EIGHT and Counting!--Peter

Boy, talk about a page from '67's Cardiac Kids!You weren't born when they took the AL pennant, Jenn--back before league and division playoffs--only the league champs played post-season ball--the Series, and the Sox, who'd finished ninth the year before, went to the Series, finally losing in seven. It seemed every game down the stretch that year was a last inning or last at bat come from behind victory. I'll tell you, Jenn, quite a season, capped by Yaz winning the Triple Crown and Lonborg the Cy. Here we have Penny give what may be his best performance in a Sox uni, shutout six innings, leaving with a one zip lead, complements of the apparently resurgent Papi's HR (part of a 2-3 evening), followed by the fabulous Hose pen. Not so fast...TOM only lasts 2/3 of an inning, the 7th, and when he takes a shower, it's Yanks 3, Sox 1. Sabathia's doing a pretty good imitation of himself and we get nothing in our half of the inning. Saito, who'd come in to stop the bleeding in the Yanks' 7th keeps them from any more damage, and suddenly, the Fenmen erupt. Nine men come to the plate in the home 8th and when the dust clears, the Sox are back on top, 4-3. Among the keys, Bay's major league leading ribbie (I say MLB leading not knowing how the Rays' Longoria did tonight in their laugher over the Halos). Yooouk and JD singled and Lowell sac flied home another run. Definitely a team inning.
What next? What else? The Laserman enters. Nine pitches, three up, three down, GAME OVER! This start of the season streak is the second longest for the Sox against the Yankees, and the third longest of any team against the Yankees. The A's (nearly two decades ago) are in second. I saw Jeter in a brief post-game interview on ESPN. As always, he's at least a gentleman about it. He clearly was upset, but classily gave full credit to the Hose for their good play--no complaints or claims of bad luck--just "they're playing well." How did someone as classy as him end up a Stripe?
Away from the Fens, Smoltzie continues his rehab and is looking better and better every day--a perfect example of his future HOF self. Can't wait. By the way, the last time the Sox had a start like this against the Yankees was in 1912. They also won the Series that year! What does Aidan think of this streak?