Sox Look To Salvage Split After Bats Come Alive in Tampa

By Erik Pesta

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

J.D. Drew got the scoring going early in Saturday's game, doubling in two first-inning runs, giving the Red Sox a lead that was later threatened but never relinquished. They scored three more times in the second inning and once more in the third, in support of Tim Wakefield. The veteran knuckeballer gave up five runs (all earned), on seven hits in five innings to earn the victory. He runs his 2009 record to 3-1, but also now has a lifetime record against Tampa of 20-5. It is the fifth-highest winning percentage among active pitchers against a single opponent.

The Rays threatened to come back and tie the game as Carlos Pena homered in the fourth, before Evan Longoria knocked in a pair and Pat Burrell added an RBI of his own in the fifth, making the score 6-5, Boston. However, the resilient Sox came charging right back. Kevin Youkilis doubled in a pair in the sixth and Mike Lowell scorched a solo homer in the seventh, before Youkilis added his third RBI of the night by drawing a walk to score Nick Green, running the score to 10-5. The Rays would manage one more run in the ninth against Boston reliever Takashi Saito to close out the scoring.

The Red Sox (15-9 overall) are just 2-4 this season against Tampa, but look to earn a split of the four-game weekend series this afternoon. Brad Penny (2-0, 8.66 ERA) faces Rays' Opening Day starter James Shields (2-2, 3.74 ERA). First pitch is 1:38 p.m. from Tropicana Field in Tampa. The Sox will then head to the Bronx to begin their first-ever series at the new Yankee Stadium tomorrow.

Game ball, Eddie House

By Brendan Hall
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

This was the Eddie House we had all been waiting for.

In truth it seemed only a matter of time before House, who set a franchise record this season in three-point percentage (46 percent), found his groove again -- shooters never stay cold for long. And the timing couldn't have been any better.

Yes, this is a game he will be telling his grandkids about. Perfect from the line (2 for 2) and a perfect 5 for 5 from the field -- including 4 for 4 from three-point range -- spelled doom tonight for the Bulls, as the ninth-year man out of Arizona State threw down several clutch shots late to quell a furious Chicago rally and finally win this series, 4-3.

This was a night when several Celtics grew up. Kendrick Perkins, on the heels of a career night, put in another solid performance (14 points, 13 rebounds) and refused to get pushed around on the blocks. Glen Davis (15 points) showed us some moves tonight that made me remember that in high school he was a 6-foot-8, 330-pound running back.

Brian Scalabrine, for once, proved he's actually worth the minutes Doc put him in for. Even Mikki Moore (aka the homeless man's PJ Brown), in just under three minutes, proved some mettle (four points, two rebounds and ZERO fouls).

If the Celtics had somehow squandered that second-quarter cushion, I'd probably be carrying on ad nauseum about what a horrendous call that Hinrich-tripping-over-his-own-feet call was on Pierce. I don't know what's worse, that call, the infamous Chuck Knoblauch "ghost tag" on Jose Offerman in the 99 ALCS, or every call by Bennett Salvatore in the 06 Finals.

But you know what? Tonight, much akin to the spirit of a good broadcasting team, I'm going to stay quiet and let the emotions paint the picture. Let's be content for the moment that we just witnessed a beautiful roller coaster of a run, and not worry for at least 24 hours that we have to now deal with Dwight Howard and Hedo FREAKIN Turkoglu.

The night is young. And tonight, it has a green tint to it.

B's Downgrade 'Canes to Tropical Storm

By Matt Ingram
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff


There were a few major stories that play out through game 1; loose pucks, turnovers and goaltending. Each played a vital role in the Bruins 4-1 victory over the 'Canes.

Boston nabbed a 1-0 lead just 1:34 in when Michael Ryder chased down a loose puck behind the Carolina net and passed it to Aaron Ward at the point. Ward, a former Hurricane, shot it toward Carolina goalie Cam Ward, and David Krejci tipped it home.

Throughout the rest of the 1st period the B's lacked the urgency you need in a playoff game. It finally bit them in the seat of their pants when Mark Stuart turned the puck over at the 'Canes blue line creating a 3 on 2 going towards the Bruins' zone. Ryan Bayda carried the puck over the blue line, then dropped it to Jussi Jokinen who, with 1:10 left in the period unleashed a slap shot that snuck between Thomas’ pads. An instant later, Bayda steamrolled Thomas, earning a visit to the penalty box for goalie interference. Carolina had seemingly taken control of the game after Jokinen tied it at 1.

Boston took the reins back and the lead at 7:21 into the second when Milan Lucic tipped a Phil Kessel shot, setting up a room service rebound for Mark Savard. He cleaned up the loose puck for his first goal of the night.

Then at 12:41, Ryder stole a Tuomo Ruutu pass in the neutral zone and broke in on a 2-on-1 with Blake Wheeler. Ryder, who is on fire in the playoffs, chose to keep it and whistled a wrist shot over the left shoulder of Ward.

