Lester added that nothing is physically wrong with him and chalked it up to a bad day. But the Sox cannot avoid too many of those going forward.
There are 59 games remaining. Their wild card deficit is seven games in the loss column. It's becoming a pretty big hill to climb.
Nothing to do but show up Saturday and go at it again. Just minutes after the trade deadline passes, Daisuke Matsuzaka will get the start for Boston. We will update you on all the wheeling and dealing and break down how it affects the Sox going forward.
Whatever the team looks like at 4:10 p.m., it better be ready to win one.
Final, Tigers 6-5: Jose Valverde did everything he could to give this one away. Somehow, a full 12 pitches beyond his previous career high, he found enough to strike out Mike Cameron with two on to end it.
Overall, that was quite a downer. Fresh off a fantastic end to their road trip and with Jon Lester on the mound against the struggling Tigers, the Sox lay an egg, despite the drama in the ninth.
Lester struggles through six innings and Boston's offense continues to give him almost no support, until it was too late.
We're heading downstairs to hear from Lester, Terry Francona and others on this eve-of-the-trading-deadline loss at Fenway Park.
10:57 p.m.: Jose Valverde has thrown a career-high 55 pitches, the tying run is at second base and the go-ahead run is at first in the form of Bill Hall (J.D. Drew was intentionally walked and Hall is running for him). Mike Cameron is up with two outs.
10:49 p.m.: Well, David Ortiz just crushed a grand slam after Jose Valverde loaded the bases on three walks. With one out in the ninth, the Sox have plenty of life.
Mid 9th, Tigers 6-1: Nearly 3 1/2 hours into this one we finally head to the bottom of the ninth. Tim Wakefield ends the top half with a strikeout of Jhonny Peralta, who had been 3-for-3 with two home runs and a walk.
End 8th, Tigers 6-1: The Sox make a tiny bit of noise by getting two on with two outs, but Mike Cameron is the club's third strikeout victim of the inning and ninth of the game. It ends the minor threat and puts Boston three outs from a momentum-killing loss.
David Ortiz is on quite a strikeout binge of his own lately. He has three Ks in this one, seven in his last two games and has whiffed at least once in 13 straight games. He is now hitting .207 (12-for-58) with 24 strikeouts since the All-Star break.
Simple math tells me that's one every 2.4 at bats. Simple logic tells me that's not very good.
10:19 p.m.: Tigers closer Jose Valverde is on with two outs and Victor Martinez standing on second in the eighth. Valverde has not pitched since July 25.
Mid 8th, Tigers 6-1: Tim Wakefield's historic outing is certainly not his best. A walk, a bunt single, a sacrifice bunt, a wild pitch and a grounder to third gives the Tigers two big runs. They didn't hit him hard but did what they had to do to break it open a bit.
End 7th, Tigers 4-1: Eric Patterson giveth. Eric Patterson taketh away. After gunning out a Tigers runner at home to end the top of the seventh, Patterson reaches to begin the bottom half but is erased trying to steal second, costing the Sox a precious base runner.
It became even more critical when Marco Scutaro followed with a base hit. Perhaps the inning would've been a bit different.
In any event, Jed Lowrie strikes out and Kevin Youkilis lines to second and Boston has six outs to play with.
Tim Wakefield has entered for the Sox. With this outing he becomes the oldest pitcher to appear in a game in team history. Wakefield is 43 years, 362 days old. Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley held the old mark at 43 years, 358 days.
Mid 7th, Tigers 4-1: Ramon Ramirez cleans up Jon Lester's mess, with the help from a bad call at third base and a putout at home to end it.
First, Will Rhymes was called out on a steal of third when he was clearly in. Jim Leyland put forth a nice little argument.
Then, with two outs and runners on first and second, Jhonny Peralta singled to left. Brennan Boesch was waved around but a dead duck at home on a nice toss by Eric Patterson.
As I type this the Rays lead the Yankees 3-2 in the ninth. There seems to be differing opinion on who the Sox fans should root for, but it seems to me that you need to bite your lip and support the Bronx Bombers.
Unless you think New York's eight-game lead in the loss column is surmountable, then there is no reason to root for the Rays. You just have to catch one of those teams and Tampa Bay is the closest.
