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August 11, 2008

G119: Red Sox 5, White Sox 1

Red Sox   - 000 000 203 - 5  7  0
White Sox - 001 000 000 - 1 7 0
Danks had easily set down the first 17 Red Sox batters and was eight outs away from a no-hitter against a lifeless Boston lineup when Kevin Youkilis smacked a single into left-center.

Mike Lowell then walked on five pitches and Danks needed a mound visit. He recovered to fan Jason Bay, but J.D. Drew ripped a double that one-hopped the wall in left-center and scored two runs, giving Boston a 2-1 lead.

After a quiet eighth, five of the first six Boston batters in the ninth inning reached safely. Jed Lowrie's bases-loaded double scored two runs and Jacoby Ellsbury's second single of the night brought around the fifth Boston run.

Beckett (8-7-1-0-8, 104) was stellar. He allowed two singles to start the third and two fly balls brought in Chicago's run. After that, only one White Sox runner reached second base. Bot wrapped things up with a perfect ninth.

The Twins shutout the Yankees 4-0 to drop the New Yorkers 9 GB in the East (they trail Tampa Bay by 10 games in the loss column).

***

Josh Beckett (4.08, 109 ERA+) / John Danks (3.21, 139 ERA+)

After the Angels (who lead the West by 14 (!) games), the next-largest division lead in either league belongs to the FKR, who are up 4.5 games on the Red Sox and 8.5 on the Yankees.

Tampa is off tonight; Yankees/Twins at 8 PM.

475 comments:

  1. Jon Heyman thinks Larry Lucchino will leave the Red Sox at the end of the season.

    Lucchino is said by people familiar with the just-departed Ramirez soap opera to have been much more committed to keeping Ramirez, no matter how badly the man-child superstar behaved and how much he risked undermining the clubhouse -- the two innovative Yalies have engineered this Red Sox renaissance and combined to bring two World Series titles to the previously star-crossed and storied organization. Yet there is burgeoning talk among baseball's elite that the end of their baseball relationship could be at hand.

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  2. wow, the mets fucking suck. i used to try and root for them, but i almost feel like its more fun to watch them fall apart at the end of games. now that willie is gone, i enjoy their loses a lot more.

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  3. Oatmeal, hold the Papi (day off):

    1. Coco Crisp, CF
    2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B
    3. Kevin Youkilis, 1B
    4. Mike Lowell, 3B
    5. Jason Bay, LF
    6. J.D. Drew, DH
    7. Jed Lowrie, SS
    8. Jason Varitek, C
    9. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
    -- Josh Beckett, SP

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  4. Oatmeal, hold the Papi (day off)

    FUCKING BASTARD! WHAT A LAZY SOB! TRADE HIM!

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  5. Extra Bases also said knuckleballer Charlie Zink will start Tuesday.

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  6. great just what our offense needs, a papi day of.

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  7. I assume Ellsbury's in RF and Coco's in CF with Drew at DH. Extra Bases has two CF's at the moment.

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  8. That is a brutal lineup, especially if you're assuming (like I am) that Lowell's hurt. Funny to see Crisp lead off again, as well as Ellsbury back down to 9th after his one trip back to leadoff and subsequent cooling down from his hot start.

    I'm looking forward to seeing Zink. Obviously, not as much as I would be if it were September and the Sox had a 7 game lead in the East, but I've been reading about him for years and it's cool to finally see him pitch in the Big Show.

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  9. knuckleballer Charlie Zink

    THIS GUY SOUNDS MADE UP!

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  10. Tony - agreed, brutal lineup.

    I'm presuming that the Coco/LBJ positions are due to the lefty pitcher.

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  11. You know, I'm a Red Sox fan (obviously), and I root for the rivals to lose, always. But the Longoria and Crawford injuries don't really make me happy.
    Now, if they played for the MFY, it would be totally different.
    That said, I hope they plan on losing some games soon. It seems we haven't made up a game in the standings for a while.

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  12. whew - nesn -- at home without the hawk!!

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  13. Good thing the game isn't being played in Boston. It'd be John Danks' night. Dank here in New England.

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  14. "Extra Bases has two CF's at the moment."

    What, the Globe made a mistake?

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  15. And this laptop is making a weird noise. I think it's the fan but it just sounds... like a car would when its struggling.