The latter part of the second period and the beginning of the third period became a flurry of turnovers. The Bruins coughed up the puck multiple times causing Tim Thomas to show why he is a Vezina Trophy finalist. “Realizing that goal was a little ugly, I wanted to do everything I could to save everything else to redeem myself,” Thomas said. He did with two phenomenal game saving saves. The first was a kick save on a Ryan Bayda tip at the end of the second period. The second was with a pad save on an Eric Staal backdoor play early in the third. Thomas continued his stellar goal play the remainder of the game finishing with 26 saves.

Sloppy played led to the final Bruins goal. Lucic stole the puck at center ice he dropped it for Kessel, which got stolen by Matt Cullen. Cullen turned it over to Savard, then tipped it up to Kessel, who brought it into Carolin's end, Savard took a drop pass from Kessel and beat Ward, who gave little effort to protect the net to ending the scoring for the evening.

The Bruins created their goals from fore checking and great center ice transitions into the offensive zone, but if the B's continue to turn the puck over to the 'Canes, Thomas won't be able to stop them all.

Celtics in for a Game 7 screamer

By Brendan Hall
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Voicemail from one of my college roommmates, a diehard Lakers fan, after the Celtics lost Game 6 to the Hawks: "Hey, HEY hey, where you watching Game 7 homey? Where you watching? Ahhhh-hahahaha!"

Text from said former roommate: "Where you watching Game 7?"

Stupor-induced cat-call from across the bar by another old UMass buddy, Brookline resident and San Diego transplant, Vaughn: "Good one, Red. Lakers, baby. LAY-kers."

Everyone seems to be enjoying this seven-game, first-round, modern-day Othello except us Celtics fans. For the fourth time in six games, Game 6 went into extra frames -- this time three overtimes -- before the Chicago Bulls snuck away with a 128-127 victory, before a raucous United Center crowd and a plethora of half-nervous/half-angry Boston faithful watching from big screens all over the 617 area code.

Unlike that Hawks series last year, where you knew the Big Three were going to come out of the gates steaming mad and take control form the get-go, I feel like the ball is in Chicago's court. The Bulls could totally take this Game 7 by double-digits, and the viewing public would no longer be shocked. The Bulls have been shocking the establishment for the past two games, and now they've got nothing to lose in this final act of the series.

Should KG give it a go? I'm not going to cling to my crazy theory from Game 5, but at this point I'll take a wounded Tony Battie. Heck, I'll take Vitaly Potapenko, Eric Montross, Stojko Vrankovic, anybody at this point. The C's starting rotation needs some help, in the most desperate way.

That's all I got for now. More to come this afternoon.

Perfect Day for Game 1

By Matt Ingram
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff


May 1, May Day. May Day is synonymous with international workers day, the perfect day to start the second round of the Bruins Playoffs. The history of the Boston Bruins has always been of a blue collar team that works hard, is physical and creates their own opportunities. That is the reason why May Day is the perfect Holiday for the Bruins; they are the ultimate hard working team. The B's are the best team in the Playoffs as shown in the Montreal series that concluded 9 days ago.

Aaron Ward was on WEEI yesterday morning describing the makeup of the club,"We are a group of guys that are hard workers, we're not based on talent alone. We don't have a Hossa, Datsyuk and Zetterberg. We have four hard working lines and three great defensive pairings and a goaltender that -- goaltending duo that stand on their head." Don't get me wrong, the Bruins have talent in Phil Kessel, Mark Savard, and David Krejci. Without players like Aaron Ward , PJ Axellson and Shawn Thornton the B's wouldn't have the grit to advance very far.

Puck drops in 30 minutes, let's listen for the "Mayday" calls from the Hurricanes.

Jeff Storme wins 2 Free Red Sox tickets

By Jim Ingram

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Congratulations to Jeff Storme for winning our first contest.  He added the most followers to Fan Fanatic Sports group page on Facebook.  

Stay tuned for the next contest coming soon!

Matt Garza Continues Mastery Of Red Sox

Matt Garza carried a perfect game into the seventh inning before it was broken up by Jacoby Ellsbury. The Boston speedster legged out an infield single, the lone blemish that kept Tampa's starter from achieving history.

Last year's ALCS Most Valuable Player struck out 10 before being lifted in the eighth inning with a huge lead. Grant Balfour came on to nail down the shutout as Garza left to a standing ovation. Tampa would go on to win the game 13-0, pounding out 18 hits.

Early in the game, Evan Longoria provided all the offense the Rays would need with a three-run double off Red Sox starter Josh Beckett. Longoria would also homer in the sixth off reliever Hunter Jones. Beckett is now 2-2 on the season after his second straight bad performance.

Garza, just 25 years old, is now 7-1 lifetime against Boston and is 2-0 this year, having beaten the Sox during the first week of the season at Fenway Park. Maybe some day the Sox will be able to figure the young right hander out.

The Sox look to get back on track tonight. They face the Rays in game two of their weekend series, with Justin Masterson (2-0, 2.70 ERA) facing Andy Sonnanstine (0-3, 7.78 ERA). First pitch is at 7:38 PM from Tropicana Field in Tampa.