Mirror Image--More Like It!: Peter

Jenn:
I'm starting to feel as if I'm in the Fun House with mirrors everywhere! This series with the Rays is looking like that mirrored room--close to lookalikes, but not quite! First we win, 12-5. Then we lose, 14-5, then we win, 11-5. Balls sailing out of the Fens left and right, people running the bases like it's just a jog in the afternoon--on and on and on and....well, you get the picture.
Tonight started looking as if it was a continuation of last night's nightmare, with the Guys from FLA up four zip after an inning and a half. Then, in successive innings, the Hose tied it by scoring a pair each in the 2d and 3d. Included were three of their five roundtrippers on the evening. Scoot started with the first of his two (of four hits overall) and then Papi and Beltre each went solo. Looking more like the Sox will have a pair of 30+ HR hitters for the first time since Manny & Papi last did it. If Papi can pick up enough ribbies, we'll also have a pair of century guys in that category, again for the first time since Manny and Papi last went there. Just missed by one last year when Papi got jobbed on his 100th.
Anyway, after the Hose caught up, Wake allowed the Rays a run for the lead again in the very next inning, and I'm again getting skeptical. I never doubt the heart of our team; it's just that when your roster looks like the worst third of a MASH triage scenario, it's hard to keep the optimism up. Anyway, the Sox response, beginning with three in the 5th and continuing through the 7th, was to grab the game by the throat and keep squeezing until they killed any chance the Rays had of coming back.
Seventeen hits, some outstanding, not to mention scoreless, relief pitching, and the Sox are now within six and a half of the Rays and still nine behind Hankie's Yankees.
Milestones worth noting are the fact that Wake, with tonight's 'W', is the oldest Sox hurler to ever win a game, passing HoFer Dennis Eckersley. It's been a while since Eck set that mark. Wake now says he wants to pass The Rocket & Cy as the winningest Sox pitcher ever. He needs another 13 wins for that. Don't bet against him. The knuckler puts almost no strain on a pitcher's arm, so time really isn't the issue it would be with a pitcher throwing more traditional stuff.
Scoot's four hits tie his career best for hits in a game. The guy's exemplifying the guts the Hose are showing in the face of the injuries. Like Lowell, Scoot's playing through the pain. In the SS's case, it turns out he's got rotator cuff damage in his throwing arm, but would rather play than lose any time during the season. A cuff injury's no fun, trust me on that, Jenn.
Day off tomorrow, then the Hose are here against the A's. The best thing the A's have is the lowest team ERA in the league, so it will, as always, be interesting. Sara's trying to locate tix for us to go Saturday nite,but nothing definite yet.