I had this written in my head by 10pm, unnamed friends had changed the channel. I was watching the game with a few friends in my apartment and the game was literally serving as background noise, it was over. Pap gave up 2 more runs in the top of the 7th and it was just a matter of time. Cue the bottom of the 7th and that crazy Fenway Park Magic we've seen so many times in the last 5 years.
I'm not even sure what to write, if I dwell on the first 7 1/2 innings for too long my friend Jill is going to complain to me the post is too long and she won't read it. I'll sum it up like this, from game 2 through the top of the 7th of game 5 the Rays had their way with the Red Sox, the bottom of the 7th started a brand new series. Pedroia had a rbi to right field which brought Ortiz to the plate with 2 on. It's worth noting I (and probably a couple million other people) said aloud, if Ortiz launches one here we are in this. SWING AND A DRIVE, and its 7-4 Rays. Vicino then calls me, "Are we in this? Yes, yes we are."
JD Drew smoked a two run shot to right field, flicked his bat and it was 7-6 in the bottom of the 8th. Then Mark Kotsay, who has been hitting line drives the entire series, doubles off BJ Upton's glove; also worth nothing Upton has caught everything this series. Coco then goes to a full count fouling multiple pitches off before tying the game with a RBI single to right.
Papelbon shut down the Rays in the top of the 8th and Masterson came on for the top of the 9th. There have been times this year Masterson hasn't thrown strikes and with runners at first and second with one out and Pena at the plate I wasn't feeling too good. Then Chip Carey says Pena has only grounded into 2 double plays all season, 4-6-3 twin killing double play in the 9th! Unbelievable.
Bottom of the 9th you just knew the Sox were going to pull it out. Pedroia and and Ortiz make two quick outs then Youk grounds to third and Longoria makes a great play but throws the ball away (Pena should have caught that, but he stretched for it instead of letting the ball come to him), Youk gets second. Bay was intentionally walked and JD F'n Drew doubles to right field, ball game, they came all the way back from 7-0.
Game 6 is Saturday night in Tampa with the Rays leading 3-2, and Josh Beckett is scheduled to start. Beckett hasn't had it this post season, but as Red Sox fan you have to feel good about him pitching. If there's a game 7 Lester will take the mound and in game 7's all bets are off, whatever the hell that means.
Game 5 was a tale of two games, and I'm thinking this might have just turned into the Tale of Two Series.
ITM notes from the game.
Maybe the best sign I've seen in a long time, "Manny is playing golf today, this is better". For those who remember the sign from the 2004 World Series Parade that is pretty funny.
Pena grounded into 2 double plays all season, his third happened in the top of the 9th, that is driving me insane!
I loved the post 7 inning shots of all the brand new Rays fans with their hands on their head wondering what was happening to their lead. That is the first time in 10 years anyone has ever worn a Rays jersey in Fenway park, please don't try and convince me otherwise.
I also loved the slow "Powell, Powell" chant in the bottom of the 9th by the Fenway Faithful. Anyone who left deserves to be shot, I don't care what the score was, you have tickets you stay, those are the rules!
James "Big Game Shields"? I demand to know who gave him that nickname. The kid is really good don't get me wrong, he was on my fantasy championship team I know, but big game?
Plan on reading a lot in the next few days about how the Rays bounce back from this HUGE loss.
Beckett and Lester games 6 and 7...
I'm not even sure what to write, if I dwell on the first 7 1/2 innings for too long my friend Jill is going to complain to me the post is too long and she won't read it. I'll sum it up like this, from game 2 through the top of the 7th of game 5 the Rays had their way with the Red Sox, the bottom of the 7th started a brand new series. Pedroia had a rbi to right field which brought Ortiz to the plate with 2 on. It's worth noting I (and probably a couple million other people) said aloud, if Ortiz launches one here we are in this. SWING AND A DRIVE, and its 7-4 Rays. Vicino then calls me, "Are we in this? Yes, yes we are."
JD Drew smoked a two run shot to right field, flicked his bat and it was 7-6 in the bottom of the 8th. Then Mark Kotsay, who has been hitting line drives the entire series, doubles off BJ Upton's glove; also worth nothing Upton has caught everything this series. Coco then goes to a full count fouling multiple pitches off before tying the game with a RBI single to right.
Papelbon shut down the Rays in the top of the 8th and Masterson came on for the top of the 9th. There have been times this year Masterson hasn't thrown strikes and with runners at first and second with one out and Pena at the plate I wasn't feeling too good. Then Chip Carey says Pena has only grounded into 2 double plays all season, 4-6-3 twin killing double play in the 9th! Unbelievable.
