Red Sox Ultras 1901 speaking....

Just a quick recap of another stellar Red Sox regular season, or at least stellar to those who remember the pre-2004 days.

MLB OPENING DAY:  

March 25, 2008

Tokyo Dome, Japan  RED SOX - ATHLETICS (W4-3)

Daisuke Matsuzaka opens up the 2008 MLB Opening Series in native Japan, going 5 innings and relinquishing 2 hits and 2 runs.  Fellow Japan native, Okajima eventually earns the Red Sox their first win of the season. Runs come from LF Manny Ramirez (4RBI) and RF Moss (2 RBI).

RED SOX HOME OPENER

April 4, 2008

Fenway Park, MA  RED SOX - TIGERS (W5-0)

The Red Sox collect their 2007 World Series Rings as Matsuzaka is given the honor of opening the season at the home of the Defending Champs, Fenway Park, and doesn't disappoint, earning his second victory of the season, pitching 6.2 innings of shutout ball. Delcarmen and Okajima shut the door in relief for the dominating 5-0 shut-out before a sold-out home crowd.

MLB ALL STAR GAME

July 16, 2008

Yankee Stadium, NY AMERICAN LEAGUE - NATIONAL LEAGUE (W4-3)

The 79th All Star game in MLB history may have taken place in the home of the arch-rival Yankees, but that didn't stop Red Sox players--represented the American League--from making an impact of their own. Three Red Sox players were featured on the starting lineup (Ramirez, Youkilis, and, making his first-ever appearance, the lovable Pedroia). All in all 7 Red Sox players were elected to the game, more than from any other team. J.D. Drew of the Boston Red Sox (2 hits, 2 RBIs, 1R) became the 4th player in Red Sox history to receive the MLB All Star Game MVP Award--and all this on cherished Yankee soil.

GAME #162

September 28, 2008

Fenway Park, MA  RED SOX - YANKEES

In the last game of the regular season, the play-off bound Boston Red Sox defeated their arch-rivals, the already-eliminated Yankees, 4-3 on a dramatic bases loaded walk-off single in the 10th. Tim Wakefield pitched five innings of two-hit, shutout ball and run support came from DH Chris Carter and 1B Sean Casey, until rookie CF Jonathan Van Every delivered the killings blow to the Yankees season with a walk-off season-ender in the 10th.

MILESTONES:

May 19, 2008 RED SOX-KANSAS CITY ROYALS (Fenway Park)

Cancer surviver and WS Game 4 winner John Lester pitches the first no-hitter of his career and the 18th in Red Sox history, giving the Sox the most no-hitters in American League history.

May 31, 2008 RED SOX -BALTIMORE ORIOLES (Fenway Park)

Red Sox legend and future Dodger Manny Ramirez hits his 500th career home run.

SUMMARY:

W:95 L:67 one game worse than in 2007 (W: 96 L:66)

2nd place AL East, AL WILD CARD

2.0GB behind the Tampa Bay Rays

6.0 games ahead of 3rd place New York Yankees

Season began March 25 2008 in Tokyo, Japan @ Oakland (W4-3)

Postseason spot clinched September 23 2008 at Fenway Park, MA, vs. INDIANS (W5-4)

Season ended September 28 2008 at Fenway Park, MA, vs. YANKEES (W5-4)

POST SEASON:

MLB 2008 ALDS II:

Game 1: RED SOX @ ANGELS, Wednesday OCT 1, 2008

Game 2: RED SOX @ ANGELS, Friday OCT 3, 2008

Game 3: RED SOX vs. ANGELS, Sunday OCT 5, 2008

Game 4: RED SOX vs. ANGELS, Monday OCT 6, 2008

Game 5: RED SOX @ ANGELS, Wednesday OCT 8, 2008

At the beginning of this season I voted in a redsox.com poll that my expectations for the Defending Champions Boston Red Sox this year were to reach the Post Season again, and reach it they did. I believe the Red Sox have had a terrific year and I can find very little to complain about. Now I'm gonna lean back and cheer on the most treasured team in all of of wonderful New England for as long as their back-to-back title run lasts.

RED SOX FOREVER RED SOX.