Apparently Mother Nature isn’t a fan of the Boston Red Sox. Either that or she wanted Red Sox fans who are also Boston Bruins fans to be able to watch Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals last night (Bruins won 6-5).

Hopefully though, she didn’t kill the momentum the Red Sox had built up from the “Remy Returns Miracle” on Monday night. That epic comeback gave the Red Sox their fourth straight win and also brought them to a game over .500, a mark that had been elusive until Sunday night in the sweep of the New York Yankees.

If the Red Sox are going to continue winning going forward for the next few weeks, they’re going to need to do it without Daisuke Matsuzaka. Dice-K joined his fellow starting pitcher John Lackey on the disabled list with a sprained right elbow.

It makes you wonder if he ever did fully recover from his strained elbow that took him out of a start a few weeks back. Or did maybe, just maybe did he re-strain it when came out of the bullpen against the Angels.

In the next few weeks, besides the big three of Josh Beckett, Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz, the Red Sox are going to be counting on Tim Wakefield (steps in for Lackey) and Alfredo Aceves (in for Dice-K). They are also going to need the bullpen to continue to be on the top of their game.

Michael Bowden is up from Triple-A Pawtucket for the time being and Dan Wheeler should be returning from the disabled list on Friday. Whether it’s Bowden or Scott Atchison who goes when that happens, they’ll also need Wheeler to return to the form he’s once shown.

As long as the offense stays hot and the pitching can perform to the best of their abilities, the Red Sox should be able to weather the storm of being down two starters.

Speaking of storms, the weather forecast for tonight isn’t much better than last night.

We’ll be back later with tonight’s lineups, batter/pitcher matchups and links from the day. But for now, enjoy the overnight links by clicking on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.

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Bowden will lend a hand in bullpen [Boston Globe]

Ortiz hits upon something [Boston Globe]

Matsuzaka joining Lackey on disabled list [Boston Globe]

Vinik is having a ball [Boston Globe]

Alfredo Aceves moves into rotation [Boston Herald]

Red Sox disable Dice-K [Boston Herald]

Big Papi reborn [Boston Herald]

Daisuke Matsuzaka headed to disabled list; Michael Bowden called up [Clubhouse Insider]

Matsuzaka (sprained elbow) placed on DL [CSNNE.com]

Notes: Bowden called up to Sox; rotation re-ordered [CSNNE.com]

Jenks begins throwing in first step back [ESPN Boston]

Video: ‘BBTN’ on Sox banged-up rotation [ESPN Boston]

Forty percent of the Red Sox rotation is on the disabled list. Now what? [Extra Bases]

A closer look at Matsuzaka’s red flags, and where the Sox rotation goes from here [Full Count]

Why Michael Bowden is with the Red Sox and Felix Doubront is not [Full Count]

Daisuke Matsuzaka Injury Keeps Red Sox in Scramble Mode [NESN.com]

Michael Bowden Gives Red Sox Options As They Try to Patch Up Starting Rotation [NESN.com]

Peter Gammons Says Red Sox Lineup Will Need to Carry Team With Injuries to Rotation [NESN.com]

Peter Gammons Thinks Kevin Youkilis Could Become Even More Important to Red Sox’ Success [NESN.com]

Sox’ starting depth put to test [Providence Journal]

Red Sox Journal: Dice-K placed on disabled list; Bowden recalled [Providence Journal]

Bowden excited to be back in Sox’s bullpen [RedSox.com]

Wheeler expected to return to roster Friday [RedSox.com]

For more slices of Red Sox goodness, head over to the Boston Globe, Boston Herald, CSNNE,  ESPN Boston, NESN, Providence Journal, RedSox.com and WEEI websites.

And if you must check out the enemy news, head over to the Baltimore Sun website. You can also check out our Bloguin brother, the Oriole Post.

Photo credit: AP Photo

Paw Prints is our daily look at the happenings for the UConn Huskies football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball teams as well as some of the other sports. We will do our best to bring you the links from all of the media that covers the Huskies on a daily basis. As always, links can be found by clicking on the read more button below.

Thank you for stopping by and making SOX & Dawgs your home for UConn Huskies news.

To open the links up in a new tab or window, use Control+click

UConn Men’s Basketball links

Video: White House All-Access with UConn [SOX & Dawgs]

Calhoun to be Honored (Again) on Wednesday [David Borges – New Haven Register]

A Bit of Recruiting Info [David Borges – New Haven Register]

President Obama Welcomes UConn Huskies to the White House: “Inspiring Some Future Stars” [WhiteHouse.gov]

Huskies weighing options with one scholarship to give [New Haven Register]

In celebration, UConn looks to the future [Andy Katz – ESPN.com]

UConn Football Links

A.J. Portee Transfers From UConn Football To Play For Georgia State [SB Nation Atlanta]

Other UConn related links

Baseball. Baseball Game at Northeastern Cancelled [UConnHuskies.com]

I had meant to get to this much earlier in the day but never really got a chance to take care of it.

UConn football coach Paul Pasqualoni released his final spring depth chart late Monday and there’s really no surprises.

Technically speaking, we still don’t have a QB1 although Mike Box is listed there. But as Desmond Conner of the Hartford Courant points out, Pasqualoni went alphabetical there.

With Jordan Todman leaving early for the NFL and with Robbie Frey transferring, the Huskie have very little depth at the position. For now the No. 1 RB spot is D.J. Shoemate’s to lose. Lyle McCombs, who missed part of spring practice after being arrested, is his backup.