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  16. " It'd be John Danks' night. Dank here in New England."

    hopefully Second City is just joshin'. Or...whatever.

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  17. What, the Globe made a mistake?

    Indeed. But they did correct it.

    I'll be at The Bar if you need me.

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  18. we need to pound the shit outta danks because his stoopid lower lip hair is annoying me greatly

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  19. Don't know how much I can follow the game tonight. We're going to be sorting the electronics in the apartment in preparation for Upper Manhattan's first ever electronics recycling event this weekend, and this place is more or less the Museum of Antique Computer Bits... but without a curator, if you get my drift.

    I'm getting anxious just contemplating it.

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  20. we need to pound the shit outta danks because his stoopid lower lip hair is annoying me greatly

    Yes, that's the spirit!

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  21. Wow. That patch of hair on his chin is horrible looking. I mean, I don't have anything against the "soul patch", but that's overkill.

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  22. This isn't a new thought or anything, but it pisses me off that while I memorized all the ballpark names as a tike, my kids will have to memorize the names of the corporations whose names the parks use.

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  23. danks - 12 pitches, 11 strikes.

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  24. Sorry I keep beating the same drum, but notice something funny about that oatmeal? something like 6 J's in a row? Huh?

    The all J roster conspiracy lives.

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  25. it's also a very white lineup.

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  26. I wonder if it'll be the first time in baseball history for a knuckleballer to fill in for another knuckleballer.

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  27. Quentin will have a short career with that crouch. Knee problems are pretty likely.

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  28. <3 9-pitch innings thrown by us.

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  29. Why is it that when Remy announces the defense and their fielding percentage he always gets how they rank in the AL wrong??

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  30. a conformer, I mentioned that too, the other day, asking that day if it was a record....don't know if you beat me to that or not.

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  31. "I wonder if it'll be the first time in baseball history for a knuckleballer to fill in for another knuckleballer."

    That's funny, because there was a chance Zink would pitch for Pawtucket at Fenway on Saturday, but he didn't--but the opposing team DID throw a knuckleballer.

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  32. team fielding percentages ... can you think of a more meaningless stat?

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  33. fuck sakes. my first post of the day and it gets conflicting edits. FU Blogger.

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  34. Oh and it was logged in as stephs account. Salt on the goddamn wound.

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  35. My father, on Dank's lip hair: "It looks like he has a rat stuck to his lip.

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  36. So, as avid, constant baseball watchers: are the White Sox' announcers the homeriest of the homers?

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  37. Also, what in the blue fuck to Dank's face.

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  38. when I get conflicting edits I just hit reload and the comment goes through.

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  39. It's hard to beat Hawk's homerism....

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  40. Danks lookin a little like Billy Koch with that rat on his chin.

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  41. CWS has got to be the worst. Not only do they act as cheerleaders -- "come on ball, get out!" or "run run run, you can do it!!!" -- but they project possible WS rallies like 10 year old kids. ... okay if thome homers here, then dye gets a double and uribe singles, then we'll be in good shape.

    they are a joke.

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  42. It's hard to beat Hawk's homerism....

    I've heard him not say a word after an opponents HR. Ive also seen him after Chi ends their half of the inning not say a word and then awkwardly go to commercial.

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  43. I've heard him not say a word after an opponents HR.

    Yup. He'll say: "here's the pitch ... (crack) ............
    .......................
    ......................
    .......................
    ........................
    and Danks get a new ball from the umpire. He's ready to go."

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  44. redsock - not to mention every time I hear "you can put it on the board, YES!" I want to disembowel myself with a knitting needle.

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  45. It's weird how Hawk was such a beloved RED Sock, and he's turned out like this. Then again, I first knew him as a Yankee announcer for MSG in like the late 80s...

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  46. I'm hoping for a lot of Hawk silence tonight.

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  47. Jason Bay looks like Woody from Toy Story.

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  48. I remember in the Yankee days, it was "rack 'em up, put 'em on the board." The "yes" was added later.

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  49. Hawk was an announcer on channel 38 for a while too, right?
    (back me up on this, pre-cable JoS-ers!)

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  50. Griffey, I'm a big fan of yours, but not tonight.

    Interesting that the Diamondbacks were able to acquire Adam Dunn today.

