The Red Sox flew home from San Francisco early yesterday morning. As far we know, nobody hit his head on an overhead compartment, got airsick or pulled a muscle carrying luggage.
Boston completed a successful romp through interleague play by roughing up Tim Lincecum on Sunday to finish 13-5 against the NL, moving a game ahead of the Rays for sole possession of the wild card.
And it’s the Rays who greet the returning Sox at Fenway tonight for a crucial three-game series. After B.J. Upton’s loafing in the field and woofing in the dugout Sunday, the Rays aren‘t entirely of sound mind as June comes to an end.
The Sox’s heads, conversely, are sharp as tacks after erasing an 8 -game deficit. It’s the body that’s completely falling apart.
The second wave of injuries hit the Sox hard this weekend, with Dustin Pedroia likely out until August with a broken bone in his foot, Clay Buchholz missing at least one start with a balky hamstring and Victor Martinez’s status uncertain with a busted finger. Along with Jacoby Ellsbury, Josh Beckett, Mike Lowell, Mike Cameron, J.D. Drew and Daisuke Matsuzaka, the Sox own the most star-studded sick bay since the last episode of “M.A.S.H.”
So far, the Red Sox have handled their misfortune with aplomb. Daniel Nava, Bill Hall, Darnell McDonald and a rotating cast of starters and relievers have plugged the holes and kept the Red Sox winning.
