So, the good news...
The Red Sox did not lose 20-2 again. But that is a remarkably low bar to set, wouldn't you say?
The bad news...
They did lose 7-1.
Felix Doubront still pitches as though the season ended months ago.
Daniel Bard's fastball, while one mile per hour faster, is still straight as an arrow, and perfectly good for a solo shot.
Scott Podsednik, #3 hitter, went 0-for-4. Bobby Valentine may or may not have any idea what was happening there.
Oh, and just when you thought we were out of the drama woods, here comes Alfredo Aceves to the rescue. He has gone from long relief savior to prima donna pariah in about five second flat. After a tumultuous fourth inning (Doubront lasted just the three) saw numerous pickoff plays surprise Dustin Pedroia at second, saw Aceves and Saltalamacchia almost collide on a foul ball, and saw a lengthy shouting match between Aceves and the umpire over the condition of a ball, the reliever returned to the dugout and proceeded to get in a fight with Pedroia. Jerry Royster had to separate the two, with Bobby Valentine also giving it a shot before being waved off by Aceves.
If there's one guy you should not pick a fight with on this team, it's David Ortiz. If there's another, it's Dustin Pedroia. You will not win that. You will not come out ahead. Especially if you're the malcontent who can't take being rightfully removed from an undeserved closing role.
In the end, this might be the nail in Alfredo Aceves' coffin. The Sox have been looking to get out from underneath not only money, but also all the drama that has buried this team so far this season. There's not too many sources left, but Aceves seems intent on making himself one of them, and if it comes down to Pedroia or Aceves, then oh, that decision is just all-too-easy to make.
Either way, though, the drama and Aceves aren't the reason the Sox are losing this series by a composite score of 27-3--that one run came on a gift run thanks to a bad call at the plate, by the way--and getting rid of him, or Bobby Valentine, or anyone else isn't going to fix that instantly.
Right now the Sox need David Ortiz and Will Middlebrooks and the likes of Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz in good form. A few good off-season pick-ups too. Then, perhaps, we won't have to talk about 20-2 and 7-1 and five-game losing streaks any more. Or at least not quite so often.