If the Boston Red Sox plan on playing spoiler for the remaining 18 games of the season, they need to do a better job of it. Also, if they want to finish over .500 on the season, they need to go 18-0. 17-1 is only good enough for .500.
Scary to think about that huh. Because you and I both know that’s not happening. The last time it happened to the Red Sox was 1997 when they finished at 78-84 in the first year of the Jimy Williams era.
Last night it was the offense who failed to show up although Phil Hughes‘ stuff was good enough to probably beat anybody in the AL last night. The win for the New York Yankees also allowed them to keep pace with the Baltimore Orioles for first place in the AL East.
For the first time since a start against the Yanks on July 29th, Doubront lasted longer than six innings. In his previous starts, he went 5, 4.1, 5, 3 and 4 innings.
Early on in the game, it didn’t look like Doubront would last that long. He was going to full counts with a majority of the hitters and building his pitch count higher and higher.
When he did get into trouble, he was bailed out by the defense for the most part.
He loaded up the bases with no outs in the 4th inning before Andruw Jones knocked in the first run of the game with a sacrifice fly. He escaped the jam by getting Curtis Granderson to line out to James Loney at first who stepped on the bag for the double play. In the 7th, he got the first out before allowing a hit and a walk. He gave way to Junichi Tazawa who allowed a flare by Derek Jeter that scored the second and final run of the game.
Ironically enough, the Red Sox outhit the Yankees. They just couldn’t do anything with it. Jacoby Ellsbury, Pedro Ciriaco, Loney, Cody Ross, and Daniel Nava had the hits.
The Red Sox are now off to Toronto as they try to work themselves out of the basement. A sweep of the Blue Jays is the only way for that to happen.
We’ll be back later with today’s lineups, batter/pitcher matchups and links from the day. So for now, let’s take a look at the overnight links from the media.
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Yankees throw blanks at starless Sox [boston herald]
Fans not buying on new owners [boston herald]
Guessing game for Red Sox [boston herald]
John Henry answers questions about club’s future [boston herald]
Derek Jeter a big fan of Pats’ Tom Brady [boston herald]
Don’t sell John Henry short [boston herald]
Hughes, Yankees stifle Red Sox, 2-0 [csn new england]
Doubront bounces back, Red Sox blanked [csn new england]
‘Immature’ offensive approach hurts Red Sox [csn new england]
Rapid Reaction: Yankees 2, Red Sox 0 [espn boston]
Questions abound on both sides following Red Sox sale report [tony massarotti – boston globe]
John Lackey Throws for Second Time, On Track to Pitch in Live Game Soon [nesn.com]
Alfredo Aceves Kept on Red Sox Roster Despite Clash With Bobby Valentine [nesn.com]
Bobby Valentine ‘Surprised’ to Learn He Set Red Sox Single-Season Ejection Record [nesn.com]
Felix Doubront Offers Hope for Future by Rebounding After String of Struggles [nesn.com]
Dustin Pedroia Will Rejoin Red Sox in Toronto, Team Glad That ‘Everybody is Doing Fine’ [nesn.com]
Inmates continue to run the Red Sox asylum [projo sox blog]
Red Sox chose well in picking delayed gratification [redsox.com]
Doubront does his part, but Sox fall to Yanks [redsox.com]
Lackey targets instructional league action [redsox.com]
Ross doesn’t expect to be suspended for arguing [redsox.com]
Pedroia out vs. Yanks to be with wife, newborn son [redsox.com]
Five Things That Mattered for the Red Sox on Thursday: Henry redefines blueprint [alex speier – weei.com]
For more slices of Red Sox goodness, head over to the Boston Globe, Boston Herald, CSN New England, ESPN Boston, NESN, Providence Journal, RedSox.com and WEEI websites.
And if you must check out the enemy news, head over to the ESPN New York, New York Daily News, New York Post, New York Times and The Journal News websites. You can also check out our Bloguin brother, NYY Stadium Insider.
Follow Ian on Twitter @soxanddawgs. And be sure to like us on Facebook as well.
