Sox Split Two & Two w/Phils

Well, after the original win in the Fens by the Sox, they were closed out on consecutive nights. First, in his first return to Fenway since he went to the Phils, Papelbon slammed the door on a Sox rally and earned his first Fenway save for an opposing team. Then, just to rub it in, at the Phils' home field, he did it again, albeit looking a bit more like his final two years as the Hose closer than his first few. That left it for tonight for the Hose to get the split. Breaking on top with four 1st inning scores, capped by a two-run double by Salty (he later got another), the Hose were holding a 4-2 lead through five. Then, Gomes and Papi each took a shot into the cheaps, Gomes in the 6th and Papi in the 7th--6-2, Sox. That's the way the score remained until the top of the 9th, when the Sox removed any lingering doubts about closing out the win. They added a three spot when they sent seven men to the plate. Starting with a base knock by Jackie Bradley, Jr. (back to the Show yesterday), they soon had multiple baserunners and after scoring on a ground out, left it to back to back two baggers from Salty and Iglesias to jack the tally to 9-2 Sox. After that, it was just a matter of how quickly Bailey would slam the door. He needed only a dozen pitches to do so, two of the outs coming as K's.
The offense was fairly well spread around, with only Salty, Iglesias and Jake having more than one hit. Both of the former had two apiece, but Jake, showing continuing signs of breaking out of his recent slump, had a hell of a night. He was three for four, all singles, and received a freebie. But it's not the times he got on base that was so spectacular. It's what he did once he got there. You expect someone with his speed and talent to steal a base fairly often; maybe a pair. Tonight, he went way beyond that--he swiped FIVE! No typo--five steals! I believe that vaults him back into the MLB lead for steals on the season, his total now 21. He stole 2d in the 2d, then duplicated it in the 4th. But he was just warming up. In the 6th, he was hit by a pitch and promptly retaliated by swiping both second AND third. His final hijack was in the 8th, when he singled again and promptly grabbed second again. At this rate, they'll have his photo in the post office with a number at the bottom.
Just as good as the offense was, the pitching also looked pretty damn good. In his first start since coming back to the parent club, Morales threw a solid five innings, allowing the Phillies' pair of runs, but giving up just four hits, a pair of passes and punching out two before giving way to the Hose' pen. From there on out, the Bosox hurlers were basically lights out, allowing just a combined total of two hits and no freebies at all. If all of this doesn't make you happy, the Stripes, who the Sox drop in on tomorrow, lost again to the Mets, upping the Sox Division lead to two games.
One other item--has nothing to do with tonight's game, but worth mentioning--a business friend gave me a pair of seats right next to the dugout at PacBell Park for the August 21 game when the Sox visit the Giants. Seats are fantastic! Can't wait!