now this is what i call Sox Appeal

second day-night double header in a week. here we go...



Game 1
1. i thought i was losing my mind. (short trip, trust me.) but seriously. i was watching on MLBtv and the away half of the first inning: NESN. the home half: Chicago's station. top of the second: NESN. it finally stayed NESN. hooray!

2. we saw the Ghost of 2006 Joshy >=[ not so much with the Commander Kick Ass performance today -- first run he gave up, he *walked* in, for crying out loud, and then the two-run bomb -- but win number sixteen just the same.

2a. hey Wakey, darling? consider that your silent challenge to keep neck-and-neck with Joshy on your next start, ok? i love that you're right up there on the top of the world.

3. thought i was thankful for Lugo scoring the tying run. turns out he botched a base steal that i didn't see because i was working. so he negated my thanks before he even earned it. JFL, setting new standards every day.

4. i missed a lot of the game because i had to work. and then i had to boat drive home.

5. logged back in just in time to see Tek hit a two-run homer in the ninth to make it 11-3. off Mike Myers. i wonder if it's safe to laugh at a *former* Yankee...?

6. five and a half game AL East lead.

7. jeez... this game took something like three hours and 55 minutes to play??

8. eleven runs on fifteen hits. i hope they saved something for the second game of the doubleheader. if there actually *is* a second game... rain, rain, stay away...

Game 2
1. Pedroia! =) wee second baseman was back! soon soon! and with a vengeance.

2. first hit as a Red Sock for Cash!! and then a double!! 2-for-3, plus a walk, with a run batted in. have i mentioned i love Kevin Cash? don't misunderstand. there's no replacing Dougie in my heart, but at least there's someone like Cash in the wings. (no offense to The Josh Bard Project.)

3. Papi Power! i've missed his multi homer games.

4. in addition to Papi, the Sox brought bats to *both* games! ('scuse me while i scoop my jaw up off the floor.) Manny is producing. Youk looks like he's coming out of his slump. Lowell is staying hot (and *not* going into the second half slump that has plagued him in past seasons). so so SO happy to see our offense starting to do what we've believed it was capable of.
pleasepleaseplease let this be the start of something consistent.

5. Don Orsillo: the Red Sox bullpen has not given up a run today. - i really felt in my gut this would be Gagne's first Sox 1-2-3... and then Don opened his mouth. at least it wasn't a run scored. just a walk that amounted to nothing.

6. sorry Dan.

and there you have it: a day-night sweep. not easy to pull off. i am by no means gloating. i am thankful. and thanks to the Tigers -- so many thanks! -- we are back to being six-and-a-half games up with the EE loss.

Wakey goes for sweet sixteen this afternoon. GO SOX!