Win or lose, Clay goes home to that after the game. But we don’t, so I’d like a win, please. Last night was another head-scratcher with the bases loaded every time you turned but nobody scoring. And now, our own Little-Engine-That-Could headed for the DL. Sometimes these things send teams into a downward spiral, so all eyes turn to Buchholz to do what he’s been doing all year: winning games.

Buchholz is 10-4 with a 2.47 ERA and he needs to keep it rolling until the Sox get a few players back from the DL. Beckett and Ellsbury have been doing nothing but watching soaps and having tickle-fights with each other all season, while the patchwork Red Sox have crept back into the race. July is knocking at the door, it’s time for everyone to turn it up a notch. Starting tonight.

Meanwhile, our World Cup hopes were dashed in a 2-hour nuts-in-a-vice affair that ended with the US on the short end of a 2-1 score. There’s always 2014…