Sox lose sixth straight

VERO BEACH, Fla. -- It's just after 4 p.m. and the Sox lost again (4-0 this time), and there are still people hanging around the Holman Stadium stands, waiting for traffic to clear. "Sweet Caroline" is playing over the PA -- everybody wants to get into the act.

The Sox have lost six in a row and have scored only six runs in their last four games. Daisuke Matsuzaka threw 72 pitches in three-plus innings and picked up the loss. He said he had a good curveball and did not mind working with Doug Mirabelli. Terry Francona was not too happy seeing Dice-K throw so many pitches in so few innings, a pattern that was problematic last year.

Bill Mueller, now a special assistant with theDodgers, visited with some of his old teammates in the visitor's clubhouse after the game.

That's a wrap from Vero.