Sports Redux: Another Day, Another 11-6 Ballgame

A day after beating the Phillies 11-6, the Red Sox found themselves on the wrong end of that same score yesterday. That doesn't happen every weekend.

The recent run of brilliant performances by Sox starters who don't have the initials D.M. came to an end, as Josh Beckett got hit hard in the fifth, then got himself yanked in the seventh, even though he did help his own cause (a phrase sports types are required to say in this situation, even though it's a team game) with a solo home run in between. The game was tied in the bottom of the seventh, but a Jimmy Rollins homer chased Beckett, and Daniel Bard and Takashi Saito poured gasoline on the fire for a backbreaking 6-run inning. Oh, and we noticed your error, too, Julio Lugo.

Bob Ryan tells Boston not to panic about Beckett's bad game. We agree. He also correctly notes that after two marathon-length games, the Sox lineup wasn't at full strength. We also agree. Steve Buckley notes that Daniel Bard now has had his first major league teaching moment, and has some encouraging words from the skipper.

The Lakers mercifully ended the NBA season, dismantling the Magic 99-86. Celtic fans, when you look at how easily Orlando picked apart Cleveland, and how little trouble L.A. had with Orlando, please refrain from kicking the dog. Nothing is guaranteed. Nothing this season, anyway.

Those Celtic fans who remember the dark days of the late 90s and early 00s may remember the name Nate Driggers, who played 15 games for the C's in 1997. Well, he got his name back in the papers, but not for a good reason: he was arrested in Chicago for selling fake Nikes and having $30,000 worth of marijuana in his store at the same time. Where Nate Driggers got $30,000 is what we'd like to know. Anyone heard from Brett Szabo recently?

Photo by Tom Mihalek/Associated Press.