We will have separate stories on everything Nava, as well as a quick hit on Matsuzaka, who was placed on the DL quickly so that the team could get another arm in the fold asap in order to piece together nine innings, according to manager Terry Francona.
There is a quick turnaround before the Sox and Phils meet in the finale Sunday afternoon at 1:35 p.m. Tim Wakefield opposes Cole Hamels. We'll see if the drama can come close to Saturday's improbable affair.
Final, Red Sox 10-2: The Sox have had so much happen in the last two days, from minor bang-ups here and there to more major ones involving Daisuke Matsuzaka and Jeremy Hermida. There have been roster moves galore, potential distractions left and right. Yet, they've won two straight from the Phillies by a combined score of 22-4. Not bad.
We have plenty to get downstairs, from the scoop on Matsuzaka to the word from new Red Sox hero Daniel Nava to updates on Kevin Youkilis.
Back in an hour or so to sum everything up for you.
End 8th, Red Sox 10-2: It's been 10 days since Jonathan Papelbon has trotted onto the mound at Fenway Park. It's a bit hollow with an eight-run lead, but he desperately needs the work.
Mid 8th, Red Sox 10-2: The few Phillies fans still in attendance let loose a sarcastic roar when Chase Utley doubled off the monster with two outs in the eighth, just the fifth hit of the game for Philadelphia. The few Red Sox fans still in attendance let loose a non-sarcastic roar when Ryan Howard goes down swinging to end the inning, the fifth strikeout of the game for Philadelphia.
Jonathan Papelbon is warming in the Boston bullpen. He has not pitched since Sunday and has just two innings pitched since May 29.
End 7th, Red Sox 10-2: David Ortiz rips a single in the seventh, the 16th hit for the Red Sox in this one. They had 17 in the series opener Friday.
Ramon Ramirez is back out after getting the last two outs of the seventh.
Mid 7th, Red Sox 10-2: We had to wait several minutes for the grounds crew to deal with the infield, and then it takes a matter of moments for Ramon Ramirez to induce an inning-ending double play.
If it hasn't happened already, the Phillies will have a closed-door meeting soon. You heard it here first. They just look pathetic and listless.
6:31 p.m.: Hideki Okajima gets the first out of the seventh and Ramon Ramirez jogs on to take his place. Ramirez is the fourth Red Sox pitcher of the game. The first three have done everything Terry Francona could've asked of them.
End 6th, Red Sox 10-2: A double play ball with the bases loaded and no outs gives the Sox a 10th run, but no RBI for Jason Varitek. Kevin Youkilis was hit on the right elbow with a pitch in the frame, and has been removed in favor of Mike Lowell at first base.
Youkilis comes back from a one-game layoff due to a sore back and lasts just six innings. A rough couple of days for Youk, who moves past Jim Rice and into second place on the team's all-time list with his 65th hit-by-pitch. Mo Vaughan is the franchise leader with 71.
Everybody's favorite Red Sox, Daniel Nava, will lead off the bottom of the seventh.
Mid 6th, Red Sox 9-2: Hideki Okajima got his turn against this woeful Phillies lineup (it feels odd just typing that, considering how good it has been in the past). The Sox lefty walked one and threw 21 pitches in the sixth. Ramon Ramirez is up in the Boston bullpen.
If the Red Sox hang on here and the Tampa Bay Rays lose later Saturday, Boston would be within three games of first place in the AL East for the first time since April 16.
Incidentally, the Rays beat the Sox that day to begin a four-game sweep in Fenway Park. (It was actually delayed into the next day, but for the sake of this discussion just go with it.)
End 5th, Red Sox 9-2: The Daniel Nava story just added another tiny chapter as he doubles in his third career at bat, a drive off the Green Monster to lead off the bottom of the fifth.
Nava has crushed two fastballs for his grand slam and double. It was a curveball that got him swinging in the third. The book on the 27-year-old, however small it might be at this point, oughtta mention something about that.
Mid 5th, Red Sox 9-2: Dustin Richardson got up for about two pitches in the Red Sox bullpen, but sat down in favor of Hideki Okajima, who may come out and pitch the sixth for the Sox.
Chad Durbin has relieved Joe Blanton for the Phillies. Blanton was not good. Bad.
End 4th, Red Sox 9-2: J.D. Drew now has three hits in three innings and is a triple shy of the cycle after his RBI double in the fourth. And still Joe Blanton is out there.
Since the Sox dropped the opener of a three-game series in Philly last month, they have outscored the Phils by an astounding 34-7 margin.
Mid 4th, Red Sox 8-2: Manny Delcarmen needs 12 pitches to get through one inning. He is a candidate to go three if the pitch count is favorable.
By the way, the rain is picking up a bit here. It would be something to see all of this washed away.
On another note, how do Phillies fans feel? Their team is in a tailspin offensively and then comes into Fenway Park and sees its starters get lit up. Add in Daniel Nava's grand slam and you can't find much not to curse about.
End 3rd, Red Sox 8-2: It was all set up for Daniel Nava in the third. After hitting a grand slam in his first career at bat, he comes up with the bases loaded in his second, causing everyone at Fenway to dream of what was possible. Alas, he goes down on a curveball from Joe Blanton.
Marco Scutaro picks up Nava by lining a two-run single to left, Scutaro's sixth hit in the last three games. Dustin Pedroia follows with a run-scoring hit of his own.
Pretty good effort by the Phillies starters in this series. Four innings, 17 runs on 20 hits. And we thought Philadelphia's stagnant offense was an issue.
Manny Delcarmen has replaced Scott Atchison, who did his job to get three quality innings in. Delcarmen has had some back issues, but he is otherwise good for three of his own provided everything goes OK. Atchison threw 52 pitches.
The rain has started here at Fenway.
Mid 3rd, Red Sox 5-2: The Sox have gotten three from Scott Atchison and nobody is up in the bullpen, so he is doing his job, regardless of what happens in the fourth.
Another note on Daniel Nava's grand slam. Only three other players in major league history have hit one in their first career at bat, and one of them was Sox outfielder Jeremy Hermida.
End 2nd, Red Sox 5-2: OK, here's how the drama unfolded in the second, in case you missed it.
J.D. Drew led off with a solo homer that was soon to be nothing more than a footnote. After singles by Adrian Beltre, Jason Varitek and Darnell McDonald, Daniel Nava came to the plate for his first major league at bat.
Joe Blanton grooved a fastball on the inside part of the plate and Nava was sitting on the heat. He crushed it into the back of the Sox bullpen, becoming the second Boston player to hit a homer in his first plate appearance with the team. Only one, Rip Repulski, had done it with the bases loaded.
4:47 p.m.: I told you there was an odd feeling here at Fenway. A strange afternoon just added an improbable note, as Daniel Nava, on the first pitch he has ever seen in the big leagues, hit a grand slam into the Red Sox bullpen. More on the inning in a bit.
Mid 2nd, Phillies 2-0: This is a strange setting over here. With rain threatening, Scott Atchison is reached for two runs in the second. Manny Delcarmen is already up and throwing in the Red Sox bullpen. Daniel Nava, a guy many Sox fans may not even be familiar with, is misplaying balls in left (he was not charged with an error). It'll be interesting to see how Boston pieces this all together.
On a side note, Atchison's last start came with Hanshin of the Japanese Central League in 2008. Interesting then that he gets his first major league start when one of Japan's most well-known athletes is hurt.
End 1st, 0-0: A Dustin Pedroia double goes nowhere for the Sox in the second and Scott Atchison is back out there for his second inning of work. He is not stretched out so three or four might be his limit, depending on the pitch count.
If you are thinking of the available arms after Atchison, it shouldn't be too much of an issue. Dustin Richardson is likely on his way up and should be here by the middle of the game. Hideki Okajima has not pitched much of late, and both Manny Delcarmen and Daniel Bard did not pitch yesterday.
Closer Jonathan Papelbon, of course, has been out of action for some time. All can string together and inning or a little more if needed.
4:24 p.m.: So, I saw Daisuke Matsuzaka drinking an energy drink of some kind at about 1:30 p.m., and he seemed to be in his pregame mode. Colleagues also said they saw him walk to the bullpen to warm up, although I cannot confirm that. This is Scott Atchison's first start in the major leagues.
Mid 1st, 0-0: So far, so good for Scott Atchison. We're just catching up to everything here, so we'll get you more on the Red Sox pitching situation in a moment. For now, just know that Atchison struck out one and walked one in the first.
4:08 p.m.: Minutes before the first pitch we get news that Daisuke Matsuzaka has been placed on the 15-day disabled list with a right forearm strain and Scott Atchison is starting. More on this in a moment.
