Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawn. Another Pedro start, another win.
All worries about Pedro's invinciblity are behind us. Five start winless streak? A memory. Oblique muscle pull? Gone. The old Pedro is back. The potatoes that is the Sox' playoff chances just got a big helping of gravy.
The last two starts, against the power-laden White Sox and the A's. 16 innings. 1 run. 26 strikeouts. The first Athletic to bat -- Terrence Long -- was the last one to score. His homer gave the A's a one-run lead, and for a brief moment, it seemed as if Pedro was emulating his older brother's early game tendencies.
However, Pedro silenced the green and gold the rest of the way, and the Sox did a little bit better against Oakland starter Mark Mulder. Ed Sprague touched up the lefty for a two-run homer in the 2nd inning. Jason Varitek had reached earlier on an error by A's third baseman Eric Chavez. Two innings later, His Nomarness duplicated the home run feat, driving in Brian Daubach, who had walked.
Pedro not only made the runs stand up, but gave the Sox bullpen some much needed rest. After tiring and retiring to the clubhouse after seven, both Rich Garces and Derek Lowe finished up the game in style. Both relievers, struggling recently, pitched good innings, and hopefully, both have turned around their seasons. On a slightly more maddening note, the Sox offense stalled past the fourth inning, and looks like it still may need a shot in the arm.
However, a win is a win; the Sox gained a game on Toronto, losers in Seattle, and are now only half a game behind the current wildcard A's. Tomorrow Jeff Fassero, he of the six-shutout innings his last start, will try to continue the Sox winning ways.