Like an unreliable friend drug addict or alcoholic, the Boston Red Sox have learned to expect the worst when it comes to the disaster that is John Lackey in a Red Sox uniform.
Therefore, yesterday afternoon's return from the DL for Lackey (3-5) and subsequent win was nice but does it really mean much? Probably not. Bigger picture, the Red Sox (33-26) swept the Oakland A's (27-33) with a 6-3 win at Fenway Park. Putting them in a good frame of mind heading into an off-day and then a big three-game series in the Bronx starting tomorrow night.
After the no-show against the White Sox (a three-game sweep), Boston was able to get back on track and end the homestand at an even 3-3.
Lackey was at his mediocre best vs. a team that he usually owns. He went 5.2 innings, allowing three earned runs on three hits with two walks and two strikeouts.
The more exciting news for Red Sox fans was that the team finally solved A's lefty Brett Anderson (3-6), who was 5-1 lifetime against them heading into yesterday's game. He went five innings, allowing five earned runs on nine hits with two walks and two strikeouts.
Carl Crawford got the Red Sox out to a 3-0 lead with a three-run bomb (his first at Fenway as a Red Sox and fifth of the season) in the second inning.
Just to remind you how bad he is, Lackey gave up a solo shot to Kevin Kouzmanoff in the third. Daric Barton added an RBI single in the fourth, driving in Kurt Suzuki and cutting the Boston lead to 3-2.
Adrian Gonzalez quelled any thoughts of a complete meltdown as he hit a two-run bomb over the Monster (2nd in two games there, 12th of the season) which drove in Jarrod Saltalamacchia (3 hits) in the fourth for a 5-2 lead.
Barton drove in Conor Jackson with an RBI double in the sixth but Dustin Pedroia (2 hits, walk, stolen base) increased the lead back to three with an RBI single in the same frame.
The Yankees lead the Red Sox by one game heading into tomorrow's series opener. The pitching matchups are Lester vs. Garcia, Wakefield vs. Burnett and Beckett vs. Sabathia. So Boston should be favored in game 1 while games 2 and 3 are toss ups. Should be solid.
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