Red Sox

1. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B
3. J.D. Drew, RF
4. Manny Ramirez, LF
5. Mike Lowell, 3B
6. Kevin Youkilis, 1B
7. Jason Varitek, C
8. Julio Lugo, SS
9. Josh Beckett, SP

Astros

1. Michael Bourn, CF
2. Hunter Pence, RF
3. Lance Berkman, 1B
4. Carlos Lee, LF
5. Miguel Tejada, SS
6. Geoff Blum, 2B
7. Ty Wigginton, 3B
8. Humberto Quintero, C
9. Brian Moehler, SP

Then steals 2nd, despite being out by a MILE, by sneaking his arm around the tag.

No score in Pittsburgh

Manny was not happy

The pen could use some rest.

Solo shot by Blum. 1-0, Astros.

1-1.

Pittsburgh and Tampa ties at 1.

I kind of don’t want to see him run the bases with his hamstring injury.

There’s this new thing, it’s called “run support,” and I recommend that you consider adding it to your game strategy.

Questioning your manhood,

Red Sox Nation

Yanks will gain no ground. However, our real opposition, the Rays, are up 4-3 into the 8th.

...in the Sabrmetrician’s Nightmare thread that the Sox are simply not doing well with RISP? It sure feels that way…

Nady walked.

what’s up with the strike zone – GameCast makes it look like a completely unevenly called game – but against the home team

nice walk…

...I’m done with judging balls/strikes on online gamecasts…

...nice to break-up Berkman/Lee/Tejada for the next guy

I’ll take 7 innings, 2 earned runs every time out. Now it’s up to the bats to get him a win.

The pen has to hold Houston in the 8th. Drew, Manny, and Lowell due in the 9th.

Oki warming (scary)

A wild pitch

Anyone not see that coming?

see you tommarow

And maybe not then.

that sucked…

We enter the three-game series at the Trop technically in second place in the AL East. Let’s hope we’ve gotten all the lackluster offense and for-shit relief outings out of our system, or it’s going to be a loooonnng second half.

This game was ALL on the “offense.” The Sox stranded 13 baserunners. They went 0 for 134,000,236 with RISP. I don’t care how good the pitching is – if they aren’t scoring, at most they would have lost in the 14th inning when J-Lo walks four straight batters.

the only real clutch hitters on this team, and we are currently without half that duo. That is just not enough to get folks home when someone gets on base. Others get hits in big blowouts and get occasional hits, but are usually left on base by the other 6 or 7 non-clutch hitters on the team. Momentum suffers when this happens both on the hitting side and on the pitching side especially !! How do you think Beckett is feeling after non wins in his last 2 good outings mainly because of no clutch offense??

Not sure what to do at this stage, although getting Ortiz back would surely help. I just think that the Lugos, Crisps and Variteks, although they can get on base now and then, they just cannot deliver in clutch situations enough! Youks and Drew do fairly well as does Padroia, while Ellsbury seems to be going over to the Lugo, Crisp, Varitek side at least lately! Again, there is just not enough CLUTCH ofense at least lately!