Another glorious night at Fenway. Ok...so, we arrived after the 1st inning, Lester meltdown which gave up 4 runs, but - it wasn't because we were slacker fans hanging out for "just one more" at the Cask 'n Flagon, it's because we were stuck in traffic on 93...how many of the other 33,000 Faithful were there with me? Well, then hopefully you got the see the amazing sunset behind the Pru. What does it say about a cities' civil engineers that it took me 3 hours to go 41 miles? Phft. Whatever.
We're down by 4. It's looking just like the Tuesday before, when it was 8 to 1, 3rd inning...is that right? I was too pained to look by then and had to just putter around the house, finding other things to do with the agony looming from the TV in the background. And the comeback came, and kept coming....and as if some sort of miracle - it was a tie game...EVERY player hit something on Tuesday night, bats were hotter than they've ever been. I don't know if it was bad pitching on the D'Rays part....but, I like to think there is a reason that the Red Sox dugout looks directly at the Green Monstah. If you've never been to Fenway - the Green Monster is the wall surrounding left field...and, it displays the standings for the AL East, the scoreboard for the game being played...but, it also displays the scores of the other MLB games being played, simultaneously. And, I don't know how closely you follow what the Yanks are doing...but, I follow it pretty freakin' closely, so I know the Evil Empire was winning big over the Blue Jays early on....the Sox knew it too, because it's right there, in front of them, on the Green Monster. The ultimate motivator. I admit, I've never seen an MLB game in any other city (a dream of mine), so I don't know if this is a league standard, but I think it's brilliant and perhaps just what made our guys swing the way that they did.
I am a huge fan of young Jacoby Ellsbury, I have been since the beginning of the season, when no one had any idea who he was. So, it is with very friendly cajoling that I have to point out his rookie snafu in left field: Everyone thinks Manny is just lazy. And, Ok, I've seen Manny not hustle to first (but we all know he would've been out anyway, it just makes us mad that he doesn't try!) - and people say he's not aggressive enough in the outfield....BUT, I watch the way Manny plays, and other, very successful outfielders play the same way - they know to let the ball bounce off the wall and get it on the ricochet - not try to leap for it, knock it down and let the single become the double. Ellsbury had to learn the hard way - going for broke, slamming his entire body against the wall (which had to hurt). LOL, Rookie! No worries, though, this one play does not define you, you are amazing and I'm glad to have you on the roster.
I could go on about the bad pitching in this game...I could critique and pummel Wake's perfomance until he's bloody...but, the truth (for me) is this: Wake is junk without Mirabelli. Anyone who watched Doug get out of that car last year, just outside of Fenway, rushed in from the airport at game time (bet he had a police escort, too!) - because he'd been so stupidly traded and we discovered we NEED him - would agree with me. Sorry, Cash - you might be fantastic, but when it comes to Wakefield, he needs his Dougie. Que sara, sara. I accept what I cannot change. Get well, Mirabelli, we need you for the playoffs. Offense...my WS cap off to you. I shouldn't be so excited about us beating the worst team in baseball...but, a win is a win....and a win like this....Boston, YOU are the team who will win the World Series. Don't doubt it for a second.
So...back to last night....down by 4. David Ortiz hit a 3 run homer in the 3rd and that takes the pressure off. I did not expect the fireworks from the night before, because - you all know how it goes - it seems they empty the run bucket when they score as big as they had the night before. And, I was right, in the end, only 3 of the 9 got hits last night. But - at least we were back in the game. And, once again - I hate to say it: the game got boring for quite awhile. Nothing happened - for another long, grueling 5.5 innings. Nothing at all. The most notable highlights were the bad calls from the umps....so obviously wrong, it's unimaginable...but, the truth is, the Red Sox got just as many breaks on the bad calls as the Devil Rays, so it's all a wash. Papelbon came in and did his thing....I personally breath a sigh of relief each and every time I hear them play "Wild Thing" and watch Pap make the journey across left field from the bullpen to the mound.
Then came the bottom of 9th. Again - the guys are sitting in the dugout, looking at the Yankee/Blue Jay score clearly displayed in front of them, Yanks on top by 3 in the 9th. Motivator? Again, I'd think so. Pedroia - I just want to call him Dusty instead of Dustin, he always looks like Pig Pen from the Peanuts, but he plays hard and no one can fault him for that - got himself on base, as usual. But, anyone who became accustomed to Big Papi's walk-off home runs from last season knows that it's been a long time since we've seen this sort of thing. And, I'm going to be honest with you - believe me or not - I knew it was going to happen, I felt it in my gut. I wish I could explain it better than that, I envisioned it on the 2nd pitch...but, the 3rd was good enough for me. The confident, emphatic swing and whooosh, right around the Pesky pole - it was gone! And, another bench-clearing moment at Fenway...Papelbon first to jump the dugout fence and the rest of the team followed.
Welcome back, Mr. Clutch! We know you've been hurtin', Dave....great work, letting us ride this one out on your broad shoulders. We're ever so grateful for this precious win. Once again: Boston, you ARE the team who will win the World Series...don't doubt it for a second!
Mike and Manny....take care of yourselves, get well, we need you this weekend.
Another sincere and grateful THANK YOU to you all for the great baseball,
Ann, the Red Sox Fan
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