Kevin Youkilis put on a show for the Red Sox fans at Fenway Park eagerly awaiting his return, gaining three hits and scoring the lone White Sox run in the first inning following a monstrous standing ovation. Adrian Gonzalez belted a three-run shot to left center in the eighth inning to give Boston the 5-1 advantage (more)

The Boston Red Sox have traded All Star third baseman Kevin Youkilis to the Chicago White Sox in exchange for utility man Brent Lillibridge and right-hander Zach Stewart. The emergence of 23-year old Will Middlebrooks forced the Red Sox to take action, adding depth to the roster while allowing Youkilis to continue working as an everyday player. (more)

All-Star slugger Manny Ramirez will be expected to join the Chicago White Sox since the LA Dodgers placed him on waivers last week. Sources believe for the organizations to be discussing potential trades that could land Los Angeles a prospect in exchange for a portion of the $3.8 million owed to Ramirez as part of his two-year $45 million contract. The White Sox are also open to covering the full amount after securing waiver rights to Manny on Friday. The club has until 1:30 PM on Tuesday to complete a trade with the Dodgers. Ramirez will join the Sox at a crucial time in the regular season with just under 40 games left on the schedule. Chicago is currently 4.5 games behind the Minnesota Twins in the AL Central Division. “He’s one of the best right-handed hitters out there, and I don’t have a lot to say except whatever team he’s on, he’s going to help them,” said White Sox outfielder Andruw Jones. “He’s a big bat and he knows how to play the game.” Don’t miss the action at US Cellular Field as the Chicago White Sox campaign for post-season play! Tickets are now available!

Red Sox ace pitcher Josh Beckett was really hitting his spots yesterday against the Chicago White Sox, throwing for six scoreless innings with one blow-up three run block early in the 3rd.  Boston scored the initial run in the 1st inning but were shut out for the rest of the game, resulting in a 5-1 White Sox victory.  Even though Beckett looked solid from the mound he still had a very displeased look after the game.  “I got outpitched,” said Beckett. “We need to win ballgames right now. That’s what everybody in this room gets paid to do. We didn’t win today.” The man who outpitched him (Mark Buehrle) threw for seven innings as well, giving up the single Red Sox run in the first. Jacoby Ellsbury decided to come to work on labor day, as he was the only player in a Boston uniform to produce more than one hit along with scoring their only run of the game.  “I’m not going to say he wasn’t good, he was very good,” said Red Sox third basemen Mike Lowell on Buehrle’s outing. “But you almost go back saying, ‘Man I should have hit that pitch, and that pitch,’ because velocity is not a part of his game. It’s back and forth and location. Under those circumstances, I think he did a very good job. You just don’t feel like you got dominated, because you’re not blown away.” Just 2 1/2 games up on the Wild Card ahead the Texas Rangers, Boston will move on to host the Baltimore Orioles for two games before the Tampa Bay Rays come to town for the weekend. Boston Red Sox tickets are still available!

Clay Buchholz in his six innings pitched last night gave up just three runs with three strike outs as the Boston Red Sox out-lasted the Tampa Bay Rays 6-3 at Tropicana Field.  The crucial rubber-match victory put the Sox three games ahead of the Texas Rangers in the Wild Card standings and six games above Tampa Bay.  “It was really good to get a win here tonight,” said Kevin Youkilis. “Coming in here this time of year against a team that’s in the Wild Card race with you, you’ve just got to come in and win the series, and we did a good job of that tonight. Youkilis, one of the leading offensive contributors for Boston hit 3-for-5 yesterday with an RBI.  Victor Martinez and Jason Bay picked up the rest of the slack, combining for four hits and three RBI’s.  “I like our spot right now,” said Bay. “There’s still a whole month of baseball left. Obviously you get close to the end, and each game is magnified. Better to be on top than looking up.” The Sox are currently making their way to the Windy City for a series against the Chicago White Sox.  Paul Byrd is next up on the pitching rotation for Boston.  Game time is scheduled for 8:11 pm Boston Red Sox tickets are now available!

The Los Angeles Dodgers have just completed some last minute roster adjustments, adding Chicago White Sox power hitter Jim Thome along with Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Jon Garland.  The White Sox in return will receive Minor League infielder Justin Fuller. Arizona has agreed to claim a player to be named, who is speculated to be Tony Abreu according to Dodgers players.  Thome will join the Dodgers with 564 total home runs, and General Manager Ned Colletti believes he can add the necessary leadership for their upcoming pennant race.  “He’s a great influence in the clubhouse, one of the true good guys in the game,” Colletti said. “He’s a tremendous leader. He called me to make sure we knew first base was not an option for him, but he’d help in any way he could. For a player to get on the phone just lets you know what kind of guy he is and I appreciate that.” Dodgers head coach Joe Torre is expected to put the ball in Garland’s hands right away.  The right-hander is essentially their answer to completing a solid 5-man rotation. LA is currently in a series against Arizona, which made it much easier for Garland’s travels.  “That might be the strangest part about it. Finding out in the sixth or seventh inning, packing up and showering up, walking right across, it’s a little weird,” said Garland. “For me, born and raised in L.A., the chance to come back and play for the Dodgers, be right in the thick of a pennant race, it’s exciting.” The Dodgers have three more games against the D-Backs before hosting the San Diego Padres for the weekend starting Friday, September 4th. Los Angeles Dodgers tickets are available now!

