Pedroia, 2B
Ortiz, DH
Nava, LF
Carp, 1B
Saltalamacchia, C
Middlebrooks, 3B
Drew, SS

G64: Red Sox 10, Angels 5

Angels  - 100 110 020 -  5  9  2
Red Sox - 004 012 30x - 10 11  0

David Ortiz clubbed a three-run homer in the third inning to put the Red Sox on the path to an easy victory.

Jarrod Saltalamacchia hit two home runs and drove in four runs; he and Mike Carp went back-to-back in the sixth. ... Flo, Salty, and Jose Iglesias (.446) each had two hits.

Dempster: 6-6-3-2-6, 110.

The Red Sox travel to Tampa, where they begin a three-game series against the Rays tomorrow night.

Joe Blanton / Ryan Dempster

Ellsbury, CF
Nava, RF
Pedroia, 2B
Ortiz, DH
Napoli, 1B
Saltalamacchia, C
Carp, LF
Drew, SS
Iglesias, 3B

G63: Red Sox 7, Angels 2

Angels  - 001 001 000 - 2  7  3
Red Sox - 210 013 00x - 7 13  0

C.J. WIlson had thrown only eight pitches and the Red Sox were already up 2-0. Shane Victorino, fresh off the disabled list, singled and raced all the way around the bases to score on Jonny Gomes's double. Gomes then came home on Dustin Pedroia's two-bagger.

Boston sent eight men to the plate in the first inning, and left the bases loaded. But that missed opportunity at a big inning did not haunt them. With two outs in the second, Gomes (single) and Pedroia (walk) set the table for David Ortiz, who lined an opposite field double to make it 3-0.

David Ross had a run-scoring single in the fifth. ... In the seventh, Pedroia singled in a run and Ortiz unleashed a two-run bomb to right. ... Gomes, Pedroia, Ortiz, and Jose Iglesias (.443) each had two hits.

Buchholz (6.2-6-2-1-4, 104) left the game in the seventh with neck tightness. This outing raised his ERA to 1.71, which is still the best in MLB.

Boston's lead in the AL East is 1.5 games.

C.J. Wilson / Clay Buchholz

Victorino, CF
Gomes, LF
Pedroia, 2B
Ortiz, DH
Napoli, 1B
Nava, RF
Ross, C
Drew, SS
Iglesias, 3B

G62: Angels 9, Red Sox 5

Angels  - 012 000 402 - 9 12  2
Red Sox - 000 200 003 - 5 14  1

Franklin Morales issued two bases-loaded walks in the seventh inning as Los Angeles put the game out of reach. Morales handed out four walks, one intentional, to the eight batters he faced.

Boston made some noise with two outs in the ninth, collecting five consecutive hits and scoring three times, but the ditch was too deep to climb out of.

Daniel Nava and Mike Carp each had three hits. Carp homered, and he and Stephen Drew each had 2 RBI. Doubront (6-6-3-2-4, 97) left trailing 3-2.

Tommy Hanson / Felix Doubront

Ellsbury, CF
Nava, RF
Pedroia, 2B
Ortiz, DH
Napoli, 1B
Saltalamacchia, C
Carp, LF
Drew, SS
Iglesias, 3B

It's a Saturday day/night doubleheader!

G62: Angels at Red Sox, PPD

Angels  -
Red Sox - 

Tonight's game has been postponed by rain.

The Angels and Red Sox will play a day/night doubleheader on Saturday (1 PM and 7 PM), with Felix Doubront and Clay Buchholz getting the starts.

Tommy Hanson / Felix Doubront

G61: Red Sox 6, Rangers 3

Rangers - 021 000 000 - 3 10  0
Red Sox - 002 000 103 - 6 13  0

Texas manager Ron Washington made two big mistakes in the ninth inning. One, even though he had closer Joe Nathan warmed up, he brought in Michael "6.89 ERA" Kirkman. Two, after Jonny Gomes led off with a first-pitch double, he called for an intentional walk to Dustin Pedroia, so Kirkman could face David Ortiz.

Yes, Ortiz came into the game batting only .250 against left-handers and, yes, he had grounded out in his previous three at-bats. But choosing to face Ortiz with the game on the line? That is madness.

After a pep talk from pitching coach Mike Maddux, Kirkman threw Ortiz a slider that broke inside and low. Ortiz swung and hit a screaming line drive that just cleared the short wall of the visitors' bullpen. And just like that, the Red Sox had a win and Kirkman's ERA ballooned to 8.18!

