Red Sox first to 40 wins
Boston sweeps Anaheim, KC to extend streak
At Anaheim -- June 1-2
Game 1: Boston 10, Anaheim 4. The Red Sox stake BK Kim out to a 3-0 lead in the first and never trail. Even though it's easy street, Kim still gives up three homers. At least he got the win but he's still on shaky ground (5.65 ERA, 2-5 record) with management.
MVP: Kevin Millar, who is 3-for-5 with four RBIs and a two-run HR
LP: Bartolo Colon (5-6)
Game 2: Boston 7, Anaheim 2. Boston homers three times in this win as Curt Schilling improves to 6-2. Schilling goes seven strong, surrendering five hits and one run. In the long run, he might be more suspect than Kim as his talent ratings keep falling almost weekly. He's now just a 3 1/2 star guy...
MVP: Schilling. Game score 69
LP: J. Lackey (5-5)
** on the same day, Texas beats Cleveland 17-16 in a game that features 47 combined hits over 14 innings. A good ol' pitcher's duel...
At Kansas City -- June 4-6
Game 1: Boston 5, Kansas City 4. As described above by diehard fan Bill, Ellis Burks hits a three-run homer in the top of the ninth with the Sox down 4-2... KC had walked Varitek to get to Burks... Oops...
MVP: Burks... duh...
WP: Brendan Donnelly (3-0) S: Keith Foulke (9)
LP: Mike McDougal (0-7)
Game 2: Boston 12, Kansas City 9. The Sox are like an Arena Football team or something when it comes to scoring. They jump to a 4-0 lead, then fall behind 7-4. A 6-run seventh-inning sways things back into their favor. The team belts 16 hits in all including three each from Nomar and Bill Mueller. Both of those two dudes also go long...
MVP: Nomar Garciaparra (3-for-5 with three runs, 1 HR)
WP: Scott Williamson (3-1), who bailed out Derek Lowe (six runs!)
S: Keith Foulke (10)
LP: S. Sullivan (2-3)
Game 3: Boston 4, Kansas City 3. Ellis Burks nails the Royals with his second game-winning HR in three days. The score was 3-3 at the time in the top of the ninth. Boston blew a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the eighth, keeping hard-luck BK Kim from his second straight victory. Keith Foulke got his third save in three nights.
WP: Scott Williamson (4-1)
S: Foulke (11)
LP: S. Sullivan (2-4)
After an off-day, it's time for interleague play!! Boston will entertain San Diego (26-30) and the Dodgers (24-30) before traveling to Colorado (26-29) and San Francisco (34-23). Will the Sox pitch to Bonds? That will surely become a story line as that series approaches...
Also on deck: The 2004 amateur draft. The Sox are on the clock...