The Red Sox are again out to avenge a series-opening loss as they take on the Oakland Athletics Tuesday night.
We'll keep you up-to-date on all the action as it goes down in the Coliseum.
Red Sox 2, Athletics 1, Mid 9th -- A fundamental failure of an inning costs the Red Sox insurance runs yet again. With the first two runners reaching again, Nick Punto fails to get a bunt down, instead popping it up to Chris Carter, who fired to Jemile Weeks for the double play. Ryan Kalish making the final out at third just completed the trifecta of awful play.
Red Sox 2, Athletics 1, End 8th -- A huge escape for Vicente Padilla keeps the Red Sox on top headed to the ninth. A single and an error put two men on base before an out was recorded, and a bunt moved the potential equalizing run 90 feet away with just one out. The Sox elected to load the bases with an intentional walk to Josh Reddick, setting up the potential inning-ending double play, but it turned out they wouldn't need it. Throwing just eight pitches to Yoenis Cespedes and Jonny Gomes, Jenks struck both batters out with fastballs away to end the frame without any damage.
Red Sox 2, Athletics 1, Mid 8th -- The Red Sox nearly put the game away, but instead just waste another big opportunity. After leadoff walks to Dustin Pedroia and David Ortiz, the Sox have their 4-5-6 pitchers go down without much of a fight, with only Adrian Gonzalez so much as putting the ball in play with a long fly ball to center. They've made this a lot harder on themselves than it needs to be.
Red Sox 2, Athletics 1, End 7th -- Despite striking out Brandon Inge after a one-out single, Jon Lester is not allowed to finish the seventh. Bobby Valentine's switch proves at least an equal one, however, as Vicente Padilla gets Seth Smith swinging on four pitches to end the frame.
Red Sox 2, Athletics 1, Mid 7th -- A good luck single for Mike Aviles does not lead to a lucky run for the Red Sox, as the Rest of the Sox go 1-2-3 around him. At just 87 pitches through seven innings, Bartolo could be in line for the complete game loss.
Red Sox 2, Athletics 1, End 6th -- Lester enjoys a quick sixth, and is improbably about to come out for the seventh with under 100 pitches on his arm. It's been an impressive recovery, and one Lester sorely needed. Hopefully he can finish it off cleanly enough to enter his last start before the All-Star break on a positive note.
Red Sox 2, Athletics 1, Mid 6th -- An Adrian Gonzalez single once again breaks up a 1-2-3 frame for Bartolo Colon, but the Sox are still stuck on just the two runs through six.
Red Sox 2, Athletics 1, End 5th -- Kurt Suzuki picks up the first hit in a while against Jon Lester on a single to right, but Coco Crisp strikes out right behind him to end the frame.
Red Sox 2, Athletics 1, Mid 5th -- A Daniel Nava single is all the Sox get in the fifth. They're in the lead, but it's been an uninspiring performance from the offense against Colon.
Red Sox 2, Athletics 1, End 4th -- Another pair of strikeouts get Lester through a 1-2-3 fourth. Since the first, he's been rolling--a great sign for a pitcher who has been struggling of late.
Red Sox 2, Athletics 1, Mid 4th -- Some well-timed bad defense from the Athletics helps the Red Sox to take the lead. Hits from David Ortiz and Adrian Gonzalez with one and two outs respectively puts runners on the corners for the Sox, and while Jarrod Saltalamacchia hits a hard shot to first, it's right at first baseman Chris Carter. Unfortunately for the Athletics, Carter can't handle it, and Salty reaches as the run scores from third.
Red Sox 1, Athletics 1, End 3rd -- It still costs him 13 more pitches, but Lester picks up a pair of strikeouts, so at least he's making the best of them after his very slow stat.
Red Sox 1, Athletics 1, Mid 3rd -- Other than the Jarrod Saltalamacchia homer, Colon is rolling. A 1-2-3 bottom of the third leaves him just that one over the minimum through three.
Red Sox 1, Athletics 1, End 2nd -- Lester settles down in the second by striking out Brandon Inge in a 1-2-3 frame. Still, only a two-pitch groundout from Kurt Suzuki keeps his pitch count under 15 on the frame.
Red Sox 1, Athletics 1, Mid 2nd -- Responding quickly to his demotion to the sixth spot, Jarrod Saltalamacchia blasts a solo shot on a 2-1 changeup to right field to even the score at 1-1.
Athletics 1, Red Sox 0, End 1st -- Lester has felt he's the victim of bad luck of late, but in the first inning it's just bad pitching. A bad fastball to Coco Crisp leads to a leadoff Oakland homer, and some more bad pitches give Jemile Weeks a walk. Back-to-back strike outs mixed in with a single helps Lester to limit the damage to one run, but with over 30 pitches on his arm it's an inning to forget.
Red Sox 0, Athletics 0, Mid 1st -- The Red Sox have carried over their baserunner-wasting ways into yet another game. Daniel Nava leads off the game by taking a five-pitch walk from Bartolo Colon, but just four pitches later Dustin Pedroia tops off a fastball leading to a double play. With David Ortiz grounding out behind him, it's another 1-2-3 frame for Boston.