Last night the Red Sox had an opportunity to sweep the Detroit Tigers, gain a bit in the standings and end the month of May on a winning note.
But they didn’t.
Instead they dropped the final game of a four-game series with Detroit and ended the month only one game above .500. Â Still, this is progress. Consider that the Red Sox started May by losing five games consecutively and eight of their first twelve games of the month. Things didn’t look good for them at all. Â They started the month 4.5 games out of first and by May 18th they were 7.5 games out. Â Sitting at three games out of first place on June 1st is definitely progress even if it doesn’t feel like it after watching Josh Beckett and the bullpen struggle last night.
Out of the four pitchers used last night, three of them, including Beckett, gave up a combined 14 hits and 7 runs. Only Matt Albers, who came into the game in the 8th inning after Franklin Morales gave up a solo home run and two walks, pitched cleanly by striking out Danny Worth with two on and two out.
Yet, despite all the struggles of the team in these first two months, they’re three games out of first place. Â For perspective, the Minnesota Twins are in last place in the AL Central and they’re out by 10.5 games. Â The Oakland A’s are last in the AL West and out by nine games. The only other team in ALL of baseball, both American and National Leagues, sitting in first place and out by less than 9 games is the Philadelphia Phillies who are also just three games out of first but last in their division.
Tonight the Red Sox take to the road for a three-game series in Toronto before coming back to Boston for a series against the Baltimore Orioles that will lead them into interleague play. With six games coming up against teams in their division, the Red Sox have an opportunity to erase that three game deficit and make their way up in the standings.
(Originally published on Examiner.com)