ALCS Game 6

I'm still totally stoked about last night's game! The Sox won, 12-2 (!) and evened up the best of seven series at 3 games each. A victory tonight puts them in the World Series. It's too much to even dream about...

The Sox are definitely calling on the 2004 Mojo. The first pitch last night was thrown out by past fan favorite, Billy "The Pro" Mueller. Mueller got the single that scored Dave Roberts in Game 4 of the 2004 ALCS, after "the steal." Looks like retirement agrees with him.

Boston Globe photo.

And tonight, our old buddy Kevin Millar is throwing the first pitch. Of course, FOX won't show it - we'll have to read about it in tomorrow's paper.

Last night's long overdue hero: JD Drew!
Globe photo (Jim Davis)
Drew gets some flack for being cool and unemotional - which can come across as apathy. That guy in the photo sure doesn't look like he doesn't care. Drew had just hit a grand slam home run in the first inning - and it gave the team a major emotional boost. All Schilling had to do was put it on cruise control, which he did. Not a lights-out performance, but sufficient.

And speaking of a sufficient pitching job:

Globe photo
Eric Gagne came in in the 9th - and closed out the victory. He pitched well - I think it was the first 1-2-3 inning he's ever pitched for us. I'm not sure if he should have a place on the WS roster, if it comes to that, but...

So, tonight game 7. We've got Matsuzaka on the mound, and I'm nervous. I don't think he's shown us yet what he's capable of, and I hope we'll see something "special" (to quote Schill) tonight. One writer pointed out that with the performances of Lugo, Drew and Gagne last night, it was like Theo's revenge - it's like they were showing us that Theo knows what he's doing. That could continue tonight with a good outing from Daisuke - show the world that he was worth every yen.

I just hope that, comes the end of the 9th inning, we see another scene like this on the field:


Photo by sitting still


One thing missing from the 2004 season was a chance to clinch at home. We came back to beat the Yankees - but had to celebrate on the field at Yankee Stadium. We swept the Cardinals in the Series - but had to celebrate on the field at Busch Stadium. How sweet would it be to win tonight, and get a chance to celebrate on the field at Fenway Park. In front of the adoring, insane nutjobs that make up Red Sox Nation. Please, please, please....

Go Red Sox!!