Top 8

Rafael Perez brings his 54.00 era to start the top of the 8th, but as we all know, he's a whole lot better than that. But then again, I'm a whole lot better than that.
The hideous JD Drew leads off the inning. He will watch many pitches go sailing by. If they are bad, he will walk. If they are good, he will strike out. Make me a liar, please! Called strike one. He actually swung...foul for strike two. Ball one. Ball two, 2-2. Ball three, full count. Ball four. Told you!
Tek stares out at Perez. Fouled down the right field line for strike one. Fox had a shot at our super-serious closer doing the gestures for YMCA during the 7th inning stretch. He ain't hooked up right. Tek flies to Gutierrez in right on 0-2.
Coco may be playing for his starting job on Saturday night. He taps the first pitch back to Perez for a sure double play, but Perez throws it into the ground in front of Peralta. E1, men on 1st and 2nd with one out for Lugo.
Lugo takes a fastball for strike one. On 1-1 Lugo lays down a perfect bunt, fielded by the left-handed Perez who has to turn all the way around to throw to first, leaving him no chance to get Lugo. Infield single, bases loaded, one out, and Pedroia coming up.
That knocks Perez out; Mastny is coming in.
Papelbon is warming, but surely that's for the 9th. He hasn't pitched two innings all year, and this isn't the time to experiment with Josh sitting on 96 pitches and complete and total dominance.
Mastny is another effective Indians' reliever that I'd never heard of before they beat the Yankees.
Dustin takes ball one in the dirt, but not far enough away from Martinez to advance everyone. I thought Martinez was supposed to be a liability behind the plate. This guy hasn't do anything wrong yet...and I just jinxed him. A passed ball scores Drew and advances Crisp and Lugo. And at 3-1, Mastny walks Pedroia to load the bases again. This is just the kind of game we needed from Dustin, on base three times in five trips.
Youk takes ball one. And ball two. And ball three to the Greek God of Walks. And ball four. An RBI four-pitch walk from Mastny.
If Papi sees a strike, he'll hit a Grand Slam. Ah, visits from pitching coaches allow time for happy thoughts!
David is 1-2 with a walk and a sac fly tonight. How is it that the MLB.com site is currently running voting for best clutch hitter in baseball, and David Ortiz isn't one of the six options?
Strike one to Papi. OK, I'll settle for an 0-2 Sac Fly to Sizemore, scoring Lugo. 7-1 Sox, two out.
Manny's turn. Foul for strike one. Mastny threw a nastny curve for strike 2. Sorry, couldn't resist. Manny watches strike three.
As far as the pitch count goes, Perez and Mastny both threw too many, and too many bad ones.