Boston Red Sox meets New England Patriots at Fenway in the form of one Mike Lowell

photo from The Boston Globe

1. Youk's hit streak met its demise. that's not to say that Youk didn't get on base. he drew three walks. i would be lying if i said wasn't a little sad to see it end, but to his credit, instead of taking swings, in an effort to extend it, Youk stayed true to his typically disciplined self, and didn't hack at pitches. he wasn't hitting if they weren't giving him something to hit. and so he lived up to his nickname as the Greek God of Walks.
“Streaks are streaks. At-bats are at-bats. For me it doesn’t matter. We won a game tonight, a big game. For us it’s winning ball games,” Youkilis said. “It’s not about hitting streaks and trying to break records and all that stuff. It’s about going up there and playing the game the right way, and getting on base for your team.” (Nashua Telegraph)
Pedroia is on his own little hit streak right now though. twelfth consecutive game for him yesterday!

2. ohhhh Buck & McCarver. they just have a way of making even the best games painful to watch. i've been saving this little tidbit from Surviving Grady since February for just such an occasion: LOST returns tonight. I got on the train late -- got the first two seasons on DVD and watched 'em over the past couple months -- but I'm good to go. In the meantime, the above clip is a "Red Sox invading popular culture" moment for the ages. Notice how Jack seems excited to hear Joe Buck and Tim McCarver. That's how we know it's make-believe.

3. Manny was here for the game. but he brought snacks. as was evidenced by the sunflower seeds hanging out of his back pocket while he was at the plate. maybe he thought if he hit one out, he could stand & watch it go while enjoying refreshments?

4. funniest part of the game coverage was the in-game interview they did with Francona: "I think your big DH is mocking you behind your back right now." to which Tito replied: "I'll knock him on his ass."

5. with Greasy McSquarehead out for quite a while, if not the remainder of the season, Benedict Damon will be enjoying the DH slot since his legs can't seem to handle the requirements of playing center field anymore. i am not laughing, but i find it entertaining that his wheels are coming off right before our eyes. just another million dollar player with body parts falling off right before Steindevil's eyes.

6. i'm going to guess Mike Lowell has bounced back all right from his encounter with beanball on Friday night, you know, considering he went 3-for-4 with a double & a home run, four RBI, two runs scored, and a walk.

7. how often do you see a player need to call time & step out of the batter's box because he is being swarmed by gnats?!

8. half hour mid-game rain delay may have resulted in Schill & Moose not going as deep as they might have, after all that sitting around, but it did give me a chance to see Mark Loretta at bat when FOX switched to the other Saturday game while we waited for the showers to pass in Boston. Pedroia Pocket has grown on me, but i do miss Mark Loretta.

9. and just as predicted, Roger Clemens will wait til interleague play to make his 2007 debut. like Bob Ryan said on PTI the other day, it is absurd that his team is struggling monumentally right now, and he is stalling & making excuses about why he can't come back yet. apparently the Rocket has *informed* the Yankees that he won't be starting against the White Sox either now, but may be back to face the Pirates. he is blaming it on a fatigued groin. that just begs an Andy Pettitte reference but i will refrain, lest i make myself picture something i would rather avoid.

10. i have to admit, it really surprised me that Mike Lowell made a physical effort to attempt preventing Robinson Cano from turning a double play in the bottom of the fourth. the play was deemed clean but i am not used to seeing baseball be so physical in nature, much less from someone usually so quiet & unassuming. post game, when asked about it, Lowell said that was how the Yankees taught him to play a situation like that when he was coming up through their farm system. interestingly, Yankees fans don't seem annoyed by the play, but were impressed & now seem to be eying him hungrily as his free agency approaches, especially with all the talk of A-Rod possibly making an exit from New York after this season. ummmmmm... Theo? if you don't sign him & he ends up play for *them*... i cannot be held responsible. get paper & a pen & get him signed, STAT.

11. speaking of Mike Lowell & hitting Yankees, i really hope Doug Mientkiewicz is ok after being laid out cold when a collision with Lowell's thigh/hip sent him sprawling, his neck snapping like those images you see of crash test dummies when they make impact. lest anyone think Mike Lowell has no soul after knocking into Cano earlier in the game, he hesitated, looking at Mientkiewicz laying face down in the dirt, before being waved to take second base on the errant throw by Jeter. as soon as time was called for injury, he immediately headed back toward first, exhibiting obvious concern for the Yankee first baseman. i may not want the Pinstripers to win, but i certainly don't want to see anyone get hurt, no matter who signs their paychecks.


12. Sox rebounded from Friday's embarrassing loss to win 11-6 on Saturday. i know we keep hearing comments about how heads may start to roll in the Bronx, but i don't want to see Joe Torre get axed. before you think i am getting soft in my old age, i hope they keep him & let him keep burning out his bullpen all the way through September. the last thing anyone needs is for someone to come in (or get promoted) & start managing that team. nope. leave it all alone & let the downward spiral suck them right down the drain. that would suit me just fine.

13. Joshy goes for number nine tonight, hoping to stay undefeated. Sox look to win another series, and increase their lead over the Yankees in the division. let's hope they get this one played at all. it's looking like it could be a bit damp in Boston this evening.