One of the hardest things as a fan has been sitting through entire games we could win and then ultimately lose. Tonight we had to wait until the sixth inning but were rewarded with a solid 6-3 win. Ryan Dempster was as advertised. He missed his spots a couple of times and paid the ultimate price when Will Middlebrooks hit a 3 run shot off of him in the 7th. That came after Ryan’s only walk of the night. He was pretty efficient and it appeared only Cody Ross had his number tonight. Josh Hamilton looked as good as we have seen him in a while. Waiting an extra beat on off-speed pitches for base hits. He did as he said he needed to do and let the game come to him. Robbie Ross, Mike Adams and closer Joe Nathan all had solid outings as well.
Dustin Pedroia was rung up with a HORRIBLE call on a check swing in the eighth and did not go quietly into the good night. After giving first base umpire Paul Bauert a piece of his mind on his way back to the dugout and then FROM the dugout, he decided being about 30 feet away when the Red Sox took the field would be a better place to let it all out. Except he really didn’t get the chance. Anybody notice that Bobby Valentine looks like Robert Blake when he is going at it with an ump? Not the cute kid from the Little Rascals, but the guy who went back to get his gun at Vitellos.
We wrap up this series and the road trip in the morning (for me) and I am hopeful the “good” Matt Harrison shows up. We need back to back strong starts from our starters. Dempster was good and I think he will be better. We await results from the OAK-LAA game tonight and see if we are five or six games up. But for the night, I will take this.
No Pepper 