The Test Out West

     After interleaguing it up with the Padres for two more games, the Red Sox pack up and make their first trip out to the left coast for a tour of wine country ten games against the Angels, Mariners and A's.    Late night baseball for those of us back east.   Oh joy!   Granted, two of those teams are currently under .500, trips out west are trying for east coast teams and the Red Sox are no exception.  

      On paper, where no actual baseball game has ever taken place, the only series that should give them some trouble is the one against the A's.   That said, the Sox should not take the Angels and Mariners for granted.   A four-game series in Seattle increases the chances that they could face both Felix Hernandez and Hisashi Iwakuma.   Given how the Red Sox' rotation works out, they won't even get to counter one of the M's aces with John Lackey.   Yes, John Lackey is the Red Sox ace in the [rather prolonged] absence of Clay Buchholz.   He followed up his 12 strikeout performance with 8 innings of 1-run ball tonight to lead the Sox to a 4-1 win over the Padres and lowered his season ERA to 2.81.    

      How the Red Sox fare out west figures to be a significant storyline in the second half, given that there will be three trips out there between now and the end of the season, if you count a brief stop in Colorado before the season finale in Baltimore.   A trip to San Francisco and L.A. in late August to face the Giants and Dodgers is sandwiched between home series against the Yankees and O's.   Their road record, while it has taken a hit with recent series losses in Detroit and Baltimore, is still over .500.         If they can hold their own and at least go over .500 on the west coast roadies, they'll be in good shape.   If they lose their bats in transit, however, they could open the door to the rest of the division.