Then again, if the Rays win Friday and Saturday to tie the Yankees, then sure go all Tampa Bay in the finale.
9:31 p.m.: The Tigers' 11th hit of the game chases Jon Lester with no outs in the seventh. Although we are speaking in relative terms, it's safe to say he is in a bit of a rough patch. Ramon Ramirez is on with runners at first and second.
End 6th, Tigers 4-1: The immortal Robbie Weinhardt makes quick work of the Red Sox in the sixth. Very quick work. Adrian Beltre and Mike Cameron are strikeout victims.
Jon Lester begins the seventh at 100 pitches but there is stirring in the Boston bullpen. Ramon Ramirez is the first up.
Mid 6th, Tigers 4-1: Jon Lester's second walk of the game is quickly erased when Danny Worth is caught by Lester breaking for second. Lester is at an even 100 pitches.
The update on Armando Galarraga: right ankle contusion.
The new pitcher for Detroit is Robbie Weinhardt.
End 5th, Tigers 4-1: Enrique Gonzalez comes in, walks David Ortiz and then gives up a long fly to left-center off the bat of Victor Martinez. Ryan Raburn makes a spectacular running catch while avoiding a collision with center fielder Austin Jackson to prevent two runs from scoring. Big play right there.
That's a tough break for the Tigers to lose Armando Galarraga. They have already been swamped with injuries of late and Galarraga, despite serving up a solo homer to Marco Scutaro, was giving them a nice effort at a time when they really needed it.
Scutaro is now 7-for-12 with two homers in his last three games.
8:55 p.m.: Armando Galarraga is up and barely limping but the Tigers won't take any chances — that will swell up in no time. Enrique Gonzalez will take Gararraga's place with two outs and Kevin Youkilis on first.
When Youkilis lined one off Dan Haren of Anaheim the other day it also came with two outs in the fifth. Wild.
8:53 p.m.: We await the condition of Armando Galarraga after Kevin Youkilis lines one off his right foot/leg. Youkilis also took out Dan Haren the other day in Anaheim.
Mid 5th, Tigers 4-0: Perhaps all Jhonny Peralta needed was to get out of Cleveland. He has now taken Jon Lester deep twice, the second a two-run bomb in the fifth that opens things up a bit. Peralta entered 2-for-15 without a home run against Lester.
The Tigers' new third baseman has five two-homer games. The last came in Sept. 2007 against Detroit, oddly enough.
Lester has now given up at least four runs in three straight starts for the first time since his first three outings of the year. In addtion, opponents have hit four home runs off Lester in the lefty's last four starts. He had surrendered just one dinger in his previous 10 outings.
End 4th, Tigers 2-0: The Sox continue to have trouble getting the big hit (Marco Scutaro's grand slam the other day notwithstanding). With runners on the corners and no outs, Jeremy Hermida pops to left and Mike Cameron hits into a 5-4-3 double play.
Hermida's fly may have scored a speedy runner from third but certainly not Victor Martinez, who doubled and moved to third on Adrian Beltre's single.
Boston has left five on.
Mid 4th, Tigers 2-0: Jon Lester needed a quick inning if he figured to last very long in this one. He gets it on the strength of three straight grounders. Perhaps Lester can settle in a bit now.
End 3rd, Tigers 2-0: So much for Armando Galarraga's control issues. Since walking two and hitting a batter in the first he has been strong. The big righty fans Kevin Youkilis and David Ortiz to end the third.
Mid 3rd, Tigers 2-0: Despite throwing 23 pitches, giving up two more hits, walking his first batter of the game and throwing a wild pitch Jon Lester gets through the third without being score upon. He also struck out two for the third straight inning. Strange start for the lefty so far.
There have already been 10 runners left on base in this one, six by the Tigers.
End 2nd, Tigers 2-0: Jeremy Hermida is now inching toward the Mendoza Line, down to .205 after grounding out to begin the second.
We've talked about how the Tigers are reeling and the Sox have a little momentum coming into this series. It figured to be a good time for Boston to make hay and take advantage of being at home for the first time in awhile.
Amid all that was tonight's pitching matchup, which seemed to favor the Sox more than any other. Max Scherzer, who took a no-hitter into the sixth inning in his last start, and Detroit ace Justin Verlander are slated to go Saturday and Sunday.