It was the 11th walk-off home run of Ortiz's career (10th with the Red Sox) and his first since August 26, 2009. Ortiz now has 19 career walk-off hits, 16 with Boston.

It was also a sweet ending to what had been a frustrating night, as Lester (6-7-3-3-4, 108) had a rocky outing and his teammates squandered numerous opportunities to score, stranding 11 men in the first eight innings.

Jacoby Ellsbury, back in the lineup after missing five games, went 4-for-5, with two doubles. Gomes was also 4-for-5. Dustin Pedroia slugged a two-run double in the third. Jose Iglesias singled and walked three times.

Derek Holland / Jon Lester

Ellsbury, CF
Gomes, LF
Pedroia, 2B
Ortiz, DH
Napoli, 1B
Nava, RF
Ross, C
Iglesias, SS
Ciriaco, 3B

Lester has allowed at least four runs in each of his last three starts.

Linescore of the Month, from last night:

White Sox - 000 000 000 000 050 2 - 7 17  0
Mariners  - 000 000 000 000 050 0 - 5 16  2

G60: Rangers 3, Red Sox 2

Rangers - 000 100 200 - 3  7  0
Red Sox - 000 001 010 - 2  5  0

Elvis Andrus's two-run double off Koji Uehara snapped a 1-1 tie, and relievers Tanner Scheppers and Joe Nathan held the line.

It was, for me, an extremely infuriating game, marked by one obvious blown call at second base that aborted a Boston rally before it could truly begin, and numerous missed pitches by home plate umpire Rob Drake. Red Sox batters also failed to capitalize with runners at second and/or third.

Stephen Drew opened the third with a shot into the gap in left-center and slid safely into second with a double, but he was called out by Sam Holbrook. It was questionable whether Texas second baseman Jurickson Profar even tagged Drew at all, let alone before drew got his hand on the bag.

In the fourth, the Red Sox had runners at first and second with one out, and second and third with two outs, and could not score, as David Ortiz and Mike Napoli both struck out. After Dustin Pedroia hit a solo home run in the sixth, Ortiz and Napoli walked, but Jarrod Saltalamacchia whiffed to end the inning. In the seventh, Drew walked and Jose Iglesias singled - but the next three batters were quickly retired.

With two down in the eighth, Napoli walked and Salty doubled him home. With the potential tying run at second, Drew grounded to second. Nathan retired the side in order in the ninth on six pitches.

A blown call by 1B umpire Joe West helped the Rangers snap a 1-1 tie in the seventh. Mitch Moreland hurt himself running to second on a leadoff double off Craig Breslow and was replaced by Jeff Baker. Profar laid down a bunt, but Baker (for some unknown reason) did not run to third! Pinch-hitter Craig Gentry tried checking his swing on an 0-2 pitch. He clearly went around, but West said there was no swing. Gentry eventually walked - ending Breslow's evening - and Andrus promptly hit his two-run double on Uehara's first pitch.

Lackey (6-5-1-0-5, 108) pitched well, retiring 11 of his first 12 batters and giving up only a solo shot to dead center to Adrian Beltre.

Alexi Ogando / John Lackey

Nava, RF
Carp, LF
Pedroia, 2B
Ortiz, DH
Napoli, 1B
Saltalamacchia, C
Drew, SS
Iglesias, 3B
Bradley, CF

G59: Red Sox 17, Rangers 5

Rangers - 000 201 020 -  5  9  2
Red Sox - 261 114 20x - 17 19  0

The Red Sox narrowly missed becoming only the seventh* team in American League history to score in all eight innings of a home game. They failed to score in the eighth inning against left fielder David Murphy, who allowed a leadoff double to Daniel Nava, and then retired the next three hitters. (No AL team has ever scored in all nine innings of a game.)

*: Boston did score in all eight innings on September 16, 1903. That was part of a streak of scoring in 17 consecutive innings!

In the words of NESN's Dennis Eckersley (when the game was over, thinking his mic was off): "We gotta recap this shit?"

The highlights: Jackie Bradley hit his first major league home run in the second inning. David Ortiz doubled and tripled in his first two at-bats. Daniel Nava had three hits and scored four runs. Stephen Drew had four hits and scored three runs. The Red Sox led off three consecutive innings with a home run: Drew in the fourth, Mike Carp in the fifth, and Jarrod Saltalamacchia in the sixth. Ryan Dempster (7-5-3-1-6, 107) turned in his second straight solid start. Red Sox batters saw 190 pitches in eight innings!

