Fenway Forum

Dice-K struggled for 4 2/3 innings pitching 101 pitches and giving up 4 runs - while Jake Westbrook looked like an all-star - holding the Sox to 2 runs in 6 2/3.  Dice-K just hasn’t had the same stuff he had in the first half of the season.  I don’t know if its the workload of a longer season and a shorter rotation or if he’s simply not an unknown to hitters anymore.  As for Westbrook the Red Sox have had success against him in the past but couldn’t get anything going - 20 of Westbrook’s outs came from ground balls.  The sinkerball was able to render the Sox lineup ineffective. 

Wakefield goes tonight for the Red Sox and nobody knows how he is going to perform - having not pitched since September 29.  Paul Byrd will be pitching for the Indians.  Byrd pitched fairly well in his last outing against the Yankees getting the win by going 5 innings and giving up 2 runs.  Against New York he did give up 8 hits but the Yankees were unable to get many home.

Depending on which Red Sox lineup shows up - Boston has a good chance to win this game.