Sports Redux: Worst Fire Brigade Ever

Justin Masterson deserved better than this. Plucked from AA Portland to fill in for the plague-ridded Red Sox, Masterson sparkled in his big league debut, giving up just two hits and a run in six innings. He should have been sent home with a bag of souvenirs, a "see you in August" promise, and most importantly, a W.

Well....not so fast. The Sox' 3-1 lead got turned over to the bullpen. When the bullpen's good, it's very good, but there are days when they show all the professionalism and joie de vivre of your local Registry staff. Javier Lopez gave up a walk and a single, Manny Delcarmen (pitching in an iron lung) gave up a walk and a single, then Okajima came in and gave up two straight singles. Four runs in and a 5-3 deficit before the first out. Way to put out that fire, guys. (David Aardsma coughed up an Angel insurance run.)

David Ortiz homered in the ninth to make it a slightly-more-respectable 7-5 final. If the team survived the flight to Florida, Tim Wakefield will start against the Devil Rays tonight in St. Petersburg.

The Red Sox aren't the only local team in a personnel crisis. The Revolution had to leave a bunch of key players home, but they still managed to circle the wagons and beat FC Dallas, 1-0, on a Khano Smith goal in the 72nd minute. Despite their rash of injuries, the Revs are tied for the most points in the MLS standings.

Coming up is the greatest weekend of the year for sports fans, as thousands and thousands of NFL draft experts will go back to the unemployment line on Monday. We'll tell you who the Pats picked, but we promise never to do a mock draft in this space. If you're dying for one, go to any other site on the World Wide Web. Never have so many analyzed so much for so little.

Don Gillis was a little before our time, but the accolades that are pouring in from all over make us wish that wasn't so. One of the titans of Boston sports media, Gillis passed away yesterday at 85. Go do a little candlepin bowling tonight in his honor.

Photo by Katken, from photos tagged "bostonist" on Flickr.