Doubleheaders suck. It's very difficult to win both games, especially with bullpens constructed as they are. By winning the first game, you usually use up your top relievers. It becomes doubly hard to sweep doubleheaders when you have to jostle your rotation around.
Let's start with Game #1. Josh Beckett was decent. He was great through 6, then fell apart in the 7th, yielding a pair of homers. But that's been the problem with Beckett, hasn't it? When was the last time he put together 20 solid innings in a row? I don't mean 20 innings allowing 2 runs, nothing that ridiculous. Just 20 innings, scattering some runs here and there, but being consistent.
And it's kind of sad that 6.1 innings and 3 earned runs is now considered a good start for Beckett. That being said, it's technically a Quality Start, and it's his first since August 3rd.
Now to Game 2. Mister Reliable, also known as Daisuke Matsuzaka, had to be scratched from his start against Tampa. So the Sox moved Lester back, and put Wakefield on the mound in the nightcap. Convoluted, eh? But the good news is that Lester gets to go against Tampa Bay. And honestly, even with Lester on the mound, it would've been hard to beat Felix Hernandez.
Hernandez is now 10-10. But get this, last night was his 15th straight Quality Start. 25 of his 28 starts have been Quality. You can't help but feel bad that his talents have been wasted with such a terrible team.
Anyway, it's hard to be upset at splitting a doubleheader, especially considering the strange circumstances surrounding the 2nd game. Then again, the Sox were 6-3 on a homestand against some very beatable teams. Not bad, but not good enough.
They have 3 absolutely vital games down in Tampa Bay this weekend. They must at least win 2. If they lose 2, then the Wild Card/Division is out of reach. But the Sox are 4-8 against the Rays this season.
Jon Lester opposes David Price Friday night.
-The Commodore
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