Early Runs Sink Sox...Toronto 6 Boston 3

The playoff hopes for the Boston Red Sox were momentarily put on hold as the Toronto Blue Jays scored 5 runs in the first 2 innings of a 6-3 Sox loss. Roy Halladay was pitching for the Jays, and although Jon Lester settled down and ended up pitching 7 innings, those runs were too much for Boston to overcome. The Sox managed to get 6 hits and three runs off "Doc", but that's all they could muster. The Yankees beat Baltimore so the clinching was not to be in the first place. Minnesota did their part with another loss, so if the Sox get in today, they must wait for the Yankees to lose tonight. That's it, pure and simple. But Boston has to win today, of course. It'll be Daisuke Matsuzaka facing Scott Richmond at 1pm EDT in the season finale between the two teams. After that, there are only 7 home games left in this "so far so good" season...4 with the Indians and the final 3 against the Yankees, who play their last game EVER at Yankee Stadium tonight. Here's what Jon Lester had to say after his 7 inning outing...

"You can't spot a pitcher like Halladay four runs, or five runs, in the second inning," Lester said. "You're just digging yourself too big of a hole."

Peter here, and it was a hole the Sox could not climb out of. But today is another day. The page has been turned, so enjoy the game this afternoon on a Sunday that promises to be crisp and clear here in north central Connecticut. Fall is coming, and coming quick, and that makes me a happy guy. The smell of October is in the air, and with October comes playoff baseball, this year without the Yankees. Boo hoo, huh?

Any and all of your comments will be devoured, digested and responded to after burping. You can click on the title of this post for more on yesterday afternoon's action, and as always, BE WELL. Have a great Sunday...it'll be nice to finally clinch this and still have the better part of a week to iron out the pitching rotation and limit the innings for the guys in the rotation, a rotation that should include Paul Byrd and NOT Timmy Wakefield. The 4th guy will not be needed much in the postseason, so that's why I picked Paul...he's been consistant in contrast to Wakefield's mix of utter brilliance and sheer terror.