Broom Job Well Done

Sox: 7 Yanks: 0
Sox: 6 Yanks: 5
Sox: 4 Yanks: 3

The New York Post is going to have a field day with this! Their American League representatives have been swept by their archrivals from up north for the third straight time this season and are now 0-8 against the Sox and two games back in the division they were leading in going into this series. Like all Sox-Yankees series, this one had its memorable moments, both good and bad, but mostly good. Here are some of the highlights:

1. Beckett, Delcarmen, Ramirez, and Bard combine for a two-hit shutout of the Yanks. Beckett goes six innings, giving up one hit, two walks, and strikes out eight. Another dominant start for the Sox ace.

2. Papi goes yard not once in this series but TWICE!!! Little by little, he's starting to look like himself again. Tonight's game had him 2 for 3 with a walk.

3. Penny throws up zeros through six frames against one helluva tough lineup. In a one-run game, he did what he needed to do to keep the Sox on top.

4. Wake picks up his 8th win of the season. His outing wasn't his best, but he kept his team in the game, like he has been so good at doing in almost every start he's made this season.

5. Green shows why he should get the bulk of (if not all of) the playing time until Lowrie comes back, with some clutch hits and, yes, some great glove work was well.

The Sox have been playing some great baseball against the Yanks this season, giving them the kinds of fits the Rays have been giving the Sox. I'll admit I wasn't sure the Sox would come back after Delcarmen's struggles in the 7th cost them the lead and put them in a two-run hole with CC still on the mound. However, the Sox had other ideas. A single by Green and a long at-bat by Pedey (that resulted in a walk) drove up CC's pitch count. Drew singled to plate Green and brought the Sox within a run. Youk singled to load the bases and Bay drove in the tying run with another single. Bases re-loaded, Mike Lowell sac-flied in Pedey to put the Sox back on top. Pap nailed down the save with a drama-free ninth, thanks to an awesome play by Green, snaring a liner that had base-hit written all over it and firing to Youk for the first out of the inning.

Tomorrow night, the Sox are in Philly to take on the reigning World Series champs. It will be interesting to see "who's on first" for this series. With Papi's bat finally heating up, do they really want to sit him for the series and risk him losing his momentum? On the other hand, having a .350 guy riding the pine doesn't sound all that great either. Maybe they will rotate, having Papi at first and Lowell at third for one game, then Youk at first and Lowell at third for one, then Papi at first and Youk at third for one. That way, each player gets some rest and no one has to sit the entire series. That said, I'm glad Papi has recently made this a harder decision than it might have otherwise been. Do I see a Papi Visine ad in the near future?

LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!! WAY TO SQUASH THE YANKS!!!!