Sports Redux: Tiger Hangover

Let's give a hand to WEEI caller Pauley, who aptly summed up Tuesday's Sox home game against the Detroit Tigers during the Planet Mikey Show with, "It was a drinking night tonight."

It wasn't a pretty showing at Fenway on Tuesday, despite the presence of the brilliant-this-season Tim Wakefield on the mound. The Sox endured a 7-2 pounding that was led by Tiger pitcher and 2006 AL Rookie of the Year Justin Verlander (7 2/3 innings, six hits, two runs, seven strikeouts) and a bevy of Detroit batters. Brandon Inge and and Magglio Ordonez homered for the Tigers and Ivan Rodriguez connected for three hits over the course of the night.

The Sox were left a bit beaten in the loss, especially J.D. Drew. The Sox rightfielder bruised his lower back when he unsuccessfully chased Inge's third-inning blast and left after the seventh. We're keeping our fingers crossed that he's back quickly, as we're still wincing over Wily Mo Pena's blunders on Friday night. Just sayin.

Silver linings, beyond the fact that Boston is still 26-12: Kevin Youkilis hit a solo homer in the eighth, snapping a 49-inning team home run drought (Manny, feel free to step in at any time now). Josh Beckett threw off a mound before the game and the Globe says the team's "encouraged by his progress." We'll conveniently ignore the Globe's analysis of the last time this happened to Beckett.

-- We wouldn't remark on the latest with Roger Clemens' egotrip - er, comeback - but everyone was buzzing Tuesday evening about something that directly affects the Sox season. The Pitcher Formerly Known As Rocket said Tuesday that he could join the Yankees rotation as soon as May 28. What's that mean for Boston? If it all does work out that way, he really might be making a start at Fenway on June 2 or 3. While Bostonist strongly believes that the best way to shake Clemens in Boston would be an indifferent silence upon the announcement of his name, we're also realistic and know that folks in New Hampshire could hear the boos from Yawkey Way (if the winds are just right).

-- In related Yankee news, former Bronx Bomber Gary Sheffield has said that New York is going to have one tough time catching up with the Sox. "Right now, Boston has to like their position because everybody else has to play perfect baseball to catch them," said now-Tiger Sheffield, according to the Herald. For one shimmering afternoon, Sheffield seemed wise, almost likeable. Who knew?

-- Barry Bonds finally responded to Curt Schilling's remarks last week by not responding. Bonds said he was "too old" to respond to what he described as "childish activities." He also refused to talk about his home run chase and said he didn't want any focus on him at all, which we hope elicted a collective cough of "bull..." from the reporters present. But without home runs, steroids or outspoken pitchers to discuss, reporters were left pretty much to chat with Bonds about the weather and say, "How 'bout dem Red Sox, eh?"

Your playoff breakdown: Ben Gordon's 28 points led a offense-happy Chicago over the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference Semifinal Game 5 on Tuesday, 108-92. The Bulls now trail Detroit 3-2 in the series. But the Golden State Cinderella story came to a close last night when the Utah Jazz took 'em down, 100-87. San Antonio's Robert Horry was suspended for two games for sending Phoenix's Steve Nash into the scorer's table during play on Monday night, but Suns Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw were suspended one game each for jumping off the bench to go after Horry. Drama, drama, drama as the teams head into Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinal tonight tied at 2 games apiece.

On the ice, Detroit made Ducks fans squirm with a 5-0 win in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals. Props to the Associated Press for the following synopsis: "Tomas Holmstrom finished with two goals, an assist, and 13 stitches."

Photo of Wake in trouble from Bostonist's Jon Petitt.