Lucky Sevens

With all the talk of numbers on LOST Wednesday night, it was lucky Sevens for the Red Sox in the 2-1 win over the Texas Rangers. Number 7 Trot Nixon smacked a 2 run home run in the 7th, which was the only offense that was provided or needed in the win.

And it was 7 innings for the newly acquired Josh Beckett. Beckett gave up 7 hits, but only one run, although he did battle thru a few innings. Jerry Remy noted that Beckett was shaking off Jason Varitek thru much of the game, but his fast ball was more than effective hitting 97 a few times, while remaining around 95 all night.

Fired up with a strike out to end the 7th, Beckett does his best Ivan Putski impression:

"Polish Power"

The Sox offense struggled against the 11 foot tall Kameron Loe with only 6 hits, most of them coming in the Loe's last inning of work.

Fun Fact: Loe once wrestled under the name Giant Gonzalez

Mike Timlin pitched a shakey 8th, and almost allowed the game to be tied if not for a base running blunder: (Boston Globe) "With one out, and runners on first and second, Kevin Mench singled to left, and Mark Teixeira, running from second, rounded third, stutter-stepped, then took off. He did so, apparently, because Smith waved him when he saw Rami­rez scoop the ball up flat-footed. But Rami­rez (playing Left aka position #7) threw to Mike Lowell, who relayed to Jason Varitek, who'd blocked the plate and easily applied the tag. So, rather than bases loaded and one out against Mike Timlin, who was making his season debut, the Rangers had first and second with two outs. Timlin got a ground out, then handed over in the ninth to Jonathan Papelbon."

No more FranCOMA: Terry Francona (far right) made a move to Jonathan Papelbon in the 9th to close out the game over Keith Foulke was a move that would not have been made last year. After Foulke's shakey 1soutingng Monday, it appeared that a situation like Wednesday night would be a guaranteed loss...

Instead, Papelbon came on and pitched a 1-2-3 9th, with 2 strike outs. Will he continue to close for the Red Sox? There was ndefinitete answer from Francona after the game who just commented that Foulke was not at 100% and Papelbon was pitching better than "perhaps anyone in baseball." While watching SportsCenter this morning, UB noticed the anchor commenting that Foulke was sitting in the dugout with his PULLOVER on in the 9th...All UB could think of when he heard that was:

"No it's a Cardigan, but thanks for noticing!"