Red Sox / Tampa Bay - Game 17

The Red Sox lost 5-4 last night. Most people will focus on the walk-off home run by Edwardo Perez on the first pitch of the 9th but the real reason the Red Sox lost last night is because Scott Kazmir has their number.

Kazmir pitched 7 innings and gave up just one run. The Red Sox hitters never seem able to anything against this kid. Kazmir is a little wild - he walked three and 42 percent of his 108 pitches were balls but even this wildness seems to add to his unpredictability and to the inability of the Sox hitters to hit this kid.

In four starts against the Red Sox - Kazmir has a miniscule 1.69 ERA. Compare that against Johan Santana who has a 3.98 ERA against the Sox or Roy Halladay who has a 4.66 ERA against the Sox. No pitcher in the American League handles the Sox better than Kazmir.

One word of warning to Kazmir though - the next time you hit Manny Ramirez with a pitch - you better be ready to run off that mound because I think he's had enough of you plunking him.