The Big, Huge Gigantic Gaping Hole

Sox: 3 Tribe: 4

On paper, tonight looked like a pretty sure win for the Boston nine. Well, scrunch that paper up in a ball and toss it because the Sox were beaten by Zach "6.48 ERA" Jackson as the 6-9 hitters bumbled and stumbled at the plate. The one hit the Big Huge Gigantic Gaping Hole (the BHGGH for short) got ricocheted off the third base ump and caught Jason Bay between third and home, in a rally-killing third-out rundown. The Sox got 12 hits, but they stranded just as many on base. Any hits the 1-5 guys got were squandered by the BHGGH at the bottom of the lineup. They combined for 5 K's, with the hat trick going to Jed Lowrie, playing Julio Lugo at the plate. Kotsay has fizzled quickly after a hot start and has yet to go deep in a Sox uniform. Tek has reverted back to slumpdom and Bailey is a career minor leaguer, but the only one of the BHGGH to get a hit (the one that hit the ump and killed the rally).

Props to Big Papi for finally getting his home run swing back. Ellsbury, though he grounded into a rally-killing double play, is also getting his stroke back at the plate. Youk's still getting some pretty good hits. Bay K's a lot, but he has the most homers this season among the entire team. They're really missing Drew and Lowell. No playoff spot is clinched yet and the Sox bats are going to need to show some life with RISP, even without their injured run-producers. Sorry to be so gloom and doom, but there are concerns for this team in this last week of the regular season and possibly the playoffs. Whether they make it or not, they will still be my team and I will root for them regardless, but it would be nice to see the offense come out of their slump and finish the season on a high note.