Mariners - 110 002 101 - 6 10 0
Red Sox - 110 002 012 - 7 12 1
Boston came from behind five times to grab the win -- the team's 18th straight one-run victory at home. Great hustle by Kevin Youkilis to beat out an infield single with two outs in the bottom of the ninth (on a 1-2 count) before Mark Loretta's game-winning blast.
Right after he was mobbed at home plate, Loretta was asked by NESN how this ranks in his career highlights: "Probably #1. I've never had a walk off homer at any level." Then: "Most places you have a big crowd for opening day, then it drops off. Not here. It's a playoff atmosphere every day."
Fuckin' A right!
Seems like a long time ago, but Lenny DiNardo also threw a serviceable five innings. Throw in two (almost three!) home runs from David Ortiz, two stinging hits off the left field wall from Manny Ramirez, and three hits from Trot Nixon -- and ignore for now home plate ump Rick Reed's disgraceful excuse for a strike zone -- and everyone's happy.
***
Major league baseball has done away with a lot of traditions -- holiday doubleheaders and having the first game of the season played in Cincinnati -- but we've still got Patriots Day!
And no one else does! We might need some runs today, though. How sweet would a no-sweat 10-2 win be? It's like smelling the grill preheating while the burgers and dogs, ribs and chicken, are seasoning. And the suds are pouring. Yum.
ReplyDeletecan't figure out how to get the gameday pix in sharper focus. it's fuzzy/choppy for me when i click on it, but fine when i open the file in PSP.
ReplyDelete???
well i cheated and also put it as its own webpage and linked it in my post.
ReplyDeleteso glad we don't have a day off after a win like this, though the long wait for tuesday night (29 hours?) will seem like one.
really hope manny broke the ice today. nice to see him smiling a bit in the outfield today. also haven't seen him doing his gunslinger/pointing thing much, if at all.