Fade to black by Jared Carrabis
Red Sox lose their third straight game, fall further out of contention


I’ve got some good news, and I’ve got some bad news.

The good news is that Josh Beckett turned in a quality start – against the Orioles, so don’t get too excited – hurling seven innings, allowing three runs, two earned, while walking one and striking out five. Well, if he allowed just three runs to the Orioles, then there can’t be any bad news, right?

Well, the bad news is that after the game, Beckett stormed out of the clubhouse without speaking to the media, which is a rarity, and never a good sign.

Simply put, the offense was a no-show against Brian Matusz. Felix Doubront allowed back-to-back homers to Luke Scott and Felix Pie – as shown above – and even without the two long balls, the three runs allowed by Beckett would have been enough to sink the Sox that are seemingly going home after the final game of the regular season.

Jed Lowrie’s two-run blast that traveled 388 feet was the only swing that kept the Red Sox from being shut out. In all, the Red Sox were just 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position and left seven men on base.

For once, Beckett is not to blame for this Sox loss. The right-hander finished strong and commanded throughout, retiring the side in order in his last inning of work, including a strikeout to the last batter he faced.

With the loss, Matusz remains unbeaten against the Red Sox in four starts (2-0, 2.60 ERA), which makes me want to see him match up against Jon Lester, who is 12-0 against the Orioles with an ERA of 2.00.

It amazes me to see that there are still some fans out there that are still saying, “it’s not over yet.” It was over when they lost Kevin Youkilis for the season, it was over when they lost Dustin Pedroia for the season, it was over when they lost Jacoby Ellsbury for the season, it was over when they lost two out of three from the Rays, and it was over when they had a losing record to the worst team in the American League.

The Yankees are too good to blow an eight-game lead, and the Rays are too good to blow a seven-game lead. There is no shame in coming to the realization that the season is over. If the Red Sox were in the AL Central or the AL West, there would be hope, but they’re not and that’s how it goes. Be happy that baseball’s plan to have competitive balance is finally working out so that fans of small market teams don’t have a reason to complain about the Red Sox and Yankees winning every year.

It kills me to come off as negative for the first time in a long time, but I’m trying to be real here. Knock my loyalty if we’re three or four back and I’m calling it a season, but a seven- or eight-game deficit to the two best teams in baseball with 30 games to go and you can’t even beat the Orioles? See you in 2011.

Once you finally come to terms with the fact that there will be no October baseball in Boston, it’s very liberating. Depressing at first, but liberating nonetheless.



Final score: Red Sox 2, Orioles 5
WP: Brian Matusz (7-12)
LP: Josh Beckett (4-4)
SV: Koji Uehara (5)
HR: Jed Lowrie (4), Luke Scott (26), Felix Pie (5)

Game notes: In their 5-2 loss on Tuesday, the Red Sox have gone five consecutive games, scoring three runs or less. It is the longest such streak of the entire season, and the first time since September of 2006 that the Red Sox have been on such a streak.

Eye on the scoreboard: Yankees won, Rays lost. Who cares.

Tweet of the night: @AmalieBenjamin: Full disclosure: Beckett left the clubhouse without speaking after the game. Can't remember the last time a Sox starter did that. Not good.

-Jared Carrabis

Published on August 31, 2010

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