Bottom of the 9th you just knew the Sox were going to pull it out. Pedroia and and Ortiz make two quick outs then Youk grounds to third and Longoria makes a great play but throws the ball away (Pena should have caught that, but he stretched for it instead of letting the ball come to him), Youk gets second. Bay was intentionally walked and JD F'n Drew doubles to right field, ball game, they came all the way back from 7-0.
Game 6 is Saturday night in Tampa with the Rays leading 3-2, and Josh Beckett is scheduled to start. Beckett hasn't had it this post season, but as Red Sox fan you have to feel good about him pitching. If there's a game 7 Lester will take the mound and in game 7's all bets are off, whatever the hell that means.
Game 5 was a tale of two games, and I'm thinking this might have just turned into the Tale of Two Series.
ITM notes from the game.
Maybe the best sign I've seen in a long time, "Manny is playing golf today, this is better". For those who remember the sign from the 2004 World Series Parade that is pretty funny.
Pena grounded into 2 double plays all season, his third happened in the top of the 9th, that is driving me insane!
I loved the post 7 inning shots of all the brand new Rays fans with their hands on their head wondering what was happening to their lead. That is the first time in 10 years anyone has ever worn a Rays jersey in Fenway park, please don't try and convince me otherwise.
I also loved the slow "Powell, Powell" chant in the bottom of the 9th by the Fenway Faithful. Anyone who left deserves to be shot, I don't care what the score was, you have tickets you stay, those are the rules!
James "Big Game Shields"? I demand to know who gave him that nickname. The kid is really good don't get me wrong, he was on my fantasy championship team I know, but big game?
Plan on reading a lot in the next few days about how the Rays bounce back from this HUGE loss.
Beckett and Lester games 6 and 7...
10 comments:
It's 1:38am and I can't sleep after this amazing game.
I want to comment about everything, but I don't have the time or the mental capacity at this point. What a game...i'm going to worthless at work tomorrow.
As great as this game was, the Red Sox have a LONG way to go...and it's an uphill battle against this Rays team in Tampa. That said, at the very least, the Sox have some confidence and fire.
Saturday night can't come soon enough.
I want to leave an upbeat comment. I really do. Because I feel pretty upbeat. But there's some part of me that just can't help being pessimistic. Vicino will swear that when I say the Sox are done, that's a good sign. So I won't feel too bad. I'll just go ahead and say it: B.J. Upton is swinging the bat as well as anyone I've ever seen. Ever. In my life. On ESPN Classic. Ever. All right, I got that out of my system. Wait. Longoria scares the crap out of me, too. Okay, there, now I'm done. I'm going to just enjoy a day that I didn't expect to be quite so buoyant.
Honestly, Joe Murph is like Eddie Mush from A Bronx Tale...never bet on the same side as him. After reading a comment like that, I feel better.
Seriously, there were times during last years playoffs that Joe and I would talk about how he wasn't allowed to watch the game because he would jinx them...and that worked out for us.
That's fine. Let these two teams beat up on each other, it's all better for Philly in the end. Go Phillies!
Eddie Mush from the Bronx Tale - CASH. I can't do Coffecake!!!
I agree delphia joe, the phillies must be loving this but lets get serious. Although the Phils bring more to the table than the Rockies we all know The Champ is coming out of the AL.
Getting mentally prepared for 8:07 Saturday.
"One Pitch At A Time"
Anyone have any numbers as to (teams who won in 4 or five) v. (teams who went to 7)? I'd be interested, since philla brings it up. Obviously it can be a momentum drain or a needed rest. I'm curious as to numbers.
Anyone else roll their eyes when the TBS crew said it would be a great time for some of J.D. Drew's "Mickey Mantle" power? Then boom, next pitch? I had egg on my face.
Even as a crazed Sox fan, I can't stand the Mickey Mantle references (yes that's plural..i've heard it many times). Drew has a sweet swing and plays the game hard (even though he gets hurt every other week), but let's not throw around Mickey's name huh?
....then again...it worked....say it again!
"I loved the post 7 inning shots of all the brand new Rays fans with their hands on their head wondering what was happening to their lead. That is the first time in 10 years anyone has ever worn a Rays jersey in Fenway park, please don't try and convince me otherwise."
Good point, because I totally remember hundreds of Red Sox fans at every one of their away games before they won the World Series.
Christ.
Joe B, Sox fans started traveling in force in 2001, actually. That was the year that a series of Boston-sports-societies were started at about a dozen colleges outside New England. The clubs started coordinating trips to Baltimore, Toronto, Chicago, and Tamps for, yes, hundreds of fans. The team already traveled relatively well, but I think that's when they really started going in and taking over stadiums.
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