Red Sox back at home

The Red Sox only managed to win one of the three games against the Los Angeles Angels contested in the middle of the night. With Tom Caron, Amalie Benjamin, and Dennis Eckersley all out of the lineup for the entire series, the Sox did well to win even one game. Curt Schilling (6 IP, 4 ER) returned to action with a mediocre start, with Tim Wakefield (4 IP, 6 ER) and Jon Lester (3.1 IP, 5 ER) following with much less than mediocre performances. Brandon Moss (1 for 7) was forced into the lineup, even batting cleanup for most of one game after a Manny Ramirez ejection, and Wily Mo Pena (.100 BA in August) got more PT than anyone would like to see. The starting outfield of Pena-Drew-Moss from left to right in the third game was most disconcerting. But the Sox managed to outlast the Angels in that third game, a four hour plus battle that felt like it lasted several days. The Sox bullpen (i.e. the best bullpen EVER!) led the way in the Wednesday night victory, with Mike Timlin, Hideki Okajima, Eric Gagne, and Jonathan Papelbon pitching brilliantly. Which is what they do.

The Sox should do a lot better this weekend. They have the home field fan advantage of Camden Yards in Baltimore. The Orioles have to face Daisuke Matsuzaka, Josh Beckett, and Curt Schilling. Dennis Eckersley and Amalie Benjamin are back in the lineup, and Eric Frede has handled the Tom Caron role ably. As long as Frede remembers to thank Tina AND Amalie after their pregame efforts, and NESN doesn't beat us to death with that W. B. Mason commercial, the Sox have a good shot at a sweep. Well, unless that Bedard guy gets in the way tonight.