It's time to play write your own caption for the picture below:

"I'm sorry I beat your butt at cribbage today Tito."

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Photo credit: AP Photo

Yesterday afternoon at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, Boston Red Sox starter Clay Buchholz showed he was an like a really old pipe in an abandoned building. He was full of rust.

The last time Buchholz had pitched in the big leagues was back on June 26th in San Francisco when he had to leave the game after suffering a hamstring injury while running the bases. He only made one rehab start before being activated yesterday and maybe just maybe, he might have needed another one at the very least.

Instead, John Farrell and Terry Francona decided that it would be best for Buchholz to rejoin the rotation but young Clay's start didn't go exactly as hoped. He lasted just 4+ innings, throwing 87 pitches while facing 24 batters. He ended up being charged with five runs on six hits and three walks. But it's nothing really to worry about though for Buchholz as this was probably expected.

What hurts the most about yesterday's game is the fact that the first place New York Yankees and second place Tampa Bay Rays each won yesterday to increase their leads over the Red Sox. The Red Sox are now seven games behind the Yankees and 4.5 games behind the Rays. It hurts because of the fact that the Red Sox had an opportunity to pick up a game on each the previous night and failed to do so.

The season isn't over by no means (still 67 to go folks) but when you have a chance to cut into a lead, you really need to make the most of it.

The magical story of Daniel Nava has come to end for now as well as after the game, the Red Sox optioned Nava back to Triple-A Pawtucket to make room for Jeremy Hermida. Nava did a great job though filling in as he hit .286 with a home run and 16 RBIs in 29 games. I think he'll be back sooner rather than later.

We'll end on a positive note here as Michael Bowden recovered from allowing the winning run on Tuesday night to pitch 1 1/3 innings of no-run baseball. He did allow two hits and a walk but it was a good bounce back game for him, one that should keep his confidence high.

That's all I got for now. We'll be back tonight with the starting lineups against the Seattle Mariners as well as the batter/pitcher matchups, any news and links from the day but for now enjoy the overnight links by clicking on the read more button below.

Paw Prints is our daily look at the happenings for the UConn Huskies football, men's basketball and women's basketball teams as well as some of the other sports. We will do our best to bring you the links from all of the media that covers the Huskies on a daily basis. As always, links can be found by clicking on the read more button below.

Thank you for stopping and by making SOX & Dawgs your home for UConn Huskies news.

Destination Red Sox Nation is our look at how the minor league teams of the Boston Red Sox fare each night. Game story and box score links as well as links to team rosters, team stats and league standings are after the jump.

Thursday, July 22^nd @ 10:10 p.m.

John Lackey, RHP (9-5, 4.65) vs Ryan Rowland-Smith, LHP (1-9, 6.18)

TV: NESN, MLB.tv

Radio: Red Sox Radio Network, MLB Game Day Audio

Friday, July 23^rd @ 10:10 p.m.

Josh Beckett, RHP (1-1, 7.29) vs Jason Vargas, LHP (6-4, 2.97)

TV: NESN, MLB.tv

Radio: Red Sox Radio Network, MLB Game Day Audio

Saturday, July 24^th @ 10:10 p.m.

Jon Lester, LHP (11-4, 2.81) vs David Pauley, RHP (0-2, 2.40)

TV: NESN, MLB.tv

Radio: Red Sox Radio Network, MLB Game Day Audio

Sunday, July 25^th @ 4:10 p.m.

Daisuke Matsuzaka, RHP (7-3, 4.29) vs Doug Fister, RHP (3-6, 3.56)

TV: NESN, MLB.tv

Radio: Red Sox Radio Network, MLB Game Day Audio

Boston Red Sox @ Oakland A's 3:35 p.m Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum SP: Clay Buchholz @ Gio Gonzalez TV: NESN, MLB.tv Radio: Red Sox Radio Network

Afternoon Red Sox Delight - 7/21 [SOX & Dawgs]

After stranding the population of Rhode Island on the bases last night, the Boston Red Sox will look to take the series in the rubber game of a three-game set against the Oakland A's at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.

Today's game will start at 3:35 p.m. and will be shown on NESN in the Red Sox television market. The game can be seen in the A's television market on CSN California.. If you can't catch the television broadcast, you can always listen to the game on the 2010 Red Sox radio network.

Clay Buchholz returns from the disabled list to make his 16th start of the season for the Red Sox. In his previous 15 starts, he is 10-4 with a 2.45 ERA. He's never faced the A's in Oakland and has one career start against them. That start came in 2009 when he allowed two rus over 5 2/3 innings to take a no decision.

Gio Gonzalez makes his 20th start of the season for the A's. In his previous 19 starts, he is 8-6 with a 3.63 ERA.  He took a no decision against the Red Sox on June 1st when allowed three runs over five innings. He's made two career starts against the Red Sox with both of them coming at Fenway Park. In those starts, he has no record with a 5.23 ERA.

Lineups, batter/pitcher matchups, and links after the jump.

Nine out of ten times when the Boston Red Sox lose a game like they did last night to the Oakland A's, it stems from one bad inning from the starting pitcher. Couple that with a ton of missed opportunities and you get exactly what happened in the 5-4 loss.

The Red Sox seemingly had A's starter Dallas Braden on the ropes at times early and were able to get four runs. And with Tim Wakefield's relatively easy first two innings, things seemed to be in control for them.

They had a 4-0 lead and a chance to gain ground on both the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays in the standings but the one bad inning and missed chances at the plate would cost them that shot.

Wake had gotten the first out of the 3rd inning before a Coco Crisp double and a walk to Daric Barton. After a double steal by the pair of A's, Wake hit Kurt Suzuki after getting two strikes on him. Jack Cust, who had good numbers against the 43 year-old Wakefield, came through with a two-run double. A passed ball and a sac fly would tie the game up for the A's and it would stay that way until the 10th.

But before that the Red Sox would squander a few chances to get themselves back out in front.

A bases loaded situation with two outs in the 5th fell by the wayside as did a bases loaded siuation with one out in the 6th. Those were the best chances for the Red Sox to put the game out of reach but they failed to do so.

There is some good news on the injury front. Josh Beckett was cleared to make his start on Friday in Seattle and it looks Victor Martinez should return next week in Anaheim. Also, infielder Jed Lowrie joined the team in Oakland and will be activated today as well Clay Buchholz who is making the start.

It was learned after the game that Ryan Shealy was designated for assignment to make room for Lowrie and that Dustin Richardson was optioned back to Pawtucket to make room for Buchholz. Jeremy Hermida will also join the team on Thursday in Seattle and it'll likely be Daniel Nava or Darnell McDonald as the unlucky man out.

I'd put my money on Nava being the odd man out since he has options left on his contract. If they put McDonald on waivers, it's quite likely he'd be picked up by another team and the Red Sox certainly don't want to let him go unless they could get something in return.

We'll be back in a while with this afternoon's starting lineups (3:35 p.m. game time), batter/pitcher matchups, any news and links from the day but for now enjoy the overnight links after the jump.

Paw Prints is our daily look at the happenings for the UConn Huskies football, men's basketball and women's basketball teams as well as some of the other sports. We will do our best to bring you the links from all of the media that covers the Huskies on a daily basis. As always, links can be found by clicking on the read more button below.

Thank you for stopping and by making SOX & Dawgs your home for UConn Huskies news.

Destination Red Sox Nation is our look at how the minor league teams of the Boston Red Sox fare each night. Game story and box score links as well as links to team rosters, team stats and league standings are after the jump.