Jon Lester vs. Armando Galarraga was the one matchup that leaned heavily in favor of the Red Sox. Not the case so far.
Mid 2nd, Tigers 2-0: When the Tigers began to lose players to injuries in recent weeks, particularly Brandon Inge, they were rumored to be looking at Mike Lowell as a potential stopgap. Instead they went after Jhonny Peralta, whom Detroit acquired in a trade. Talk about instant dividends.
Peralta smacks a home run on the second pitch he sees in a Tigers uniform to put Detroit on top 2-0.
Jon Lester gives up two more hits in the inning. It's been all or nothing so far for the lefty — he has given up five hits and struck out four through two innings. Lester's ERA in two-plus starts since the All-Star break is 4.58.
End 1st, Tigers 1-0: Remember the last time J.D. Drew was scratched just prior a game? It was Tuesday in Anaheim and Jed Lowrie was moved from seventh to second in the lineup to take Drew's spot, just as he was this time.
Lowrie responded in that game by going 2-for-5 with two doubles, the second of which drove in the go-ahead runs in the top of the seventh.
Lowrie draws a walk in his first plate appearance this time around, getting all the way to third when Kevin Youkilis was plunked and Victor Martinez walked.
As was the case a handful of times on the 10-game road trip the Sox leave them loaded. Armando Galarraga, who threw 30 pitches (only 14 for strikes), got Adrian Beltre on a comebacker.
Mid 1st, Tigers 1-0: So much for all my talk of Jon Lester prepared to dominate the makeshift Tigers lineup. Then again, we did allude to the fact that he hasn't had much help behind him. Such was the case in the first.
Although it went into the books as an RBI double by Will Rhymes (he has to get a rap career going), Mike Cameron should've had it. The ball bounced off Cameron's glove as he raced into the left-center field gap, allowing Austin Jackson, who led off with a single, to score.
Cameron appeared to be a bit sore after banging into the wall. Do not be surprised if Bill Hall enters this one sooner rather than later.
Lester struck out two of the next three and got Miguel Cabrera to ground to short. Another hard-luck inning for him, one of many he has had in the second half.
6:40 p.m.: Jon Lester has had a phenomenal year. There's no denying that. But it could be even better — his team has failed him a handful of times, either with a defensive miscue (the last two starts had unearned runs) or with a bullpen implosion. The latter hurt him in his previous start against Detroit.
Lester went seven innings against the Tigers in Comerica Park back in May. He left after seven innings, having given up four runs (three in a span of four batters in the sixth) and struck out 10.
In Lester's final frame he struck out the side. The Sox led 6-4.
Enter Hideki Okajima, who gave up a solo homer to the first man he faced to make it 6-5. A walk, single and a double allowed Detroit to tie it and Lester's bid for a victory was gone.
Facing a lineup Friday night that features Will Rhymes, Ryan Raburn, Jeff Frazier and Danny Worth could allow Lester to finally get that elusive win No. 12.
6:28 p.m.: First it was J.D. Drew. Now Johnny Damon has been scratched from his return to Fenway Park (sans pinstripes, of course) with upper back spasms. Brendan Boesch will take his spot in the lineup and play right, while Ryan Raburn moves to left.
5:44 p.m.: During his pregame news conference, manager Terry Francona said J.D. Drew was tentatively scheduled to play, but there was always the possibility of a late scratch.
And it turns out Drew won't be able to go, as he was scratched from the lineup. Jeremy Hermida will take his place in right field and will bat seventh, while Eric Patterson will play left and bat ninth. Jed Lowrie will slide into the No. 2 spot in the lineup.
5:03 p.m.: As we continue to hear trade rumors involving the Red Sox (Lance Berkman anyone?), it's important to remind you that NESN will air its trade deadline special from 3-4:30 p.m. Saturday.
Tom Caron, Heidi Watney and Nick Cafardo will be breaking things down for you and I'll be up in the press box and in the clubhouse as the deadline approaches to offer my two cents on any moves the Sox make.
Nice to see Dustin Pedroia, wearing only a shin/foot protector, taking some pretty good cuts in the cage. You can tell he is just itching like mad to get out there. I say he hits the field at some point in the series in New York from August 6-9. Just a guess, but it would be a great time to get him back.
