Red Sox 07 Game 52 Recap

Final Press Pass Box

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
Cleveland	0	0	0	0	2	4	0	2	0		8	18	1
Boston	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	2	0		4	10	0

W: P. Byrd (6-1, 3.57); L: D. Matsuzaka (7-3, 4.83)
HR: CLE: G. Sizemore (9), K. Shoppach (2). BOS: M. Lowell (10).

► Hero - Shoppach for his 4 hit night
► Goat - Matsuzaka

Game thoughts

These type of games are to be expected in your rookie year, but I have to admit that I am getting tired of seeing Daisuke go out and pitch well for three or four innings followed by a stinker. Tonight it was in the sixth inning for Matsuzaka.

While the sixth was a killer, the stake was driven into the heart in the seventh when the Sox got the bases loaded with no outs finally knocking Byrd out of the game. Three batters later though the score was still 6-2 and this game was basically over as Coco popped out to Blake on a foul ball that he caught on the edge of the dugout, Youkilis struck out and Papi, after almost tying the game with a blast at the pesky pole, lined out to third.

Snyder had followed Daisuke with a clean inning but Romero gave up a home run to Shoppach to lead off the eighth followed three batters later a run scoring ground rule double that pushed the lead to six. Coming on the heels of the disastrous bottom of the seventh you felt like this game was basically over, and soon enough it was over as Boston could only muster a two run homer by Lowell in the bottom of the eighth to make the final score 8 - 4.

A day off tomorrow and then its the spankees who will be trying to win their second in a row. Normally I would feel pretty good about the spankees coming into Fenway, but Wakefield has been terrible against the spankees this year giving up nine runs in 10 1/3 innings in his two appearances.

In fact Wakefield is 3 and 7 in 14 starts since 2004 vs the spankees with a 4.38 ERA in 90 1/3 innings. The spankees just have his numbers right now. His ERA is even worse in Fenway in those starts. Though his won loss record is better as he is 2 and 3 in seven starts. My worry is that if he gets hammered then that will let the spankees feel good allowing them to get on a roll.

Sox need to take two of three in this series to nail the coffin of the spankee season shut. Will have to see what happens this weekend.

Fact of the day - perfect symmetry - Home Record 18 - 8, Road Record 18 - 8.