Finally--Some Production!-Peter

Well, It was staring to look like another good start by the pitching followed by a fade in one inning. Wake started great--the butterfly was floating--though they had yet to score, the home heroes were getting hits--and then, BAM. Fourth inning and the Tigers are suddenly up two zip. But, I reasoned, it's only the fourth.

Sure enough, bottom of the fourth, the Sox sent eight batters to the plate and, quicker than you can blink, we're in the lead, 4-2. Not huge, but a lead anyway. This lasts for awhile, but the 'other Manny', Delcarmen to you, in spite of pitching a pretty good stint, made one a little too good for Maglio Ordonez, who deposited Delcarmen's offering into the cheap seats. His ERA looks good, but, at least so far this season, this is getting to be a habit that isn't something I want to see too much more of. No thank you very much! So now it's 4-3, Sox, and I'm starting to squirm a little again.

Not to worry. Bottom of the very same inning and the Bosox quickly jam the sacks. Manny comes up, works the count and Zap--a long double. Two runs come in and the lead is double the Bengals at 6-3. A couple more hitters and, when the shouting is past, the Sox exit the inning quite a bit better than when they entered. It's 8-3; should be an easy coast from here, right? Not right. This is Fenway and you've got a very hungry Tiger on the prowl, stalking its next kill, particularly since it finally got a taste of red meat in yesterday's embarrassment.

For some reason, Okajima, who quickly closed out the seventh, taking down the only batter he faced, was lifted before the eighth started. Tavarez came on. Now Julie is a guy that is a really interesting pitcher. As his past with the Sox for the last couple of years has amply demonstrated, he can be very good for anywhere from one to five innings, depending somewhat on the situation into which he is inserted--and the phase of the moon, or some other such intangible, or he can be downright terrible. So far this season, he's shown up pretty well. Well, whatever was working in his favor to this point deserted him before he even finished his warmups. Starting the 8th, the first five batters he faced reached base, two of them scoring. Eight to five and still no-one out. Then, we/he got lucky. Just when it looked like the wheels were going to come off, Tavarez got Sheffield, possibly a future Hall member, to hit into a DP. Yeah, another run scored, but at least we could see the light at then end of this particular tunnel--and for once, it wasn't the headlight of the train coming our way from the opposite direction.

Enter Papelbon. Throwing lasers that would make Luke Skywalker quickly relinquish his light saber, he quickly ended the inning without further damage. What else would you expect.

In their half of the inning, the Hose tacked on another four spot. Youk doubled home a deuce, followed by JD bringing in his second ribbie of the day and Coco crisply (sorry--couldn't resist the temptation) lining one to the outfield for the Sox' twelfth and final run. Papelbon, true to Jenn's T-shirt, held serve, got his third save of the year and the game was over. He included two K's and lowered his ERA to its customary sub-2 level for the first time this season.

A couple of observations. I mean,if you've followed us so far this year, you know I can't be satisfied without offering some commentary on the Sox separate from the details of the game. Lowell, who left the game last night in the first after spraining his thumb, was placed on the 15 day DL. I hope this doesn't become a habit for the Sox. First, Schil for 60 (which, I guarantee, will be extended at least into August; then Beckett for his 15 day stint that he's still working into shape from; then Timlin (Jenn's favorite--NOT) for 15 days with a damaged knuckle; and now Lowell for 15. Scary--and this is only April 10.

Another increasingly serious concern is Papi's ongoing slump. Now hitless in 10 straight at bats, broken, Thank God, by some well worked timely walks, he is hitting less than half his weight--probably only a third when you think about it. He's only at .083. I realize that we've only had ten games so far and there's still 152 to go and he's too good a hitter to have this persist for too long, but his bat is sorely missed--not to mention the joy he shows when he's in his trot circling the bases after giving another fan a souvenir. If worse comes to worse, he might want to consider trying a trick that none other than Teddy Ballgame did in the 50's during a, for him, long slump, lay down a bunt and leg out a hit. Number 9 did it--the slump was over and he went on like his usual self scaring Hell out of opposing pitchers.

Speaking of performances, JD is playing like he's on fire! With today's 3 for 3, a sac fly and two RBI's, he's batting .440 with--Get This--a .720 slugging average, and an OBP of .483! Youk continues to hit and he and Manny both are over .500 in slugging, while Manny and JD are among the league leaders in RBI's to this point. It's just in time, too. Tomorrow the spawn of Steinbrenner arrive for a threesome. I think it's about time the Sox went on a nice winning streak.