Misery Loves Company: Two Guys Watch Baseball

Game 99 - Red Sox
Spit-Roasted Oriole
 
Red Sox 12, Orioles 5
Record: 55-44

Considering the fact that the Sox entered this week's series with the Orioles on the wrong end of a 3-6 record against the mediOcre Birds (and the fact that the same Baltimore squad is 1-8 against the Yankees this season), Monday's ass-whipping was long overdue.

This one was a laugher from the third inning on, as the Sox posted a 10-0 lead before the O's got on the board.  Pedro didn't get a ton of help from the field (shocking) or the bullpen, and he dominated the O's while the game was still remotely close, although his overall numbers for the game (6 2/3 IP, 5 ER) won't reflect it.  Everybody except Billy Mueller contributed to the offensive attack, which featured 6 doubles but no homers.

Not a whole lot to say about this one - it was pretty damn boring after the 3rd inning.  Last night got washed out by a series of storms with the Sox trailing 4-2 in the 3rd.  Wake pitched like ass, giving up homers to Mora and Surhoff, but humidity is no friend to the knuckleball.  All in all, the Lord provided for the Sox - full day of rest for the bullpen, an Oriole lead wiped out, and the makeup game will come in October when the O's will presumably be playing a ton of AAA fodder. 

Schilling tonight against the O's, trying to send Baltimore off to face the Yankees in a bad mood.  Schill's tossed out two consecutive stinkers, so he oughta be good and tightly wound.  The trade deadline comes Saturday, and the only name that remotely intrigues me is Carlos Beltran - even if he's just a rental - now that the Astros have faded so badly.  An outfield of Ramirez, Damon and Beltran (looks like Nixon may be out for a substantial amount of time) looks pretty damn good, and avoids the possibility of Kevin Millar ever having to don an outfielder's glove for this team.  A batting order of Damon, Garciaparra, Beltran, Ramirez, Ortiz, Millar, Varitek, Bellhorn, and Mueller looks downright terrifying.  I've done my part, now Theo needs to execute on this genius of a plan.