Penny's Making His Case

Brad Penny, throwing up in between innings because of a sinus problem, gutted it out for 5 1/3 innings yesterday in the Metrodome as the Red Sox took the opening game of a four-game set with the Twins, 6-5.The Red Sox got the bats out early, scoring three runs after falling behind in the second. Kevin Youkilis and Jason Bay each drove in two runs, Jeff Bailey hit one out and Mike Lowell had four hits to pace the attack. Penny is now 5-1. His ERA is still just a notch below 6.00, but he has done an admirable job out of the fifth spot in the rotation. (Clay Buchholz pitched eight perfect innings against Louisville yesterday before losing it in the ninth on a single, so the competition for that spot is getting more intense.)Jonathan Papelbon came on in the ninth and did the "heart attack" routine, giving up a hit to the first batter. But two outs later, in stepped Joe Mauer, the hottest hitter currently on Planet Earth. With a three run lead, Pap challenged him as he should h...