Sweep!

I have full confidence in both Okajima and Donnelly. Both are acceptable set up men. I know it took a heck of a play tonight by Pedroia, and I know the two let an inherited runner score. But it doesn't matter. It doesn't have to look pretty against the Yankees. You just gotta get the job done.

It wasn't pretty. The Red Sox starting rotation was pretty bad. I mean, they ate up a lot of innings, but also gave up a lot of runs. But seriously, against the Yankees, it doesn't matter how good it looks. Both Beckett and Matsuzaka were lifted in the middle of late innings...I think both in the 8th. Beckett might've been in the 7th. Both had allowed 5 runs at the time (the inherited runner the Donnelly let score in relief of Okajima was also charged to Diasuke, giving him 6 earned...). But the Fenway Faithful soluted them with standing ovations. Diasuke tipped his hat just to be polite. Beckett looked pretty mad. You could tell both didn't think they deserved the ovation, and both didn't think they pitched well. But in Boston, which does have a bit of an inferiority complex, it doesn't matter how bad you are, as long as you're better than New York.

Offensively, the Sox hit back-to-back-to-back-to-back homeruns for the first time in team history. Manny Rameriz, J.D. Drew, Mike Lowell and Jason Varitek. All of them came off the Yankees' rookie starter Chase Wright. The Yankee bullpen was so battered from the first two games they stuck with Wright who got Wily Mo Pena to strike out to end the inning.

Jeter tied the game at four with a homer, and the Yankees tacked on another on a double play that scored a run. Mike Lowell countered with another homer-this one scored three- to win the game.

In the eight, the Yankees threated to tie the game. They had already plated one and had first and third or something like that. Donnelly was in facing pinch hitter Josh Phelps. Phelps hit a line drive that was falling fast behind second base on the right field side. Dustin Pedroia came out of no where and made an awesome diving catch to preserve the lead.

So, good news- Red Sox take 3 of 3 from Yankees. Bad news- Yankees with Petite and two no named rookie starters more or less match Sox big three of Schilling, Beckett, and Matsuzaka. Good news- Sox bullpen was phenominal and Jason Varitek broke out of his year and a half long slump. Bad news-Yankees pitchers are coming back for next weeks series at Yankee Stadium...and Matsui might be back.

UPDATE: I wanted to put this earlier but forgot. Papelbon was dominate again, obviously. But anyway, before every pitch, went he steps on the rubber, he looks down at the ground. He slowly looks up, and gazes in at the hitter in an extremely intimidating manner. The look basically says "I'm kind of annoyed we have to go through this formality of me blowing you away when we both know its gonna happen anyway. You're kind of pissing me off right now, and I throw 97-99 mph. It's not a wise decision to annoy me." ESPN kept showing it up close, every time. During Abreu's at bat, I let out a laugh after seeing the look. It was an extremely evil laugh. A laugh that complimented the look nicely. I think Varitek should laugh in such an evil manner every time Papelbon does the look. Rivera is more established and when it's all said and done, maybe he'll have a better carreer than Papelbon. But he doesn't have the look.

Red Sox on Easter

Well, Schilling looked pretty good today. We also had a family gathering, and just about everyone in my family hates Schilling. They say he talks too much. Yet for some reason they all loved Pedro, who hasn't shut up since the 1997 season. They don't admit it, but they all hate Schilling because he publicly supported George W. Bush in the last election. They loved him during the 2004 season before the Bush statement. Both before and after, he was calling up radio talk shows, posting on blogs and writing on a Red Sox fan web ring called "The Sons of Sam Horn." For some reason, it didn't bother anyone before. Anyway, the tradition is to root for Schilling to give up seven runs in the first, be pulled after 2/3 of an inning and then have the team come back and win. All cause he's a Republican. As if he's the only one in the bunch of multi-millionaires that are the Boston Red Sox... Honestly, who cares about something as irrelevant as politics when it comes to baseball?

Anyway, Ortiz broke out of his slump, hitting a homer in the first. Then the Rangers got the run back in the bottom half of the inning and my living room erupted with applause. Every fly ball the Rangers hit you heard a yell "GET OUT!!" It's kind of despicable. I tried to reason with them. Schilling gave up his body for this team in 2004. He could have shut it down and we'd all be moaning about 89 years or whatever now. The general response was "If you think that was actually blood, you're stupid." Whatever. Schilling was strong through seven innings, and Ortiz added another homer, this one a two run blast, to make it 3-1.

Pineiro came out in the eight inning and decided to suck. He got no one out and left the bases loaded before giving way to Javier Lopez. Lopez got the guy he faced to line out to first, but Youkilis dropped the ball. He recovered in time to pick it up and throw to second to record one out. One run scored. Then Tito stopped messing around and brought in Papelbon. Jonathan was dominant. He blew Michael Young away and got Teixeira to pop out to Lowell. Then in the ninth he got Sammy to pop out before blowing away both Blalock and Wilkerson.

Another plot is developing quickly in Boston. The Sox have no one to bridge the gap between the starter and Papelbon. When Lestor comes back to the rotation will Tavarez be that guy? Probably not. Maybe Manny DelCarmen and/or Craig Hanson will come up from AAA Pawtucket and provide the Fenway Faithful with the setup man the team need. Maybe. Right now, the best bet is Mike Timlin when he comes off the 15 day DL. Granted, he's old. Hopefully he has enough gas left in the tank for this year. Otherwise, it'll be a long summer.