Another Nice Roll of the Dice: Peter

Well, Jenn, it certainly looks more and more as if the Diceman is back in all his splendor. Facing the Indians tonight in the Jake, he was sparkling through eight strong innings. In 116 pitches, almost two to one strikes over balls, he allowed just four hits, walked only a pair (game WHIP of 0.75) and allowed no runs--NADA. Along the way, he also picked up five K's.
In fact, he allowed no extra base hits all evening; the only Tribesmen to reach second got there either by error (Beltre had a pair tonight) or by a swipe. Other than that, it was as if Dice was saying, "I'll let a couple of you guys taste first, but don't get your hopes up beyond that. It's not going to happen." Meanwhile the guys moving the lumber for the Hose were slowly getting started, getting just five hits through the 7th and somehow managing to score single runs thrice through the 7th by combining their few hits with an array of fielder's choices and sac flies. Well, it may not be as exciting as the Big Fly, but a run is a run and three runs are three runs. The final Sox run came on a base hit.
After the 8th, Bard relieved Dice and promptly made one of his lightning bolts a little too tempting and saw it hammered into the cheaps. After getting the first out, he then allowed another hit, but fortunately regained his sense of things and closed out the inning and the game before things got too serious. So, Jenn, this leaves us a half game closer to both the Rays and Mr. Hankie's Yankees, and a half game ahead of the Jays in 3d in the division.