G93: Red Sox 2, Athletics 1

Red Sox   - 000 200 000 - 2  8  0
Athletics - 001 000 000 - 1  3  0

So why can't Matsuzaka (6.2-2-1-2-6, 89) do this more often? Working quickly, throwing strikes, setting down batters as quickly as they step up to the plate ...

Dice retired the first seven, gave up a solo homer to Rajai Davis, got the next two to end the third inning. Walked a guy to start the fourth, set down the next 10. Then another walk, an out, a double -- and that was his night.

Daniel Bard needed only three pitches to get Gabe Gross to pop to third and end the seventh. He allowed a one-out single and a stolen base and a two-out walk in the eighth, but escaped trouble. Jonathan Papelbon threw 17 pitches to get the A's in order for the save.

After the A's took a lead, Eric Patterson smoked a ball in the right-center gap and sprinted around for a triple. David Ortiz brought him home with a fly ball to center. With two outs, Adrian Beltre clubbed a ball to deep left-center for his 15th dong of the year. Boston led 2-1.

The Rays scored seven times in the third and beat the Orioles 8-1. Both Tampa Bay (2.5 GB) and Boston (6 GB) gained a half-game on the idle Chokers.

Daisuke Matsuzaka / Ben Sheets

Scutaro, SS
Patterson, 2B
Ortiz, DH
Youkilis, 1B
Beltre, 3B
Drew, RF
Nava, LF
McDonald, CF
Cash, C

Dice and Sheets started at Fenway on June 2. Boston won 6-4, and took two of the three games.

Nick Cafardo reports that the Red Sox are asking around about relievers. Clay Buchholz is throwing a bullpen session, and Dustin Pedroia and Jason Varitek are playing catch (though not with each other, it seems).

The Yankees are off tonight, but Rays/Orioles is at 7 PM.

July 19:

1911 - Walter Carlisle of the Vernon Tigers (Pacific Coast League) records the only unassisted triple play by an outfielder in professional baseball history. With men on first and second base in the sixth inning, he makes a diving catch of a short fly, runs in to step on second, and then runs over to first, doubling off both runners. Carlisle's major league career consisted of three games with the 1908 Red Sox (May 8, 9 and 11).

1915 - The Washington Senators steal eight bases off of Cleveland catcher Steve O'Neill in the first inning. Danny Moeller steals second, third, and home.

1952 - The visiting Fitzgerald club (Georgia State League, Class D) has its 12-year-old bat boy Joe Reliford pinch hit in the eighth inning of a game against Statesboro. Reliford is black, so he breaks the league's color barrier. He grounds out and remains in the game as the center fielder. Umpire Ed Kubick, who approved the substitution, is fired the next day.

2008: