Sox: Of Yesterday and Today!--Peter

Boy! If ever a Sox game exemplified the Sox of, say, 1925-1945, and the present day Sox, the Epstein-Francona era, it had to be tonight's. If anyone can find me a similar one, I'm open to considering. Here we were. From the 1st inning out of the gate, three zip, soon to expand to nine zip by the 4th. I'm thinking we're home free--another game up on Mr. Hankie's Yankees and also one on the Rays. I'm figuring the only way we lose today is a repeat of the nightmare against the O's a week or two back, and things like that don't happen to good teams--teams like our Hose.

I turn around and it's 9-4 and the Royals are still batting. Then it's rapidly 9-6 before Oki shuts off the spigot, and it's still only the 6th. Suddenly, we've got a ball game again! Bosox get zip in their half of the 6th and Oki is greeted by the R's leadoff man in the 7th with a shot to the cheaps--9-7. I'm thinking, "I can't watch." But, like watching someone pull the wings off a fly (sorry, PETA), I can't turn away. Fortunately, Bard comes in and zip, zip, zip, the inning is over. Sox seemingly put it out of reach in their half of the 8th with a trey, but the R's won't stay dead. They're like zombies and they're taking chunks out of our heroes! Suddenly, it's 12-9; the Royals still have baserunners and I'm thinking of losing my dinner. Fortunately, Bard finally shuts the door, all three Royals runs charged to him unearned. The Fenmen come up for their turn in the 8th and suddenly, it's NOW again. Guys are getting hits--even with runners on. They're taking walks, getting HBP and when I check the board,it's 15-9. Barring a complete reversion, this one's done. We're back from the Time Tunnel. It's 2009; Sox up by two and the world is right!

Individually, Smoltzie got his first W, going five and giving up just a run while striking out seven against only a single free pass. Yooooouk got three hits, two of them yard, and Papi continues his comeback assault with a two run drive into the seats. Dusty picked up his 28th two bagger, and Jake figured "why not" and swiped his 39th sack of the year, accompanied, by the way, by Jason Bay's tenth swipe of the season.