    Not quite enough to counter Manny, but it's something.

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  51. Wikipedia says he was on WSBK in the mid 70s and fired in 1981 before joining the White Sox crew in 1982.

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  52. Man. Slingbox is fuckin' up. Shitty wireless here.

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  53. '75-'81, Hawk on 38, with Stockton, then Martin

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  54. thanks Phil! I was just thinking I could have looked that up myself...

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  55. Have a seat, Griffey. Craig Biggio is SO much better than you are.

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  56. Am I the only one who hates Griffey's stance? It's just lame, and reminds me of his video game for super nintendo.

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  57. Junior is 4-21 with the White Sox, all singles, with one walk.

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  58. I wonder if John Danks has ever thrown a perfect game ..... WELL, HE'S PITCHING ONE NOW!!!!!!!!!!

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  59. Kim just entered and got her first look at Danks: "Oh no, he's got the Krotch beard."

    (We call Koch Krotch.)

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  60. Apropos of nothing, Sidney Ponson's Gameday picture is a thing of beauty. I've struggled for a few minutes to think of a funny comparison, and nothing is springing to mind. All I can do is invite you all to go take a look.

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  61. Why can't Ponson get a Bryce Florie liner? Please?

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  62. I can't even say "god damn it, Tek" anymore. It's not like he's TRYING to suck this bad.

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  63. On the bright side, Adam Everett (!) just put the Twins up 2-0 in the 2nd with a dong. How about that?

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  64. Try harder, Allan. Danks can't hear you.

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  65. Yanks have had 5 baserunners in two innings, no runs. Nice.

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  66. Yanks have had 5 baserunners in two innings, no runs. Nice.

    See? It's not only us.

    ..

    Bay is 2 for his last 14.

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  67. At this point in the evening, I would like to say that although I do not behoove John Danks his success as a baseball player and wish him a long and fruitful career, right at this very moment, I hope he burns in hell.

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  68. I know it seems counter-intuitive, but given the current WC standings a Twins loss would not be the worst thing in the world. Especially coupled with a Sox victory.

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  69. efd, I see your logic there, but I'd much rather the Sox just win. That would render any other team-watching more or less irrelevant.

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  70. then again, with 42 or 43 games to go, maybe it's better to let the mfy get as far out of it as possible, then deal with the twins and rays

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  71. Yeah but if we beat Chi and the Twins win, the White Sox become the team in the WC race anyway. Also, I'll just root against the Yanks and take my chances, unless it were late September.

    efd: hopefully you know the Red Sox Diehard site, complete with all-time broadcaster list.

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  72. Best case scenario is if the Yanks/Twins go 13 innings and then whilst heading into the 14th both teams burn in hell.

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  73. Yeah, at some point, your team just needs to do some winning. Even assuming you can lose your way to a playoff berth, there's no way to advance in the playoffs by losing.

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  74. Hey, AJ, how about another DP?

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  75. jcal76 WINS!

    Except the Yanks get burned worse.

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  76. Tony's sharing my thinking. Just win, and the other games will take care of themselves. You can't get to 3.5 GB or 2.5 GA if you don't win.

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  77. Exactly, phil. One of the funniest things I ever read was in one of the BTF Mets game threads from last year: "it's funny how you can't clinch the division when you keep losing games". You win games, and the rest takes care of itself.

    Now, as far as the prospect of the Sox winning games, that still remains to be seen. Especially since they're starting to turn into the 2006 MASH unit all over again.

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  78. " You can't get to 3.5 GB or 2.5 GA if you don't win."

    We could, if we continually get rained out and the Rays lose over and over. But eventually we'd have to win the make-up games...

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  79. Jere, thanks for that link - I wasn't familiar with that site.

    I'm not rooting for the Yanks to win by any means, and I agree that the sooner they're buried and out of it the better.
    But if they *do* manage to pull out a win against the Twins...
    --ah, the heck with it. GO TWINS!!

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  80. yeah, I think of it like, "If the Yanks win, there's somewhat of a bright side." But go Twins.

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  81. Why are there only McCain ads on NESN? Isn't there some law where you have to have one side and the other side, not just one?

