Sports Redux: Daisuke Makes Our Hearts Sing

If you can't be good, be memorable. Isn't that how the old saying goes? Well, it's a saying the Red Sox took to heart last night, tying a modern-day baseball record with six wild pitches - four by Daisuke Matsuzaka in his first game back - en route to a crummy 4-2 loss to the Twins.

"I think I needed to take more of a leadership role out there, with respect to working with [George] Kottaras today," said Dice afterwards through an interpreter. Maybe he can also provide leadership to Delcarmen and Masterson, who also each sent Kotteras flying with a WP. Terry Francona, never one to pass up a chance to rile up his charges from the north (for which we salute him), said, "George's Canadian background came into play there. Looked like a goalie at times, lot of balls bouncing." Kotteras probably is looking forward to getting back to working with Tim Wakefield's knuckler, which is at least predictably unpredictable.

As for the Sox' offense, it worked where you'd expect: Jason Bay hit his fourteenth, Jacoby Ellsbury (22-game streak) went 2-for-4, and Lowell and Pedroia got hits. And it didn't work where you'd expect, too: David Ortiz went 0-for-4, a shellshocked Kotteras went hitless, and not many of those hits came with men on base. Josh Beckett will try for the series split this afternoon.

Elsewhere in baseball, the Yankees won, so the Sox and NY are tied for first in the AL East, and order is restored in the universe. (Remember Toronto? They've lost nine in a row. Not a bad time for the Sox to visit there this weekend). And Chicago's Carlos Zambrano entered baseball insanity history with his enthusiastic meltdown after a close play at the plate. As freakouts go, this is right up there with George Brett, though we don't think anything will ever top the Mississippi Braves manager a couple years ago. And in case you were wondering if some Internet weirdo was trying to get Manny Ramirez into the All-Star Game, 2-month suspension or not, wonder no more.

In other sports, the Red Wings knocked out Chicago, so the Stanley Cup Finals are a Det/Pit rematch of last year. And the Lakers took Game Five in LA, so they lead Denver 3-2, worrying everyone except people in Los Angeles and the NBA league offices.

Screenshot from the second greatest baseball movie (and ninth greatest overall) of all time.