MANNYHOF24

Beckett vs. Eaton(scrub) Win. All of a sudden, Boston's offense has shown signs of life -- and the ability to put together a big inning. And the timing couldn't be better. Following their six-run eighth inning on Wednesday, which broke open a 2-0 game in Oakland, the Red Sox scored four in the second and three in the fifth on Friday, erasing a 7-0 deficit against Baltimore ace Jeremy Guthrie en route to a 10-8 win in the series opener. "Every time someone asks me if I see a sign or if we're hot, it always goes the other way. After all was said and done, we hit ourselves back into the game," manager Terry Francona said, leaving room for improvement. "And then we leave the bases loaded when we had a chance to separate it a little bit." Even with David Ortiz struggling, with three strikeouts on Friday and a .158 average, the Red Sox have scored 10 runs in their last 12 innings. They have set back-to-back season highs for runs after scoring just 29 over their first eight games. "It'll take time," said Jason Varitek. "Obviously, everybody's not swinging the bat great yet, but some people are swinging the bat well. I think, through the process, different people will, and it will lengthen our lineup." The length was right in the middle on Friday night, when J.D. Drew walked three times, tripled and homered while Jason Bay homered, scored twice and drove in three. "I think most guys haven't really soaked it up yet," Bay said. "I think that's a potential season-changing win." Pitching matchup BOS: RHP Josh Beckett (1-1, 3.46 ERA) After pitching a gem on Opening Day, Beckett had mixed results in his last start, giving up eight hits and four runs over six innings in a loss to the Angels. He threw 103 pitches in that game, 61 for strikes. This will be his 10th career start against the Orioles. In the previous nine, he is 4-2 with a 3.73 ERA. He has five walks and 15 strikeouts over his first two starts. BAL: RHP Adam Eaton (0-1, 9.00 ERA) Eaton was lit up for eight hits and four earned runs in his season debut, which came on an unwieldy 10 days' rest. He is taking his usual rotation turn in Boston, and he hopes to rebound from some encouraging work toward the end of his debut. He allowed all four runs in the second inning of his first start but fired two scoreless innings after that. The veteran was spent by that point, though, and was unable to pitch deeper into the game. Tidbits Boston's comeback on Friday night was the club's biggest in the regular season since climbing out of a seven-run hole on Sept. 11, 2007, to beat Tampa Bay, 16-10. The Sox trailed that game by seven runs in the middle of the fourth. ... Manny Delcarmen tossed 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief and hasn't allowed a run over his last 19 1/3 innings over 13 games dating back to Sept. 7. ... Bay has reached base safely in all 10 games this season

Looks like I get to make another gamethread bitches.

BOS: RHP Brad Penny (1-0, 4.50 ERA) Penny had a successful debut for the Red Sox, scattering five hits and three runs over six innings against the Angels on Saturday. He walked two in that game. This will be his second career start at Fenway Park, and first since 2003. Pitching for the Marlins at the time, Penny took the loss, giving up nine hits and nine runs over five innings. This will be Penny's first career start against the Orioles. BAL: RHP Jeremy Guthrie (2-0, 2.25 ERA) Guthrie threw six shutout innings in his start Saturday vs. the Rays and is 2-0 for the first time in his brief career. The right-hander has completed six innings in each of his past two starts, while Baltimore's other pitchers have yet to go that far. Guthrie has held opponents to a .261 batting average this year and has seemingly seen his hard-luck trend from last season reverse itself. Tidbits Jason Bay has reached base in all nine games, and 22 successive dating back to Sept. 22, 2008. ... Jacoby Ellsbury has played 182 consecutive errorless games in the outfield, a Red Sox record. ... Kevin Youkilis is hitting .472 in his first 36 at-bats. ... Bay, Mike Lowell, J.D. Drew and Youkilis all have two homers to tie for the team lead. Courtesy Ian Browne

What? Canada sucks.

I wasn't arguing playoff success, but ill take 3 good starts out of every 4. When healthy he was more consistent then Josh Beckett last year.

I owned you with Wakefield stats that you couldn't combat in yesterdays gamethread, bitch.

Wait, do you pay for MLB.tv then to watch the Red Sox?

Penny vs. Guthrie First pitch 7:10 Had to make this early, not sure if I was going to have a chance to tomorrow. Win.

No doubt. We may not have Manny anymore, but his mojo is still with us.

Let's hope we can go home and sweep the O's and get on a tear.

God, look at the stats objectively.

Wake has given the Red Sox exactly what they needed today. He has been so f***ing huge today.

Well there it goes.

perfect game was gone when Lowell made the error.

Damn Coco, why u gotta be so mean?

Just to follow up my what i was saying, in 2006 Wake had a ERA of 4.16 on September 13, and in 07 he had an ERA of 4.15 on August 25th. So yeah, essentially when he is healthy over the last four years he gives up about 4.15 runs per 9 innings, which any team would take.

2007 he pitched injured for a period which really jacked up his ERA, pretty much the same with 2006. His ERA's in those season are completely misleading as to how he pitched most of the season.

Honestly, the way this team is going, whatever happens with the Wake we are probably going to win, and thats huge.

JD f***ING DREW

WHAT A CATCH.

Nope.

Who wants Wake to leave the rotation now? People will never learn.

f*** Mike Lowell.