Sports Redux: Lost Day

AP Photo/Elise Amendola

That quote wraps up the entire sports day as the Boston Red Sox and the New England Patriots were on the losing end of surprising comebacks yesterday.

The Sox suffered a shocking defeat, 7-6, to the Angels. Simply losing to the Angels, which nobody rooting for the Red Sox really expected would happen, is one thing. But, this loss, in the stunning fashion in which it was carried out, will probably be memorable.

Red Sox irrepressible closer Jonathan Papelbon is always the coolest cat around. He has the sunglasses and an endless supply of things to say and that 26-inning postseason scoreless streak. Papelbon gave up a 6-4 lead in the ninth to L.A., including the game-winning, two-RBI single to Vladimir Guerrero.

Much of the focus before the game was on first-time playoff starter
Clay Buchholz and how he'd deal with being given the ball with his team's season in the balance. He threw a lot of pitches in the early innings, but also allowed only two runs to the Angels in those five innings. He left the game with a lead of 5-2, which is something neither Josh Beckett nor Jon Lester can say. Not that they can control the score because the subject of run support is outside their control.

The Red Sox bats, silent for the first two games of the ALDS, provided Buchholz with what appeared, for a while anyway, to be enough runs to extend the series another day. Bostonist wasn't surprised that Dustin Pedroia drove in the Sox' first two runs with a third-inning double. Victor Martinez singled to make the score 3-0. After Kendry Morales hit a home run in the fourth, J.D Drew homered in the fourth for a 5-1 lead.

Oh, yeah, look for a new edition of Dan Shaughnessy's favorite book. Surprised?

The Patriots dropped a highly competitive game to the Denver Broncos, 20-17, in overtime. While the shock factor of this loss wasn't as great, the idea of the Patriots losing to an unbeaten Denver (5-0) team that was lightly regarded had not really been considered. The moment when Bill Belichick would prove to Josh McDaniels that he didn't teach him everything he knew never transpired.

Denver's defense stifled the Patriots in the second half. The Tom Brady-Randy Moss connection did little, especially when you consider that Moss caught his first pass while playing defensive back. To Bostonist, Brady looked sloppy or out-of-synch each time he overthrew Moss. We can't really describe how badly he missed Wes Welker on a play, which, if executed as planned, would have resulted in a back-breaking touchdown.

Denver's Kyle Orton was 35-48 for 330 yards and two touchdowns against New England's defense. As McDaniels is an offensive coach, it's likely he actively participated in Sunday's scheme.

Denver is for real. The Patriots, well, we aren't sure what they are.

If you aren't depressed enough already, the Yankees swept Minnesota in the final game at the Metrodome.

Despite allowing three goals in the second period to the New York Islanders, it's possible to argue Tuukka Rask is the reason the Boston Bruins escaped with a 4-3 win on Saturday. Rask finished with 35 saves on 38 shots, and allowed three goals in a span of about 12:00 in the second period. Aside from that stretch, Rask kept the Bruins close until their offense arrived.