Onto the ALCS - Jenn

That's right, after a little tension last night, the Red Sox dashed all doubts and squashed the Angels hopes of a pennant for the third time in as many outings. However, just like last night, it was not an easy win.

But before I get to tonight's game, let me recap Friday and Sunday.

We won.

We lost. (In 12 innings and the longest game in ALDS history at 5 hours and 19 minutes. While I was stuck working, Dad did his part and has full recaps of both games.)

Okay, now onto tonight. Again, being stuck at work, I decided to tune in. Granted I started watching in the top of the 5th, but since the score was tied at 0-0, I knew I hadn't missed anything - other than Lester being Lester and Lackey being Lackey. Another pitcher's duel similar to game one in Anaheim. But unlike game one, this time it was the Sox who scored first.

It all started with a fielder's choice by Ellsbury to plate the first run. Then Pedroia finally snapped his 0-17 streak and hit a double off the wall to plate Varitek and give the Sox a 2-0 lead and allow Lester to be the winning pitcher.

And that would have been the case if it weren't for the Red Sox phenomenal relief staff. (You may sense a note of sarcasm there.) Anyway the Sox were holding steady until the top of the 8th when Okie took over for Lester after seven great innings and 109 pitches. Things started well enough when Chone Figgins and Garrett Anderson both grounded out to 2nd. It looked as if Okie would have another 1,2,3 inning. But these are the Red Sox and just because something looks like it could happen doesn't mean it will. After two easy outs, Okie couldn't place his pitches and he walked Teixeira. Not wanting to take any chances, Francona pulled him for the even less dependable Masterson.

Now I say less dependable because you never know what you're gonna get with Masterson. Like Dad says, Masterson runs hot and cold. And unfortunately recently Masterson's been very, very cold. Well, tonight was no different. All he needed was one out. Instead he walks Guerrero then throws a wild pitch to Varitek allowing both Teixeira and Guerrero to move into scoring position. (They scored it a passed ball, but I think it was wild.) The Sox still need just one more out to maintain their lead. But Hunter lines Masterson's pitch to right, and both Teixeira and Guerrero score to tie the game.

The Red Sox couldn't answer against Shields in their part of the 8th and it's onto the 9th. After Morales doubled off the wall and Willits sac bunts to moved him to third, both myself and Red Sox Nation were starting to fear a repeat of Sunday night's game. But thankfully Varitek does what he does best and made probably the best play of the post season so far.

Willits took over for Morales at 3rd as a pinch runner because if you need to score the go ahead run, there's no one on the Angels bench that's faster. So with Aybar at the plate, the plan was a suicide squeeze. Unfortunately for the Angels, every member of the Red Sox knew it and were ready. Aybar missed the bunt and Varitek took that ball and made a bee line for Willits who was already half way down the third base line. Willits may be fast, but he's not fast enough for Varitek. The Captain tagged him about a foot off the bag, then fell, knocking the ball loose. Scioscia was quickly out to argue that Varitek didn't have control of the ball when he tagged Willits. But as instant replay clearly showed, Varitek had complete control of the ball on the tag and only lost it when his impact with the ground knocked it free. There were now two outs and Aybar's strike out makes three. Now it's the Sox turn. Maybe it'll be just like the final game of the regular season and we'll have another walk-off.

Well, clearly the Red Sox wanted that outcome as badly as "The Nation" because Bay wasted no time taking a Shields pitch and knocking it to right for a ground rule double. Willits was lucky the ball hit the dirt and not his glove because if that ball had knocked off his glove or the outfield grass, Bay would still be running. Instead Bay was stuck at 2nd with one out. Shields and the Angels bench may have believed the baseball gods were smiling down on them by bouncing that ball into the seats, but that belief was dashed when Lowrie stepped to the plate.

The young shortstop got a pitch that was down and away. But realizing the winning run was on base, Lowrie was determined to get some kind of wood on the ball. And connect he did, just enough to squeak it past the diving 2nd baseman, and into the outfield to allow Bay to score the game winning run in beautiful walk-off fashion.

Final score 3-2. Final series score 3-1. And although the Angles may have snapped their post season losing streak to Boston last night, they couldn't snap it enough to move onto the ALCS. I guess it just goes to show: doesn't matter what you do in the regular season, it doesn't mean crap if you can't follow through in the post season. See you all Friday at the Trop!