Red Sox 1
Devil Rays 2

On a night of offensive fireworks, the Red Sox bats were made silent by the vaunted staff of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Drown your sorrows in a bucket of Bud Light at Ferg’s, traveling Faithful.

It was bad from the pregame show. Manny took a personal day and Eric Hinske got the nod in left. (According to the Pregame NESN crawl, Ortiz AND Hinske were playing left. That would have been interesting.) Hinske, the Unoffical Mayor of Dewey’s House ‘08, didn’t register an at bat, but drew two walks and stole a base. He must have switched to Mich Ultra. There were opportunities aplenty, of the fourteen left on base, Alex Cora is enemy number one. The desolate, godforsaken hole in the lineup inhabited by Cora ended three innings, two with RISP. Tito hasn’t lost his marbles, Cora was only in because Pedroia took a 95mph heater off his funny bone. However, Pedroia hitting with one hand is preferable to Cora’s hopeless bumbling with the bat. If DP’s not ready to go tonight, I’m going to turn the game off immediately lest risk damaging my sweet new HDTV.

Diasuke Matsuzaka’s luck varied from horrible to fantastic. He continues to be saddled with tough losses and poor run support, but his stuff last night didn’t scream Pedro. His fastball was 88-93 on the FSN Florida gun, acceptable, but his command of it was lacking. There were several 88 mph flat fastballs at the letters that he got away with and his curve was inconsistent. He never looked comfortable facing Akinori Iwamura. Frankly, I expected the Rays to explode for a crooked number at any moment, two hits and four walks was remarkable.

Edwin Jackson lived closer to 95 than the rumored 98 mph, but he dialed it up on a few occasions. He seems like the kind of thrower Manny dissects and destroys, I would have saved his off day for another time. Jackson’s problem is focus, which will come with experience, the strides he’s made this year are encouraging. It must be frustrating inhabiting the AL East with little hope of contending.

Nine hits, one run, and a loss. I’m the guy in the office chugging water and looking surly today. Got any Advil?