Halladay leads Blue Jays vs. Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox will spend Memorial Day in Canada as the American League East division leaders head to Toronto for a key three-game series with the Blue Jays beginning tonight.
The Red Sox come in fresh of a four-game sweep of Tampa Bay and currently hold a two-game edge on the rival Yankees for first place in the division, with Toronto lurking at 3 1/2 games back.
Boston completed the sweep on Sunday behind eight shutout innings from Tim Wakefield, then survived a four-run rally from the Devil Rays in the ninth inning to hold on for a 5-4 victory.
Wakefield (4-6) gave up five hits while striking out four and walking one. He is now 14-2 with a 2.77 earned run average lifetime against Tampa Bay.
Relievers Rudy Seanez and Julian Tavarez nearly coughed up the 5-0 lead in the ninth, but Red Sox left fielder Willie Harris gunned down Joey Gathright at the plate to prevent the tying run from scoring and record the game's final out.
Mark Loretta finished 2-for-5 with three RBI and extended his hitting streak to 13 games for Boston, while Trot Nixon had a pair of hits and a run batted in.
Red Sox center fielder Coco Crisp went 1-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored in his first game back off the 15-day disabled list. Crisp suffered a non- displaced fracture of his left ring finger April 9 against Baltimore while sliding into third base
Boston's win streak will be put to the test this evening, as the Sox will have to face Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay.
The 2003 AL Cy Young Award winner is putting together another stellar season, bringing an impressive 6-1 record and a 2.77 earned run average into tonight's tilt. Halladay hasn't lost since April 9 and the Blue Jays have won eight of the star right-hander's nine season starts.
Halladay dominated Tampa Bay in his most recent outing, allowing just one run on seven hits without a walk before being lifted with two outs in the ninth inning. Over his last four starts, the 29-year-old is 3-0 with a 1.87 ERA.
He limited Boston to a run over five innings in an 8-1 Toronto win at Rogers Centre on April 22, but Halladay wasn't as good against the Red Sox in Fenway earlier this month. He was touched for five runs and nine hits in six innings and received a no decision in a 7-6 Blue Jays' triumph on May 3.
Halladay owns an 8-6 record and a 4.49 ERA in 25 career appearances (22 starts) against Boston.
The Red Sox counter with erratic righty Matt Clement, who was shelled for eight runs and nine hits over 4 1/3 innings in Wednesday's 8-6 loss to the Yankees. The veteran has alternated wins and losses over his last six starts.
Clement will be facing the Blue Jays for the fourth time this season and is 2-1 with a 5.87 ERA in his three starts against them. One of those wins came at Rogers Centre on April 23, when Clement allowed three runs -- two earned -- in 5 1/3 innings of a 6-3 Boston triumph.
For his career Clement is 2-3 with a gaudy 7.34 ERA in seven starts versus Toronto.
The Jays took two of three from the defending world champion Chicago White Sox over the weekend, but couldn't complete the sweep on Sunday. Jermaine Dye went 3-for-4 with a homer and two runs scored to lead Chicago to a 7-5 win in the finale.
Lyle Overbay had a pair of home runs and Troy Glaus hit his 15th homer of the season for the Blue Jays, who are 4-2 on their current nine-game homestand.
Ty Taubenheim (0-2), making his second major league start, gave up five runs (four earned) on six hits and four walks in 2 1/3 innings to absorb the loss.
Toronto has won five of the eight meetings between the clubs this season and is 16-10 against Boston since the beginning of the 2005 campaign. The Blue Jays took two of three from the Sox at Rogers Centre last month.
Celtics Team Report
The Celtics head into the season carrying a double-edged sword. Their youth is their hope, but it is also the reason why they could get off to a very slow start and find themselves out of the playoff race by the time they get their act together.
As much as veterans like Paul Pierce and Ricky Davis and Mark Blount and Raef LaFrentz will be keys, so, too, will be second-year players Delonte West, Al Jefferson and Justin Reed and rookies Ryan Gomes and Orien Greene. In his third year -- albeit straight out of high school -- Kendrick Perkins is a relative graybeard.
"Yeah, we're young," said Davis. "But we can't go using that as an excuse. We've got guys who can play. That's the bottom line."
Having put this crew together, executive director of basketball operations Danny Ainge is obviously optimistic about its prospects.
"I think we're a better shooting and passing team, and I think we're a better defensive team than we were last year -- better rebounding," he said. "I think we're a better team."
As for the preponderance of youth, Ainge said, "I think we see it in all sports. When young players get an opportunity, they shine. Not all young players, of course, but I think we have some good people."
Pierce agrees, which is an important point because he questioned the team's move further into rebuilding at the start of this past offseason.
"We have a little more youth from a year ago," Pierce said. "But I think we have a lot more talent. We brought in some new guys. I think we have a year more experience now with the young guys. We expect big things from our rookies and our second- and third-year players. Overall I think we have a great chance of winning the Atlantic again."
At the very least it is a team better equipped to play the up-tempo style coach Doc Rivers and Ainge seek.
"We want to run," said Pierce. "We want to be able to generate offense off our defense. A lot of times in the preseason we've struggled in the halfcourt, so we've got to be a scrappy team. We've got to generate turnovers and get out on the fast break and try to get as many easy opportunities as we can without turning over the ball.
"I think we have guys who can do that. They're learning each and every day. It's a growing process, learning the NBA game and wondering what it's all about. As long as they do what is asked and keep growing every day, they're not going to have a problem."
The Celtic strength is on the wing, with Pierce and Davis two of the league's more capable scorers. They have decent inside depth, but rebounding has been a lingering problem.
Much of how fast the Celts can come on will be determined by how things go at the point. Delonte West has won the starting job, but free agent pickup Dan Dickau has had his issues, particularly on the defensive end. With Marcus Banks out three to five months with a left shin stress fracture, it is fortunate for the C's that rookie Orien Greene has stepped up well.
Most everyone on the roster has to improve if the Celtics harbor any hopes of returning to the playoffs.
COACHING STAFF
Head Coach -- Doc Rivers, seventh year overall (216-205), second with the Celtics (45-37). Assistants -- Tony Brown, Dave Wohl, Armond Hill, Jim Brewer, Paul Pressey, Kevin Eastman.
LAST SEASON REMEMBERED
45-37 (first in the Atlantic Division), lost to Indiana 4-3 in first round of playoffs.
THIS SEASON PREDICTED
39-43, the draft lottery.
POSSIBLE CHANGES PREDICTED
Al Jefferson will make his way into the starting lineup; Orien Greene will evolve into the main backup at the point (and might even start by the end); Ainge will try to trade for veteran help.
Copyright (C) 2005 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved
Bruin 25 Year Old Faces Retirement
The Boston Herald says 25-year-old defenseman Jonathan Girard has a decision to make soon about his future. Girard, who was nearly killed in a car crash two years ago, has gone through difficult rehab, but did make the Bruins out of training camp and has hardly played in the minors, hampered by stamina and pain. The newspaper says he must decide whether to continue his effort to play again or retire and take a sizable insurance settlement, a payoff that might no longer be available if he continues to play. (updated: 10/27/2005)
