Welcome to Friday’s Morning Mashup, where we’ll get you caught up with what’s going on after a nightmarish day in Boston sports.

BASEBALL: The Red Sox offense got an early start to the holiday weekend in a 5-0 loss to the Angels in Game 1 of the ALDS. Alex Speier has Five Things We Learned from this debacle. Rob Bradford says Victor Martinez will catch Josh Beckett in Game 2 as the Sox need offense, not sentimentality.

After a frustrating night, Jon Lester tipped his cap to his counterpart, John Lackey. Daniel Bard got a chance to get a taste of postseason play. Terry Franonca had a tough night, starting with an upset stomach after eating Mexican fast food. Here’s what the Angels had to say.

Yesterday on WEEI, Curt Schilling ripped the umpiring crew assigned to this series.

“It is embarrassing,” Schilling said. “Listen, Joe West, I think he is an ass and I have had problems with him forever, but here is the thing: Joe West is a pretty decent umpire. Greg Gibson and C.B. Buckner? They suck. They’re horrible, horrible.”

And what happened last night? Bucknor made a negative impact on the game, blowing a couple of calls.

Elsewhere in postseason play, former Red Sox second baseman Mark Loretta singled in the winning run shortly after Matt Holliday dropped the third out in left field, and the Dodgers stunned the Cardinals, 3-2. The Rockies evened their series with the Phillies, taking a 5-4 decision. And Pedro Martinez wants to start Game 3 for the Phils.

Dan Guttenplan compares cheering for the Phillies this year to the uneasiness Red Sox fans felt following Boston titles.

TBS announcer Chip Caray is taking a lot of heat for his poor calls, especially his gaffe on a key play in Tuesday’s Tigers-Twins playoff game.

FOOTBALL: Patriots running back Fred Taylor had surgery on his right ankle, and Chris Price examines what’s ahead for the New England running game. Price also takes a look at what to watch for Sunday against the Broncos.

Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey talks about his team’s dramatic improvement on defense this season. Here’s the audio from the Broncos.

In case you missed this yesterday, while hyping Sunday’s game against the Ravens, Bengals receiver Chad Ochocinco said that he would hit a) Ray Lewis in the mouth, b) challenge Terrell Suggs to a fight, and c) perform a touchdown celebration dance he calls the Ricky Bobby, in honor of Will Ferrell’s character in the movie “Talladega Nights.”

Said Ochocinco: “When I score, which you know I will do, I have a special thing. It’s called the Ricky Bobby. It should be really nice. It’s a rule-breaker. I did send the NFL the fine money ahead of time.”

At the other end of the spectrum, here’s some must-reading for this weekend: Alexander Wolff’s Sports Illustrated story on Jackie Robinson’s two UCLA football teammates who broke the NFL’s color barrier in 1946 but whose names are mostly unrecognized today.

Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez called Jonathan Vilma to apologize for the quarterback’s low hit during an interception return Sunday against the Saints.

Iraq War veteran and hopeful NFL rookie Tony Fein died of as-yet-unexplained causes. The 27-year-old linebacker from Ole Miss was cut by the Ravens in the preseason.

Dan Rowinski has a preview of Boston College’s game Saturday at sixth-ranked Virginia Tech.

HOCKEY: The Bruins forgot to show up in a 6-1 shellacking at the hands of the Ducks. Joe Haggerty has Three Things We Learned. And here’s the audio of a disappointed Claude Julien & Co.

BASKETBALL: The Phoenix Mercury and Indiana Fever play a fifth and deciding game in the WNBA finals tonight. Just thought you should know.

HISTORIVIA: On Oct. 9, 1967, In Game 5 of the World Series, Sox ace Jim Lonborg outdueled a young Cardinals pitcher who went on to a Hall of Fame career — but spent most of it as a member of a different National League team. Who is he? Bonus question: In the Sox’ 3-1 win, St. Louis’ only run came courtesy of a home run from a famous slugger who, like the pitcher previously mentioned, is more well-known as a member of a different team. Who is he?

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “It wasn’t like a game of missed opportunities. We really didn’t have any.” — Jason Bay, after last night’s 5-0 Game 1 loss to the Angels

‘NET RESULTS: Here’s a Canadian football-themed commercial worth a chuckle.

HISTORIVIA ANSWER: Lonborg and the Sox beat Steve Carlton, who was traded after his first 20-win season in 1971 to the Phillies. Carlton went on to play 15 seasons in Philadelphia and 24 years in the majors, winning 329 games. The player who homered off Lonborg was Roger Maris, who broke Babe Ruth’s single-season home run mark in 1961 during his second straight MVP season as a member of the Yankees.

SOOTHING SOUNDS: Jackson Browne is 61 today. Here’s his biggest hit, made famous in the 1982 movie “Fast Times at Ridgemont High.”

One Comments for “Friday’s Morning Mashup”

1. christopher mehegan Says:
   October 9th, 2009 at 9:24 am

   i definately agree with curt schilling on this one greg gibson and that burger flipping jack ass cb bucknor both suck horribly that tag that youkilis made on first base should have been ruled an out fro sure instead howie kendrick is ruled safe i definately blame him for last night’s loss to anaheim he is a 47 year old washed up degenerate of an umpire major league baseball should definately fire him because to me he is an absolute washed up degenerate of an umpire and he couldn’t see kevin youkilis tag of first base to ge kendrick out no wonder why he needs a see and eye dog because he is color blind bucknor sucks.

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