The Boston Red Sox came into Sunday night’s nationally televised game expecting a pitching of matchup of two former Florida Marlins in Josh Beckett and A.J. Burnett. Instead, they found a former member of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in Dustin Moseley, who was scheduled to start today, on the mound for the New York Yankees.
The Red Sox could do nothing against Moseley and it didn’t help that their defense failed them while Beckett wasn’t exactly at the top of his game in a 7-2 loss. It was the second straight game the Red Sox failed to pick up any ground on the two teams they trail in the AL East and the AL Wild Card standings.
I guess the one positive is that while they didn’t gain any ground on the Tampa Bay Rays, they didn’t lose any ground either as the Rays were almost no-hit for a third time this season and lost 1-0 to the Toronto Blue Jays. But when you have a chance like they’ve had the past two nights, they really need to take advantage of it.
The last time Beckett took the Yankee Stadium mound it was raining and he ended up leaving after hurting his back. And in his first three outings since returning from the disabled list, he hadn’t exactly faced a top-notch offense (Mariners, Angels, Indians).
The Yankees were able to carve out two runs in the second on four hits. He did settle down though as he had an easy time of it in the third and fourth innings. The fifth inning for Beckett though provided the end of his evening.
He allowed a leadoff bomb to Mark Teixeira then he walked Alex Rodriguez and plunked Robinson Cano. He got hip hip Jorge Posada to strike out but Lance Berkman, who’d been struggling since coming over to the Yankees from the Houston Astros, followed that with a double and just like that it was 4-1.
Curtis Granderson then worked a walk and then Kevin Cash tried to pick off Cano at third after a Brett Gardner strikeout only to have his throw hit Cano and go into the outfield allowing Cano to score. The Yankees captain Derek Jeter ended the miserable night of Beckett with a 2-run double to make it 7-1.
The Red Sox had their chances to cut into the lead but were never really able to take advantage last night. Now they find themselves in a precarious position of having to win the game this afternoon or start to face the reality their postseason dreams may be coming to an end.
I still have hope though that the Red Sox can string together a nice run and get back in it. But to do that, they’ll have to start this afternoon behind Jon Lester on the mound.
We’ll be back in a short while with today’s lineups, batter/pitcher matchups, any news and links from the day but for now enjoy the overnight links.
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Moseley steps in and silences Sox [Boston Globe]
Can they handle chance? [Boston Globe]
Heartbreak hill [Boston Globe]
Pedroia, Varitek find strength in numbers [Boston Globe]
A mound of trouble now [Boston Globe]
Sox recap: Josh Beckett, defense fail Sox early [Boston Herald]
Sox season has become an imperfect ’10 [Boston Herald]
Brutal Josh Beckett takes blame [Boston Herald]
Jacoby Ellsbury pushes play [Boston Herald]
Man of Mo-ment to Jonathan Papelbon [Boston Herald]
So easy to rag on Alex Rodriguez [Boston Herald]
Delgado happy to be with Red Sox [CSN New England]
Red Sox lose ugly in New York, 7-2 [CSN New England]
Pedroia eyeing Aug. 17 return [CSN New England]
Martinez gives umps benefit of doubt [ESPN Boston]
Varitek progressing [ESPN Boston]
Video: Delgado talks about joining Sox [ESPN Boston]
Sox squander opportunity [ESPN Boston]
Closing Time: Yankees 7, Red Sox 2 [Full Count]
What could have been: What went wrong on Cash’s throw [Full Count]
Lester returns to mound of near-disaster [Full Count]
Report: Cubs to visit Fenway in 2011 [Full Count]
Frustration [Hit and Run with Dan Roche]
Report: Red Sox Interested in First Baseman Chris Davis [NESN.com]
Hitting Streak, Three Home Runs Earn Adrian Beltre Top Dawg of the Week Honors [NESN.com]
Josh Beckett’s Struggles With Yankees Continue, Drops Pivotal Decision in Bronx [NESN.com]
Would Red Sox Fans Still Cheer for Mike Lowell If He Was Traded to Yankees? [NESN.com]
Who Will Be Top Dawg of the Week for Red Sox Against Blue Jays and Rangers? [NESN.com]
Beckett surrenders 7 runs, as Sox get bounced [Providence Journal]
Boston, N.Y. rivalry fierce, but far from the craziest [Providence Journal]
Carlos Delgado anxious to get back on field [Providence Journal]
Red Sox Journal: Ortiz says umps key to rash of no-hitters [Providence Journal]
Pedroia takes another step forward [RedSox.com]
Varitek takes BP, optimistic about progress [RedSox.com]
Youkilis eager to check back in [RedSox.com]
Delgado arrives in Pawtucket [RedSox.com]
Two miscues play role in loss to Bombers [RedSox.com]
Beckett, defense sink Red Sox in Bronx [RedSox.com]
Can anybody start carrying these Red Sox? [RedSox.com]
For more slices of Red Sox goodness, head over to the Boston Globe, Boston Herald, ESPN Boston, NESN, Providence Journal and WEEI websites.
And to take a look at what the enemy papers are saying, head over to the ESPN New York, NY Post, NY Daily News, NY Times and Journal News websites. You can also check out what our Bloguin brother NYY Stadium Insider has to say.
