Saturday, June 03, 2006

Game 52: Youk Got What I Need…

Final Score:

Boston Red Sox 3, Detroit Tigers 2


…but you say he’s just a friend

Watching the crazy, 9th inning, last out heroics gets me a little esoteric with my pop-culture references (can Biz Markie even be considered popular culture?) so there are only like 10 people who are going to get that joke… sorry. Anyway, the Red Sox lead the AL in comeback wins and this makes me so freaking happy I can barely explain it. I believe that heroism, like revenge, is a dish best served cold and Youk severed up a bone chilling plate of clutch in the 9th to win this game. It was just so… Papi-esque.

However, before all that happened, this game was basically a pitchers duel. Schilling against Kenny “don’t like cameramen” Rogers and they both were amazing. Schill gave up 2 over 6 (but racked up 8 Ks) and Rogers had the Sox hitters guessing through 7 and only allowed one run on a Crisp hit and steal and the Manny RBI. A tight game to say the least. The Sox pen was solid again (Riske, Seanez, Maalox) and the 2-1 score was still in place in the 9th even though Papi hit the longest out I have EVER seen to end the 8th. I swear there should be a little “infinity” marker at dead center in Comerica Park. This might have been a HR in the old Polo Grounds. Ok maybe not.

Anyway, with 2 outs in the 9th, Lowell (3 for 4) slaps a single and Youk steps up as the go-ahead run. Now before he preformed his amazing feat here, Youk was having an awful night. 0 for 3 with 2 Ks and he dropped a ball at first. But he puts all that behind him when on the second pitch he sees, he LAUNCHES one to blast ahead 3-2. There is nothing I like more than to see a player pick his team up in the end after letting them down to start.

Well nothing other than Paps in the 9th with a one run lead. 10 pitches, 2 Ks, 20th save. What can you say about this guy right now? Rookie of the Year? Rolaids Award? Cy Young candidate? Maybe all of it. All I know for certain is that this Sox team has at least 15 fewer wins if he isn’t as brilliant as he has been.

Saturday it’s Wake vs Bonderman. Let’s defang the Tigers again. GO SOX