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  82. BTW, I wonder if the Rays will actually pull off a deal for Sheffield. It'd be kinda neat; the Rays actually dealing for this year instead of next. It also wouldn't make too much of a difference, since I think '08 Sheffield < '08 Longoria anyway.

    And I consider Beckett only giving up 1 that inning a minor victory. Shame he had to throw 200 pitches to do it.

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  83. The BOS-SOX team names on the score line looks strange.

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  84. the more the yanks tank, the better the tabloud back pages will be! ... with extra hank eruptions!!

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  85. ba da da da da....eatin cherries

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  86. incredible analysis by Remy: "He shaved his head, so he has no hair."

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  87. incredible analysis by Remy: "He shaved his head, so he has no hair."

    sounds like a madden comment.

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  88. Hank has brought much joy into my life this past year-plus. I cannot wait for him to fire Cashman and give Manny a 5 year, 120 mil deal.

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  89. Can somebody run out onto the field and take a tire iron to Danks' kneecaps, please?

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  90. anyone taking bets on the first "Zink or Swim" headline?

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  91. HEY DANKS -- ONLY 15 MORE OUTS FOR A PERFECT GAME!!!

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  92. efd, I don't want to Zink about it.

    ...I'll show myself out.

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  93. This yahoo sports headline is baffling: "Arizona answered the Dodgers' acquisition of Manny Ramirez by dealing for Adam Dunn, a bopper of historic proportions."

    historic proportions...adam dunn?

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  94. tim...his strikeouts are of historic import. Plus, IIRC, no hitter has more HR since '04 than Dunn. I know, selective endpoint, but still kind of impressive.

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  95. Anybody have a recommendation for a good place to find last-minute tickets for a concert? I wanna go see King Crimson tomorrow in Philly, but I'd rather not pay 90 bucks for the pleasure. Any ideas?

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  96. BecKett. Anyway time to study for tomorrow's exam.

    Later all.

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  97. a conformer...ebay? craigslist? i know they're usually filled with scalpers but the day before/day of the show they're trying to unload em below cost.

    also king crimson is still around? that's awesome.

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  98. I should say that I've checked the obvious ticket sites, Ebay and craigslist.

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  99. Dude, you can go with Megan for 50 bucks!

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  100. Another person on there has them for 25 each.

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  101. hahaha, that'd just be fucked.

    I really gotta go...hopefully John Danks continues pitching this perfect game.

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  102. At least Beckett's keeping up his end of the bargain. Well, more or less.

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  103. Dude, you can go with Megan for 50 bucks!

    Yeah, I left her a message (: I even offered a ride, since I'm coming from Richmond and she's coming from DC. Now I'm just waiting for her to call back.

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  104. HEY DANKS -- ONLY 14 MORE OUTS FOR A PERFECT GAME!!!

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  105. Lowell almost made it to first that time.

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  106. This is the perfectest game I've ever seen this guy pitch

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  107. Shaved Floyd looking terrified. And cold.

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  108. HEY DANKS -- ONLY 13 MORE OUTS FOR A PERFECT GAME!!!

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  109. When I was little, we had that game Perfection. Then we got Super Perfection. That was just a perfect game.

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  110. gosh, this is the most perfect perfect game I've ever seen.

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  111. HEY DANKS -- ONLY 12 MORE OUTS FOR A PERFECT GAME!!!

    shit

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  112. You know what, I'm starting to reach the point where I only half-care the Sox lose, just as long as SOMEBODY GETS THE FUCK ON BASE.

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  113. I don't care that Danks is pitching a perfect game right now. It only takes a dong to tie the game.

    I'm just hoping Beckett keeps them at just 1 run.

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  114. The worst part of getting perfected by the ChiSox would be having to hear Hawk's call of it all over the place. Let's avoid that!!!!!

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  115. Perfect game, can you believe it?

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  116. What's the record for ugliest facial hair while pitching a PERFECT GAME!!!!!!!!!?

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  117. Wow, I've never seen a mascot actively try to distract the opposing pitcher. In the major leagues.

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  118. If there are 2 quick outs, I demand that Lyndon drop down a bunt.

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  119. Wow, I've never seen a mascot actively try to distract the opposing pitcher

    I noticed that in one of the games over the weekend, too... maybe yesterday? The mascot was sitting just to the right of the plate (when looking in from CF) and rolling his arms around.

