September 29th vs Minnesota

[redsoxrules]

Carlos Silva VS Tim Wakefield

 

 

 

For the first time in 12 years, the Boston Red Sox are AL East champions. On Saturday night, the only player still remaining from their last division-winning club tries to recapture his vintage form.

 

Knuckleballer Tim Wakefield takes the Fenway Park mound as the Red Sox continue their four-game series with the Minnesota Twins.

The Red Sox (95-65) rebounded from a 5-4 loss in Thursday's series opener to beat Minnesota 5-2 on Friday night. Once back in the clubhouse, they got to watch the second-place New York Yankees lose to Baltimore, giving Boston its first AL East title since 1995.

 

"I pulled my hamstring jumping off the couch," said manager Terry Francona, whose club will face the Los Angeles Angels in a division series next week.

 

With two games to play, the Red Sox are tied with AL Central champion Cleveland for the league's best record, an honor which will carry with it home-field advantage throughout the postseason. Boston owns the tiebreaker with the Guardians by virtue of winning the season series between the clubs.

 

Wakefield (16-12, 4.80 ERA) was an integral part of the division-winning 1995 team. Signed by Boston after the Pittsburgh Pirates released him in April of that season, he had an incredible summer hot streak in which he won 10 consecutive starts - including four complete games - while posting a 1.60 ERA.

 

He finished his first season in Boston 16-8 with a 2.95 ERA, and has gone on to win 153 games over 13 seasons with the Red Sox, trailing only Roger Clemens and Cy Young on the franchise's all-time list.

 

Wakefield is now 41, though, and had to miss a start at the end of August due to back soreness. He has not been the same since, going 0-2 with a 10.70 ERA and a .402 opponents' batting average in four September outings.

 

The right-hander lost at Tampa Bay on Sunday, when he have up four runs, seven hits - including a Delmon Young homer - and three walks over five innings of Boston's 5-4 defeat, but he denied having any physical problems.

 

"I felt fine today," Wakefield said. "Had good movement on my pitches. I just made one mistake to Delmon Young. Other than that, they did a good job of scraping some hits together in the holes."

 

Wakefield is 12-4 with a 4.01 ERA in 23 career appearances - 20 starts - against the Twins (78-82).

 

 

Minnesota's Carlos Silva (13-14, 4.22) will look to win his third consecutive start. The right-hander has been outstanding through much of the season's second half, going 5-3 with a 3.21 ERA in 11 starts since July 31. He's rebounded after going 6-10 with a 4.58 ERA prior to the All-Star break.

 

"You have to learn new pitches," said Silva, who has a chance to match his career high of 14 wins, set in 2004. "That's what I've been doing this year."

 

On Monday at Detroit, he gave up six hits without a walk in 7 2-3 innings of the Twins' 2-0 victory.

 

Silva is 2-2 with a 1.67 ERA in five career appearances - four starts - versus Boston.

 

Friday's defeat was the third in four games for the Twins, who clinched their first losing record since 2000.

[VA Sox Fan]

Good job rsrules!

 

GO Timmaaaaay! Nice 1st.

 

Nice hit by Manny. Glad some other guys are getting rest.

 

Coco continues to amaze!

 

This from The Globe:

 

September 29, 2007

Schill scratched for tomorrow--Game 2 starter?

By Gordon Edes, Globe Staff

Sox PR man John Blake just announced that Curt Schilling would not start tomorrow's regular-season finale, that Julian Tavarez will pitch instead. That would seem to suggest the Sox intend to have Schilling follow Josh Beckett and pitch Game 2 of the division series against the Angels.

 

Posted By: gedes | Time: 06:12:57 PM

[VA Sox Fan]

Oh and I didn't think Schill would pitch tomorrow if we had clinched the Division. Whether he pitches game 2 or 3 of the ALDS, glad he's getting the needed rest.

 

Nice hit JD! Keep that s*** up!

[VA Sox Fan]

2 hits, 2 dingers...dammit!

[yankeessuck013]

f***in right jd...

 

Guardians down 3-2 in the 6th..

[Cocos Disciples]

Pleasing to see JD jack one there.

[Cocos Disciples]

Sox win 6-4.

[VA Sox Fan]

Pleasing to see JD jack one there.

 

He was a double short of the cycle. Better late than never. Keep it up JD!!!!

 

Great game.

 

Lose Guardians!

[Cocos Disciples]

Guardians now down 4-3 going into the 9th, Sox could get homefield throughout.

[Cocos Disciples]

Sox get homefield throughout.

[a700hitter]

They clinched home field throughout. Guardians lost. Which schedule will the Sox pick?

[VA Sox Fan]

Thank you KC!!!!!!!

 

Make the right choice Sox! Division and Home Field Advantage? AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!

 

O's almost came back.....................

[ORS]

HFA, nice. Be interesting to see which series they pick.

[castigs850]

now with homefield advantage we get a choice of schedules or an extra day or something.... could someone elaborate on that for me and clear it up for me?

[a700hitter]

Does anyone know why Schilling isn't pitching tomorrow?

[Teddyballgame10]

Why the f*** did Okajima touch the ball tonight? Last I recalled he was tired.

[VA Sox Fan]

Does anyone know why Schilling isn't pitching tomorrow?

 

So he can rest for the playoffs.

[TheKilo]

Why the f*** did Okajima touch the ball tonight? Last I recalled he was tired.

 

He had thrown once in the last two weeks. They're saying he's healthy again.

 

Moron.

 

Where are all the JD Drew haters?

[ksushi]

 

Where are all the JD Drew haters?

 

JD is gonna make himself some fans if he keeps hot right now. I've been cheering for him since the Yankees series whenever he gets up, ive been going to most of these games, and everyone just kinda looks at me and laughs when I do it. But, in September, he is hitting .342 with 4 homers and 18 RBI, so I think its lookin good right now.

 

If Drew was hurt and playing through it, or if his mind was else where, it looks like all is well for right now. If he can play like this in october and on into next year, we'll be ok for awhile.