As of right now, Kashif Moore is the only starting WR. Isiah Moore and Michael Smith are listed in an “OR” situation at the other spot. Two redshirt freshman Geremy Davis and Tebucky Jones, Jr are Kashif’s backups.

There’s not any surprises defensively and Pasqualoni did not release the special teams depth chart.

For a full look at the 2011 UConn football spring depth chart, click on the read more button below if you’re on the homepage.

Offense

Defense

One day after losing John Lackey to the disabled list with a strain of his right elbow, the Boston Red Sox have lost another starter to the DL.

Before tonight’s game which was eventually postponed due to the inclement weather, Daisuke Matsuzaka went for an MRI. And shortly after the game was canceled, the Red Sox announced that Dice-K was going on the 15-day DL with a sprained right elbow.

He’s been replaced on the 25-man roster by Michael Bowden, who called up from Triple-A Pawtucket. Alfredo Aceves will step into the rotation for Dice-K with Bowden taking his place his place in the bullpen. Aceves first start will be this Saturday against the Chicago Cubs.

In 14 appearances for the PawSox, Bowden is 1-0 with a 1.59 ERA and four saves. He’s thrown 22.2 innings and allowed 15 hits, 4 walks while striking out 28.

Tim Wakefield was scheduled to start the now postponed game and will start on Sunday night against the Cubs.

Update 6:55 p.m.: Tonight’s game has been postponed. No makeup date has been announced.

After a dramatic comeback last night, the Boston Red Sox look for a sweep of their brief two-game set with the Baltimore Orioles tonight at Fenway Park.

Tonight’s game is scheduled to begin at 7:10 p.m. (weather permitting) and will be televised on NESN in the Red Sox television market. If you live in the Orioles television market, you can catch the game on MASN. And if you can’t catch the television broadcast, you can always listen to the game on the 2011 Red Sox Radio Network.

Tim Wakefield steps in for John Lackey who was placed on the 15-day DL with a right elbow strain yesterday. Wake has made 11 appearances (two starts) in 2011 and is 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA. He’s made one appearance against the Orioles and pitched a scoreless inning of relief back on 4/27. He’s made 50 career appearances (35 starts) against the O’s in his career and is 16-13 with a 4.13 ERA. Wake has made 25 appearances (19 starts) against the Orioles at Fenway Park and is 9-7 with a 4.40 ERA.

Rookie Zach Britton is one of the early season favorites for the AL Rookie of the Year as he has amassed a 5-2 record with a 2.42 ERA in eight starts. He’s faced the Red Sox once this season (only time in his career), picking up the win after allowing one run in six innings of work back on 4/26 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

Click on the read more button below to see today’s lineups, batter/pitcher matchups and links from the day if you’re on the home page.

Here are tonight’s lineups:

19-21		21-20
1. Robert Andino	2B	1. Jacoby Ellsbury	CF
2. Nick Markakis	RF	2. Dustin Pedroia	2B
3. Adam Jones	CF	3. Adrian Gonzalez	1B
4. Vladimir Guerrero	DH	4. Kevin Youkilis	3B
5. Luke Scott	LF	5. David Ortiz	DH
6. Mark Reynolds	3B	6. Jed Lowrie	SS
7. Matt Wieters	C	7. Mike Cameron	RF
8. J.J. Hardy	SS	8. Jarrod Saltalamacchia	C
9. Jake Fox	1B	9. Darnell McDonald	LF
Zach Britton	SP	Tim Wakefield	SP

And here is how the hitters have fared against tonight’s starting pitchers:

Check back and/or refresh often as more links will be added if/when they become available before game time.

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Tim Wakefield starts tonight, but what’s next for Daisuke Matsuzaka? [Clubhouse Insider]

Pregame notes: Dice-K has MRI; DL may be next [Clubhouse Insider]

Matsuzaka sent for MRI on elbow Tuesday [CSNNE.com]

Mayday! Gonzo on track for record month [ESPN Boston]

SoxProspects.com: Pimental’s progress [ESPN Boston]

Globe 10.0: Should the Red Sox re-sign David Ortiz now? [Extra Bases]

With Lackey out and Matsuzaka reeling, the Red Sox have starters in reserve [Extra Bases]

Sox release Johnson, a first-round pick [Extra Bases]

HBO focuses on Johnson family tonight [Extra Bases]

Podcast: Finally playing above .500 [Extra Bases]

Matsuzaka sent for MRI on elbow [Extra Bases]

Bowden on his way to Fenway [Extra Bases]

Release of Kris Johnson highlights strange case of 2006 draft for Red Sox [Full Count]

Sox pitching staff in flux amidst concerns about health of Lackey, Daisuke [Full Count]

Red Sox Mailbag: Boston Unlikely to Participate in Albert Pujols Sweepstakes [NESN.com]

Daisuke Matsuzaka Has MRI on Right Elbow, Status for Next Start Uncertain [NESN.com]

Wild walkoff win! [Nuggetpalooza]

Matsuzaka sent for MRI; Wheeler near return [Projo Sox Blog]

Bowden called up, Matsuzaka apparently headed to DL [Projo Sox Blog]

McDonald in lineup for first time in May [Projo Sox Blog]

Wakefield subs into rotation for ailing Lackey [RedSox.com]

Photo credits: AP Photo, AP Photo