COLON TO THE RESCUE

When Red Sox GM Theo Epstein inked Bartolo Colon to a minor league deal this past off-season most believed it was a low risk, high reward signing. On Memorial Day evening, you'd have to agree that the early returns are showing a high reward. Colon tossed seven innings of stellar baseball leading the Red Sox to a 5-3 victory over the Seattle Mariners bringing to a close a three-game losing streak.

Colon was flat out nasty in his seven innings of work. His fastball was in the 96 mph range consistently and he was moving the ball around the strike zone with ease. The Red Sox righthander allowed just one run on five hits and struck out four batters. He allowed just one walk and threw just 84 pitches as he continues to get himself in shape after an injury had him on the shelf for most of the early season. Colon is now 2-0 with a 2.25 era in his first two starts of the season.

On this evening Colon had to be masterful as his opponent matched him pitch for pitch in the early going. Seattle's Felix Hernandez kept the Red Sox in check over seven innings allowing just one run to cross the plate. However, the Red sox broke the game open in the eight inning to allow Colon to pick up the mound win. An rbi double by Dustin Pedroia put Boston ahead by a run and consecutive run scoring singles by Manny Ramirez and Mike Lowell staked the visitors to a 4-1 lead. Later in the inning Hernandez issued a bases loaded walk to Jason Varitek to score the Sox final run. All told the Red Sox got four runs on five hits in the inning. Each run scored with two outs in the inning.

But the big story was Colon. He looked every bit the same pitcher who went 21-8 for the Angels in 2005 to earn the American League Cy Young award. In 2006 and 2007 Colon fought injuries and was a combined 7-13 for Los Angeles. And he had lost his control and considerable velocity on his fastball. However, both elements of his game seem to be back in play. There's no reason to say Colon is out of the woods just yet. He is still not ready to throw 100 plus pitches in a game, but with a 96 mph fastball being located well Red Sox Nation has to feel like that low risk, high-reward signing might pay off in a big way. Fingers crossed as I write that one!