After gutting out a crucial game on Saturday night in which Jon Lester fought through the heat and an upset stomach to quiet the Texas Rangers bats, Sunday was supposed to be a momentum builder. Unfortunately for the Sox, they couldn’t get their offense going until it was too late and fell to the Rangers 7-3, losing 2 out of 3 to wrap up their 10-game road trip. In desperate need of wins and momentum, the Sox have Monday off before returning to Fenway Park for a 9-game stretch on Tuesday night to face off against the Los Angeles Angels. The Sox finished their road-trip at 5-5, which considering they played 2 1st places teams (New York Yankees and Texas Rangers) and a fiesty Toronto Blue Jays team, isn’t a horrible result, but isn’t anything to be excited about either.
At this point in the season, falling a game further back in the AL Wild Card is a recipe for disaster. What the Sox need more than anything is to string together a few wins, build confidence and gain momentum to slingshot into the heat of the chase with the Yankees and Rays. By losing 2 games in crushing fashion this past week, they killed the little momentum that they had and now find themselves needing to regroup and make another big push. The good news is that the Sox face the Angels beginning Tuesday, a team the Red Sox are 7-0 against in 2010, followed by another 3-game set with the Toronto Blue Jays, who have won just 2 of their 12 games against the Sox this year. The match-ups certainly seem favorable for the Sox, but only if the team plays well from start to finish in each game.
The Sox will certainly be getting a boost on Tuesday as Dustin Pedroia is expected to be activated for the 1st time since breaking his foot at the end of June. His intensity will hopefully provide a spark for this offense and if Pedroia can’t kick-start this club, no one can and the season will be over. Time is beginning to run short for this Red Sox club and not being able to really take advantage of the Rays slump a week ago and capitalize on a chance to pick up 2 more games. The Sox can not let these opportunities pass, because we all know how few and far between they can be and as we get closer to the post-season, the Rays and Yanks will pick-up their intensity if needed to put the Sox away. The anxiety continues to rise as the days tick away.
Much more to come as the Sox finally travel home to Boston…
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