Sox Win past three series against Detroit, New York Yankees & Cleveland

I've got to catch up here now. So once the Sox got home to Fenway - they start playing great ball.

They won the home opener against Detroit, then lost the middle game 2-7, and won the rubber game 12-6. Notes: The 3rd game was actually as close as 8-6 Red Sox and Papelbon finished off the inning. The Red Sox then tacked on 4 more runs in the bottom of the 8th to win 12-6. I believe Papelbon finished the game.

On to the Yankee Series! Well, the first game - you may know - Chien-Ming Wang threw a 2 hit complete game with the only run being a home run from JD Drew. All my Yankee friends were rubbing the 4-1 Yankee win in my face - but I told them that what the Red Sox got out of that game was a solid start by Clay Buchholz. He completed 6 innings and only gave up 1 run and 4 hits. So even if the Yankees did win - and who would lose after throwing a 2 hit complete game - the Red Sox got a consistent, solid start out of an improving Clay Buchholz. He'll get his chance to get that game back when he faces Wang again tomorrow (Wed 4/16) at Yankee Stadium.

The second game of the Yankee series ended up being a close game that endured 2 hour 11 minute rain out. Top of the 8th inning, with two outs to go and a 4-3 Boston lead, Papelbon is called out too pitch as it starts to pour. Papelbon warmed up three separate times and never wavered from his game mentality for the whole 2 hours. He was also to face A Rod upon return to the mound. Needless to say, after the rain delay ended, Papelbon threw A Rod three pitches and struck him out. Francona was worried about sending Papelbon back out for the top of the 9th but he did and Papelbon earned his third save.

The rubber game on Sunday, the Yankees were short Jeter, and Posada had a tired arm and was DH'ing instead of catching. The Red Sox sat Ortiz (who was batting .070), were short Lowell (Sean Casey played 1st, Youk played 3rd), and Okajima and Papelbon were not available. The rest of the team carried the Sox to a 8-5 win. The Sox actually had 7-1 lead on the Yankees which they whittled down to 7-5 at one point.

In Cleveland The Sox won Monday 6-4 and Tuesday 5-3. Both nights the Sox fell behind and came back in 7,8,9 innings. In fact both games were won in the 9th. Monday the score was 4-3 Cleveland and after Pedroia hit a sac fly to bring Julio Lugo home to tie the game at 4-4, Ortiz hit a single and Ramirez homered to take the lead 6-4. Tonight, the Sox were tied 3-3 and Varitek came off the bench to hit a solo home run to take the lead 4-3. After a few more hits, baserunners and walks - Youk knocked in Crisp for an insurance run. Sox win 5-3 and head to NY for two games at Yankee stadium.

Notes: Jed Lowrie made his MLB debut today, playing 3rd base, with Youk at first. He struck out first, but then knocked in an RBI on a CLE error in the 5th, and got his first hit knocking in 2 more RBI's in the 7th. Lowrie seemed pretty fearless and about as fast as Ellsbury, as he just beat the ball to the bag on the 5th.

Papelbon is still the greatest pitcher on the Sox roster right now and Ortiz is hitting a healthier .113 with 4 hits in the CLE series.

Off to NY!