Farewell, MO -- Sox Sweep Yanks!

Well, tonight is an unusual one for Duffys. We've got a pair of things to cover, one the game and one the last time ever of one of baseball's all time greats at the Fens.

Covering the latter first, tonight was scheduled as the final possible time Mariano Riviera would ever pitch at Fenway, barring a post-season appearance if the Stripes were to get that far. So, the Hose had a special pre-game ceremony to recognize the man and his achievements. Yes, he is a member of the Evil Empire. Yes, there have been times when he  closed out a NY victory over our Sox. But, more important, he's the best ever at his position, bar none; and he's also a true gentleman--in my Yiddish parlance, a mensch. Unlike some other stars in the game today (I needn't name names--they're known to all), Mo does his job. He gets called, he pitches and more often than not, he shuts down the opponent. Period. He's done it 651 times in regular season and 42 times in the post-season, the latter number being interesting as it's his uniform number. By the way, the number's being retired when he leaves as well because it's Jackie Robinson's and MLB decreed that after any current player wearing it had retired, the number would be permanently retired in honor of Jackie. Even that is fitting that the last player to wear it is Mo. So, before the game began, the Sox had an on-field presentation ceremony for him. The entire team assembled on the field and, with Pedey, Papi, Lester and Uehara making the presentations, the Sox gave him a painted portrait of him celebrating a save, a Fenway seat from 1934 that had his number, 42, on it, an autographed bullpen rubber, and, perhaps best of all, his Green Monster pitcher's number. What that last item is, is a solid steel plate about two feet square that has his uniform number on it. As the scoreboard at the Fens is a manually operated one, whenever a pitcher enters a game, at Fenway or at any other game anywhere, their number is hung next to their team's name on the board. When they're replaced, the relieving pitcher's number replaces theirs. The numerals are painted in white against a background of, what else, green. Mo's was presented to him and it had an extra that no other numbers have. It was autographed by every member of the Sox.  If all of this weren't enough, the managing brain trust owning and operating the team then appeared and gave Mo a check, amount unannounced, but you can be certain it's substantial, as a donation from the Red Sox foundation to the school for disadvantaged children that Mo's foundation has established in his home nation--Panama. Ceremony over, the game then began. But throughout the evening, the camera kept returning to the Yankee bullpen area where Mo could be seen patiently autographing anything and everything that fans thrust at him. It was always a smile, a signature, best wishes and move on to the next one. No fees for the autographs were charged; no-one was refused; and everyone was happily satisfied. Because the Stripes never got close enough to warrant his appearance on the mound, he finished the Fenway portion of his career in the pen.  But he will never be forgotten. When the game was over, and all players had departed for their respective locker rooms, where was he to be found? Still standing in the Stripes' pen, pen in hand and still patiently signing autographs: a smile, a signature, best wishes and on to the next. He truly is one for the ages.
Now, as for the former item, the game, Sox swept the series, the victory being the sixth of the last seven games they've played the Stripes. Bucky was making his second start since coming off the DL and he wasn't particularly sharp for the first few innings. But, as he got into the 5th and 6th, he got better, until he looked so good in the 6th (his last), there was open discussion if he might not be allowed to go further by Farrell. However, Farrell isn't considered a master at handling pitchers for nothing. Bucky was gone since the start of June and is just coming back into regular rotation. No reason or need to push him too far, too fast. He gave up a lone unearned run in the top of the 1st due to his own error, a misguided pickoff attempt at first sending the runner, Granderson, to third, followed by a ground ball out. Including the original walk that got the Grandy Man to first to begin with, Bucky allowed just a pair of hits and four passes, while taking down four by K. He gets his 11th win, and reduced his ERA to a minuscule 1.51, the opponents' BA dropping to .190.
Having started off behind for the first time in a few games, the Hose then wasted no time at all getting even and reclaiming the lead. In their half of the 1st, they quickly started the ball rolling. After a leadoff out by Pedey, Nava reached on the first of a pair of doubles, a part of his four hit evening. He was followed by a ribbie single from Papi, who, in turn, was plated by a solid shot to the center field cheaps by Nap. Suddenly, it's Sox three, Stripes one, and it got better (or, if you root for the Evils, worse) from there as the evening progressed.
The final was 9-2, Sox, and the second Yanks run was in the 9th on a defensive indifference advance, followed by a base hit. But that was it for the night. Sox leaders tonight included Nava's aforementioned four hits and Nap's homer. Also important were Papi's pair of RBI-producing hits and Bogaert's pair of hits, a two bagger included. The win put the Sox at a new season high 33 games over .500, and left them 9.5 games over the Rays, who lost today, with eleven to play. I'd misquoted games left last night as eleven when it correctly was a dozen. But after tonight, it really is just eleven. The W was also the Sox' 17th out of 20 games, a winning percentage of .850.