And Devil Rays 7, Yankees 6 (10). 3 games up with 5 to play. Magic #: 3.
During the day we had a nice hike with the pups, then returned for afternoon tea, grilling and the Red Sox. (Much more about our day here.)
We had a nice connection -- good enough for GDGD -- but when it rained after dinner, our connection disappeared. At 6:50 pm, I went to ask out hosts about it; perhaps they needed to reboot the router.
It turns out they had turned it off as the storm moved in. They have had some problems with routers being fried during storms. I said we had hoped to follow a baseball game, but it didn't sound like they would turn it back on -- thunder rumbled in the distance as we spoke and it started raining again as I walked back to the cottage.
But about 10 minutes later, the connection was back. Maybe they took pity on us! So everything was good. But then, in the bottom of the first, with a 2-0 count on Ortiz, GDGD stopped. With more thunder and lightning, our hosts probably had second thoughts. Shit.
In the meantime, we figured we'd check the AM radio dial on our box. We heard an MFY station driving home from Skydome recently, so why not. I was creeping along the band and at about 1000 or so, we heard the name Barton. ... Hey, a Barton hit a dong off Curt in the first inning. Then we learned his first name was Daric. Bingo !!! It was the Red Sox game from WTIC in Connecticut! We had to twist the box around and fiddle with the antenna a bit, and we missed a few pitches because of static, but we listened to the entire game.
And then I found the MFY game for the ninth and tenth innings. We knew New York had blown a 5-1 lead -- then we heard Navarro bang a walk-off dong to end a wonderful day.
***
Chad Gaudin (4.52, 97 ERA+) / Curt Schilling (3.97, 115 ERA+)
With a weak and possibly inconsistent internet connection out here in the wilds of Ontario, game discussion will be at ThreadSox for the two Oakland games.
Manny Ramirez and Kevin Youkilis both took BP at Fenway yesterday, but there was no word on if they will play tonight.
The Yankees (2 GB) visit the Devil Rays (Fat Billy/Hammel) at 7 PM.
Oooo! Let me clean up the place! Nixon, pick up the empties! Redsauce, throw out the pizza boxes! I'll vacuum!
ReplyDeleteHEY MANNYS BACK IN THE LINEUP! BATTING SECOND SO HE'LL GET AS MANY AT BATS AS HE CAN!
ReplyDeletebrilliant.
MANNY'S BACK
ReplyDeleteHm. Is that why he's hitting second? Seems odd. But it will be good to see him back in there.
ReplyDeleteCakey, that's so funny - I suggested Allan email you with a heads-up, so you could tidy up the place, get ready for company.
ReplyDeleteYay, Manny's back!!
Allan's making pink lemonade for our vodka, the burgers are on the grill, we're sitting outside in front of the lake. The sun is setting... as it is on the Yankees' hopes of winning the AL East.
IT IS ON!!
Igawa pitching for the Yankees tonight...
ReplyDeleteAccording to our evil dopplegangers at RLYW, Clemens is being scratched for tonight's start, and is being replaced by Joe Cool, aka Kei Igawa.
ReplyDeleteIf ever there was a night to lop 2 off of the magic #, it's tonight.
ReplyDeleteAllan's making pink lemonade for our vodka, the burgers are on the grill, we're sitting outside in front of the lake. The sun is setting...
IM JEALOUS!
Wow, Manny's back??!! Great! So I guess I should go check out Cakey's place....Enjoy your lemonade martinis and the game!
ReplyDeleteAnd Fat Billy's sittin' (left hammy) in favor of Igawa.
ReplyDeleteHey everybody. I can't wait to see the game today. I'm skipping playing Halo 3 to watch this damn game so the Sox better win!
ReplyDeleteTHANK GOD MANNY IS BACK AND HE ALREADY RIPPED A SINGLE.
MAGIC NUMBER.... THREE!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteWhoo-hoo, what a great night!!
