Great weekend for the Boston Red Sox as they swept the Baltimore Orioles in a 4-game set as the great pitching continued for the most part with the exception of Brad Penny. The Red Sox had started out this homestand at 3-6 but those 4 wins over the Orioles that saw them score 30 runs has pushed them over the .500 mark at 7-6.
Kevin Youkilis continues to be a hitting machine and Jacoby Ellsbury, Dustin Pedroia and David Ortiz all continue to see their averages climb north. The bullpen has been nothing short of spectacular as of late and let’s hope it continues this week as there is still 5 games left on this homestand (2 with Twins, 3 with Yankees).
As I first pointed out yesterday in the game notes of yesterday’s win, it appears that Jed Lowrie will have surgery on his wrist today and will be out until at least the All-Star break. I guess that’s a little better than thinking they may have lost him for the season. They’ll also get Julio Lugo back shortly as he is in Pawtucket on a rehab assignment.
It also looks like the Red Sox will lose Rocco Baldelli to the disabled list with a strained hamstring. He reaggravated his hamstring when he was legging out a 3-base error by Nick Markakis yesterday. The signs are there for a DL stint as Jeff Bailey was pulled from the PawSox game yesterday and asked to come to Boston to be ready if in fact Baldelli is placed on the DL.
I also would like to add that I hope Ryan Freel is okay and feels better soon after getting hit in the head by a Justin Masterson pickoff attempt yesterday.
Minnesota Twins @ Boston Red Sox pitching matchups: 4/21-4/22 [SOX & Dawgs]
Red Sox are glad to see plodding Ortiz hit the Wall [Boston Globe]
Ortiz, Masterson Lead Red Sox To Sweep [Hartford Courant]
Top heavy: Ellsbury, Pedroia set up Papi [Full Count]
Masterson does the job and bats clobber O’s bullpen [Providence Journal]
Bats, Justin Masterson sweep away Orioles [Boston Herald]
Surgery likely for Lowrie [Boston Globe]
Patient Jason Bay has become an on-base machine [Providence Journal]
Jed Lowrie under knife [Boston Herald]
A relief to have him start [Boston Globe]
Masterson, superb in return to starting job, says he’s happy filling any role for Red Sox [Providence Journal]
Lineup peaked at the top [Boston Globe]
Red Sox have a holiday against the overmatched Orioles [Providence Journal]
With seats available, Sox roll out ads [Boston Globe]
Tweak in mechanics helps Ortiz get back on track [Providence Journal]
Werner invites Captain Phillips to Fenway [Extra Bases]
Yankees will skip Wang this weekend at Fenway [Projo Sox Blog]
April Is The Cruelest Month [Hit and Run With Dan Roche]
Tuesday Quickie – Another Win On Patriots Day! [Nuggetpalooza]
Maybe Ortiz Isn’t Done After All [WEEI.com]
Assimilation [Center Field]
Newspaper Fool Calls Fenway a Dump [Fenway West]
For more slices of Boston Red Sox goodness, head over to the Boston Globe, Boston Herald, and Providence Journal websites.
And if you want to check out the enemy papers, head over to the Baltimore Sun and Annapolis Capital websites.
