My guess is no. The Red Sox have had five chances this season to get above .500. They have yet to accomplish that. Tonight, the pitching match-up is Verlander v. Bard. No offense to Bard, but I don’t see the Sox winning this. I don’t think this is going to be a lucky number six sort of thing.
Maybe I’m just overly negative with this team who has been playing very well recently. Players like Daniel Nava, Will Middlebrooks, Felix Doubront, and Scott Atchison have really stepped up this season. But this Red Sox team, even with the players on the roster right now, should be over .500.
Sunday’s game was a heartbreaker, probably the toughest lost for the Red Sox (and fans) this season, even more so than the Yankees’ game debacle. The Sox had a 3-2 lead going into the bottom of the 9th, and Aceves gave up a two-run home run. Game over. Rays took the series.
Yesterday’s game was both a lucky and deserved win for the Red Sox. Lucky in the fact that a blown third-strike call in the second inning by the home plate umpire became a rally inning for the Red Sox (google Jim Leyland’s reaction’s reaction to the call… very interesting). It was also a deserved win because Felix Doubront, who is the rotation’s best season thus far, pitched a heck of a game, only giving up 2 earned runs (the other 2 runs in the 7-4 win were given up by Aceves, again a two-run home run in the 9th).
But tonight, the Red Sox have Bard, who has been pretty touch-and-go this season, against Justin Verlander, reigning Cy Young and MVP winner. Verlander is one of the best, if not the best, pitcher in the American League. So far this season, he appears to be doing better than last year. His ERA 10 games is 2.15, and his WHIP is .810, which leads the American League. Last year, his ERA was 2.40 and his WHIP was .920.
My predication is the Tigers win 5-2 tonight. Bard will hang in there for six innings, while the score is 2-2. In the seventh, Bard will give up a home run, and Valentine will yank him. Franklin Morales will relieve Bard and give up another two runs. The Sox, however, will win the next two games against the Tigers, and finally be over .500 on May 31st.
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