Red Sox Back Where They Should Be - Jenn

I know it's been awhile since I've posted... sorry, it's been a crazy week. But I've seen every game since my last post and I'm happy to report the Red Sox are BACK IN FIRST PLACE!

After they swept the Twins, the Orioles came to the Fens. And while the Sox dropped the first game against the Baltimore team, they took the next two.

The first game the Sox won without question. It was a blowout thanks to the third inning. But let's start with the first when JD Drew got the Sox on the board with a homer over the green monster. Then Manny stepped up and took the first pitch he saw to the Red Sox bullpen for back to back homers that would put the Sox on top 2-zip. But it wasn't until the third inning when the Red Sox really opened things up.

Although Liz got the first batter he faced to strike out, the next 10 men would not go quietly. Pedroia started a new hitting streak by lining to left. JD Drew walked, and Manny was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Liz then walked in a run by by giving Lowell a free pass. Then Youkilis stepped up, and on a 3-1 pitch, he launched the ball over the monster seats for the first grand slam of his career. Now the Sox are up 7-1. Another six men would come to the plate before the inning was over and by the time the dust had cleared two more runs had scored and the Sox were up 9-1. They'd add three more to their total making the final score 12-1. Since the Rays lost yesterday the Sox were now only a half game away from leading the East.

Today's game wasn't the blowout yesterday's was. There were no solo shots over the green monster or anywhere else for that matter and while several Sox got wood on the ball, they ended up leaving a whopping 11 men on base. The two runs that did score were thanks to an error from Bynum in the first that allowed Pedroia to reach 2nd and trot home on JD Drew's double to the wall; and then Pedroia's grounder to Bynum in the 4th that should have been an inning ending double play, but ended up being a fielder's choice allowing Casey to score.

Neither team would score again until the 9th inning. The Sox were up 2-0 which means my favorite member of the bullpen is on the mound - Papelbon. But as the closer sometimes likes to do, he made the final inning a little too close for comfort. Sure he got the first guy he faced to pop out, but he had a little trouble with the next four batters. Roberts singled to left and Jones lined to center. Markakis struck out on a 98 mile an hour fast ball and it looked like Papelbon might get out of the inning unscathed. But then Huff, who's never gotten a hit off Papelbon, lines to center and Roberts scores making it a one run game with the tying run just 90 feet away. Suddenly I'm having flashbacks to July 9, 2006 - the last time Papelbon blew a save right before the All Star break.

So now I'm biting every nail I have and praying our closer doesn't get his fifth blown save of the year before he heads to New York as Mora steps to the plate. Papelbon throws just two pitches - the first for a ball, the second a strike. But that strike ended up in the diving glove of Dustin Pedroia to give the Orioles their final out, Papelbon his 28th save, and the Red Sox the win which firmly planted them atop the American League East. Whew!

And with that final out comes the All-star break. A nice little four day vacation in New York before the Sox head west and come to my neck of the woods. That's right, starting Friday they'll be playing three games against the leaders of the American League West, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (remember when they were just the Anaheim Angels) and I'll be there for two of them. I can't wait! Until then have a nice break and I'll see you next week!