Another Big Inning--Peter

Well, here the Hose were against the Rangers once again. Trying for a series sweep, the only way they could improve on the past two nights was to again score tons of runs and then NOT give the Rangers a chance to get back in. The Sox took care of the first requirement early. In the 2d inning, they started soft and slow, like Neil Diamond's 'Brother Love' in the song. Loading the bases, they picked up a run on a single by Coco. Next was a run forced in by Cora getting hit by a pitch while the sacks were still jammed. JD added one on a fielder's choice, plating Tek, 3-0, Sox.

Then the Hubhose picked up the pace. The snowball that was the Sox offense rolled a bit faster down the hill that was the Rangers pitching. Dusty drove a double off the Monster, sending one run in and Drew to third, and bringing Big Papi to the dish. He let just one pitch, a ball, go by and then unloaded into the right field seats for three more runs, and a 7-0 Sox lead.

That wasn't then end of things however. Yoouk doubled yet again in this series and was sent home by Bay's base hit. After that, Lowrie finished off the scoring for the inning with a double that drove Bay home. End of the 2d, Red Sox 9, Rangers nothing.

However, after the game two nights ago, and last night's late mini-rally by the guys from Texas, I wasn't exactly relaxing completely yet. These guys do, after all, have the highest team BA in MLB, along with a number of very dangerous long ball players.

That's where Dice-K came in. Pitching perhaps his best game of the year, he kept setting down Texas batters, more or less one right after the other through seven. Yes, he did give up 6 hits and his usual accompanying bunch of free passes, but he also picked up five K's and kept the Rangers from turning any of the walks into anything productive. By the time he left after seven, his season ERA was down to 2.74. The Diceman's looking more and more like what he was hoped to be when Theo grabbed him last year. He's now 14-2.

Dice was followed, in succession, by TOM, Delcarmen and Jenn's favorite, each of whom tossed an inning of perfect baseball. Between them they K's half of the batters they faced. While they were busy doing this, the Sox added a solo run in the 8th on Pedroia's double, his third hit of the evening, and a single by Bailey, who'd come in to take over for Yoouk at first base.

Items of note: tomorrow Paul Byrd, formerly of the Tribe, pitches his first game for the Sox, going against Toronto. Hopefully, he continues his recent successes that he's shown in his last four starts where he's unbeaten. A continuation of the Sox recent batting surge wouldn't hurt his chances.