A Real RED SOX Team Effort--Peter

Well, today was a true Red Sox team victory--the kind we've come to expect these last few years, where help comes from all corners--starters, relievers, different batsmen delivering just when a timely hit is needed.

Today started ominously for the Hose. A combination of Jeter's hit, a walk and A-Rod's (say hi, Madonna!) double followed by a sac fly from Giambi had the Sox down early, 3-0, after one inning. They'd had opportunities, but with multiple base runners, couldn't pull the string and get the hit to plate any of them.

However, after the depressing first, Josh settled down and in their half of the 3d, the Sox struck back. Getting the first run on Lowell's sac fly, they then got a pair of runners on and found Yooouk at the plate. Hitting a long drive to the centerfield wall, it looked for a moment as if former teammate Johnny Damon had gloved the ball for a loud out. However, that's all he did--glove it. But he didn't hang on and it bounced up out of his glove to the top of the wall, where it sat for a few moments looking for all the world like a long putt trying to decide whether or not to drop. Everyone waited--into the seats for a homer or back on the field and in play--which would it be. It was the latter and Yooouk hadn't slowed for a second. Steaming around the bases while Damon tried to locate the errant sphere, he ended up with a triple, the other two runners having scored and tied the score.

Things quieted down for a couple of innings, but with two men on in the 5th Lowell closed out the Sox afternoon and his contribution. On a 2-1 count, he drove one into the cheap seats for a three run homer and a 6-3 Sox lead. This, along with the prior sac fly, gave him 53 RBI's for the season.

Becket, meanwhile, while not being at his best, was still moving through the Yankee order with no major issues. After six, it was obvious to Tito that JB was tiring and he brought on Okijima. Oki made it through 2/3 of an inning without any damage, but it was an extended hold-your-breath minute. Something still isn't right here, and Oki looked every bit the way he has for the past four or five weeks at least. He's not mystifying batters the way he formerly did. This time he gave up a hit and two free passes, loading the bases before being replaced by The Other Manny-Delcarmen.

Now here's the ultimate in recent inconsistency! When TOM shows up, I'm starting to get like Jenn does whenever Timlin is announced. However, to my great relief, TOM this time threw 2/3 of an inning of shutout ball, surrendering only a harmless walk.

He was followed, again, for 2/3 of an inning, by Lopez, with similar results, although in this case nobody reached base. This is the type of bullpen work I like.

Which brings us to the 9th and The Laser. Not as efficient as he usually is, Pap managed to close out the game with his 25th save, but only after a BB and a supposed run scoring two bagger by the Yankees' captain, Jeter. Although replays clearly showed the ball was caught in a miraculous effort by Coco, the umpires ruled it a trap and a run scored that should not have counted. Nevertheless, undeterred, Laser then buckled down and closed out the game for another Sox W.

With today's performance, the Hose have three players with over 50 ribbies, and JB is climbing the rankings in wins and K's, though today he only garnered four. If Big Papi hadn't been out injured, it's a good bet the Sox would have a solid shot at having four players with 100 RBI's at season's end.