A Hit By Jed; Angels Are Dead--Peter

Well, this one was a game that you hate to see anyone lose. But, there's no question I'm glad the Sox won! Tonight there were so many heroes, it's hard to single out any one player. Lester took the ball and, just as in game 1, kept the Angels off the bases. He was magnificent through seven, and left with a two zip lead, one of the runs coming on Pedroia's first (and, as it turned out, only) hit of the series. Dusty lined a shot high off the Monster and drove home a run in the 5th, getting the Hose their second run of the game. The way Lester was pitching, it was looking more and more like that would be more than enough. Not so fast.

I'm watching it on the tube and counting down the remaining Halo outs until the series is done and the Sox get to move on when, what happens, Tito yanks Lester and brings in Okajima to open the 8th. He quickly gets the leadoff, but then walks a batter with two outs, and is gone. Masterson comes on, gives up a walk to Vlad Guerrero, and then, to make matters worse--very worse, blows a sign from Tek, throws a heater about chest high over the plate when Tek called a breaking ball, and it goes to the backstop. Both Angels runners move up and now, with men on second and third, Torii Hunter, performs as he has throughout the series. He drops a sharply hit liner into right field that, even with a dead on throw can't prevent both runs from scoring, tying the score.

Masterson last just one third more of an inning, now into the 9th before being replaced by The Only Manny--Delcarmen, Who I never knew before last night, is from Boston-- a true home town boy. Manny finds himself with two outs and a runner on third, one of the Angels' fastest baserunners. Just as the TV commentators finish suggesting that a suicide squeeze is something that the Sox have to be on the outlook for, the Halos attempt exactly that. TOM throws a high heater to the third base side of the plate and here comes the baserunner. The batter attempts to provide cover by just getting his bat on the ball and putting the ball in play--anywhere at all--just get it in play. But he misses--the ball's just a bit too high for him to make contact, and the baserunner is halfway down the line on his way home with what would have been the lead run, when all of a sudden, there he is--naked to the world and dead as a doornail unless he can get back to third before Tek tags him out.

He's faster than Tek; he should win this footrace; he should be OK. But wait! Putting on a burst of speed no-one, including Tek, knew he had, Tek reaches out full extension, applies the tag before the runner can retreat to the bag, and falls ass over tea kettle. The runner is OUT! Halos manager Scoscia gives argument because after the tag is applied and Tek does his tumbling act, the ball finally falls free. Scoscia and the runner are yelling that the fact that it kicked free of Tek's glove voids the tag and means the runner is safe. The ump disagrees and replay after replay after replay, ad nauseam, backs up the umpire. The out stands as called. As this is not the NFL, no protest flag is thrown on the field.

Which brings us to the bottom of the 9th. Bay, with one out, rifles a drive to right field that the Angels fielder just comes up short of catching by inches. The Halos are lucky, however, when it kicks into the stands, limiting Bay to a ground rule double. If the ball not only gets by the fielder (it does), but stays in the field of play, Bay definitely gets to third, and very likely goes all the way around the bases for an inside the parker that wins the game right there. Kotsay comes up, having already made a couple of highlight reel fielding plays, one a going away over the shoulder grab that would have even made Randy Moss envious. He hits one right on the button; it has double to right written all over it, but it hadn't taken Texeira into account. The late season acquisition of the Halos, in his first post-season of his career, demonstrates why he was an All-Star for his former team at first base. Diving to his left at full extension, he instantly turns Kotsay's drive into just another out. Bay is still standing on second.

Up comes Jed Lowrie. He gets a pitch to his liking and bang--just inches beyond the Angels' second sacker's reach, it's into right field. Bay, running at the crack of the bat like someone's chasing him with a machete, tears around third and heads for home. The throw comes in from right--Bay slides--it'll be close. Heeee's SAFE! SOX WIN! SERIES OVER! ON TO THE LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP!

Three down, eight to go.