SOX FIND MORE LATE INNING MAGIC

You never know what the Sox are gonna give you this year. Last night, it was a solid Wakefield start, a kid making a big debut, some shoddy middle-relief, some good relief of the middle-relief, someone not named Papelbon getting a save, and one of the most frustrating Sox hitters to watch getting the big hit.

One thing that has been too consistent with the Sox is Tim Wakefield's drop in performance once he's pitched two times through a lineup. Like clockwork, that's when Cleveland's rally against Wakefield began. Thankfully, a double play ball ended the threat without too much damage being done.

Jed Lowrie made his Major League debut and racked up 3 RBI. His first came in the 5th and gave the Sox a 1-0 lead. His second and third came in the 7th with a bases loaded single to put the Sox ahead 3-2. That clicking sound you hear is Julio Lugo typing up his resume to get another job once 2008 is over.



Kevin Youkilis stayed red hot with a 2 for 4 night with a double, an RBI, and a run. His average is up to .385. Youk and Manny have 41.3% of the team's total RBI.

Hideki Okajima has still yet to allow an earned run.

Jason Varitek came up with the go ahead hit, a line drive, pinch hit homer in the top of the 9th. Although The Captain isn't hitting all that well so far, he's got 3 homeruns. Last year it took him until May 8th to reach 3 homers.

The Sox go to New York for an abbreviated series against the Yankees. Buchholz faces Wang tonight.

Source:
ESPN.com

Photo Credits:
AP Photo/Mark Duncan

BRUINS ON SHORT END OF 1-0 CLASSIC

This was the type of game you'd see in black and white on ESPN Classic at 3 in the morning. Lots of hitting, checking, scuffles, and very few goals. It was such a close game that even the 1-0 score is deceptive.



The first period was full of your typical soft penalty calls for Montreal. Peterri Nokalainen was called for interference and negated a Bruins power play. Zdeno Chara was called for one of the weakest hooks in NHL history at 10:15, which gave Montreal an abbreviated 5 on 3. But both teams went into the room without a goal.

The Bruins had their chances, though. Marco Sturm and David Krejci broke away on a short-handed bid, but a perfect pass from Sturm was fanned on by Krejci as he crashed the net.



Later, Sturm broke away once more, but goalie Carey Price greeted Marco at the faceoff circle with a stick check that did just enough to misguide Sturm's shot wide of the net.

A bogus tripping call on Andrew Ference gave the Canadiens a power-play at the end of the 2nd. After a short-handed bid was broken up, the Canadiens worked the puck into the highly trafficked slot, where Patrice Briesbois almost accidentally tipped the puck in to give Montreal a lead.

The Bruins put up a good effort in the 3rd, but the goaltending of Price coupled with a lack of calls against Montreal and the puck seemingly afraid to go in the net for the B's allowed Montreal to escape Boston with a 3-1 series lead.

The series resumes Thursday night in Montreal.

Source:
ESPN.com

Photo Credits:
AP Photo/Elise Amendola
AP Photo/Charles Krupa