Game 148: Dice-K, Sox sweep Orioles

by Randy Booth on Sep 20, 2009 8:40 PM EDT in Game Stories

Final - 9.20.2009	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Boston Red Sox	3	1	2	1	0	1	1	0	0	9	14	0
Baltimore Orioles	0	0	0	2	0	1	0	0	0	3	9	0
WP: Daisuke Matsuzaka (3 - 5) LP: Jason Berken (5 - 12)

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Game. Set. Match.

Behind a solid performance from Daisuke Matsuzaka, the Sox beat the O's on Sunday, 9-3, to sweep the three game series.

Dice-K gave up three runs in 5.1 innings to earn the win for the Sox. It wasn't the best start -- he did give up eight hits -- but I'll take this out of Mr. Matsuzaka.

The Sox were led by Jason Bay and Jacoby Ellsbury. Ells had three hits and three RBIs, while Bay had two hits and three RBIs. They each hit home runs in the victory. Dustin Pedroia, Victor Martinez and Alex Gonzalez all had two hits.

It was a good series for the Sox. A sweep is always nice. Now it's off to Kansas City for a four-game series. Let's hope the Sox can pull off another sweep.

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5

VARITEK MUST GO

by gizmosandy on Sep 20, 2009 8:59 PM EDT reply actions

4 in the loss column

I gotta go 'cause I'm probably definitely gonna nod out again.

by Drugs Delaney on Sep 20, 2009 10:39 PM EDT up reply actions

A rather disturbing thought

It’s entirely possible that the divisional race will come down to the following epic battles: Joba versus Dice-K and Gaudin versus Byrd.

Not exactly the most exhilarating and feel-good of thoughts.

by lone1c on Sep 20, 2009 9:12 PM EDT reply actions

my thoughts

- We are peaking at the right time, and yankees are slipping at the right time
- Only 5 games behind and 4 in the loss column!
- I hope Wakefield will comeback strong and finish off the season
- Bay sure does look good coming back from the flu

Beginning of the Sarkisian ERA

by hportallstar on Sep 20, 2009 9:24 PM EDT reply actions

The MFY aren't slipping..

They are need to win probably three or four more games before the season ends to clinch the division and the best record, they can play it sloppy… Teixiera won the game on Saturday, pretty much all by himself, and that is what always been evil about the Yankees, one batter in their lineup can just win the game for them…

I would the series versus the Angels, and see how they do against Angels pitching, especially in the later innings.

The MFY are de facto in the playoffs, they just need another win or a texas lost, and they are in. I think they are more worried about being rested for ALDS and the ALCS, if they make homefield advantage. I don’t see the Tigers as that difficult of an opponent for the MFY, maybe the worst for them is a 3-1 ALDS win. If the Yankees lose the ALDS, blame their pitching and A-Rod.

by superferret on Sep 20, 2009 9:41 PM EDT up reply actions

The MFY's magic number for the division is 9.

And they only have 12 games remaining left, as opposed to the Sox’s 14 (NOTE TO RANDY: This is game 148!).

According to coolstandings.com, the Sox still have about a 10% chance to win the division outright. The Yankees will make the postseason barring an apocalyptic meltdown (see: 2007 Mets, 2008 Mets), but how they make it depends very much on the events of the next seven days.

by lone1c on Sep 21, 2009 12:23 AM EDT up reply actions

well if the yankees only win three or four more games

we should win the division. unfortunately they’ll win a few more than that. lets say they go 7-5. i believe we’d have to go 12-2 if thats the case. not impossible. but if you look at it this way its more encouraging: we sweep a terrible KC team this week, and the yankees get swept on the road by a tough LA team. we’re then just 1 1/2 games back heading into a 3 gamer in NY. if we take two out of three there, then we’re only a half game back, with our last seven games at home against toronto and cleveland (hey maybe we’ll face masterson!) Unfortunately the yankees have three with KC at home after us, but then they go to tampa for three. we have the definite edge in scheduling, and it will start to be very interesting if we sweep KC (like we should) and if LAA takes care of business at home.

by revived0103 on Sep 21, 2009 3:00 AM EDT up reply actions

The Sox aren't going to sweep the Royals.

Just look at the Tuesday night pitching match up. A possible Cy Young contender versus a Dmitri Young contender. If the Sox get 2 wins out of the series, I would consider it a resounding success. If Tejada were pitching for the Royals in one of those games, it would be a tough time with the Royals, The Sox should win 3 out of 4 against the Royals..

I think the key game for the Sox versus the MFY series is Saturday’s game of Daisuke against Joba. If Joba has another terrible outing, and if Daisuke pitches well, with lots of strikeouts, this is going to scare the living crap out of the Yankees. The MFY can’t win the ALDS solely with CC Sabathia, they need a good third starting pitcher. If Burnett and Joba falter during the playoffs, it is just going to wear out the MFY bullpen. Joba can’t survive on 87mph sliders and 92 mph fastballs, he has to get his slider a couple mph/kph faster to win games against a playoff contender

The Lester vs. Sabathia game, (or penciled in for now) may be a dress rehearsal for a game 1 matchup of the ALCS if both teams make it, and if Tito wants to use Lester as the Sox game 1 starter.

I doubt that the MFY will be sweeped by the Angels, they may lose 2 out of 3, but if the Yankees bats are alive, it could be tough for the Angels. Kazmir is also the wild card in that series, he is going to strikeout a bunch of guys, or there is going to be a brawl, because of Kazmir’s wildness, no matter if the MFY are suppose to be on good behavior…

by superferret on Sep 21, 2009 3:40 AM EDT up reply actions