All V-Mart: Peter

Great to see you, Gary and Aidan over the weekend, Jenn. In addition to the family's high points of the holiday,we got to discuss the Sox in person. Anyway, you probably will "see" tonight's game after decompressing from your drive back, so let me regale you--unless you decide to avoid the discussion until you "see" it.Lackey pitching for the Hose and by the 5th, the Hose are down four zip and it's not looking like it's going to get any better. Lackey's giving up clusters of hits every couple of innings and, with one exception when he pitches out of a bases loaded no outs jam, the results are about what you'd expect.

However, he stabilizes after that and, simultaneously, Martinez is making his presence more than known--much more. By the end of the evening, V-Mart is 5 for 5 and has a double double squared--four two baggers. This accounted for a pair of ribbies and another pair of runs scored, giving him 15 doubles on the year, one behind team leader Dusty, who got his 16th tonight. His two baser ended an O for 17 streak that had taken him down below .260. Lest you think that this was all of the offense, Hall got a triple and our new third sacker, Beltre again belted the opposing hurler, getting three hits, including a 3-run homer. Sox finished up with 14 hits.

From the mound, I've already discussed Lackey's efforts. He got the 'W', but he struggled. After holding the A's scoreless in the 6th, he departed, replaced by the pen--end of story--for the A's. The three Sox relievers collectively gave up a single single (in the 9th), and tossed three innings of shutout ball, two of them perfect. Those were one apiece from TOM (after tonight, I think I'll just use his name as we're now over two years removed from the Original Manny) and Bard. Both did it with their usual stuff: Manny in the low to mid-90's and Bard regularly lighting up the gun at or near the triple digit level.

So we're now seven games over .500, and within a half game of the 3d place Jays. Stripes and Rays won again tonight, so those margins remain the same, but this is the third in a row again for the Fenmen. Long season to go and I'm liking our appearance more and more. Now, if both JB (back) and Jake (side pains) can get back at their expected performance levels, this could yet be a memorable season.