Details of the Red Sox’ first-round playoff series fell into place early this morning. About the only thing left unknown is who wins it.
The AL West champion Los Angels Angels will host the wild card Red Sox in the Division Series, with Game 1 set for next Wednesday in Anaheim, Calif. Game 2 will be Friday before the series moves to Fenway Park a week from tomorrow.
Last night’s 19-8 loss to the Yankees sealed the Red Sox fate and clinched the AL East for the Tampa Bay Rays, who lost to the Tigers much earlier in the evening. The Red Sox will fly to Anaheim on Monday afternoon, the day after their regular-season concludes. Depending on whether or not today’s game gets washed out by predicted rains, tomorrow’s regular-season finale could be a doubleheader.
Rains yesterday wreaked havoc with the Sox’ rotation and more today would cause it to take on a new shape as well. An unexpected band of rain forced Daisuke Matsuzaka to be scratched last night and moved into today’s starting slot in place of Josh Beckett. Beckett cannot be expected to make a full-fledged start tomorrow, since that would jeopardize his availability for Game 1 or 2 in Anaheim. A much shorter-than-usual start for Beckett might be the answer or else the club could turn to its young arms.
Matsuzaka’s scratch forced David Pauley to be the emergency starter and he was not effective at all. In just 2 innings, he allowed seven runs (six earned) and six hits. A parade of relievers followed and the Yankees’ lineup continued to feast on their offerings.
The Red Sox took a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the first on home runs from Jacoby Ellsbury and Kevin Youkilis. They were down 12-4 after four innings in a game whose start was delayed by 91 minutes and was interrupted again by rain for 38 more.
One note of concern occurred in the third inning, when Mike Lowell, who was serving as the DH, was lifted for a pinch hitter. Lowell’s hip injury flared up and for precautionary reasons, the club took him out of the game. He will be re-evaluated today.
There was absolutely no sizzle in Game 1 of what is usually a feisty and important rivalry.
What felt remarkable about the rain delay was the atmosphere felt like a final weekend game from last year if the Tampa Bay “Devil” Rays were in town, and not the Yankees.
Now the Yankees, out of postseason contention, are last year’s Devil Rays, and this year’s Rays are last year’s Yankees. The bottom line is, the here and now did not possess any of the suspense and drama that the schedule-makers hoped they might create when they put these perennial rivals down as foes for the last weekend of the season.
Nation Notes: The J.D Drew Saga continues, as Drew’s bad back isn’t close to ending. J.D knew after Thursday’s series finale against Cleveland that soreness would prevent him from playing in last night’s series opener against the Yankees, so with two days remaining in the regular season, the Red Sox are left unsure if their right fielder will be available in the postseason.