David Ortiz knocked two home runs last night at Fenway Park, including a walk-off shot around the Pesky Pole to give the Red Sox the 3-2 win over the Chicago White Sox.  “You’re getting late into August right now, and it’s good to have big hits like that, especially from him,” said All-Star Tim Wakefield, who made his return from the DL yesterday.  “We were able to scrap together enough runs to get a win and hopefully we can carry that momentum into tomorrow and sweep this series.” All of Boston’s runs last night were produced by solo homers; two from Ortiz and one in the sixth inning from Alex Gonzalez.  Wakefield was outstanding his first game pack, letting up just one run in seven innings pitched.  His outing certainly served as a sigh of relief for the Red Sox starting rotation as they head into the last stretch of the regular season.  “I don’t know how he did it,” said manager Terry Francona, “but he was fantastic. That was more than you could possibly expect. He pounded the strike zone. That was unbelievable.” Boston remains six games behind the New York Yankees in the AL East, but have moved up in the Wild Card rankings with help from the Yankees themselves after they shattered the Texas Rangers 9-2.  The Sox will wrap up the Chicago series tonight at 7:10 pm before hosting the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday. Boston Red Sox tickets are now available! 

Jacoby Ellsbury came up with three hits to go along with his franchise-record 55th stolen base last night as the Boston Red Sox went on to rally past the Chicago White Sox 6-3. “It’s pretty exciting to think about, with all the great Red Sox players that have played before me,” said Ellsbury. “The big thing with this club is, if you steal you have to succeed at a high rate. As long as they trust you to run, you’d better steal at a high rate.” Boston and Chicago were tied up until the bottom of the eighth inning when Jason Bay homered to left, followed by a pair of hits from Victor Martinez and Ellsbury.  From there Jonathon Papelbon closed the game up in usual fashion, notching his 30th save of the season.  Papelbon, who voiced to the press earlier that the bullpen didn’t need any changes is now excited to work with set-up man Billy Wagner.  Wagner was just recently traded to the Sox for two minor league prospects to be named.  The longtime closer is coming back from reconstructive surgery on his left elbow.  He hopes to be closing again somewhere next season, but for now he has chosen to add depth to the Sox set up team for Papelbon.  “I think the biggest thing is he’s going to bring some competitiveness to the ballclub, not just to the ballclub, but to the bullpen,” Papelbon said. “Hopefully, he will help us in that stretch run towards a championship. I know the only reason he’s coming over here is to win a championship, and that’s something everybody’s on board with.” Boston will host the White Sox again tonight at 7:10 pm.  Red Sox veteran knuckleballer Tim Wakefield is set to make his return on the mound after sitting on the DL with lower back issues.  Boston Red Sox tickets are now available!

Mike Lowell contributed big with a three-run knock over the Green Monster in the third during Boston’s six run power inning, as the Red Sox went on to out-hit the Chicago White Sox 12-8 at Fenway Park last night.  With the win the Sox expand their Wild Card lead on the Texas Rangers, but still trail the New York Yankees by seven games in the AL East standings. Although pitcher Clay Buchholz gave up seven runs in just four innings on the mound, Boston was still able to deny Chicago of any lead change after taking it over in the 3rd. Over the past seven games the Red Sox have averaged more than 9 runs with four double digit performances. “I think everyone has kind of been waiting for this,” said Red Sox left fielder Jason Bay. “It’s not to say it’s going to happen every game, but it’s kind of like we’ve been searching for the offensive identity all year.” The Red Sox are set to host Chicago for three more games before the Toronto Blue Jays make a weekend trip to Boston.  The 10-7 John Lester will get the start tonight against Chicago’s Freddy Garcia.  Regular season tickets for Boston Red Sox baseball are still available here at AceTicket.com!

Chicago White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle got a World Series ring with his team in 2005, but he cemented his sole place in baseball history over the past week. Burhrle threw the 18th perfect game in MLB history. The left-hander completely silenced the Tampa Bay Rays, though he needed a hilight-reel catch from DeWayne Wise to clinch it. Burhrle continued his dominance in his next start. The first seventeen Minnesota Twins batters were retired, breaking a record set by the Giants’Jim Barr in 1972 and tied by teammate Bobby Jenks in 2007. “I’m not into the whole attention stuff,”Buehrle told the Chicago Sun Times’ Joe Crowley. Burhrle is humbled to be mentioned among some of the greatest names in baseball after making his bit of history. Though the White Sox would lose the second game, the team seems to have gotten a major morale boost from the lefty’s amazing feat. Chicago White Sox tickets are available now!