For the second time this season, the Sox have an eight game winning streak. We're just 31 games into the season, and half of those games are covered during the two streaks, sandwiching a mild three game losing skid in between.
The season seems to be all about symmetry to this point. It started by going 2 up, one down, for the opening 12 games, then rolling through the current 19 game stretch. They head to Tampa, who rolled over for Minnesota this weekend, looking to break the symmetry and continue the current streak.
My mother gave me one helluva head cold for Mother's Day, so I'm headed to bed without a game recap. OK, here's a short one.
- Juan Uribe took an inning off in the field. It cost the Sox at least a couple runs. I still love to watch that guy play though. He nearly turned a triple play early in the game.
- Mark Buehrle looked great for the first three innings. He got knocked around a little after that, but was able to come up the the key double play numerous times to get out of jams.
- The 4 runs the Sox gave up in the fourth inning moved their season total of runs allowed in the fourth to 5. That's right, in some bizarre anomaly, the Sox went the first 30 games yielding just one run in the fourth inning of those games.
- Konerko looked bad again. I'm starting to get worried.
- I really like the way Ozzie has been using the pen lately. He's playing the match-ups and not letting a silly title like "closer" dictate who works in a given situation
The Sox made a series of roster moves after the game.
Optioned INF Pedro Lopez to Triple-A Charlotte.
Recalled LHP Kevin Walker from Triple-A Charlotte.
INF Willie Harris activated off the Bereavement List.
Is somebody ailing a little in the pen?
They didn't feel the need to call up anyone when Hermanson was unavailable for about a week, so I doubt that is the case.
Has the pen been overworked?
Not even close. No pitcher has pitched more than 2.1 innings in the past 7 days.
I really can't explain the move in any way. Adding an extra arm to the least used bullpen in the AL(2 years running) doesn't seem like a smart move to me. I suppose he's just keeping a spot warm for Ross Gload who's due to come off the DL in about a week.
After that comes the $64,000 question: Who's gone when Frank comes back?