Sox Win Completes a Boston Hat Trick

I have to admit that when Jonathan Papelbon put the first two men on in the ninth last night, I thought Tampa Bay was going to win another series from the Red Sox, and that would have been 7 straight, including the 2008 ALCS.

I was thankfully proven wrong.

Pap kicked it into high gear with second and third and struck out Carlos Pena, B.J. Upton and Carl Crawford to give the Red Sox a 4-3 win. And what the hell was Joe Morgan on ESPN smoking when he suggested putting Crawford on and face Evan Longoria instead? Isn't he like the hottest player on the planet so far this season, and always seems to send a ball over the wall in every Fenway game he plays in? Thankfully "Morgan Magic" wasn't named after that Joe Morgan.

The Red Sox got three runs in seven innings off Matt "The Human Spitting Machine" Garza. (I've seen a human being spit more than this guy.) Jason Bay continued his torrent hitting by driving in the winning run in the eighth, after David Ortiz also doubled in front on him, making us forget that guy with dreds whose going through male menospause even more.

The Red Sox win completed a Boston sweep on Sunday night, as the Bruins shut out Carolina, 4-0, and the Celtics won 95-94, on a buzzer-beater by Glen Davis over Orlando.

Bad news in that Dustin Pedroia left the game in the fourth inning after straining a groin on a swing. He said he's been battling it for about 10 days. He will definitely miss the opener in Anaheim on Tuesday night, and hopes to be back on Wednesday.

Good news in that the Javier Lopez Era in Boston has now come to a merciful end, as the Sox designated him for assignment on Sunday and brought up fireballing righthander Daniel Bard.