Justin Grimm / Ryan Dempster

Nava, RF
Carp, LF
Pedroia, 2B
Ortiz, DH
Napoli, 1B
Saltalamacchia, C
Drew, SS
Iglesias, 3B
Bradley, CF

The Rangers (35-21) have the best record in the American League. The Red Sox (35-23) are second-best; they lead the Orioles and Yankees by 2.5 games.

Grimm (3.93 ERA in nine starts) is excited to be pitching in Boston:

It's going to be pretty cool to pitch at Fenway. I'm expecting a good crowd. I'm expecting to show up ready to go, ready to compete and be aggressive with them, and go after it. If I do that, it's going to be a good game.

The Rangers lead the AL with a 3.38 team ERA. Boston is tied for second with the Tigers at 3.72.

Gabe Kapler: MLB Must Embrace Widespread Instant Replay (Including Balls And Strikes)

Gabe Kapler for Commissioner!:

Every day in Major League Baseball, calls are blown by MLB umpires. We laugh as the faces of managers get redder and redder; expletives get louder and more venomous. The postgame press conferences make for great TV and fodder for comical chats at the water cooler. ...

This discussion, just like the game itself, is not about the umpires. The fact that it's indeed time to implement widespread instant reply has little to do with the competency of the guys who enforce the rulebook and has everything to do with what's good for the game and its overall health going forward. ...

I'm in love with the tradition of baseball. I have the highest level of respect for our game's history. However, I can't stand that things are done just because, well, that's the way they have always been done. And we are getting to that point without significant instant replay.

We can't do this halfway or little by little. I'm all for correcting calls on the bases and everywhere for that matter. ...

Traditionalists, brace yourselves: When the technology is ready — and it soon will be — we need to let computers call balls and strikes with the game on the line. And we should be using the resources we have now and at every turn to make the game faster and better. ...

It's time to let go of the notion that human error is somehow part of the beauty of the game when it is, in fact, a correctable blight. I for one am ready for MLB to rip off the Band-Aid and get this very important call right.

MLB is seriously discussing introducing a wide array of instant replay for 2014 - "all calls other than balls and strikes", in fact. Having current (or future) technology used to call every pitch is the ultimate taboo in baseball. It seems that most people who are pro-replay draw the line there, insisting that balls and strikes continue to be called by humans. This is unfortunate, as I believe getting those calls right is far more important than reviewing batted balls down the foul lines or controversial home runs.

Ortiz's Epic Bat Flip

I could watch this all day.

Thanks to Dr. Jeff for finding it here and sending it along.

Update: I found a second gif:

Schadenfreude 157 (A Continuing Series)

George A. King III, Post:

The biggest reason has been a lack of runs. In the past eight games, the Yankees have scored 15 runs. Four times they have been limited to a run, and last night they didn't score in five innings.

Kevin Kernan, Post:

The numbers are so cold and so revealing.

The Yankees have gone from Bronx Bombers to Bronx Bummers on offense. The difference between the Red Sox and Yankees is painfully obvious. ...

The Red Sox are first in baseball with 289 runs scored.

The Yankees are 20th with 223. That puts them 12th in the American League. To fully understand what that means, consider the lowly Astros, who basically are rebuilding from the ground up, have scored more runs than the Yankees with 227. ...

These are much different days in The Bronx. The explosive offense is history.

John Harper, Daily News:

Remember the good old days of, say, last year, when people worried about the Yankees hitting too many home runs and not enough singles?

Yeah, this team should have such problems.

Simply put, scoring runs hasn't been such an issue in the Bronx since the bad old days of the early '90s ...

Suffice to say the warm and fuzzy feeling everyone had for these gutty, gritty, replacement Yankees is wearing off fast. Actually, the fans never seemed to buy in anyway, judging by a signicant decline in TV ratings, so maybe they were ahead of the curve on this. ...

On this pace the Yankees would score fewer than 670 runs, a stunningly low total ...

In fact, the lowest total the Yankees scored in the last 18 years was 789 in 2008 ... You have to go back to 1992, when the Yankees scored 674 runs in [Buck] Showalter's first year as manager, to find a team that compared to this one.