GAME 1
The only tight game was the first with the Red Sox getting a 6-4 win.
It feels strange to complain about the lack of offensive production in a game where they score 6 runs, but it could have been so much more. They left 15 baserunners and went 2 for 19 with runners in scoring position. Napoli and Middlebrooks got their first home runs of the season, it's nice to see them get going.
GAME 1 BATTING GRADE: B+
Felix Doubront was ok, but nothing special. 5 IP, 9 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 6 K was the final stat line. He kept the game winnable, which I'm happy with out of a 4th starter.
GAME 1 STARTING PITCHING GRADE: C
Koji Uehara came on in the 6th inning after Doubront allowed a leadoff double. He immediately struck out 2 batters and collected the third out to end the inning. This was Uehara's second appearance and he has 2 holds, no hits and no walks. It's hard to ask for a better performance than that. I really like Uehara. He's pitching great and has really great enthusiasm and energy. Junichi Tazawa came on for the 7th. This was a bit rougher for Tazawa as he gave up a solo home run to tie the game and a triple in his inning of work. Ironically, Tazawa was the winning pitcher in this game. Andrew Bailey gave up a double and a walk, but kept Toronto off the board to preserve the 5-4 lead. Joel Hanrahan came on to close in the ninth with a 6-4 lead. He allowed a walk to get the tying run to the plate, but got the out and collected another save. This bullpen has been really solid in the first six games.
GAME 1 BULLPEN GRADE: B+
GAME 2
This was probably the worst game of the season so far for the Red Sox. The end result was a 5-0 loss.
The offense was almost non-existent for the Red Sox against the Blue Jays #5 starter J.A. Happ. Jacoby Ellsbury lead off the game with a double. The Red Sox wouldn't get another hit until a Dustin Pedroia single with two outs in the 9th inning. Happ only lasted 5.1 innings and gave up 3 walks, but the Red Sox couldn't get anything going this game.
GAME 2 BATTING GRADE: F
John Lackey made his first start for the Red Sox since the end of the 2011 season. He left the game in the 5th with a strained right bicep. The latest reports say that his MRI is being analyzed but it looks like he's probably going to the DL for a few weeks at least. The pitching he did do wasn't great, but he didn't have a meltdown either. 4.1 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 8 K was his final stat line. It's worth noting that the one walk he is credited with Alfredo Aceves gave up the 4th ball. Lackey got hurt and handed the game over to Aceves with a 3-2 count on Reyes. The game was still very winnable when he left.
GAME 2 STARTING PITCHING GRADE: C-
Alfredo Aceves took over and closed out the 5th for Lackey. In the 6th Aceves walked two batters before giving up a 3-run home run to Colby Rasmus. After the home run he settled down and retired 8 of the next 9 batters for 3.2 total innings of work to wrap up the game. Aceves seems to be the only real liability in the bullpen so far. In his two appearances he's allowed 2 home runs, neither of which was a solo shot.
GAME 2 BULLPEN GRADE: D
GAME 3
The Red Sox bounced back nicely from a bad game the day before to have their best game of the season.
Facing down the 2012 NL Cy Young winner and Toronto Ace R.A. Dickey and only getting two hits in the previous game, this might have looked like it was going to go badly for the Sox. Instead they tagged Dickey for 8 runs (7 ER) and hit up Dave Bush for another 5 earned runs. Salty and JBJ both went hitless with Bradley reaching once on a walk. Everybody else in the starting lineup had a hit and reached base multiple times. The story of the game was Will Middlebrooks going 4 for 5 with 3 home runs and a double. After a slow series against the Yankees, Middlebrooks really seems to have found his stroke this series and compiled 4 home runs. Nava, Ellsbury and Napoli also hit home runs this game.
GAME 3 HITTING GRADE: A+
Jon Lester scattered 5 singles and a hit batter over seven innings and gave up no runs. 7 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6K, 1 HBP, 100 pitches was the final stat line. It's almost a shame that such a lights out performance came in a game where he was immediately given a 5 run margin of error before throwing his first pitch. Maybe that says something about Lester, that he pitches better when the pressure is off. Then again, he pitched great in the clinching game of the 2007 World Series, so maybe not. Still, a great performance and a nice improvement on the season opener.
GAME 3 STARTING PITCHING GRADE: A
Clayton Mortensen followed up on Lester's solid performance and closed out the game with a 13 run cushion at his disposal. 2 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K is some nice work.
GAME 3 BULLPEN GRADE: A-
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