Red Sox take care of Marlins on record-breaking night

The weather in New England has been garbage so far this "summer" but the Red Sox are playing like a team cruising in July or August. Last night in Fenway Park's 500th straight sellout, Boston beat the Florida Marlins, 6-1.

Everyone's favorite trade rumor, Brad Penny, picked up the 100th win of his career. In the first, Penny (6-2) was drilled by a ball hit right at his ample bosom but he recovered to get the out and go five innings. He gave up one unearned run (on Jacoby Ellsbury's first career error) on three hits with four walks and three runs.

Florida (32-35) took a 1-0 lead in the first when Hanley Ramirez scored after Ellsbury's error on Jorge Cantu's sinking liner to center.

The Sox (40-25) didn't waste much time as they grabbed the lead in the second with two runs. Rocco Baldelli (2 hits) singled home Mike Lowell and David Ortiz (double, three runs, two walks) later scored on Jason Varitek's double play grounder.

After a brief slump, Dustin Pedroia (3 hits, 3 runs, 2 steals) is back to his old tricks. He added to Boston's advantage with a two-run single in the fourth.

Ellsbury (2 walks, steal) made up for his fielding mistake in the seventh when he crushed a solo shot to right.

Pedroia wrapped it up with an RBI single in the eighth.

Justin Masterson (sixth), Hideki Okajima (seventh), Ramon Ramirez (eighth) and Jonathan Papelbon (ninth) combined for four scoreless innings after Penny had departed to the clubhouse for the comfort of his feedbag.

A red-hot Jon Lester is on the mound tonight as the Red Sox go for the sweep against the Marlins and struggling starter Ricky Nolasco.

Oritz's mango salsa tastes great with Marlin

The Boston Red Sox are the best team in baseball. Yes, the Dodgers have a slightly better record but that doesn't mean much since they play in the National League (which is terrible) and the worst division in baseball, the horrid NL West.

Boston on the other hand, plays in the superior AL and the best division in baseball, the AL East with four competitive (over .500) teams out of five.

The Sox (39-25) demolished the Florida Marlins (32-34) last night, 8-2 at Fenway. Perhaps the most impressive thing about the strong first couple months for Boston has been that they've done it with slugger David Ortiz basically on life support.

Slowly but surely, Big Papi is starting to come around. He had a solo homer last night and added a two-run single later in the same inning. With John Smoltz coming to the rotation next week, this team is ready to make a serious bid for another World Series title.

Tim Wakefield improved to 9-3 with six workman like innings. He gave up two runs on six hits with a walk and four strikeouts.

In the second, Nick Green's (2 hits, 2 RBIs, run) infield single scored Jacoby Ellsbury (2 hits, 2 runs, 2 stolen bases) from second.

The Marlins tied it in the third as Chris Coghlan hit an RBI single.

In the bottom of the inning, Jason Bay gave the Sox the lead for good with an RBI single which scored J.D. Drew.

Florida starter Chris Volstad imploded in the fourth as the Red Sox poured on six runs. After Ortiz's homer, Green had an RBI double, George Kottaras (2 hits) added an RBI single, Bay walked with the bases loaded and Ortiz fittingly ended the frame's scoring with the two-run single.

Coghlan was the only guy playing for the Marlins as he notched an RBI double in the fifth, the last run of the game.

Brad Penny takes the ball tonight vs. the inconsistent but very talented Andrew Miller of the Marlins.