What You Need Is A Veteran!--Peter

Well, here we were--the final stretch run for the post-season. It started last week in Tampa, and now has left the country and landed in Toronto, long a thorn in the collective Sox side. Even with last week's three of four in Fenway against the Jays, this Toronto franchise has always been a cause of much pain to our heroes.

So last night's game starts this series facing one of the Jays' pair of eighteen game winners, Burnett, (the other, Halliday, comes up today) our response being mid-season acquisition Paul Byrd. Byrd has done admirably well on the whole, and has helped the Hose when they most needed it, but there we were, 2d inning, two outs on the first two Jays batters and then--BOOM!Three consecutive doubles from the bottom of the Jays order and we're trailing two zip. "This is not going to be fun", I'm thinking. Oh, ye of little faith, Peter.

There the score remains until the 5th when the Fen men tack on a trey, topped off by Casey's two run double. Unfortunately, the jays are equal to the situation and tie things up in their half of the inning and we move merrily along until the 8th.

The Sox quickly get runners on board and here comes Jason Varitek to the plate. Now, Tek has had the second of a pair of' shall we say, far less than pretty seasons with the bat. He has shown flashed of his career long capability, but overall, his BA has been sub-par. Not to worry. Tek immediately shows why, high or low BA, he's definitely who the Sox want as their catcher and captain, why he's still dangerous in a clutch situation. He's a true veteran, and, once again, proved it last night. Finding a pitch to his liking, he knocked it into the outfield to plate what would turn out to be the winning run, and then stepped aside for the Sox bullpen, with his guidance and pitch calling to nail down the win.

Speaking of the pen, The Only Manny--Delcarmen, got the 'W', with an inning of perfect baseball, followed by Oki closing out the 8th with an 'H', and Papelbon slamming the door for his 39th Save. Laser's save had a few anxious moments, largely of Pap's own making. But all was OK in the end. Pap gave up an infield hit and trying valiantly to throw out the hitter at first, instead threw the ball away--runner on 2d with no outs. He then went to 3-1 on Rolen, who, though not nearly as good as his salad days with the Cards, still can be scary with a bat. Next pitch, Rolen maced one that seemed headed to left for the tying run, but it was just a loud out. Acting more in defense than anything else, Yoouk snatched it out of the air for the out. After anothert out moved the Jays runner to 3d, Laser did what he does so well. He simply threw the ball past the Jays batter for three quick strikes--GAME OVER!

With the Sox win, they are still 1 1/2 behind the Rays for the division with nine to play, 8 1/2 over the Jays for the wild card, and 7 1/2 ahead of the Twinkies and Mr. Hankie's Yankees for the card.