It turns out that Marvin Lee Aday was actually referring to baseball. The artist commonly known as Meatloaf once sang that, "Two Out of Three Ain't Bad". In baseball winning two out of every three games leads to 108 wins. The Red Sox won Friday, lost Saturday, and won on Sunday. They now sit at 8-4, which ain't bad at all.
Schilling was phenomenal on Friday night. He held the Mariners to only three hits and a single run over 8 strong innings in the 2-1 victory. Schilling struck out 7, including Ichiro in the 6th inning with a runner on third base and only one out. He lowered his E.R.A. to 1.64 while improving to 3-0. Only Forrest Gump, who I'm told, is in fact a Yankees fan, could now question how effective Schilling will be this year. He is healthy, healed, and pitching better than ever. He's a bona-fide Cy Young contender again and a legitimate staff ace.
On Saturday Francona either had a brain fart or regressed to his old ways. Josh Bard is clearly an inferior offensive player when compared to Jason Varitek. Trot Nixon is nursing a sore groin (although he's expected to play today). Rather put the best available lineup on the field in support of Tim Wakefield, Francona decides to give Mr. Professional, Mark Loretta, and the Doubles Machine, Mike Lowell, the day off. So Wakefield pitches well, despite some Bard difficulties, and only allows two earned runs (3 overall) in a complete game effort. The meager Sox lineup only produces 5 hits and scores exactly as many runs as the Patriots scored points on Saturday, ZERO. Great game by Wake, unfortunately wasted by Grady Little 2, Electric Boogaloo.
Beckett became the second Sox starter to go 3-0 this year in a brilliant effort on Sunday. The Sox were able to scratch out a couple of runs in the first inning. In the third Seattle was able to tie the game thanks in part to some poor fielding. Wily Mo looks more and more like Jose Canseco every day. Alex Gonzalez drove in the winning run in the fourth, just as he drove in both runs on Friday. With a runner on 3rd with one out in the 6th inning Beckett reached back and fired... a curveball to Richie Sexson. It was a thing of beauty delivered on a 3-2 count. Sexson flailed and missed causing traffic on the Turnpike to swerve in the stiff breeze. Then Beckett fired a fastball, as fast as 98 MPH by some counts, past Adrian Beltre to end the inning. Beckett managed to maintain his league leading 1.29 E.R.A. by allowing only the one earned run in seven innings. Ace number two, and two only by nature of the rotation, is thriving so far in Boston.
Papelbon saved both one run games this weekend. He's now six-for-six in save opportunities with four saves coming in one-run games. He is holding opponents to a mere .087 batting average. He's throwing all of his pitches effectively and for strikes. He maintains a calm steady demeanor that belies the fire burning inside his eyes. I want a number 58 jersey, be it a replica, authentic, or tee-shirt. The future is now with Papelbon.
The Sox complete their four game series with the Mariners today. Today is the traditional 11:05 AM start on Patriots Day. Lenny DiNardo subs for Tubby today and will face Gil Meche. Strangely the Sox will remain home for three games with the Devil Rays before traveling to Oh, Canada for a weekend series with the Jays. If the Sox can continue to win two out of three games, it won't be bad. No, it won't be bad at all.
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