Game 56: Pale 7 Carmine 4

What a terrible game. Red Sox get swept by the lowly White Sox who came in to town scuffling while the Red Sox were, well... red hot. And in the process, Rich Hill injures his elbow in the 7th inning, grabbing his elbow in obvious pain and leaving the field immediately. Terrific.

The game started well enough with the hometown team getting off to a quick 3-0 lead in the 2nd inning. But the White Sox added a run in the 4th and then took advantage of some miscues in the field to tie the game in the 5th. Here's the blow by blow:

- Wakefield's unable to find the strike zone, even with his slowball, and walks Castro the catcher

- Beckham hits a bloop down the 1st base line that Pedroia gets to but drops it out of his glove (no error for some reason)

- Juan Pierre hits a ground ball at Lowrie who tries to start the double play getting Beckham at 2nd but Pedroia throws the ball wide and Pierre reaches as Gonzalez can't handle the throw

- With Ramirez at the plate, the Sox pitchout and catch Pierre trying to steal. During the rundown though Pedroia swipes at Pierre and pretty clearly got him (I thought) but the ump calls him safe at second (BS)

- Ramirez grounds out to deep short, scoring Castro when we should be out of the inning unscathed

- Quentin doubles, scoring Ramirez, tie game

- Konerko flies out to end the inning

In the 6th, the White Sox took the lead on a home run by Lillibridge. I point this out only because his previous at bats screamed that he was going to take the knuckleball yard. I remember in 2003 watching Boone hit several foul ball home runs down the left field line against Wakefield in Game 4 of the ALCS before finally straightening one out to win game 7. Some guys jsut seem to be able to pull the knuckleball really well. Lillibridge is one of those guys; he had the same at bats leading up to the 6th inning. Foul ball home run to left before striking out in the 2nd, double off the very tippy-top of the Monster in the 4th, and a monster shot to left in the 6th. Saw that coming from a mile away.

Ortiz knots the game back up at 4 in the home half of the 6th but Albers gives the lead right back up in the 7th. Bard pitches well but Papelbon gives up a huge 2-run homer to Konerko in the non-save situation in the 9th. Sox batters never really even made it interesting after the 6th inning.

Sox are now 2 games back of the Yankees and have an off day tomorrow before hosting the A's. Maybe some rest will help as it's been a long stretch of games. Also, word has it Matsuzaka is going under the knife for Tommy John surgery. The perfect ending to a crappy day and a crappy signing.