3:33 p.m.: The lights are on at Fenway Park, but it's dry and hopefully it will stay that way. The USA-England game is on the TV in the press box. Based on the comments from some of my colleagues, many hope that doesn't stay that way.
As for the Sox-Phillies game, we are eager to see if Daisuke Matsuzaka can duplicate his previous outing against Philadelphia, which did not get a hit until there were two outs in the eighth.
If you recall, there were several hard-hit balls that night, including one that nearly killed Matsuzaka before the righty reached his glove up to snag a liner. It's not to say he did not pitch well, but it was rather remarkable he had a no-hitter that far into the game, and when he followed it up with a stinker in New York five days later, it simply supported the notion that Dice-K was a bit fortunate in Philly.
But he has seemingly turned a corner since, while the Phils have struggled mightily, losing 13 of 18 and seeing their potent offense go to sleep. Including that Matsuzaka game, Philadelphia has averaged 2.3 runs in an 18-game stretch.
2:31 p.m.: The tarp is coming off the field as I type this, so that's encouraging. As far as I can tell, nothing is falling from the sky. David Ortiz and Victor Martinez's little boys are playing catch, too, so we should get this one in on time. If they can play, so can their fathers.
Just to clarify something from earlier. Josh Beckett will actually throw from 90 feet once or twice before moving out to 120 following a rest day.
"He was really excited about how he felt," Terry Francona said.
Back in a bit with more. Again, look for more on Daniel Nava, who is making his major league debut in this one, and an update on our top 10 prospects list.
1:52 p.m.: We just spoke with Daniel Nava, who is naturally as excited as can be with his name etched into a major league lineup card for the first time. Great guy, with some great things to say about his journey. Look for a separate piece on the site in a bit.
As for the weather, the Red Sox have released an alert warning fans that there will be a chance of scattered showers through the afternoon and into the evening hours. If it stays just as it is right this second, baseball will be played. We'll see if it intensifies.
The club is "hopeful" that the game will begin on time.
There are a few other updates from the park. For one, Josh Beckett made 30 throws from 60 feet and "had a real good day," according to Terry Francona. He will step up to long toss in a few days as long as he feels well.
Francona said Kevin Youkilis's back is fine. No issues. Youkilis is batting cleanup and playing first, so all systems go on that front.
While we're at it, here are the lineups for both teams:
Red Sox
Marco Scutaro, SS
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
David Ortiz, DH
Kevin Youkilis, 1B
J.D. Drew, RF
Adrian Beltre, 3B
Jason Varitek, C
Darnell McDonald, CF
Daniel Nava, LF
Phillies
Shane Victorino, CF
Jayson Werth, RF
Chase Utley, 2B
Ryan Howard, 1B
Ben Francisco, DH
Raul Ibanez, LF
Greg Dobbs, 3B
Brian Schneider, C
Wilson Valdez, SS
12:33 p.m.: Greetings from Fenway Park, where the L.L. Bean-sponsored tarp is on the field beneath spitting skies. It might be like this for the duration of the afternoon and into the evening, so check back here for any game-related weather updates.
We are about to head down and possibly hear from this fellow, but the Sox have reportedly purchased the contractof outfielder Daniel Nava from Triple-A Pawtucket and optioned Josh Reddick back down.
We'll get confirmation on that, the reasoning, etc. Nava is a great story, getting signed out of the independent leagues a few years ago and becoming a late bloomer in the Sox organization. While there is no reason to suggest that he will not be a solid contributor, the move is likely being made to make sure Reddick, the much younger of the two, gets his at bats. Despite the banged up Red Sox outfield, there just wasn't much playing time available for Reddick.
Back in a bit with more.
8:50 a.m.: The Red Sox will look to continue their dominance of the Philadelphia Phillies when the teams renew their "natural rivalry" on Saturday afternoon at Fenway Park.
Including Friday's 12-2 rout of the Phils, Boston has won 17 of the last 22 meetings between the teams. The Sox are 8-2 against Philadelphia in the last 10 games at Fenway Park.
Daisuke Matsuzaka gets the start for Boston, looking to duplicate his eight-inning, one-hit effort against the Phillies last month. Matsuzaka is 3-1 with a 1.98 ERA in his last four starts.
Joe Blanton will toe the rubber for Philadelphia, which has dropped 13 of 18, a slump which began with Matsuzaka's gem in Citizens Bank Park on May 22.
First pitch is 4:10 p.m.
