Thursday Links

Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

The Red Sox endured perhaps their strangest win of the 2014 season on Wednesday afternoon. With a series sweep of the Minnesota Twins in their sites, Boston sent John Lackey to the mound to oppose Minnesota right hander Kyle Gibbson. Like the previous two games of the series, both starters battled hard for their respective clubs and pitched deep into the game. For the Twins, Gibbson lasted 7 innings and allowed just 1 hit while striking out 8 and not surrendering a walk. Meanwhile, John Lackey pitched his best outing of the 2014 season, tossing 9 shutout frames, while striking out 9. With the score tied at zero after regulation innings, Koji Uehara(of all people) allowed the games first run on a solo blast by Chris Parmalee. However, the bottom of the 10th is where the drama began for the Red Sox. Down by a run with one out in the inning, David Ortiz hooked a game-tying homer around the Pesky pole. Mike Napoli then followed with a long drive to center field that cleared the high wall for a walk off home run to give the Red Sox a 2-1 win.

• Injured starting pitcher Felix Doubront will head west with the Red Sox, as the team prepares to take on the Oakland Athletics and Seattle Mariners. Doubront is slated to pitch on Friday night in place of Brandon Workman, who is serving his 6 game suspension. (Felix Doubront ready to go Friday if Red Sox use him in Brandon Workman’s place)

• Wednesday afternoon’s Red Sox game was perhaps one of the most unique wins that any of us have ever seen. Where there was no offense, there was dominate pitching, where there was clutch moments, there was timely hitting. All of these moments blended together to capture the true essence of the beautiful game of baseball. (How can you not love this beautiful game?)

• With Felix Doubront set to return from the disabled list on Friday, the Red Sox will be forced to make a move in the rotation. Brandon Workman seems like the logical choice to remain in the fold, which makes Rubby De La Rosa the odd man out. However, instead of demoting him the Red Sox could decide to bump De La Rosa to the bullpen and cut the suddenly ineffective Chris Cappuano. (Is Chris Capuano the next veteran to go?)

• While David Ortiz and Mike Napoli saved the day for the Red Sox on Wednesday, the game overall was symbolic of the Red Sox 2014 season — great pitching with no offense. The outfield has struggled, the ever reliable Dustin Pedroia is having a down season, and even Wednesday’s hero David Ortiz has fallen on hard times at the dish. (Red Sox still searching for offense)

• You know David Ortiz isn’t at the top of his game when he’s making a fuss about reaching on an error instead of a hit. In the 7th inning on Wednesday, the hulking DH lined a hard shot off Twins first baseman Joe Mauer that kicked away towards second base and allowed Ortiz to reach. However, instead of giving Maurer the benefit of the doubt on a hard hit ball, while also appeasing a struggling Ortiz, the official scorer ruled the play an error. (David Ortiz angry about error call, despite game-tying home run for Red Sox)

• Tweet of the day: It’s been quite a Red Sox career for John Lackey