Ugly

I guess Daisuke Matsuzaka wasn't ready to return yesterday.

From the start it was butt ugly. After the first batter reached on a walk, he gave up a two-run home run to Aaron Miles, who had not hit one all year. You knew it wasn't going to be his day.

He allowed two more runs in the first, and left two more in scoring position when he got the last out. Dice-K then loaded the bases with none out in the second and Terry Francona pulled the plug on him for the day. It was his worst start in a Red Sox uniform. The Red Sox were trying to spin it positively, saying after the game that Dice-K felt fine before and more importantly, after it was over. It was Dice-K's first loss in nine decisions in 2008.

It was a truly brutal outing: 1 inning, 7 runs, 6 hits, 3 walks, 1 strikeout, 1 home run.

Chris Smith, in his major league debut, came on and struck out Rick Ankiel. But he gave up a grand slam to Troy Glaus, which put the game away at 8-0. Smith actually pitched well, going four innings and allowed just three hits and allowed no more runs.

J.D. Drew hit his 14th home run of the season, and his 10th in June, but it was all for naught, as the St. Louis won the series, 9-3, behind some guy named Mitchell Boggs. The Red Sox look to avoid getting swept in the finale with Jon Lester on the mound looking for his 7th win of the year.