The Red Sox lost 5-1 to the A’s in thr final game of the 2-game Japan series. Jon Lester started and allowed four earned runs over four innings of work. Lester wasn’t sharp and labored often, walking three while striking-out four. The Sox offense was limited to five hits. Mike Lowell (.375) had two singles, Coco Crisp a double, and Julio Lugo added a single. Manny Ramirez accounted for the only run with a tremendous home run off of winning pitcher Rich Harden, who was very sharp.
The Red Sox are headed back to the States, bidding Sayonara to Japan after today’s loss to the Athletics. They are set to arrive in Los Angeles tonight and will hold an optional workout on Thursday before playing the first of three exhibition games against the Dodgers on Friday.
Saturday’s exhibition expects to be the most interesting. It will be played at the LA Coliseum in front of a crowd that could exceed 115,000. The stadium will feature a 60-foot netting wall in left field less than 200 feet from home plate.
Those games against the Dodgers will be as follows:
March 28: Red Sox at Dodgers, 10:40 p.m. (Exhibition) Starter-Bartolo Colon
March 29: Red Sox at Dodgers, 10:10 p.m. (Exhibition at LA Coliseum) Starter-Tim Wakefield
March 30: Red Sox at Dodgers, 4:10 p.m. (Exhibition) Starter-Clay Buchholz
Notes: The Red Sox optioned Brandon Moss to Pawtucket, where he is expected to work on improving his defense at first base. The move indicates that JD Drew will likely not be out for long as the team now has just four outfielders on the roster: Manny Ramirez, Coco Crisp, Jacoby Ellsbury, and Drew. (Bobby Kielty is not on the roster, though he was in Japan.)
