Game 103: Suicide Kings 4 Sox 3

Shoot! Wasted a Beckett start and split the series with the Royals. Beckett looked good in all but one inning. He gave up a 3 run home run to Billy Butler after walking the first two batters in the 4th. A two-base error by Sutton and a double after that scored the 4th run. Beckett's final line was 7 IP, 3 ER, 5 Hs, 3 BBs, and 8 Ks. If it was Lackey we would be ecstatic; since it's Beckett we're disappointed. Morales pitched a clean 8th and Albers weaseled his way out of a scoreless, 3 base runner inning. Sox twice pitched out in that 9th inning and both times the runner was going. Unfortunately only once did they catch the runner.

Not much hitting by the Sox today. Ellsbury knocked in two in the 3rd with a single as the Sox piled up 3 hits in a row. Pedroia greeted the first Royals reliever with a home run in the 8th, extending his hit streak to 25 games. But only 8 hits on the game means the Sox aren't going to score more than 3 runs. Crawford did pitch hit in the 9th with Sutton on first and the Sox down by one. He hit a ball that looked like a sure-thing home run to right field for the win. But the wind knocked it down and seemed to even surprise the Royals outfielder as he had to come back to the front of the warning track to make the catch. Made for a exciting game.

Disappointing to only split with the Royals. Next up is three against the White Sox in Chicago. We've really struggled to get wins against the South Siders but hopefully we'll play good ball and get some wins.