4:35 p.m.: The injury news keeps getting better for the Sox as we await the returns of four position players in the coming days and weeks. Dustin Pedroia and Jacoby Ellsbury are the closest, with Pedroia restarting his running program at Fenway this afternoon and Ellsbury moving his rehab to Pawtucket.
Pedroia had a CT scan Friday that showed "significant healing," according to manager Terry Francona. The former MVP did about a dozen 90-foot runs in the outfield and also took some grounders.
It was the most activity he has done in days after an exam in Los Angeles caused him to back off a bit.
"It was only three or four days [without activity] but it seems to have helped," Francona said. "It'll be important to see how he bounces back cause the idea certainly is to build, not to have him run out there a couple of days and get hurt.
"He's going to have to be really honest, because if it hurts he needs to back off but if it doesn't he'll have no problem in continuing to progress."
Francona was asked if Pedroia would need a rehab assignment in the minors. While he indicated that it was too far off to determine that, the skipper did indicate it was probable.
"You're talking about a guy who hasn't played in awhile," Francona said.
Ellsbury was in the Sox clubhouse after his three-game rehab stint in Florida with the Sox' Gulf Coast League affiliate. He will head to Pawtucket to play Saturday and Sunday and then get re-evaluated. It's certainly not out of the realm of possibility that Ellsbury could return for the Cleveland series, which begins Monday.
Jason Varitek also got a CT scan Friday which showed enough healing in his broken foot that he has been able to get rid of the crutches and will lose his boot Saturday. He remains several days away, however.
"Start doing the activities that he can tolerate," Francona said of his captain. "He's a bit away from playing, for sure."
Finally, the wait is on for anything related to Mike Lowell. The club was considering activating him Friday after a phenomenal rehab stint in Pawtucket, but there is a chance that trades either involving him or anyone else could affect his status.
Lowell will not be activated until after the deadline, it appears.
"[General Manager Theo Epstein] sat down, I think with his agents, told him to hang on for a day or so," Francona said. "This possible movement, the deadline's tomorrow. It just seems to make sense to kinda get through another day or two days and then do what we need to do."
Read into that what you like. It could mean that Lowell is on his way in a trade, or that the club just wants to let the dust settle after the deadline before deciding how to lay out the roster.
Lowell went 11-for-22 with four home runs in five games for the PawSox.
Back in a bit with more.
3:15 p.m.: Apparently J.D. Drew's left hamstring is feeling OK as he is back in the Red Sox lineup for the series opener Friday. Here are the complete lineups for both sides.
Red Sox
Marco Scutaro, SS
J.D. Drew, RF
Kevin Youkilis, 1B
David Ortiz, DH
Victor Martinez, C
Adrian Beltre, 3B
Jed Lowrie, 2B
Mike Cameron, CF
Eric Patterson, LF
Tigers
Austin Jackson, CF
Will Rhymes, 2B
Johnny Damon, LF
Miguel Cabrera, 1B
Ryan Raburn, RF
Jhonny Peralta, 3B
Jeff Frazier, DH
Gerald Laird, C
Danny Worth, SS
2:59 p.m.: Greetings from Fenway Park, where we are settling in for the first of seven straight at home for the Sox. The last time we were here it was hot and miserable, as Boston dropped three of four to Texas and headed out on a long road trip looking for something to turn around its slump.
The Sox may have found it in Anaheim, and may have the right opponents in slumping Detroit and hapless Cleveland to really build some momentum.
We should soon hear about Jacoby Ellsbury's timeline, Dustin Pedroia's situation (CT scan scheduled Friday) and whether or not Mike Lowell is back, as is expected. Will get you all that info and the lineups in a bit.
8 a.m.:Jon Lester makes his third bid for a 12th win when he goes for the Red Sox in the first of three games with the Detroit Tigers on Friday at Fenway Park.
Lester has had some tough luck in his first two outings of the second half of the season, losing back-to-back starts for the first time since April 12-18.
The southpaw will be looking to keep alive a phenomenal stretch for the starting rotation, which is beginning to resemble the crew the Sox hoped to have when the season started. He will have a pretty good chance against the Tigers, whose offense is virtually non-existent of late.
The Sox are 21-6 vs. Detroit at home over the last seven years.
First pitch is 7:10 p.m.
