Week The First: April 3-9, 2016: "Price Goest Before The Fall"

After a delay of one day thanks to some wretched Eastern US weather, the 2016 season began with David Price doing David Price things, 6 innings with 5 hits and 2 runs followed by Tazawa, Koji, and Craig Kimbrel, just like they drew it up in the playbook, along with homers from Mookie and Papi. Game two began with 2015 flashbacks, the Indians climbing all over Cowboy Clay Buchholz early. After tying the game at 6, the bullpen gave the lead right back courtesy of old friend Mike Napoli going yard off of Taz in a 7-6 loss. Another cancellation followed, and the Sox moved on to Toronto on Friday, nearly blowing another one when Joe Kelly got back to where he once belonged with a 3 inning disasterpiece. But the bullpen held fast and Brock Holt hit a grand slam, leading to a 8-7 win. On Saturday, Rick Porcello made his debut giving up some early runs, but the offense kicked the life out of RA Dickey, winning 8-4, giving us a 3-1 week that seems deceptively rosy.

Games 88-90: Finish Strong

The Red Sox finished the "First Half" today, entering the All Star Break with an 8-6 win over the Orioles, completing a four game sweep of Buck's Birds. On Friday, Boston won 10-3, and on Saturday 4-0, the entire series becoming contentious with numerous HBPs, one fight, and other unpleasantness. The Red Sox, scuffling off of their National League nightmare, have gone 10-1 since.

Games 84-87: Getting Back On The Horse

After dropping a 9-7 John Lackaster on July 4, the Red Sox ripped off three straight wins, 3-2 and 6-4 over Toronto followed by a 10-4 carpet bombing of Baltimore last night. Even though scribes are writing sentences with "Jon Lester" and "DL" in it, the Red Sox head towards the All Star Break in genuine contention.

Games 82 and 83: Finish Strong

The Red Sox finished a unusually difficult National League swing by sweeping the Astros, 10-4 on Saturday and 2-1 Sunday on a bases loaded ninth inning walk. Boston returns home to normality and the Blue Jays today.

Games 79,80,81: Halfway Home

The Red Sox wound up dropping 2 out of three in Philly, losing 2-1 on Wednesday before pulling out a Thursday redemption, 5-2. Boston's trip to Houston started out much better, winning 7-5 last night. The Red Sox are 47-34 at the 81 game mark, exactly halfway through the season. Remarkably, the team has gone 45-24 since the 2-10 nadir in April. #mathishard

Game 78: UndoubtedLEE

Last night right here in the birthplace of liberty, the Red Sox were simply dominated, the Phillies' Cliff Lee tossing a two hit shutout in a 5-0 loss.

Game 77: It's Miller Time!

The struggling Red Sox narrowly avoided a sweep by beating the Pirates today, 4-2, behind six innings from formerly hot prospect Andrew Miller. The four game losing streak mercifully over, the Red Sox move on to Philadelphia for a series that starts Tuesday.