Game Recap

Alexei Ramirez launched a solo home run in the bottom of the first inning against the Angels' Scott Kazmir, letting the Angels know that the 11-run shutout game against the Royals the night before was over.  A phenomenal warning track diving catch by White Sox right fielder Carlos Quentin moments earlier brought a standing ovation to Chicago that would pull the White Sox for the early portion of Monday evening's game.

Orioles southpaw Brian Matusz pitched shutout ball for seven innings at Fenway Park this afternoon, leading the Baltimore Orioles to a rare win in Boston, beating the Red Sox, 6-1. He held the Red Sox to two hits — one each in the third and fourth innings — while walking three and striking out seven in earning his first win since April 18th. He had lost his last nine decisions.

Eighty-one games…that is the midpoint of the season.

Admit it, Red Sox Nation, if you knew what you know right now back on Opening Day you would have been thrilled to be 17 games over .500 and just a half game behind the NY Yankees on Independence Day (by the way, happy 4th of July to everyone!).

While lefty starter Joe Saunders came out strong through eight innings on Friday night at Angel Stadium, Brian Fuentes was not able to slam the door on a 1-0 lead with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning. 

Kansas City's Mike Aviles was able to break through the shutout attempt with an RBI hit, his second hit of the ballgame, forcing the Angels to extend into extra innings where the Halos would fall short 2-1 to the Royals in Game 1 of a holiday weekend in Southern California.

Giacomo Casanova once said, "By recollecting the pleasures I have had formerly, I renew them, I enjoy them a second time, while I laugh at the remembrance of troubles now past, and which I no longer feel." We could say that about quite a few players on the Red Sox roster, and the Red Sox franchise itself. It's funny how you can use a quote by a ladies man and use it for baseball, isn't it?

In a pitchers duel, it doesn't take much to shift the balance of the game. For the Minnesota Twins Friday night against the Tampa Bay Rays, two key base hits provided a lead that they would refuse to relinquish.

Minnesota's Scott Baker managed to scatter several hits from the potent Ray's offense with minimal damage on the scoreboard. Working an effective slider and a fastball with plenty of bite, Baker managed to keep the Rays at bay, with the exception of a run scored on a ground-rule double in the first inning.

Alex Cora and Jon Niese, I tell you. I actually missed tonight’s game, but was watching updates, and when I heard Cora hit a bases-clearing triple, I had to see how legit it was. It was pretty dang legit.

Niese had a heck of a start, allowing one run (a home run by Josh Willingham in the seventh) and striking out a career high of eight batters. He is now 5-0 since returning from the disabled list. Here are a few notes:

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Jon Niese had another fantastic outing, striking out a career-high eight batters against the Nationals, as the Mets beat Washington, 5-3.

The Mets offense seemed to be flat early on for the second straight game, scoring a first-inning run on an Ike Davis RBI groundout.

Niese struck out five of the first nine outs he recorded and allowed one hit in each of the first five innings. 

After the Ike Davis run-scoring groundout, Nationals starter Luis Atilano retired eight straight batters, but it fell apart for him after that.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi wasted no time pulling starter A.J. Burnett after 6 2/3 scoreless innings once Burnett surrendered a two-out single. But the skipper was nowhere to be found as reliever Joba Chamberlain struggled through the eighth inning, eventually yielding the tying run.

Such is baseball in the 21st century.

So is this: With runners on first and second and no one out in the bottom of the sixth, Francisco Cervelli stepped to the plate with a chance to help the Yankees add to their slim 1-0 lead.

Alex Gonzalez’s RBI single with the bases loaded in the top of the 11th inning started a five-run rally as Toronto topped New York, 6-1, Friday afternoon at Yankee Stadium.