Updates: Red Sox vs. Twins

SOX SWEEP (10:23, END 9, 7-3 SOX)
Papelbon shut down the Twins 1-2-3. Kubel popped foul to Youkilis at third. Cuddyer chopped to second. Buscher popped foul to Youkilis. Brad Penny gets the win.

The Red Sox win their seventh straight and move into a second-pace tie with the Yankees in the AL East. They're only looking up at Toronto now.

PAPELBON GETS SOME WORK (10:13, END 8, 7-3 SOX)
It's not a save situation thanks to the two scoreless innings from Ramirez and Okajima, but Jonathan Papelbon, who last pitched Saturday, will try to close out the game.

In the eighth, Drew struck out looking, Bay grounded to short, and Varitek flied to the warning track in right.

OKAJIMA REPLACES RAMIREZ (10:00, END 7, 7-3 SOX)
Pedroia was picked off, and the Sox couldn't restart a rally. Okajima has entered to pitch the eighth. We're six outs away from a two-game, one-day series sweep and a seven-game Red Sox winning streak.

LINING UP (9:52, BOT 7, 7-3 SOX)
Ramirez got some help to end the seventh with a line-out double play started by Pedroia. That's the second double play off of a liner the Sox have turned this game.

Pedroia just reached to start off the seventh by being hit by a Luis Ayala pitch, and home plate umpire Tom Hallion issued Ayala a warning.

SOMETHING BRUIN (9:41, END 6, 7-3 SOX)
The Red Sox are still in control here in -- much like the Bruins in Montreal. On the scoreboard here, the Sox reserved the last out-of-town slot for this:

BOS 4
MON 1

They showed a closeup a few moments ago on the screen in center to loud applause. Green ripped his third double, but the Red Sox couldn't muster any more runs. Ramon Ramirez has entered.

EASY OUTS (9:25, BOTTOM 5, 7-2 SOX)
The Sox just went 1-2-3 in the fifth, including a second strikeout of the game for walk machine Jason Bay.

I'm now handing over blogging duty to Adam Kilgore, who was off working on some stories for tomorrow's paper.

LIRIANO LEAVES (9:19, TOP 5, 7-2 SOX)
Francisco Liriano lasted just four innings, as the Sox scored seven runs in those four innings. Matt Guerrier has come into the game in relief of Liriano. Liriano allowed seven earned runs on four hits and four walks over those four innings. He struck out six as he threw 74 pitches, 43 for strikes.

MIND THE GAP (9:13, BOTTOM 4, 7-2 SOX)
The Sox just widened the gap on the Twins, with Jeff Bailey (walk) coming in on a groundout by Jacoby Ellsbury, and Nick Green (double) coming in on a Dustin Pedroia sacrifice fly. David Ortiz grounded out on a swinging bunt -- again, to the left side.

TRIANGLE TALK (9:01, TOP 4, 5-2 SOX)
Tough day for Nick Green, and tough inning for Brad Penny. Three balls have been smashed to the triangle in center field, with Jacoby Ellsbury collecting the final one for an out. But before that, Green got his third error of the day when a Brian Buscher grounder hit off his glove and into center field. That scored Jason Kubel, who had reached on the double to center.

TWINS GET ONE (8:55, TOP 4, 5-1 SOX)
Justin Morneau just blasted a solo homer to dead center, right by the Sox bullpen, to lead off the inning. That was followed by another blast to center by Jason Kubel for a double. Jacoby Ellsbury has been having a bit of trouble in center field. He's taken a few weird routes to balls, including that last one.

TWO UP ON CRONIN (8:44, BOTTOM 3, 5-0 SOX)
Though David Ortiz said earlier today that he's not trying to hit the ball to left field specifically, the results tell a different tale. All three of Ortiz's hits (and both outs) in the two games today have gone to left, including a Wall double in the third inning of the night game that scored Jacoby Ellsbury (walk) and Dustin Pedroia (double).

The RBIs were the 738th and 739th of Ortiz's Red Sox career, moving him past Joe Cronin into sole possession of 10th place on the club's all-time list.

DOUBLE 'EM UP (8:37, TOP 3, 3-0 SOX)
Dustin Pedroia just doubled up Denard Span when he caught a liner from Brendan Harris then flipped the ball to first base. Span had reached on a slow bouncer to shortstop on which Nick Green didn't even make the throw.

In response to those wondering, the Sox are wearing their St. Patrick's Day uniforms as a tribute to Earth Day. The uniforms have a recycling patch on the right sleeve, with a clover on the left sleeve. So these are recycled uniforms...

With all the environmentally friendly practices touted by the Sox today, the one thing not mentioned is more day games. That, of course, would save a whole lot of electricity, though might not be all that popular with the fans.

MONSTER MUSIC (8:29, BOTTOM 2, 3-0 SOX)
Jeff Bailey continued the Sox' strong hitting with his first home run of the season nhis first major league at-bat of the season. Bailey was the final cut in spring training, and was activated when Rocco Baldelli was put on the disabled list yesterday. Bailey was the International League MVP last season with Pawtucket. J.D. Drew (walk) and Jason Varitek (hit by pitch) were on when Bailey hit the three-run shot into the first row of the Monster seats.

ONE HIT, NO RUNS (8:20, TOP 2, 0-0)
Brad Penny gave up his first hit of the game, a double over the head of Jacoby Ellsbury in center, but he stranded Delmon Young on second when Jose Morales grounded to first.

NO SECOND CHANCES (8:11, BOTTOM 1, 0-0)
David Ortiz got a second chance on his first at-bat when catcher Jose Morales missed a pop foul, earning an error. But Ortiz looked at a called third strike to end the first inning in 1-2-3 fashion.

GAME ON, FINALLY (7:57, TOP 1, 0-0)
Not sure how long it'll last, but the Sox and Twins have started the nightcap of their doubleheader. The park is far from full at this point. Brad Penny is on the mound for the Sox, and started off the game with two straight outs before walking Justin Morneau. He finished the inning by striking out Jason Kubel.

If you're wondering about watching the game, it's on NESN Plus today with the hockey game on NESN.