G126: Red Sox 6, Mariners 3

Mariners - 001 002 000 - 3  7  1
Red Sox  - 000 030 30x - 6 10  2

Lackey (8-6-3-2-10, 112) got his act together and Marco Scutaro drove in four runs.

The Yankees lost to the Blue Jays 3-2 (Jose Bautista hit two home runs and drove in all three of Toronto's runs) and the Rays beat the Angels 4-3. Boston gained a game on New York and are 5.5 GB in the East.

Doug Fister / John Lackey

Scutaro, SS
Drew, RF
Martinez, C
Ortiz, DH
Beltre, 3B
Lowell, 1B
Lowrie, 2B
Nava, LF
Kalish, CF

With six weeks and 37 games to go in the regular season, Boston is 5.5 GB Tampa Bay for the wild card and 6.5 GB New York in the East.

Lackey:

I'm not going to say it's late, but it's definitely not early. These are definitely critical games.

So, could you start pitching good, please, Mr. 95 ERA+, who is also 43rd among 48 qualifying AL pitchers in WHIP (and 91st of 99 MLB pitchers)?

I'll be at the PawSox-Bisons game in Buffalo with Tim tonight -- where Hideki Okajima will be pitching an inning -- but Laura will be running the thread (if the weather cooperates).

AL East:

Yankees/Blue Jays, 7 PM
Rays/Angels, 10 PM

August 23:

1909 - The Cubs steal home three times against Boston, including twice in the first inning, and beat the Braves 11-6.

1952 - Bob Elliott of the Giants is ejected for protesting a strike two call. His replacement, Bobby Hofman, is also tossed for arguing the third strike of the same at-bat.

1989 - Rick Dempsey's solo home run in the top of the 22nd inning gives the Dodgers a 1-0 win over the Expos in Montreal. (Laura and I were at this game!)

LAD - 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 1 - 1 20 1
MTL - 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 0 - 0 13 1

1992 - Andy Carter of the Clearwater Phillies defeats Scott Bakkum of the Winter Haven Red Sox 1-0 (Florida State League (A)). Neither team gets a hit in what is believed to be the first double no-hitter in the minors in 40 years. The run scores on two walks and two sacrifice bunts.