Red Sox Can't Support Lester

The Red Sox are back to .500 again, thanks to even more inconsistency. This time it was the offense who failed to support the starting pitching. Not to mention a bullpen that failed to keep the game close in the end.

All season long one unit of the Red Sox has slumped while the other have done well. The SPs make Quality Starts but get no run support. Then the lineup tears things up, but the bullpen blows the game or the starter goes 4 innings. This team undermines itself.

If everything clicked at once, this could be something more than a .500 team. But why expect those planets to align when they haven't yet for 106 games?

On the bright side, Lester had a very Lester-like start. 8 innings, 3 runs, 7 hits, 0 walks, 7 strikeouts. Not amazing, but very very good. This type of start was his bread and butter from 2008 to 2011. And it's refreshing to see him back to form.

Give credit to Samuel Deduno, who struggled in his first 2 starts of the season but has settled into a groove in his last 3. He's 3-0 with a 0.93 ERA in those starts. The Red Sox aren't the only team he's done well against.

At the same time, the Sox were 2-hit by the Twinkies. They should be ashamed.

Word to the wise, don't invest hope in this team. They'll go on 4 game win streaks, they'll look like they've turned a corner, but it's all a tease.

Felix Doubront faces Brian Duensing tonight. Doubront continues to be a solid part of the rotation. Duensing has spent most of his season as a reliever, and not a particularly good one. The Red Sox have no excuse to lose tonight.

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