Bow Down

(originally posted on 4/23/07)

"I'd rather die than give you control.
Bow down before the one you serve,
You're going to get what you deserve."
-"Head Like a Hole", NIN.

When I saw the pitching matchups for the Red Sox' three game weekend series against the Yankees, I thought Boston had a good shot at two wins, or perhaps even a sweep. With Schilling, Beckett, and Matsuzaka slated to pitch against NY, there was plenty of cause for optimism. If you had told me the three aces would pitch to an ERA over 6.00 in the series, I would have figured Beckett got bombed, and the Sox won the other two games. (Yep. Still with the optimism.) I never would have figured the Sox would sweep under those circumstances. But sweep they did, in a fairly convincing fashion. Allow me to expound.

Game 1
The Sox set a ferocious tone early with the National Anthem performed by Tiger Okoshi, courtesy of Berklee. The anthem was jazzy, Japanese-y, and quite a bit on the frenzied side. Unfortunately, when the actual game started, the Sox fell behind early. Alex Rodriguez slammed two HR's, the 2nd of which sent Sox CF Coco Crisp tumbling over the wall into the bullpen. (I blame the scouting reports for that. Coco should have been positioned in the bullpen to begin with.) Schilling allowed 5 ER in 7 IP. The Sox trailed 6-2, entering the bottom of the 8th. But the Sox put up five runs in the 8th, two of which were charged to the Yanks venerable closer, Mariano Rivera. (Rivera was coming off four days of rest, after allowing a walkoff HR to Oakland's Marco Scutaro. Yes. THE Marco Scutaro.)
Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon had pitched the last two days, so was not available* to close the game. Concerned? How do you say, "No worries, mate!" in Japanese? Hideki Okajima pitched the 9th, saving the win. (*Note: Papelbon is a damn Jedi. Obviously, if the Sox had needed him for a batter or two, he would have come in and shut down the Yanks.)
Also worthy of note was the interaction between Daisuke Matsuzaka and Julian Tavarez in the Sox dugout, while Okajima picked up the save. There has been much speculation in the blogosphere on their topic of conversation. The crack linguistics team I have on retainer analyzed the tape, and came to the following conclusion. Matsuzaka was inviting Tavarez for Popeye's chicken after the game, and Tavarez was calling dibs for the crossbow, in the event of a brawl. Hope that cleared things up.

Game 2
The second game featured Josh Beckett starting against the Yanks' Jeff Karstens. The Yanks jumped ahead 2-0 in the top of the 1st inning, but the Sox countered with two of their own in the bottom of the inning. In the 2nd, the Yanks picked up two more, but the Sox immediately tied the game at 4 in the bottom of the frame. A pitcher's duel it was not.
But Beckett settled down after the first two innings, only allowing one additional run (unearned), in 6.2 innings. Karstens, on the other hand, got bombed for three more runs in the 4th, as the Sox opened up a 7-4 lead. Karstens finished the day with a season ERA of 14.54.
DH/Author David Ortiz did the bulk of the damage in the 4th, with a two-run HR.
The Sox took a 7-5 lead into the 9th, and Papelbon closed the door with yet another scoreless inning of relief. It was Papelbon's 5th save in as many chances. The Yanks stood about as good of a chance as the ducks and moose do against the indomitable stopper.

Game 3
Daisuke Matsuzaka started the 3rd game, opposed by the Yanks' Chase Wright, a starter in AA ball two weeks ago. The Yanks, again, jumped ahead early. They took a 3-0 lead after their half of the 3rd inning against the Gazillion Yen Man. It didn't seem likely that the Sox could come from behind again.
I was driving home, listening to the game on the radio, as the Sox batted in the bottom of the 3rd. With 2 outs, and Ramirez batting, I entered scenic Somerville, MA. Ramirez quickly slammed his second HR of the season. As I proceeded down Broadway, J. D. Drew followed with another HR. Obviously, my driving around Somerville was having a beneficial effect on the Sox' bats. Fortunately for the Sox, my return home was slowed by a steady procession of Red (Sox?) lights. Mike Lowell hit the 3rd consecutive HR. I could feel the roaring fans all the way from Fenway Park. (Note to self: Take car in for Maintenance. Soon.)
As Varitek batted, it was obvious that I needed to continue driving around Somerville until the Sox ceased hitting home runs. THEN VARITEK HOMERED!! The streets PULSED, opening up large chasms in the concrete. The planet's rotation was changed. I swerved to avoid plunging through a hole to the center of the Earth.
That fourth HR clinched it for me- I had a full tank of hideously expensive gas, and I'd be driving within the friendly confines of Somerville until the Sox HR streak stopped. IF it stopped. (My Honda Accord gets EXCELLENT mileage- I was in this for the long haul!)
Wily Mo Pena, however, failed to hit a HR. The historic streak ended at four, with the Sox taking a 4-3 lead. I elected to watch the remainder of the game at home, despite the Sox' 3.200 slugging percentage while I drove around.
After that, there was just no way that the Sox were going to lose. The Yanks scored the next two runs, taking a 5-4 lead into the bottom of the 7th. But Mike Lowell hit his 2nd HR of the game, a 3 run shot that game Boston a 7-5 lead. The Yanks closed to within 7-6 in the 8th. Matsuzaka's line was 7 IP, 6 ER. But Matsuzaka got his 2nd win of the season when Papelbon closed out the Yanks, and the series, with another scoreless 9th inning. The sweep was complete.

The next morning, as I parked my vehicle at work, I noticed the car of one of my esteemed colleagues. His car usually stands out, as a result of the large Yankee flag typically hung in the back seat.
However, the Yankee flag was conspicuously absent this morning. In its place was a sizeable Red Sox one. Symbolic of his foolishness to wager against the brilliance of the 2007 Boston Red Sox.
All is right in Red Sox Nation.