So my brother calls me on Monday night around six and says that he has four tickets to see the Sox on Tuesday against the Blue Jays and invites me and the Mrs. to go. Well, at $75 a seat, showers in the forecast, cold temperatures, and the proposed match-up of Halladay against Lester, we passed on the tickets.
Stupid move by me.
This was one of the best games I’ve watched in a long time. I love baseball games that fly. Pitchers like Halladay are a rare breed in baseball. He takes the hill with the mindset, right out of the gate, that he’s pitching nine innings, win or loss. He works quickly and gets a lot of ground ball outs.
Well he went the distance again against the Sox last night but this time it was for a loss. Funny thing is that he’s had four complete games this season and lost three of them.
And since ESPN refused to publish it, I finally have the forum to say that Halladay looks like the best friend in the 80’s classic Can’t Buy Me Love who was also the neighbor in The Burbs. You be the judge.
Anyway, we’ve been picking on Lester most of the season for his control issues and saying that perhaps Masterson should have stayed up and demoted Lester who’s not quite ready for prime time. Word of that criticism must have reached Lester because he was lights out last night. One hit through eight innings, he wasn’t perfect walking four batters but, he looked better than he has all season.
Papelbon pitched the ninth and was bailed out when Dusty made an amazing grab on a ball that would’ve scored a run if it got by him.
So for the third start in a row the Sox pitching looked great, but what about the bats? Well, maybe not their fault running into an ace like Halladay, but they were still sleeping. Until the ninth inning. Ortizle was walked with two outs in the ninth. Then Manny hit a bloop single in front of Wells who was playing him wicked deep. That set the stage for Youkie.
What does the guy that’s batting .316 this season do in this clutch situation? Nothing but line a single up the middle that Wells bobbles and the Sox win the game.
How pissed was I to give up those tickets? Very much so. Thank you.
Hopefully with the improved weather conditions today the teams bats can come alive. Let’s all pray to Jobu to help the team’s bats.
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