Sox Take 2-0 Series Lead With 7-5 Win

The Sox came into this game with a lot of questions. How hurt is Lowell? Why is Cora playing? Will Dice-K prove he is truly an elite pitcher? Can Masterson hold down the setup spot?

A lot of those questions are still unanswered, but we did find out that J.D. Drew is still a difference maker, even after missing 6 weeks. Many (including myself) thought that his season might be over, several times during those 6 weeks. The Sox had blown the lead it was the top of the 9th. Ortiz had doubled, but Youk failed to move him over. It was a tie game, and maybe one of the more unlikely heroes comes to the plate, and hits a shot to right field, and in a blink of an eye everything the Angels and K-Rod had done all year was on the ropes. The single season save record had blown a tie game, at home, against a team that had now beaten them 11 straight times in the postseason.

The Sox jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first, after a Drew RBI double, Jason Bay added a 3 run shot. It seemed like the Sox were going to be able to easily run away with this game, but Dice-K wasn't an ace. He was solid, but not an ace, and the Sox bullpen is just not good enough for anything less than 6-7 innings. Dice-K went 5 innings allowing 3 runs on 8 hits with 3 walks and 5 Ks. Like I said not bad, but many Sox fans were hoping to see him take it to the next level. Thank god no one other than Teixeira, Guerrero, and Hunter can hit the ball. Those 3 combined for 8 of the Angels 11 hits. What Dice-K and the Sox bullpen did do is not give up that big inning (Dice-K is been amazing at that all season). The Angels never scored more than a run in any inning, but the chipped away at the lead. Okajima came in and the Sox were still up by 2, but Okajima let up a run, but Masterson bailed him out with a strikeout. The Sox seemed like the dodged a bullet, but in the very next inning Masterson let up a leadoff triple to Figgins. So, Papelbon came into the game (I think he should have been in there to start the inning). He got Anderson to pop out, but Teixeira hit the game tying sacrifice fly.

J.D. Drew had his heroics, but it was great to see Papelbon dominate the likes of Hunter, Matthews and Kendrick. I still have not figured out why you would have Hunter try to bunt in the 9th, but I guess the Angels are just desperate. The Sox now own a 2-0 lead in the series with Josh Beckett pitching at Fenway on Sunday. Mike Lowell will be back in the lineup, and the Sox seemed poised to put this series away.

-BMack