Finishing What He Started--Peter

Well, Jenn, although the NY-Tex game isn't over, we gain either way. If Mr. Hankie's Yankees win (and they lead late in the game) we stay 6 behind them, but go up 2.5 on Texas in the Wild Card. If Texas wins, we stay 1.5 up in the WC and get to within 5 of the Stripes. Wake pitched tonight and it was as if he'd never been away. Out over a month with back pain, he came on, threw seven strong and left with a 2-1 lead--looked really good. The ball was really dancing around, almost daring the Chisox to hit it. Unfortunately, the first Sox reliever gave up a HR to a not-known-for his-power hitter and it was tied at a deuce. With the Pale Hose pitcher, we should have had at least a five run lead by then, but we didn't so it was sweat a bit. Papi had started the Sox scoring for the night with a solo shot to tie it at one. Going into the bottom of the 9th, 2-2, Papi came up and, as the head says, finished what he started. Nice fat pitch--see ya! Papi gives us one of his classic walkoffs and we win, 3-2. By the way, all three Sox runs came on solo shots.
Ooops--just went final. Texas lost, so we're up in the Wild Card 2.5. Tampa's still playing and leads 2-1 over the Jays. If Toronto could come back, we could get another game distance between us and Tampa.
One other comment. As happy as this win is for Boston and RS Nation, there is much sadness in the Hub today. One of the greatest Senators in history, Teddy Kennedy, a great Sox fan as well, died at 77 of brain cancer. Expected for a year, but still never easy when it comes.I worked on his first Senate campaign in 1962, fresh from high school.Too bad, but a great legacy for what he did for the country.