Red Sox Papelbon, Green Implode, Hand A's Win

(from left) Dustin Pedroia, Mike Lowell, and Nick Green dejectedly look on during a pitching change in the eleventh inning after the Oakland Athletics took the lead against their Boston Red Sox. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola) On the eve that Jim Rice, recently enshrined into the Hall of Fame, had his number 14 retired, the team he began and retired with, the Boston Red Sox, did everything they could over the first eight innings to make his night that much more special. With a three-run lead and closer Jonathan Papelbon set to take the mound for the ninth inning, Boston was in prime position to take advantage of a rare loss by the New York Yankees, move up in the American League East standings, and send their fans, including Rice, home happy. After starting pitcher Clay Buchholz allowed two runs in the top of the second inning, his Red Sox offense exploded in the third inning for five runs. Buchholz struggled through the first two frames and threw a lot of pitches over his remaining thre...