Nerve Racking-But a Real Team Victory!-Peter

I suppose I shouldn't complain too loudly. After all, we won, but this is getting more than a little nerve racking. Going into the bottom of the 7th, and it's still all zeroes. Dice-K has been outstanding all night, only allowing two scattered hits and an equally scattered pair of walks, while striking out four. Even better--he's only averaging just shy of 16 pitches per inning, which for him is a veritable walk in the pahhk (that's park for you non-Boston speakers). Normally, he's 'good' for at least a half dozen more per inning. If this is what happens when you get the flu, maybe a dose for everyone wouldn't be so bad (just kidding). But it's still zip-zip. However, that's about to change.

With one gone in the bottom of the seventh, Papi works the count to 2-2. He may still be in some kind of slump, but this is still Papi. The third pitch comes in and Papi deposits it--in the right field seats--one zip Sox. Looking good, at least, we've got some hope. Unfortunately, it doesn't take long to give it back.

In for the top of the 8th comes The Other Manny--Delcarmen, for you folks who are new visitors to this blog--and he faces one batter, gives up a hit and Terry's not taking any chances. In comes Okajima. Unfortunately, before closing out the 8th, he allows a hit that moves the Delcarmen-charged runner to third and that run comes in on a sac fly--tie score again. Oki gets charged a blown save, but at least gets us out of the inning with a chance to close out the game in the bottom half. But we don't--not just yet.

Top of the 9th and in comes The Saver. You know him as Papelbon. He does his usual, almost. No K's this time around and he does briefly unsettle the collective Sox Nation stomach by allowing a hit. But just as quickly he closes out the Jays with the usual assortment of lasers. NOW we can close out the game in the bottom half.

A chance is all we want. Papi gets his second hit of the game and is replaced by a runner. Manny walks, and after a couple of outs, Tek comes to the plate. Now he may not be the highest average hitter, but one thing he understands is clutch. When the game is one the line, if he's got a bat in his hands, he's almost as dangerous as the guys in the 3-4 holes. Tek is not someone a pitcher wants take too lightly in a situation like that. Sure enough, the ball comes in and just as quickly, it's in center field for a single, Manny doing a good imitation of Crisp or Ellsbury on a mad dash for home. He slides in just beating the throw from Wells--game over--Sox. Hey, we've got a winning streak here!

Equally good--Baltimore lost dropping the Birds out of first and a game behind the Sox. The Rays beat them. Do you believe Tampa Bay? Better yet--the Yanks lost again to Detroit.

Oh, yeah--Celts also won--by 25. Awesome!