ReplyDeleteMAGIC NUMBER = THREE!!!
Initially, I wasn't even sure Navarro had hit a HR. Amid the static and Sterling's ultra low-key delivery of the dong, I couldn't tell what had happen. Then he went into his call/wrapup and I knew what had happened.
ReplyDeleteIn his post mortem, Sterling said "I think it was a 2-0 pitch" -- it happened 45 seconds ago, you are the pbp guy, you don't know the count?!?!
He had done the same thing when talking about the Rays earlier rally. Someone had a hit on what Sterling guessed was a full count.
Doesn't he keep a scorecard? Someone half-listening to the game might not recall the count. Not the guy actually broadcasting the game for thousands of listeners. Lazy.
Great night of baseball (would have been perfect if Seattle had beaten the Indians)! It must have been frustrating to lose the internet connection, but listening to a game on the radio can be really exciting and memorable. (I have already recounted my two favorite radio games, and it is interesting that I remember them more clearly than many games I saw at Fenway or on TV.)
ReplyDeleteLet's win tonight, let Cleveland lose two, and, of course, let the MFY lose the next five.
Never underestimate the power of the AM radio at night. From southern Maine, I can pick up WGN in Chicago. I was listening to the end of the Cleveland game last night on the radio. If you're ever out at night, see what other stations you can find. And hey, if you can pick up WTIC, I'm sure you could get WFAN also.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure how strong the signal is in long distances, but if you're looking for an MFY station, try 1270.
Of awl the dramatic things I've eva seen....
ReplyDeleteSeriously, if you've never been to a game at Fenway when it's getting to be playoff time, go. The cheer that went up when the Yanks score went from 5-1 to 6-5 was incredible.
Could it be that all the media will be WRONG about the Red Sox "blowing it" "as usual"? So I guess we'll look for big apology articles or...
WEEI had a hilarious clip of the Yankee game. Waldman was bitching to Sterling how the only games still going were the West Coast games ... "and we'er still here" (in a tone that said "watching these fucking losers" (Rays). Sterling says "And there's the 2-0 pitch", you could hear the crack of the bat ... and Sterling had to call Navarro's dong. Absolute gold. Dale and Holley played it a few times, it was so funny.
ReplyDeletesox radio said the score got a standing ovation.
ReplyDeletewoti, laura says sterling has likely called a lot of games like that this year.
WTIC - My local news talk radio that carries the Sox. Funny thing is, I am about 10 miles from their attenna and there are spots in the house where I can't pick them up during the Sox Games.
ReplyDeleteCoco out again this afternoon. LBJ playing center!!!
Sock, I video taped it from my seat, and should have it up soon. (The Yanks score changing to 6-5.)
ReplyDeleteIsh, there must be magical radio waves in Maine. That's where we were when we picked up that Cleveland-Seattle game where the team overcame a 12 run deficit to win the game. What is more annoying is how I cannot pick up any affiliate broadcasting the Red Sox games when we are in between Sturbridge and Palmer.
ReplyDeleteWEEI had a hilarious clip of the Yankee game. Waldman was bitching to Sterling how the only games still going were the West Coast games ... "and we'er still here" (in a tone that said "watching these fucking losers" (Rays). Sterling says "And there's the 2-0 pitch", you could hear the crack of the bat ... and Sterling had to call Navarro's dong. Absolute gold. Dale and Holley played it a few times, it was so funny.
ReplyDeleteI heard both things real time. I had a feeling it was gone, but he was just... deadpan. He's one of those guys who will be like... "Well, shit. Meh. ...Welp, anyways. Oh well!"
Loudest cheer of Tuesday night!
ReplyDeleteAnd hey, if you can pick up WTIC, I'm sure you could get WFAN also.
ReplyDeleteSure, but WFAN here is the Blue Jays station. So that's no fun.
Driving home from the Blue Jays game, we also picked up a Chicago station.
660 AM, L?
ReplyDelete