Boston Red Sox players recoil off the rail by a foul ball hit their direction during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Saturday, Sept. 5, 2009, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

When the Boston Red Sox and Chicago White Sox met up back in late August, it was the Red Sox who took 3-of-4 games from the White Sox. After yesterday’s game, it appears the White Sox could be on their way to returning the favor.

Of course this couldn’t have come at a worse time as the Red Sox are mired in a battle for the wild card spot with the Texas Rangers. The way this is shaping up it might not be until the last game of the season when the Red Sox clinch the spot, if they do at all. We can definitely forget about winning the division as the New York Yankees would have to absolutely collapse and blow their 8.5 game lead over the Red Sox.

The Red Sox need a lot of things to fall their way. They need to start winning ballgames and hope the Rangers lose when they lose and of course, when the Red Sox win.

The Red Sox ran into the buzzsaw known as Gavin Floyd yesterday. Floyd was perfect through 5 2/3 innings yesterday before a Nick Green single. After that, Floyd was again pretty much light’s out with the exception of allowing a home run to Jason Bay in the 8th inning, his final inning of the game.

After watching Tim Wakefield yesterday, you have to wonder how much he can contribute the rest of the way. He’s pitching in absolute pain and it was no more evident when he had to go cover first at one point in the game. He didn’t even make it over there and was seen limping after wards. It’s amazing enough that he can pitch with the pain as I once experienced similar pain as Wake and I’m not even an athlete any more.

The Red Sox will need the rest of the pitching staff to step up in a big way. A great start by Jon Lester this afternoon could go a long way.

Red Sox losers in this pitched battle [Boston Globe]

Hanging around? Bowden is up for it [Boston Globe]

Offense thrown off by Floyd [Boston Globe]

No shortage of options [Boston Globe]

Wild Card can work wonders for Sox [RedSox.com]

Dice-K might get one more rehab start [RedSox.com]

Gavin Floyd’s too tough to hit [Boston Herald]

Tim Wakefield’s effort goes for naught [Boston Herald]

Billy Wagner story is a real gas [Boston Herald]

For knuckleballer Tim Wakefield, simple anything but [Boston Herald]

Jon Lester is nearly in elite club [Boston Herald]

5 Things We Learned About The Red Sox Last Week [Hartford Courant]

Wakefield’s courageous effort can’t salvage Sox [Providence Journal]

Gavin Floyd was nearly perfect against Red Sox [Providence Journal]

Jed Lowrie hasn’t got time for the pain [Providence Journal]

Red Sox journal: Lester feeling good and ready to go [Providence Journal]

Bowden’s back . . . for good, he hopes [Providence Journal]

Five Things We Learned: The Red Sox Are In a Dogfight [Joe Haggerty – WEEI.com]

For more slices of Boston Red Sox goodness, head over to the Boston Globe, Boston Herald, Hartford Courant and Providence Journal websites.

And if the enemy papers are more your style you can check out the Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago Tribune or the Arlington Daily-Herald websites.