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  120. 64 pitches and one run through five would be great, under different circumstances.

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  121. Funny how both teams named after socks (neither of which are green) have green biped creatures as mascots.

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  122. Steph is watching that intervention show, featuring some girl huffing compressed air. Tis fucked.

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  123. Lowrie strikes out on two pitches.

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  124. Does anyone really buy an HD tv because it's the "official tv of MLB"? Who the fuck cares?

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  125. If nothing else, Phil, we can take from this game so far that Beckett's pitched very well.

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  126. Danks reminds me of a better Cole Hamels.

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  127. OMG DANKS -- ONLY 11 MORE OUTS FOR A PERFECT GAME!!! LOL

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  128. I saw the ad for that show! Looked messed up. In fact, KIm's in the other room and I hear screaming, so I think she's watching that crazy huffer girl too.

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  129. Does anyone really buy an HD tv because it's the "official tv of MLB"? Who the fuck cares?

    Theres a lot of idiots out there.

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  130. OMG DANKS -- ONLY 10 MORE OUTS FOR A PERFECT GAME!!! LOL

    ...

    BUUUUUUUUNTTTTTTTTTTT

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  131. HAHAHAHA NO MORE PERFECT GAME!

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  132. there goes the perfect game!

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  133. HBP!!!!

    tying run on!!!

    FU DANKS!!!!

    OMG DANKS -- NO-HITTER INTACT!!! LOL

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  134. Way to ruin your perfect game, dipshit. Butt-plugged!

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  135. DONT WORRY DANKS, COCO WILL KEEP YOUR NO-NO IN ORDER.

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  136. A BASERUNNER!!!!!!!! PRAISE JEBUS!!!!!!!

    Our long national nightmare is finally over.

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  137. Coco's face there reminded me of Daubach's, for some reason.

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  138. Danks still pitching a no-hitter eh?

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  139. I really, really hate you, Coco Crisp.

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  140. Bob's Furniture Tax Holiday weekend voice is on hyperspeed. Wow.

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  141. thanks cocococksuker.

    is it me, or can anyone else believe how bad he is. i dont care about his glove, we have 'oby.

    coco is worthless to me.

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  142. Crisp is more or less worthless as anything except a defensive sub right now, anyway. As I've said before, it's a shame how that wrist injury fucked up his career.

    Still, F him.

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  143. OCab decides to take 1 pitch before hacking.

    3 PA - 4 pitches - 3 outs

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  144. All Crisp has going for him is his glove. We can get a new one of those from the Rawlings Corp. of America anyday.

    No arm. No bat.

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  145. "tardy on the cut" SHUT UP DON.

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  146. Throwing this out to you guys: talking to a friend of mine, we both agreed that if the '08 Twins made the playoffs, it would be an achievement at least equal to, if not more than, the '08 Rays making the playoffs. Thoughts?

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  147. Wonder if the Chi media is going to slam Dye for not hustling down the line on that one.

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  148. WOW. feet betrayed you there huh coco?

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  149. Like I said, good glove!

    Fans behind the plate truped @ that one.

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  150. How hard is he supposed to hustle with another baserunner ahead of him?

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  151. Way to wriggle out of that, Beckett.

    All right, guys, 9 outs left. Time's a-wastin'.

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  152. I don't know. I kinda like Coco's defense (:

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  153. OKAY --

    me drinking white wine and eating organic blackberries = red sox rally

    i've done the math, it's totally solid ... so let's put 'em on the board

    yes.

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  154. Hits, please. A run or two would be nice, but I'm not greedy.

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  155. Why, because they lost Santana? The Twins were almost a .500 team last year.

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  156. HIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  157. I don't think Boston has swung on top of the ball yet tonight.

    Youk!

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  158. If we don't get another baserunner, then Pedroia just ended his streak.

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  159. FUCK YOU DANKS!
    HAHAHAHA

    LETS WIN

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  160. and the crowd gives Youk a standing O. ;)

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  161. Possum chin breaks up rat chin's no hitter.

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  162. THANK YOU YOUK!

    jere: on top of losing Santana, the Twins were without Liriano most of the year, and...well, take a look at their roster. I mean, Jesus.

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  163. That was cheap. But I'll take it. Now, let's dong ourselves into the lead.

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