As encouraging as all those numbers are, there are even more promising developments to speak of.
First, with the excursion complete, the Sox take momentum into a seven-game homestand that has all the makings of a season-saving stint. Detroit, in town for three games this weekend, had lost 11 of 14 entering Wednesday's action and may be the only team in the AL to have sustained as many damaging injuries as Boston. Cleveland, the opponent for four in a row early next week, is a last-place team that has dropped 10 of its last 13 in Fenway Park (13 of the last 17 if you count the 2007 American League Championship Series, which we like to).
Both opponents are ripe for the picking.
Second (and this is the big one) the Red Sox' starting rotation is beginning to dominate in the way many had hoped it would when the unit was constructed this offseason.
Josh Beckett's outstanding effort in a 7-3 win over the Angels on Wednesday was the latest gem turned in by a collection of talent that has struggled to stay on track this year due to injuries and ineffectiveness.
With Beckett's first win since April 10, Boston starters completed a seven-game stretch to finish the road trip with the following eye-popping numbers:
Record: 3-0
IP: 48 2/3 (average of seven per game)
H: 32
R: 14
ER: 12
BB: 13
K: 44
ERA: 2.22
WHIP: 0.92
Without analyzing every seven-game stretch of the season, it's still safe to say this is the most prolific run for the rotation in 2010. A case could be made that the numbers should be even better; in the only two starts that saw an opponent get more than two runs off a Red Sox starter, those behind them did very little to help out.
In Jon Lester's lone outing in the stretch last Friday in Seattle, he flirted with perfection until an error in the sixth led to one run. Then, after a single off Lester's foot helped the Mariners mount a rally in the eighth, Manny Delcarmen came on to walk the bases full and then hit a batter, pushing in another run that was charged to Lester.
While Beckett was humble and said he left some pitches up that the Angels took advantage of, a closer look reveals just how close he was to a scoreless outing.
"As good as he was I actually thought he pitched better than his line indicated," manager Terry Francona said of Beckett.
The 30-year-old right-hander allowed a walk and a single with one out in the second inning but then retired Mike Napoli on a fly to center. Bobby Wilson, a light-hitting, backup catcher, then lined one to left that Jeremy Hermida figured to have sized up for what would've been the last out.
But Hermida, who has had some adventures in left this year, backed off at the last moment and let the ball fall in for an RBI single. Another run-scoring hit followed before Beckett could escape, long after he might have been sitting in the dugout.
In the fifth, Los Angeles center fielder Reggie Willits led off with a pop to second base that Bill Hall lost in the sun, leading to a gift double. A bunt and a sacrifice fly to center scored Willits with the third and final Angels run, but not because of anything Beckett did.
Had Hermida made his catch and Hall made his, we might be talking about something pretty special.
As it stands, Beckett finished a road trip that was once marked by late-inning failures but may eventually be remembered as the moment the starting rotation turned it on.
The Tigers entered Wednesday having averaged 2.8 runs in their previous 14 games. The Indians ranked 12th in the AL in runs scored and just traded away Jhonny Peralta, who leads them in doubles and is second in RBIs. Boston gets to face the two AL Central teams at a time when their offensive attacks are at their worst.
Then again, with the way the Red Sox rotation is rounding into shape, will it even matter?
