"On those rare occasions in a season when Dustin Pedroia enters a slump, they are not hard to miss.

His violent swings encounter mostly air and when he does hit the ball, the results tend to be grounders right at defenders or catchable flyballs. It's no different than any other slumps by any other players, but Pedroia's importance to the Red Sox offense tends to make his slump more noticeable.

And that is what is going on right now.

He has one hit in his last five games, a 1-for-23 spell that, not coincidentally, coincides with the club's own tailspin.

"I've pretty much had five (expletive) games — that's basically it," said Pedroia. "I've been swinging the bat like (expletive) for five games. There will be a time where I swing the bat for five games where I won't get out. That's how it happens.""