Red Sox Game - Live Blog

Live blog today with entries from each inning. Brad Penny vs. Joe Saunders. This game has the potential to be a good pitchers duel. Penny is the Sox winter signing that excited me the most. If he's healthy, he's an All Star; a #2 starter. I'm more enthusiastic about Penny than Smoltz, because Smoltz is 43 years old. Anyway, here we go...

Pregame - What is that dead animal on TV analyst Eric Karros' head?

1st inning - I abhor the Red Sox new uniforms. First of all, the team name is the RED SOX, why do they now have navy blue socks? Second, why are they emulating the NY Yankees? These new away uniforms look EXACTLY like the Yankees road threads. AWFUL!

Angels manufacture a run with a walk, stolen base and two ground outs. Textbook. Well done.

2nd inning - Brad Penny was only hitting 88-89 mph on the radar gun in the first inning, but as of the second inning, he loosened up and has been consistently hitting 93 on the radar gun.

It drives me crazy when the Red Sox get guys in scoring position and no one out and can't capitalize. This is the second time in two innings they've done this.

3rd inning - Jason Varitek moves his front foot too much in the batters box. He takes 2-3 steps with his front foot per swing. The last Sox player who moved his feet that much in the batters box was Troy O'Leary.

How did Mike Napoli get on top of that high fastball and blast it over the CF fence? 2-0 Halos.

4th inning - Papi just doesn't look like the same hitter to me. I know it's early in the season, but I'm starting to wonder about this offense. It looks good on paper, but can they hit good pitching?

On that crazy juggling catch Jason Bay just made, I think Angels manager Mike Scioscia has a good case that the ball bounced off the wall while it was being juggled.

5th inning - After a Jason Bay walk, Mike Lowell ties it up with a rocket into the left field bleachers. 2-2 game. What Red Sox fan doesn't love Mike Lowell?

Penny just hit 95 on the gun. I've been impressed with him so far. Not bad for a 5th starter, huh? Eric Karros just agreed with me.

Spoke to soon. Napoli just crushed one that's now orbiting somewhere over the Pacific Ocean. 3-2 Angels.

6th inning - Sox go 1-2-3. Joe Saunders always pitches well vs. the Blue Sox.

Vladimir Guerrerro doesn't scare me anymore in the least. He swings at too many bad pitches and gets himself out too often.

Nice 1-2-3 outing for Penny. I'm guessing this will be it for him. Six innings, 3 runs is a nice start for a guy who only threw 12 spring training innings.

7th inning - Jason Bay jacks a line drive down the LF line, HOME RUN, driving in Rocco Baldelli, who singled to get on base. Sox ahead, 4-3. I was just thinking that Bay was due to break out.

Second hit of the day for the birthday boy, Jason Varitek. He's 37 today and has a single and a double.

Ramon Ramirez now on the hill for the Red Sox. He's sporting a really nice glove - a Spalding. You don't see too many Spalding gloves anymore. I remember having two as a kid - a kid model which was my first glove and a first baseman's mitt that I inherited from my cousin.

Two HR and a double today for Mike Napoli. When did he suddenly morph into Buddy Bell/Don Money/Junior Felix, the tri captains of the all time Red Sox killer team?

8th inning - Kevin Jepsen in the game to replace starter Joe Saunders for the Angels. Jepsen apparently attended the, "How To Wear a Baseball Cap and Not Bend the Bill 101" course taught by instructor Joba Chamberlain. He also attended the course taught by Chamberlain called, "How To Pitch the 8th and Get a 1-2-3 Inning".

Howie Kendrick hits a can of corn to the warning track. Jacoby has it all the way with a few feet to spare.

Kevin Youkilis may be "The Greek God of Walks", but I believe Bobby Abreu has the best batting eye in baseball.

NICE PLAY on a grounder to Youkilis, who dove and tipped it to Pedroia, who picked it up and zipped it to Ramirez covering 1B for the out. Well done. Two outs in the 8th and here comes Papelbon to face Vlad Guerrerro. Good job by Ramirez going 1 2/3 innings allowing 0 runs.

Guerrerro lines out to Bay in LF, and we head to the 9th inning, 4-3 ,Good Guys.

9th inning - Justin Speier in the game for the Angels in relief for Jepsen.

Another ding dong for Jason Bay. 5-3 Blue Sox!

Torii Hunter hits a bomb into the right center field bleachers off Papelbon. 5-4 S0x. I always liked Torii. He's a good player.

Kendry Morales ropes a double down the RF line. The speedy Reggie Willits is in to run for Morales with 0 outs. Papelbon is making an adventure out of this.

Rivera grounds out to SS. Willits stays at 2B.

The red hot Napoli at the plate. Napoli walks and represents the potential winning run at 1B.

Erick Aybar up. STRUCK HIM OUT! Two outs.

The pesky Chone Figgins could be the Angels last gasp. Walk. Bases loaded. Papelbon is putting forth a classic Load Em Up Lee Smith type closing adventure.

After an interminable AB, with 7 pitches fouled off, Howie Kendrick lines out to RF to end the game.

RED SOX WIN! THHHHHHHHEEEEEEEEEEE RED SOX WIN!